Alla Nazimova

Alla Nazimova born Marem-Ides Leventon, Russian: Марем-Идес Левентон; June 3 [O.S. May 22], 1879 – July 13, 1945) was a Russian-American actress, director, producer and screenwriter.
On Broadway, she was noted for her work in the classic plays of Ibsen, Chekhov and Turgenev. She later moved on to film, where she served many production roles, both writing and directing films under pseudonyms. Her film Salome (1922) is regarded as a cultural landmark. Nazimova was bisexual and openly conducted relationships with women while being married to a man. She created the Garden of Allah hotel which became a retreat for many celebrities of the time. She is credited with having originated the phrase “sewing circle” as a discreet code for lesbian or bisexual actresses.