Greta Nissen was born in Oslo on Jan. 30, 1906 (as Grethe Ruzt-Nissen). She was as a child sponsored by Queen Maud to study ballet in Copenhagen.In 1925, at the age of 19, she made her debut on Broadway, later working for the famed Flo Ziegfield. Nissen made over 30 films in the period of 1925-36, starting with a role in "The Wanderer." Originally, it was Nissen who was to play the lead in Howard Hughes' production of "Hell's Angels," slated to be a silent production. However, following the success of "The Jazz Singer," the era of talkies had begun, and plans were shifted to film "Hell's Angels" with sound. Nissen was ousted from her role owing to her Norwegian accent. (The film was released in 1930 with Jean Harlow as the star.) Nissen continued to garner movie roles, despite her accent. Among the most notable movies in which she starred was "Ambassador Bill," a 1931 comedy in which she played opposite Will Rogers. "K-33," a 1936 British flick, was her last picture. Nissen died of Parkinson's disease on May 17, 1988 at the age of 82.