Acting
Mara Lane
Born 1930-08-01 · Wien, Austria
This glamorous, sultry Anglo-Austrian leading lady and model was born Dorothy Lane Bolton in Vienna to British oil company executive John Bolton and Russian-born pianist Olga Mironova. Mara studied dance with the Viennese ballet before her family took her to America, travelling via Denmark. She had a sister, Jocelyn Lane (aka Jackie), who was eventually to follow in her older sibling's footsteps to become a successful cover model and starlet in her own right. Mara was educated in New York and later attended the Centre de services scolaire Marguerite-Bourgeoys in the Saint Laurent borough of Montreal. While only in her teens, she began working part-time as a model for teenage fashion magazines. Aged 18, she moved to London to study costume design. Talent-scouted in a restaurant, with some modelling experience already under her belt, Mara appeared two years later in her first motion picture, the independently-produced post-war drama Hell Is Sold Out (1951). At this time, she was touted in the press as the 'British Marilyn Monroe', though she might have been more accurately described as an Elizabeth Taylor-lookalike. Mara herself disliked being compared to other actresses, calling it 'a disadvantage'. Nonetheless, she followed the advice of studio bosses to "get around and be seen". As the cameras adored her, celebrity status quickly followed, if not on the silver screen, then on the cover of glossy magazines. Mara had several undemanding supporting roles in British films before being signed by Howard Hughes for a small part in his RKO comedy Susan Slept Here (1954), starring Dick Powell and Debbie Reynolds. Thereafter, having spurned further offers from Hollywood, she forged a minor (but, ultimately, desultory) career as star of European B-grade movies, ranging from spy thrillers (Uomini ombra (1954)) to films noir (cast as a femme fatale in Angela (1954), co-starring opposite Dennis O'Keefe) and from romantic period comedy (Le avventure di Giacomo Casanova (1955)) to peplum (Anno 79: La distruzione di Ercolano (1962)). She made several films in Germany, arguably her best being the melancholic love story Monpti (1957), filmed on location in Paris with Romy Schneider and Horst Buchholz early in their careers. In 1961, Mara married San Antonio oil executive William Lafayette Dugger Jr., but divorced him after just three years. Dugger was later briefly engaged to Hollywood star Lizabeth Scott. He died unexpectedly in 1969. Mara left show business in 1964 and disappeared from the limelight, having always craved privacy in her personal life. She died in relative obscurity in Marbella, Spain, in 2014.
Acting credits
10.0No synopsis available yet.
Mal drunter – mal drüber
1960
9.0No synopsis available yet.
Der Fremdenführer von Lissabon
1956
5.8Dennis O'Keefe plays a GI who falls in love with Mara Lane in postwar Rome. Lane kills her boss, forcing her to flee the law. O'Keefe goes along for the ride so that he won't be knocked off by Lane's husband. Just when it looks as though O'Keefe is willing to go to any lengths to protect the woman he loves, he discovers that she frankly isn't worth it.
Angela
1954
10.0A foreign pianist who comes to visit Paris is ripped off by a young man and his sister. But he soon falls in love with this one.
Good Evening Paris
1956
5.9A poor Hungarian artist falls in love with a wealthy mysterious Parisian girl.
Monpti
1957
6.1On Christmas Eve, suffering from a case of writer's block, screenwriter Mark Christopher and his gofer Virgil get an unexpected visit from Sergeant Maizel. Knowing Christopher is working on a juvenile delinquent script, the sergeant brings by delinquent Susan thinking she will inspire Christopher while providing a place for her to spend the holidays outside of juvenile hall.
Susan Slept Here
1954
4.01760 Spain provides the setting for Giacomo Casanova's romantic escapades, every woman he encounters unable to resist his disarming charm, be they single, engaged, or even married.
Sins of Casanova
1954
5.2Romantic comedy about a group of Britons flying to Paris for the weekend.
Innocents in Paris
1953
5.0Italian poet Boccaccio (Louis Jourdan) hides in the court of Fiammetta (Joan Fontaine) and tells three tales of love and lust.
Decameron Nights
1953
5.8A compulsive gambler stumbles towards losing everything when Merle Oberon decides to save him from himself.
24 Hours of a Woman's Life
1952
No synopsis available yet.
Paradies der Matrosen
1959
6.0A supposedly dead writer suddenly turns up to confront the young woman who is using his penname.
Hell Is Sold Out
1951
7.6The Jews of Jerusalem are driven out by their Syrian rulers. They gather their forces, and return to drive out their oppressors.
The Old Testament
1963
6.5No synopsis available yet.
Schlag auf Schlag
1959
5.7Intrigue at the Roman Emperor's court prior to its destruction by Vesuvius.
79 A.D.
1962
9.0No synopsis available yet.
Bobby Dodd intervenes
1959
10.0Italian naval secret agents acquire a British codebook and the Italian counter-espionage agents start tracking enemy agents working undercover in Italy and providing false information.
Uomini ombra
1954
5.7Short of money the owners of Ballyroden Hall must attempt to run it as a guest house, but not everyone is happy about the plan.
Treasure Hunt
1952
No synopsis available yet.
Der Elefant im Porzellanladen
1958
5.7No synopsis available yet.
Der Page vom Palast-Hotel
1958
6.0The Petermann family decides to take a family vacation to the sunny south. The Petermanns are grandfather, father Max, mother Biggi, children Stupsi, son Andy, and pretty Monika, Max Petermann's sister. They rent a speedy sled because Max Petermann has just gotten his driver's license. Not only are there various starting difficulties due to a lack of driving experience, but there is also a special case with the car: hidden deep in the upholstery are secret documents that a trio of gangsters are trying to smuggle abroad. A mix-up of the license plates causes some turbulence. Willi Polz is assigned by the trio to keep an eye on the Petermanns in order to secure the documents at the right opportunity. Of course, something always gets in the way on the trip to Bella Italia. The fact that Willi falls in love with the blonde Monika is the least surprising thing. But the grandfather's actions are the real sensation.
Ooh... diese Ferien
1958
7.3Writer Peter Voss is faking a bank robbery, to find the robber of a rare jewelery.
Peter Voss, der Millionendieb
1958
6.0Peter Keller is hired as a butler by the wealthy Pirkner couple to teach them good manners, which leads to all sorts of complications.
Ich bin kein Casanova
1959
NRNo synopsis available yet.
Historias de la feria
1958