Marina Koshetz

Biography

Marina Koshetz was born into a family of concert singers from Kiev, Ukraine. Her mother, Nina Koshetz, was studying and performing at the Moscow State Conservatory when Marina was born. She followed her mother onto the stage, opera, radio and the silver screen as a soprano. She studied voice in France before going to the U.S. Her careers all began there after her parents emigrated to the U.S. in 1921. Her father was Russian actor Alexander von Schubert. Marina first sang on the radio, in place of her mother for the "Kraft Music Hall." Her concert and opera career began in 1947. She sang with the New York Metropolitan Opera and the San Francisco Opera. And, she performed at the Hollywood Bowl and other stage venues. She had a longer career than her mother in film and TV. Only a few of her more than 20 films were musicals or roles for which she sang. She was known for her enthusiastic personality and she had a flair for comedy. She had notable singing and comedy roles in "Holiday in Mexico" and "No Leave, No Love" of 1946, and "Luxury Liner" of 1948. She sang in other films, including "The Great Caruso" and "On the Riviera" of 1951, "Desiree" of 1954, "Please Don't Eat the Daisies" of 1960, and "The Singing Nun" of 1966. Koshetz was married for nine years to a Los Angeles surgeon, Franklin Ashley (1952-1961). After she quit performing, she wrote a biography about her mother, "The Last Love Song." In her late years, she taught voice and supported civic causes. She died at age 88 in Santa Monica, California on Dec. 9, 2000.