Marika Aba

{{Short description|American journalist (1929–1972)}}

{{Short description|Hungarian-American dancer and journalist (1929–1972)}}

{{Infobox person

{{Infobox person

| name = Marika Aba

| name = Marika Aba

| birth_name = Marika Wolff

| image =

| image_size =

| alt =

| caption =

| birth_date = {{Birth date|1929|11|12}}

| birth_date = {{Birth date|1929|11|12}}

| birth_place = [[Budapest]], Hungary

| birth_place = [[Budapest]], [[Kingdom of Hungary (1920–1946)|Kingdom of Hungary]]

| death_date = {{Death date and age|1972|11|12|1929|11|12}}

| death_date = {{Death date and age|1972|11|12|1929|11|12}}

| death_place = [[Paris]], France

| death_place = [[Bichat–Claude Bernard Hospital]], [[Paris]], [[France]]

| burial_place = [[Protestant Cemetery, Rome|Protestant Cemetery]], [[Rome]], [[Italy]]

| nationality = American

| other_names = Marika Aba Semler

| occupation = dancer, journalist

| citizenship = American {{small|(1956–1972)}}

| years_active =

| occupation = {{startflatlist}}

| known_for =

* [[Dancer]]

| notable_works =

* [[journalist]]

| spouse = Norman Nathan Semler

{{endflatlist}}

| spouse = {{marriage |Norman Nathan Semler|1954|1966|end=div}}

| children = 1

}}

}}

'''Marika Aba''' (November 12, 1929 – November 12, 1972) was an American dancer and journalist.

'''Marika Aba''' (né Marika Wolff; 1929&ndash;1972) was an Hungarian born, [[Hungarian-American]] dancer and journalist.<ref name="Champlin"/>

Born '''Marika Wolff''', her father was an engineer who disappeared while working in Turkey at the outbreak of World War II. After the war, during the Soviet occupation of Hungary, she and her mother, Georgina Maros, escaped to [[Austria]] by swimming across a river at night. Having trained as a ballerina in Austria, she was a prima ballerina in Rome when she landed the role of the "Assyrian Dancer at Nero's banquet" in the 1951 movie ''[[Quo Vadis (1951 film)|Quo Vadis]]''.<ref>{{cite book |author1=Richard Lindsay |title=Hollywood Biblical Epics: Camp Spectacle and Queer Style from the Silent Era to the Modern Day: Camp Spectacle and Queer Style from the Silent Era to the Modern Day |date=June 19, 2015 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=uPzWCQAAQBAJ&q=marika&pg=PA74 |publisher=Praeger |accessdate=April 21, 2019 |page=74|isbn=9781440837531 }}</ref> After this role, she and her mother moved to [[Sherman Oaks, Los Angeles|Sherman Oaks]], [[California]].

Aba's father was an engineer who disappeared while working in Turkey at the outbreak of World War II. After the war, during the Soviet occupation of Hungary, she and her mother, Georgina Maros, escaped to [[Austria]] by swimming across a river at night. Having trained as a ballerina in Austria, she was a prima ballerina in Rome when she landed the role of the "Assyrian Dancer at Nero's banquet" in the 1951 movie ''[[Quo Vadis (1951 film)|Quo Vadis]]''.<ref>{{cite book |author1=Richard Lindsay |title=Hollywood Biblical Epics: Camp Spectacle and Queer Style from the Silent Era to the Modern Day: Camp Spectacle and Queer Style from the Silent Era to the Modern Day |date=June 19, 2015 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=uPzWCQAAQBAJ&q=marika&pg=PA74 |publisher=Praeger |accessdate=April 21, 2019 |page=74|isbn=9781440837531 }}</ref> After this role, she and her mother moved to [[Sherman Oaks, Los Angeles|Sherman Oaks]], [[California]].

In 1952, she appeared as the flower girl in the [[MGM]] [[musical film]] ''[[Lovely to Look At]]''. In 1961, she appeared as a contestant on the TV quiz show, ''[[You Bet Your Life]]'', hosted by [[Groucho Marx]]. She was escorted on stage by [[Harpo Marx]].<ref>{{cite web |title=Marika Aba |url=https://www.imdb.com/name/nm1014337/ |website=Internet Movie Database |accessdate=April 21, 2019}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=Harpo meets Groucho on "You Bet Your Life" | website=[[YouTube]] |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SdFgzZBhU7Y |accessdate=April 21, 2019}}</ref>

In 1952, she appeared as the flower girl in the [[MGM]] [[musical film]] ''[[Lovely to Look At]]''. In 1961, she appeared as a contestant on the TV quiz show, ''[[You Bet Your Life]]'', hosted by [[Groucho Marx]]. She was escorted on stage by [[Harpo Marx]].<ref>{{cite web |title=Marika Aba |url=https://www.imdb.com/name/nm1014337/ |website=Internet Movie Database |accessdate=April 21, 2019}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=Harpo meets Groucho on "You Bet Your Life" | website=[[YouTube]] |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SdFgzZBhU7Y |accessdate=April 21, 2019}}</ref>

