Helenka Pantaleoni

Who was Helenka Pantaleoni?

Helen Tradusa "Helenka" Adamowska–Pantaleoni was an American silent film actress and humanitarian who was the founding director of the U.S. Committee for UNICEF, a role that she held for 25 years. Pantaleoni was the daughter of Polish musicians Jozef and Antonina Adamowski. After studying piano in Poland Antonina became the only known female pupil of Ignacy Paderewski in Paris between 1890 and 1895, when she left for the United States. Josef was a cellist and a member of the Boston Symphony Orchestra. Antonina, Jozef, and Jozef's brother Tymoteusz, made up the Adamowski Trio. Helenka's mother was also the sister of Helena, the second wife of Polish pianist and diplomat Ignacy Paderewski.