Rand was born at the beginning of 1905, in Saint Petersburg, Russia the eldest daughter of three children. Her father excelled as a chemist and a pharmaceutical entrepreneur until the Russian revolution began in 1917. He then lost his pharmacy to the Soviets and took his family to live in Crimea. Rand had always read a lot, loving literature and film. When she grew older, Rand returned home to attend university and graduated in 1924. A writer of short stories and screen plays, Rand also attended the State Institute for Cinema Arts. By early 1926 she was granted a visa to the United States to visit relatives. Once in New York City, she never wanted to return to Russia.
Rand headed to Hollywood and struggled to survive. Odd jobs provided a small income until she landed the job of an extra in the movie The King of Kings and also worked as a script reader. Having been granted opportunities, Rand utilized them, becoming the one in charge of costumes at RKO studios. She also met Frank O'Connor who she later married and lived with for over fifty years. A screenwriter and also an author, Rand found success with the novels The Fountainhead and Atlas Shrugged. Rand battled lung cancer and then passed away on March 6, 1982 from heart failure. Today Rand's books still stir conversation about her focus on individualism, capitalism, and a lack of religion.
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