Born in 1916 as the eldest child of a German-Baltic aristocrat, Baroness Irene Isabella Margarete Pauline Caecila von Meyendorff actually never planned to become a movie star. When the Russian Revolution broke out, the family escaped to Germany, where Irene's mother Elisabeth left her conservative husband with the children to live a very unconventional life in the theatre circles of Weimar/Thuringia. In the early 1930's Irene came to Berlin to work as a cutter in the UFA film studios of Babelsberg. As a breathtaking beautiful, ice-cold blond young woman she would have been the ideal star for 'Alfred Hitchcock 's death in 1975, she met and later married philanthropist Keith Bromley. Even at the age of 70 she sailed to the Artic and the Orinoco River. On September 28, 2001, she died in Hampshire after a full, remarkable life.
A baroness.
She met actor James Robertson Justice on the set of a film in 1961, and the couple fell passionately in love. Her career was by then on the wane, James Robertson Justice was instrumental in securing the last 3 roles that she performed. She left behind career and Pit Severin, her third husband, to live with him in England. She became a British citizen in 1967, and changed her name to Irina. A series of strokes gradually prevented James Robertson Justice working and led to his bankruptcy. Earning her living as a teacher at a local Language School, Irina nursed him until his death in 1975. After 14 years of living together, they were finally married on his deathbed in hospital. She subsequently married his best friend and their neighbour, the millionaire and philanthropist Keith "Toby" Bromley. She was a passionate gardener and excellent cook, her rose garden at Ashley Manor - the home she and Keith Bromley shared - was renowned locally as was her extensive hospitality.
Had one son Andreas Zahler who died in 1985.
Had 2 grandchildren, Rebecca Zahler, daughter of Andreas Zahler and his son from his first marriage; and step-grandmother to Toby, Siobhan and Gordon Bromley, children of Roderick Bromley.
When the revolution broke out in Russia, her family fled to Germany where Irene von Meyendorff lived in Weimar with her mother.
She went to Berlin at the beginning of the 30s in order to work as a cutter for the Ufa. But thanks to her charisma she was engaged as an actress for an unimportant adventure movie called "Die letzten Vier von Santa Cruz" (1935). No one expected the Irene von Meyendorff would become a star with this role but her personality was settled in the awareness of the audience with this production.
Irene von Meyendorff was married three times. When she met the British actor James Robertson Justice in 1961 she left her second husband and went to England where she got the British nationality in 1967.
When she attracted attention by Joseph Goebbes she rebuffed him with the words "You would degrade me and you would degrade yourself". Its told that the phrase "Bock von Babelsberg" for Goebbels was also coined by her.
She was able to continue her career smoothly after the war and was active in the film business till the beginning of the 70s.
At age 70, she sailed to the Arctic and the Orinoco River.
In 1961 she met British actor James Robertson Justice, fell in love with him and left her third husband Pit Severin, a journalist from Hamburg, to follow Justice to England. She all but gave up acting, returning only briefly in such films as the costume drama Mayerling. A series of strokes gradually prevented James Robertson Justice working and led to his bankruptcy. Earning her living as a teacher at a local language school, Irina nursed him until his death in 1975. After 14 years of living together, they were finally married on his deathbed in hospital.
The sale of her promotional post cards shows that she was the number one pin-up girl among the German Army during WWII.
She became a British citizen in 1967, and changed her name to Irina.
Eight years after Justices death in 1975, she married his best friend and their neighbor, millionaire and philanthropist Keith Bromley.
