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Theodore Kosloff

Theodore Kosloff
Theodore Kosloff Stars of the Photoplay.jpg
Theodor Kosloff ca. 1912
Born Fyodor Mikhailovich Kozlov
(1882-01-22)January 22, 1882
Moscow, Russian Empire
Died November 22, 1956(1956-11-22) (aged 74)
Los Angeles, U.S.
Other names Theodor Kosloff
Occupation Ballet dancer, choreographer, actor

Theodore Kosloff (Russian: Фёдор Михайлович Козлов; Fyodor Mikhailovich Kozlov; January 22, 1882 – November 22, 1956) was a Russian-born ballet dancer, choreographer and film and stage actor. He was occasionally credited as Theodor Kosloff.

Born in Moscow in 1882, Kosloff began his professional ballet career after training at Moscow's Imperial Theater. After graduating in 1901, he began touring internationally with the Diaghilev Ballet Company which he had joined in 1909. While touring with the company, Kosloff began a romantic relationship with fellow company member, the American future set-designer and Mrs. Rudolph Valentino, Natacha Rambova. The affair however, was brief and allegedly tumultuous.

After arriving in the United States in 1909, Kosloff was introduced to influential film director Cecil B. De Mille by the actress and writer Jeanie MacPherson. DeMille was also encouraged to sign Kosloff due to the persistence of his young niece Agnes de Mille, who was an ardent fan of the ballet dancer. DeMille was immediately impressed by the dark-haired young dancer and quickly put Kosloff to work as an actor. Kosloff's first role was in the 1917 DeMille directed The Woman God Forgot opposite the extremely popular American singer and actress, Geraldine Farrar.

By December 1912, Kosloff was reported to be the choreographic director of La Saison Russe, preparing a short run of American premiers of operas and ballets for Spring 1913 in New York, in coordination with Morris Gest. The pre-season announcement promised Mussorgsky's Khovanshchina and Boris Godunov, Rimsky-Korsakov's Sadko and The Tsar's Bride, Anton Rubinstein's Demon, Alexander Borodin's Prince Igor and Mikhail Glinka's Ruslan and Lyudmila.


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