Olga Bellin (born Olga Bielinska; August 17, 1933 – November 8, 1987), also known as Olga Winters, was a Polish-born American actress who worked primarily in theater and television, but is best known for her sole big screen credit, as Robert Duvall's co-star in the critically acclaimed Faulkner adaptation, Tomorrow. She also played Margaret Roper—née More, daughter of Paul Scofield's Thomas More–in the original Broadway production of A Man for All Seasons and played the lead in HB Studio's The House of Mirth, adapted from Edith Wharton's like-named novel.
Early life and career Born in 1929 to Polish emigres Walter Bielinska and Helen Jarzembinski,"Tower Ranch Has Group of Visitors". The Rhinelander Daily News. August 19, 1953. p. 5. "Mrs. Walter Bielinska of Milwaukee, mother of the Tenthouse's leading lady, Olga Bielinska, is visiting her daughter this week and enjoying this week's presentation of 'The Importance of Being Earnest'.""United States, GenealogyBank Historical Newspaper Obituaries, 1815-2013", FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:Q5SZ-1VQZ : Mon Jan 20 04:27:42 UTC 2025), Entry for Walter Bielinski and Helen Jarzembinski, 26 Feb 1966."United States, Census, 1930", FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:X99J-QK6 : Tue Feb 11 19:52:55 UTC 2025), Entry for Walter Bielinski and Helen Bielinski, 1930. "Personal Description – Age at last birthday: 7/12.""United States, Census, 1940", FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:K7KK-2N4 : Thu Jan 09 17:33:49 UTC 2025), Entry for Walter Bielinski and Helen Bielinski, 1940."United States, Census, 1920", FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:MFKL-DH4 : Mon Jan 13 15:41:07 UTC 2025), Entry for Walter Bilinski and Helen Bilinski, 1920. Bellin attended Milwaukee-Downer College, graduating Phi Beta Kappa in 1951."Here and There: Arena Players Fold Tent, Depart for Studies; To New York". The Rhinelander Daily News. September 7, 1951. p. 3. By that point, Bellin had, since 1949, performed extensively in summer stock with Milwaukee's Tower Ranch Tent-House Theatre, in such roles as Mrs. Bramson in Night Must Fall,Botford, Joe (July 28, 1949). "Night Must Fall". The Rhinelander Daily News. p. 6. Amanda Wingfield in The Glass Menagerie,Perrill, Jo (August 11, 1949). "Summer Theater Audience Enjoys 'Glass Menagerie'". The Rhinelander Daily News. p. 3. O'Neill's Anna Christie,"'Anna Christie' Ably Presented". The Rhinelander Daily News. August 24, 1950. p. 2. Shaw's Candida,Botford, Joe (August 16, 1951). "'Candida' Honors Shaw with Approval of Full House". The Rhinelander Daily News. p. 2. Billie Dawn in Born Yesterday,Botford, Joe (August 3, 1950). "Lions Applaud 'Born Yesterday'". The Rhinelander Daily News. p. 3. Kate Keller in All My Sons,"'All My Sons' Is Strong Drama". The Rhinelander Daily News. July 13, 1950. p. 2. Alma Winemiller in Summer and Smoke,Muller, Pat (August 2, 1951). "Heavy Drama of Williams' Play Is Capably Handled". The Rhinelander Daily News. p. 2. "Miss Olga Bielinska plays to the hilt her difficult role as the hypochrondriacal Alma, the minister's daughter, who finds it easier to retire from life than to meet squarely. Teamed with her is Warren Erhardt as Dr. John Buchanan, Jr., drunken young wastrel." and Amanda in Noël Coward's Private Lives.Botford, Joe (August 31, 1950). "'Private Lives' Warmly Received". The Rhinelander Daily News. p. 6."Summer Theater Brings Broadway to Northwoods; Tenthouse Players". The Rhinelander Daily News. September 1, 1950. p. 2. Following her graduation, Bellin received a scholarship to study dance with Martha Graham in New York,"Tower Ranch to Have 12-Week Season; Players Return". The Rhinelander Daily News. June 5, 1952. p. 2. where she would also study acting with Uta Hagen at the Herbert Berghof Studio.
Beginning in January 1954 and continuing for approximately 18 months, Bielinska performed under the name Olga Winters,"Some Tower Ranch Players Winter in New York City". The Rhinelander Daily News. January 15, 1954. p. 3. both in New York and in Ontario, giving well-received lead performances in plays such as Gigi, The Philadelphia Story, The Hasty Heart, Dear Barbarians, and A Streetcar Named Desire."Local Youth Gets Big Role in New Play". The Standard. June 7, 1954. p. 6.Lampard, E. H. (June 15, 1954). "Garden Centre Players Present Streetcar, Strong Theatre Fare". The Standard. p. 19. One of her chief colleagues during this period, Canadian director/voice actor Vern Chapman, later recalled their collaboration. I was fortunate to have in the first show Jill Foster, Diane Vickers, Bernard Slade, Warren Hart, and a splendid, sensitive young actress, Olga Winters, who was studying with Uta Hagen at the Herbert Berghoff Studio in New York. Originally from Wisconsin, her real name was Olga Bielinska, a beautiful name worthy of a ballerina but one which Olga thought would be too restricting in Manhattan theatre agents’ offices. Here was an actress who knew how to act in depth without sitting around for weeks analyzing the character and all its relatives for generations back. Even in the lightest of comedy, Olga managed to imbue rather surface characters, as written, with a depth that made them more believable.Chapman, Vernon (2001). Who's in the Goose Tonight? : An Anecdotal History of Canadian Theatre. Toronto: ECW Press. pp. 211–212. . "I was fortunate to have in the first show Jill Foster, Diane Vickers, Bernard Slade, Warren Hart, and a splendid, sensitive young actress, Olga Winters, who was studying with Uta Hagen at the Herbert Berghoff Studio in New York. Originally from Wisconsin, her real name was Olga Bielinska, a beautiful name worthy of a ballerina but one which Olga thought would be too restricting in Manhattan theatre agents’ offices."
