Helena Modjeska

Helena Modjeska
Helena Modjeska, c. 1890
Born	Jadwiga Benda (baptized Helena Opid) (1840-10-12)October 12, 1840 Cracow, Free City of Cracow (now Kraków, Poland)
Died	April 8, 1909(1909-04-08) (aged 68) Newport Beach, California, U.S.
Occupation	Actress
Years active	1861–1907
Spouses	Gustav Modrzejewski ​ ​ (m. 1861; div. 1868)​ Count Karol Bozenta Chłapowski ​ ​ (m. 1868)​
Children	2, including Ralph
Relatives	Władysław T. Benda (nephew)
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Helena Modrzejewska (Polish: [mɔdʐɛˈjɛfska]; born Jadwiga Benda; 12 October 1840 – 8 April 1909), known professionally as Helena Modjeska, was a Polish-American actress who specialized in Shakespearean and tragic roles.

She was successful first on the Polish stage. After emigrating to the United States (and despite her poor command of English), she also succeeded on stage in America and London. She is regarded as the greatest actress in the history of theatre in Poland.^[1] She was also a member of the Pacific Coast Women's Press Association and was mother of a prominent Polish-American engineer Ralph Modjeski.