Olga von Root

Baroness Olga Vadimovna von Root (1901–1967) was a Russian stage actress and singer. Born into a noble family of German, Polish, and Greek background, von Root was educated at the Smolny Institute of Noble Maidens in Russia. As a teenager, she ran away from home and travelled with a Romani family, studying their music and dance. During the Russian Revolution, while her father served in the White Army, von Root performed in cabarets and nightclubs to help support her family. After the war, she performed in Russia and other European countries as a stage actress and singer under the stage name Olga Vadina. She later married American industrialist Armand Hammer and moved to the United States, taking up residence in Manhattan. While living in New York, she worked to transcribe numerous Romani ballads. Von Root is the grandmother of American businessman Michael Armand Hammer and the great-grandmother of American actor Armie Hammer.

Quick facts: Olga von Root, Born, Died, Other names, ... ▼

Olga von Root
Born	Olga Vadimovna Freiin von Root December 2, 1901 Sevastopol, Crimea Russian Empire
Died	June 28, 1967 Orange, California United States
Other names	Olga Vadina Olga Hammer
Education	Smolny Institute of Noble Maidens
Occupation(s)	singer, actress
Spouse	Armand Hammer ​ ​ (m. 1927; div. 1943)​
Children	1
Parent(s)	Baron Vadim Nicholaievitch von Root Lubov Karlovna Kostsyushko-Valyuzhinich
Relatives	Michael Armand Hammer (grandson) Armie Hammer (great-grandson)