Nina Romano

Romano was the daughter of glass manufacturer J. Dale Dilworth of Salem, New Jersey, and his wife. Her interest in acting developed while she was in high school[1] at Ward–Belmont College[2] in Nashville, and she went on to attend a dramatic school in New York.[1]

Romano's initial professional acting experience came in a stage production of Don Juan.[3] She initially focused on dramatic roles, but in 1924 she had her first comedic role in the farce The Whole Town's Talking.[4] Her Broadway credits included The Love Call (1927) and The Warrior's Husband (1932).[5]

After being a leading woman on stage for years, Romano made her screen debut in the film Titans for Universal Pictures. That work led to her signing a long-term contract with Universal in 1925.[6] Her other films included The Palace of Pleasure (1926),[7] What Happened to Jones (1926),[8] and Lost at the Front (1927).[9]

On December 17, 1923, Romano married Lou Tellegen in Rutherford, New Jersey.[10] Tellegen was an actor with whom Romano had performed in Blind Youth.[11] The couple kept the marriage secret until February 1925, when their son was born.[10] On August 30, 1928, Tellegen and Romano filed for bankruptcy,[12] and in November 1928 the couple was divorced in Los Angeles.[13]

On October 24, 1931, Romano married Count S. Danneskiold-Samsøe of Denmark.[13] The two later divorced, with Romano suing the count in 1955 to recover $171,000 that she said she had advanced to him.[14]