Alla Nazimova
(1879-1945) Alla Aleksandrovna Nazimova was a Russian-born American actress, director, producer and screenwriter. Hailed by modern scholars as the "founding mother of Sapphic Hollywood," Nazimova was a celebrated nonconformist artist who appeared in more than 20 films. She is widely regarded as one of the most influential figures of early 20th-century theater and silent cinema.