After her brief film career she became a journalist, writing for the [[Los Angeles Times]] about the arts.<ref>{{cite book |author1=Axel Madsen |title=John Houston: A Biography |date=March 17, 2015 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=tG7kBgAAQBAJ&q=marika+aba+los+angeles+times&pg=PT314 |publisher=Open Road Media |isbn=9781504008587 |accessdate=April 21, 2019}}</ref> She returned to Italy and focused her reporting on the Italian movie industry. Film critic [[Charles Champlin]] noted the "ebullience and wit" of her writing.<ref name="obit2">{{cite web |author1=Charles Champlin |title=Marika Aba Dies After Long Illness |url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/37412027/obituary-for-marika-aba/ |website=newspapers.com |publisher=Los Angeles Times |accessdate=July 22, 2020 |date=November 14, 1972}}</ref>

After her brief film career she became a journalist, writing for the [[Los Angeles Times]] about the arts.<ref>{{cite book |author1=Axel Madsen |title=John Houston: A Biography |date=March 17, 2015 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=tG7kBgAAQBAJ&q=marika+aba+los+angeles+times&pg=PT314 |publisher=Open Road Media |isbn=9781504008587 |accessdate=April 21, 2019}}</ref> She returned to Italy and focused her reporting on the Italian movie industry. Film critic [[Charles Champlin]] noted the "ebullience and wit" of her writing.<ref name="Champlin"/> At the time of her death, Aba was publicity director for Verona Film, and production and publicity liaison for [[Paramount Pictures]] and [[Cinema International Corporation]].

==Personal life and death==

==Personal life and death==

In June 1954, Aba married Norman Nathan Semiet.<ref>{{cite journal |title=Marika A Wolff and Norman N Semler |journal=California, U.S., Marriage Index, 1949-1959 |date=1954 |publisher=California Department of Health and Welfare |location=Pleasanton, California}}</ref> The couple had one son before later divorcing in March 1966.<ref name="Champlin"/><ref>{{cite journal |title=Marika Aba and Norman Semler |journal=State of California. California Divorce Index, 1966-1984 |date=1966 |publisher=Center for Health Statistics, California Department of Health Services |location=Sacramento, California}}</ref> Aba became a naturalised American citizen in April 1956.<ref>{{cite journal |title=Marika Aba Semler |journal=Naturalization Index Cards of the U.S. District Court For the Southern District of California, Central Division (Los Angeles), 1915-1976 (M1525); Microfilm Serial: M1525; Microfilm Roll: 97 |date=1956 |publisher=The National Archives |location=Washington, D.C.}}</ref><ref>{{cite journal |title=Marietta Semler [Marika Aba Semler] |journal=Petitions For Naturalization, U.s. District Court For the Central District of California (Los Angeles), 1940-1991; NAI Number: 594890; Record Group Title: Records of District Courts of the United States, 1685-2009; Record Group Number: Records of District Courts of the United States, 1685-2009 |date=1956 |publisher=The National Archives |location=Washington, D.C.}}</ref>

Aba was the second wife of Norman Nathan Semler.<ref>{{cite web |title=Norman Nathan Semler |url=https://www.geni.com/people/Norman-Semler/6000000032986371838 |website=Geni |date=January 1919 |accessdate=April 21, 2019}}</ref> The couple had one child, a son named Gary. Aba was survived by her mother and her son, both in California.<ref name="obit2"/>

Aba died in [[Bichat–Claude Bernard Hospital]] on her 43rd birthday following what was described as "a long illness".<ref name="Champlin"/><ref name="SFS">{{cite journal |title=Marika Aba Semler |journal=Department of State Foreign Service of the United States of America, Reports of the Death of an American Citizen |date=1972 |volume=NAI Number: 613857; Record Group Title: General Records of the Department of State |publisher=National Archives at College Park |location=Maryland}}</ref> Aba was buried at the [[Protestant Cemetery, Rome|Protestant Cemetery]] in [[Rome]].<ref name="Champlin"/><ref name="SFS"/>

At the time of her death, Aba was publicity director for Verona Film, and production and publicity liaison for [[Paramount Pictures]] and [[Cinema International Corporation]]. She died in [[Paris, France]] on her 43rd birthday following what was described as "a long illness". Her funeral and burial were in Rome.<ref name="obit">{{cite web |title=Marika Aba Dies |year=1972 |publisher=Motion Picture Daily |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=UlhCAQAAIAAJ&q=marika+aba |accessdate=April 21, 2019}}</ref>

==Filmography==

==Filmography==

! Role

! Role

! Notes

! Notes

!Ref(s)

|-

|-

|1951|| ''[[Quo Vadis (1951 film)|Quo Vadis]]'' || Assyrian Dancer at Nero's Banquet || Uncredited ||style="text-align:center;"|<ref>{{cite web |title=Quo Vadis |url=https://collections-search.bfi.org.uk/web/Details/ChoiceFilmWorks/150031992 |website=Collections Search {{!}} BFI {{!}} British Film Institute |publisher=British Film Institute |access-date=5 July 2025 |location=London}}</ref><ref name="Champlin">{{cite news |last1=Champlin |first1=Charles |title=Marika Aba Dies After Long Illness |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-los-angeles-times-obituary-for-marik/37412027/ |access-date=5 July 2025 |work=The Los Angeles Times |date=November 14, 1972 |location=Los Angeles, California |page=75}}</ref>

|1951|| ''[[Quo Vadis (1951 film)|Quo Vadis]]'' || Assyrian Dancer at Nero's Banquet || Uncredited

|-

|-

|1952|| ''[[Lovely to Look At]]'' || Flower Girl || Uncredited, (final film role)

|1952|| ''[[Lovely to Look At]]'' || Flower Girl || Uncredited, (final film role) ||

|}

|}