In 1962, Bellin received the Charlotte Cushman Award as "the year's best actress in a non-featured role" for her portrayal of Margaret More in A Man for All Seasons.Gaghan, Jerry (June 6, 1962). "Olga Sees Silver Lining in Award". Philadelphia Daily News. p. 60.
One viewer who was particularly struck by Bellin's performance in Tomorrow, Horton Foote's adaptation of the like-named short story from Knight's Gambit, is Faulkner biographer Carl Rollyson. Bellin seems to play Sarah perfectly. Without histrionics she is plain spoken and reserved, in spite of the lengthy speech she must deliver. Bellin clearly and confidently acts the role of a proud, independent woman, who has never asked for anyone's help. In her self-reliance, her suppressed tenderness, and loneliness she again resembles Fentry. Out of her isolation, she peaks to the isolation in him. This moment in the film is a revelation for Sarah, for Fentry, and for the viewer. There is nothing like it in the short story, which depends for the most part upon retrospective summary of events, and brief but vivid description and dialogue. Neither Fentry nor Sarah has any self-pity; Sarah cries but does not sentimentalize her grief. They are a perfect match, so much so that Fentry is willing to admit to feelings that he would not usually acknowledge [...] perhaps even to himself.
In 1984, Bellin starred in the professional premiere of William Luce's Zelda, his one-woman show about the latter days of Zelda Fitzgerald, directed by Bellin's husband and staged at the American Place Theater. In his review, Record theater critic Robert Foldberg detected "little new insight" in the play itself yet found the performance "quite affecting."Bellin's portrayal is so intensely touching that the familiar often becomes fresh. [...] Whatever the cause of Zelda's agony, it is harrowingly portrayed by Bellin. Her performance is sensitive but unyielding in its depiction of Zelda's mental anguish.
Personal life and death In May 1958, Bellin married fellow Herbert Berghof alumnus Paul Roebling.Moir, Wendy (August 4, 1961). "'Romeo' Scene Blossomed Into the Real Thing". The Province. p. 18. They had one child, a son, Kristian (Kriss Roebling)."Acting Couple's Labor of Love". The San Francisco Examiner. p. 30.
On November 8, 1987, approximately two years after being diagnosed, Bellin died of cancer at age 54 in New York City.Chapman, op. cit. p. 217. She was survived by her son and her husband, Paul Roebling, who would take his own life seven years later.
Filmography + Olga Bellin film and television credits Year Title Role Notes1957 United States Steel Hour Pepe's Mother Episode: "The Little Bullfighter" 1958 Camera Three Episode: "Notes from the Underground: Part 3" 1959 The Edge of Night Peggy Collins 2 episodes The Play of the Week Vera Episode: "A Month in the Country" 1960 Look Up and Live Sonia Episode: "The Perilous Adventure, Part II: The Guilty Man" CBS Repertoire Workshop Tanya Episode: "The Seven Who Were Hanged" 1961 Naked City Jeannie Clinton Episode: "A Hole in the City" 1962 Armstrong Circle Theatre Ilsa Daum Episode: "The Assassin" 1963 Golden Showcase Juliet Episode: "Romeos and Juliets – A Theme with Variations" "Night Watch: Tip for Tonight". The Boston Globe. October 31, 1963. p. 48. Retrieved February 20, 2025. "The famous balcony scene will be done in drama, ballet, opera and musical comedy in the first of a new series of young peoples specials, Romeos and Juliets: A Theme With Variations. Ch 4 at 7:30"Newton, Wight. (November 24, 1963). "Four Versions Of Romeos And Juliets". The San Francisco Examiner. p. TV-1. Retrieved February 20, 2025. "'Romeos and Juliets: A Theme with Variations' (2:30 p. m., channel 5) is a special Group W production interpreting the famous balcony scene through drama, ballet, opera, and modern musical techniques. It was prepared for TV in advance of the 1964 Shakespearean Quadricentennial. Paul Robeling and Olga Bellin enact Shakespeare's words. Terrence Miller and Emily Frankel dance an original Todd Bolender ballet. Frank Poretta and Lee Venora sing from Gounod's opera. Larry Kert and Marlys Watters do the Tony and Maria version from 'West Side Story.'" Route 66 Min Kronberg Episode: "93 Percent in Smiling" 1964 The Doctors and the Nurses Mrs. Hartman Episode: "Nurse Is a Feminine Noun" Another World Ann Fuller 2 episodes1965 The Holy Terror The Holy Terror Elizabeth Herbert TV movie. Hallmark Hall of Fame1966 The Doctors and the Nurses Ann Fuller 1 episode1972 Tomorrow Sarah Eubanks Film1984 The Shakers: Hands to Work, Hearts to God Herself (voice) Documentary film by Ken Burns1986 The Equalizer Mrs. Winslow Episode: "Joyride"
References
Further reading "Olga Bielinska to Star in TV Show Wednesday". The Rhinelander Daily News. June 4, 1957. p. 6.
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