**Olga Baclanova (1896-1974)** was a Russian-American actress, known for her transition from silent to sound cinema.

She is universally remembered for her iconic role as Cleopatra, the alluring trapeze artist, in Tod Browning's controversial masterpiece *Freaks* (1932), which indelibly marked her career. Among her prominent silent roles was that in Josef von Sternberg's *The Docks of New York* (1928).

Baclanova specialized in playing femme fatale, exotic, and often tragic or manipulative characters, utilizing her intense gaze and stage presence. Known as the "Russian Tigress," her dramatic intensity and distinct accent made her unique but sometimes limited her career in sound films. After the 1930s, she primarily dedicated herself to theatre.