Natasha Lytess

Natasha Lytess (born 16 May 1911, Berlin, Germany – died 12 May 1963, Zurich, Switzerland) was an actress, writer and drama coach.

Born Natalia Postmann and also known as Tala Forman, she had studied with the director Max Reinhardt and appeared in the repertory theater. She is said to have had a relationship with the writer Bruno Frank, who is also said to be the father of her daughter Barbara, born in 1943.

When the National Socialists came to power, the Jewess moved to the United States and settled down in Los Angeles. She had hoped for a great stage career, but her accent and her little feminine appearance limited the roles she could play. She is known for Once Upon a Honeymoon (1942), Comrade X (1940) and The House on Telegraph Hill (1951). She was active from 1940-61. She was Columbia Pictures' drama coach for Marilyn Monroe from 1948-1955, and rumored to have had an affair together for the seven years while they worked together from 1948-55, when Marilyn was in her 20s. Other Lytess students included Mamie Van Doren,Virginia Leith, and Ann Savage (who reputedly got her stage name after a particularly "savage" argument with Lytess).

Lytess died of cancer four days before her 52nd birthday in Zurich, Switzerland. She was portrayed by Lindsay Crouse in Norma Jean & Marilyn, and by Embeth Davidtz in The Secret Life of Marilyn Monroe.

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