Sultry, opulent blonde Hungarian singer Ilona Massey survived an impoverished childhood in Budapest, Hungary to become a glamorous talent both here and abroad. As a dressmaker's apprentice she managed to scrape up money together for singing lessons and first danced in chorus lines, later earning roles at the Staats Opera. A Broadway, radio and night-club performer, she appeared in a couple of Austrian features before coming to America to duet with 'Nelson Eddy' , Ms. Massey died of cancer in 1974.
Former opera-singer.
Appeared, with Milton Berle and Arthur Treacher , in an edition of the "Ziegfeld Follies", on Broadway, that ran for more than 500 performances.
Submitted her photograph to the Vienna office of MGM and ended up as one of 36 European hopefuls to try out Hollywood. Only two succeeded. Ms. Massey and Hedy Lamarr.
Her hatred toward communism was notorious. In 1959 she picketed in protest when Soviet Premier Nikita Khrushchev and Deputy Premier Anastas Mikoyan visited her country.
In 1954 a special subcommittee of the House of Representatives held hearings in Manhattan on communist aggression in Eastern Europe and Ms. Massey became their star witness, testifying to the rape, murder and robbery committed by Soviet agents against her Hungarian native land.
Husband #3 was Charles Walker, one-time owner of a fashionable Manhattan jewelry shop.
Built up her early reputation singing in musical halls and operettas in Hungary, Austria and Germany.
During the tabloid feud between Jeanette MacDonald and Nelson Eddy , Ms. Massey was tried out as Eddys co-star in a couple of musical films. The public was not receptive to it. Most people thought Jeanette and Nelson were married in real life and viewed this new pairing as tantamount to adultery.
Her widower, Donald Dawson, was a lawyer who was, at one time, an administrative assistant to President Harry S. Truman. He was questioned, in 1951, by Senator J. William Fulbright s subcommittee about his connections with Washington influence peddlers and RFC loans.
Since she was married to military man of high rank she is buried at Arlington National Cemetery.
Became a Naturalized Citizen of the United States in 1946.
She was a staunch conservative Republican.
