born into a middle-class jewish family in corabia, romania as paula iliescu, she changed her name to "pola" in tribute to the polish-born screen actress pola negri. illéry appeared in a few french films in the 1920s and 1930s. she made her movie debut as the lead in rené clair's musical comedy "under the roofs of paris" (1930). she also played the lead in "parada paramount", the romanian-language version of "paramount on parade" (1930), which was made in paris by paramount pictures. she is believed to have made her last film appearance's in 1938.