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Felix Basch


Foto: Nicola Perscheid (1864-1930)

1885 - 1944

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Picture Felix BaschThe actor and director Felix Basch took acting lessons at the Burgtheater and got his first theater engagement in the play "Wilhelm Tell" in 1904. After a tour through Russia in 1912 followed engagements at the Theater des Westens and at the Metropol-Theater. 

Felix Basch made his film debut as an actor in 1913 in the movie "Mein Leopold" (13). It followed other movies like "Der Schuss um Mitternacht" (14), "Nelly" (14), "Das eiserne Kreuz" (14), "Lache, Bajazzo!" (14), "Arme Maria" (15) and "Der Onkel aus Amerika" (15). 

Also in 1915 he shot his first movie as a director called "Der Herr Herr Baron" (15) and he soon became an experienced expert of his line. In the next years he concentrated on his work as a director, only sometimes he also appeared as an actor in his own movies or took part as an actor in movies of other directors. 

To his well-known movies belong "Stein unter Steinen" (16), "Der Hund mit dem Monokel" (16), "Die Silhouette des Teufels" (17), "Fantasie des Aristide Caré" (18) and "Die Rose von Stambul" (19). 

In the 20's he founded the filmcompany "Kronen-Film GmbH" and together with his wife and actress Grete Freund the "Basch-Freund-Film, Berlin". 
The 20's constituted the height of his career and he worked together with nearly all stars of that time. To these movies belong "Mascotte" (20), "Hannerl und ihre Liebhaber" (21), "Die Geliebte Roswolskys" (21), "Fräulein Julie" (21), "Der Strom" (22), "Sodoms Ende" (22), "Schicksal" (24), "Der Mann seiner Frau" (25), "Der Sohn des Hannibal" (26), "Eins + Eins = Drei" (27) and "Mascottchen" (29). 

The 30's with its turbulent political incidents impeded his career too. After the movies "Zwei Krawatten" (30) and "Seine Freundin Annette" (30) other works failed to come and he emigrated together with Grete Freund to the USA in 1933. When he didn't find the the working circumstances he was used to, he went to Paris via England and wrote scripts which weren't realised. 
When the war broke out in Europe he went back to the USA again and inaugurated the restaurant "Grete's Viennese" in New York in 1940. When his plan to inaugurate a restaurant in Hollywood too failed he turned to the film business again. But the working system for American movies gave him problems - like for most of the film working emigrants. 
In the following years he impersonated many support roles in B movies. 
To his movies of the 40's belong "Reunion in France" (42), "Destination Unknown" (42), "Chetniks" (43), "Hitler - Dead or Alive" (43), "Mission to Moscow - Botschafter in Moskau" (43), "Appointment in Berlin" (43), "The Cross of Lorraine" (43), "The Hitler Gang" (44) and "The Mask of Dimitrios" (44).

After a transfusion with contaminated blood (hepatitis B) he died at the age of 58.
His cousin was the famous tenor Richard Tauber.
 

Other movies with Felix Basch (Actor, Director, Writer):
Ein Kindesherz (13) Die Ehe auf Kündigung (14) Ein Skandal in der Gesellschaft (14) Das Paradies der Frauen (14) Heimgekehrt/Weihnachtsglocken (14) Selbstgerichtet oder Die gelbe Fratze (14) Kehre zurück! Alles vergeben! (14) Der Tunnel (15) Der falsche Schein (15) Der Herr Baron (15) Um ihres Kindes Glück (15) Die letzte Partie (15) Im schwarzen Rössl (16) Talarso (16) Die Last (16) Börse und Adel (16) Die Laune einer Modekönigin (16) Fliegende Schatten (16) Eine Nacht im Wolkenkratzer (17) Eine Nacht in der Stahlkammer (17) Die silberne Fessel (20) Patience (20) Die Liebe der Sklavin (20) Menschen von heute (20) Die Frau im Doktorhut (20) Eines grossen Mannes Liebe (20) Der Fluch des Schweigens (21) Die Bettlerpinzessin (21) Ein glückhaft Schiff (23) Jugendsünden (23) Ihr Weg zum Erfolg (24) Finale der Liebe (25) Das Mädel auf der Schaukel (26) Schatz, mach' Kasse (26) Da hält die Welt den Atem an/Maquillage (27) Ein schwerer Fall (27) Die Dollarprinzessin und ihre sechs Freier (27) Enemy Agents Meet Ellery Queen (42) Desperate Journey (42) Pacific Rendezvous (42) Once Upon a Honeymoon (42) The Boy from Stalingrad (43) Above Suspicion (43) The Falcon in Danger (43) Bomber's Moon (43) Hostages (43) The Desert Song - Liebeslied der Wüste (43) Women in Bondage (43) Uncertain Glory - Auf Ehrenwort (43) None Shall Escape (44) Wilson (44)


 
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