Little Known Spaghetti Western actors ~ Selma Vaz Dias

[These daily posts will cover little known actors or people that have appeared in more recent films and TV series. Various degrees of information that I was able to find will be given and anything that you can add would be appreciated.]

Selma Vaz Dias was born in Amsterdam pm November 23, 1911. She was a writer, painter theater, film and TV actress. She moved to the United Kingdom, where she spent most of her career.

Her cinematic credits include performances in the films of major British directors, including Alfred Hitchcock's “The Lady Vanishes” (1938) and Michael Powell and Emeric Pressburger's “One of Our Aircraft Is Missing” (1942). She also appeared in Ernest Morris' “The Tell-Tale Heart” (1960).

She played Solange in the two British premières (the first, given in French, the second, in English) of Jean Genet's “The Maids”, both of which were directed by Peter Zadek, in 1952 and 1956 respectively. She also played the lead role, Irma (a brothel madam), in the world première of Genet's “The Balcony” (1957) in a production directed by Zadek at the Arts Theatre Club, a "private theatre club" that enabled the production to circumvent the Lord Chamberlain's ban on public performances of the play.

Dias was married to writer Hans Werner Egli [1899-2000] (1936-1977) and the mother of one son, one daughter.

Dias died in London on August 30, 1977.

Selma Vaz Dias appeared in only one Euro-western, “The Singer Not the Song “ in 1961 as Chela.

DIAS, Selma Vaz (aka Zelma Vas Dias, Selma Cohen-Vaz Dias, Selma Vaz Díaz, Selma Van Dias, Selma Van Diaz) [11/23/1911, Amsterdam, Noord-Holland, Netherlands – 8/30/1977, London, England, U.K.] – writer, theater, film, TV actress, painter, married to writer Hans Werner Egli [1899-2000] (1936-1977) mother of one son, one daughter.

The Singer Not the Song – 1961 (Chela)