Lisette Verea (August 27, 1914 – August 27, 2003) was a Jewish Romanian-born cabaret singer and actress, best-known for her appearance in the Marx Brothers film A Night in Casablanca (1946).
Early life Lisette Verea was born in Bucharest,Leonard Lyons, "Telethon for Chevalier" The Times (May 27, 1958): 32. via Newspapers.com in a Jewish family, as the daughter of Hainerik Chaim Veksler Verea and Olga Veksler Verea.
Career Verea moved to the United States in 1941. Her name appears on the passenger list on President Grant liner, which arrived in New York on October 3, 1941. In 1944, she appeared on Broadway in a pair of operettas on a double bill (La Serva Patrona and The Secret of Suzanne),"Double Bill Sung by the New Opera" New York Times (May 15, 1944): 14. and in a revival of The Merry Widow."The Merry Widow Returns Tonight" New York Times (October 7, 1944): 10. In 1946, publicity proclaimed her "Hollywood's newest glamor girl.""Men, Here's Your Challenge – Are You an Amateur Lover?" The News-Palladium (January 7, 1946): 5. via Newspapers.com
Screen appearances by Verea included Trenul fantoma (1933) and in the Marx Brothers film A Night in Casablanca (1946). In A Night in Casablanca, she sang "Who's Sorry Now?" in French and English. The New York Times critic enjoyed her performance, calling her character Beatrice "a flashy brunette who is played with an extravagant flounce by Lisette Verea"."A Night in Casablanca, with Marx Brothers, at Globe" New York Times (August 12, 1946): 17.
Personal life Verea married first in 1946, to textile manufacturer Erhart Ruegg;"$160,000 in Gems Strangely Stolen" New York Times (January 8, 1949): 30. he died in 1950. One of Erhart's children from a previous marriage was Buddhologist David Seyfort Ruegg."Erhart A. Ruegg" New York Times (March 4, 1950): 17. Verea's second marriage was in 1954 to Olympic gold-medalist tennis player Francis Hunter."Mrs. Lisette Ruegg Wed to F.T. Hunter" New York Times (June 22, 1954): 23.
In 1964, she, her sister Bella, and a maid were the victims of a home-invasion robbery at the Hunters' estate in Southampton, Long Island."Long Island Estate Looted by Gunmen; Three Women Chained" New York Times (September 2, 1964): 27. Verea died in New York City on August 27, 2003, her 89th birthday."Paid Notice: Deaths: Lisette Verea Hunter" New York Times (August 28, 2003).
Filmography Year Title Role Notes1933 Trenul fantoma Mary 1946 A Night in Casablanca Bea
References
External links
Lisette Verea's listing on IBDB. A still from A Night in Casablanca (1946), featuring Lisette Verea and Groucho Marx, from Getty Images