Mimi Pollak

Mimi Pollak, Maria Helena Pollak, (9 April 1903 – 11 August 1999) was a Swedish actress and theatre director.

Mini biography
Actress Mimi Pollak was born in Hammarö, Värmland, Sweden to Austrian-Jewish parents and was trained in the performing arts at the prestigious Dramatens elevskola  (the Royal Dramatic Theatre's acting school) in Stockholm 1922-24.

In 1948 Pollak became the first contracted female director at the Royal Dramatic Theatre (aka Dramaten) with the production of Jean Genet's Jungfruleken (Les Bonnes/The Maids), starring Anita Björk and Maj-Britt Nilsson in the leads. Pollak became a very successful director at Dramaten and staged altogether 60 plays at the national stage over the years. Pollak worked first mainly as an actress at Dramaten (in the 1920s-50s) and then primarily as director 1950s-70s.

She also appeared in about 30 film and TV productions. Notable film roles are her supporting parts in Schamyl Bauman's film comedy Skolka skolan in 1949, in Vilgot Sjöman's Klänningen (aka The Dress) in 1964, in Ingmar Bergman's Autumn Sonata (starring Ingrid Bergman) as the piano teacher, in the 1982 film Flight of the Eagle (starring Max von Sydow) directed by Jan Troell and in the very popular Swedish TV mystery Agnes Cecilia - en sällsam historia (1991), adapted from the successful books by Maria Gripe].

Pollak was for some years married to Swedish actor Nils Lundell.

Sometimes credited as Mimmi Pollak, Mimi Pollack or Mimmi Pollack.

Personal life
Pollak attended drama school in Stockholm, Sweden with fellow actress Greta Garbo 1922-24. The two became involved in an affair. Circumstances did not allow the two to continue the relationship, as Pollak married and later had children, although they did maintain contact for over 60 years. Garbo would go on to become involved with several other Hollywood actresses, though keeping her bisexuality a secret. As recorded in the personal writings of Garbo, released in Sweden in 2005, Garbo remained in love with Pollak until her death in 1990.

Their relationship and love letters are portrayed (published in parts) in the Swedish book Djävla älskade unge!, written by Pollak's personal friend Tin Andersén Axell (2005).