Maria Matray, born Maria Charlotte Stern in 1907, was a German-Jewish dancer, actress, and screenwriter who rose to fame in the 1920s and 1930s.She gained prominence as a star of late Weimar cinema, debuting under her stage name Maria Solveg in 1923.

Her career included notable roles in silent comedies like *The Master of Nuremberg* (1927) and collaborations with her sister, Katta Sterna, in revues directed by Max Reinhardt.

In 1927, she married Ernst Matray, a Hungarian actor and choreographer, and later transitioned into behind-the-scenes work while maintaining her acting career.With the rise of 'talkies' in the early 1930s, she starred in films like *The Son of the White Mountain* (1930) and *The Sorcerer* (1932).

However, her career in Germany ended abruptly with Hitler's rise to power in 1933, forcing her and her husband to flee to France, Britain, and eventually the U.S.

In Hollywood, she became a successful choreographer for MGM, contributing to films such as *The Hunchback of Notre Dame* (1939) and *Balalaika* (1939).Her legacy combines her early cinematic achievements with her later contributions to Hollywood's dance scene.