Rula Lenska
- Known for
- Acting
- Born
- September 30, 1947 (age 79)
- Birthplace
- St. Neots, Cambridgeshire, England, UK
Biography
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia Rula Lenska (born Róża Maria Leopoldyna Łubieńska, 30 September 1947) is an English-Polish actress. She mainly appears in British stage and television productions, but is known in the United States for a series of commercials for Alberto VO5 hairspray in the late-1970s and early-1980s. Lenska was born at St. Neots, Huntingdonshire, Cambridgeshire, England. Her family are members of the Polish nobility, and bearers of the Pomian coat of arms. They once owned a castle and estate in Kazimierza Wielka, Poland. Her father, Major Count Ludwik Łubieński, was personal secretary to Józef Beck, Minister for Foreign Affairs in Poland before the Nazi occupation of the country. Later, he became adjutant to General Władysław Sikorski, Prime Minister of the Polish Government in Exile and chief of the Polish military mission in Gibraltar during World War II. Łubieński later became head of the CIA-funded Polish Section of Radio Free Europe in Germany during the Cold War. Her mother was Countess Elżbieta Tyszkiewicz who escaped from Poland during the Nazi occupation, to Italy, but was captured with her own mother and sent to Ravensbrück concentration camp where they survived for two years. Lenska was educated at the Ursuline Convent School in Westgate-on-Sea, Kent. Her big break was as Little Ladies' band member, "Q", in the British TV series Rock Follies (1976) and its sequel, Rock Follies of '77, the following year. By this time, she had renounced her title as a Polish countess. Lenska appeared in advertisements for the hair product Alberto VO5, which were shown on US television. Though Lenska was a popular actress in the UK, she was virtually unknown in the United States. In a Tonight Show monologue broadcast after the commercials started running, Johnny Carson asked "Who the hell is Rula Lenska?" and began using Lenska's name as a running joke on his show. Around the same time, Jane Curtin played Lenska in a sketch on Saturday Night Live.
Known For
Filmography
Oh, Little Spark!
Movie · as Janina/Babcia
Morecambe & Wise: The Unseen Tapes
Movie · as Self
To the Manor Born: Britain's Best Loved Comedy
Movie · as Self-Mlle Dutoit
The Kingdom by the Sea
Movie · as Linda
Alice in Terrorland
Movie · as Beth
The Picture of Dorian Gray
Movie · as Narrator (voice)
The Huntress of Auschwitz
Movie · as Amelia Kaminska
Wolf Manor
Movie · as Maleva
The Winter Witch
Movie · as Omi
Jeepers Creepers
Movie · as Self - Fantasy Lover (voice)
7 Up & Me
Movie · as Self
Aura
Movie · as Ada
The Devil of Christmas
Movie
Bait
Movie · as Linda
Brilliant Gardens
TV · as Narrator · 1 ep
Jack Says
Movie · as Garvey
Agent Crush
Movie · as Olga Thyburn (voice)
M.I. High
TV · as Vanessa Zeitgeist · 1 ep
Gypo
Movie · as Irina
Ideal
TV · as The Red King · 1 ep
Celebrity Big Brother
TV · as Self · 2 eps
One Foot in the Grave: Starbound
Movie · as Fenella Fortune
GMTV
TV · as Self · 1 ep
The Detectives
TV · as Duchess · 1 ep
An Actor's Life for Me
TV · as Marjorie · 1 ep
New Voices
TV · 1 ep
Cluedo
TV · as Mrs. Peacock · 6 eps
Mr. H Is Late
Movie
Casualty
TV · as Circus Owner · 1 ep
Boon
TV · as Renata Cartwright · 1 ep
Function Room
TV · 1 ep
Doctor Who: Resurrection of the Daleks
Movie · as Styles
Robin of Sherwood
TV · as Morgwyn of Ravenscar · 2 eps
Aubrey
Movie · as Mabel Beardsley
Agatha Christie's Seven Dials Mystery
Movie · as Countess Radzsky
Take a Letter, Mr Jones
TV · as Joan Warner · 6 eps
Private Schulz
TV · as Gertrude Steiner · 1 ep
An Audience with Dame Edna Everage
Movie
Jesus
Movie · as Herodias (scenes deleted)
The New Media Bible: The Gospel According to St. Luke
Movie · as Herodias
Design for Living
Movie · as Gilda
Minder
TV · as Natasha, Kate, Sandra Last · 1 ep
Return of the Saint
TV · as Diana Lang · 1 ep
Queen Kong
Movie · as Luce Habit
The Deadly Females
Movie · as Luisa
It Could Happen to You
Movie · as Rita
Amazing Stories
Movie · as Ms Fandom
One-Upmanship
TV · 1 ep
Rock Follies
TV · as Nancy 'Q' Cunard de Longchamps · 12 eps
Red Letter Day
TV · as Ms. Fandom · 1 ep
Alfie Darling
Movie · as Louise
Royal Flash
Movie · as Helga
Confessions of a Pop Performer
Movie · as Receptionist
The Racer
Movie · as Goddess
Space: 1999
TV · as Joan Conway · 1 ep
Soft Beds, Hard Battles
Movie · as Louise
Playhouse
TV · as Mabel Beardsley · 1 ep
BBC Play of the Month
TV · as Gilda · 1 ep
Doctor Who
TV · as Styles · 2 eps
World in Action
TV · 1 ep