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Gregori Chmara


Lichtbild aus "Der schwarze Husar" 1932 (vorne)

1878 or 1893 - 1970

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The actor Gregori Chmara (some sources say he was born in 1882 or 1886) began his acting career in 1910 at the Moscow Art theater where he already impersonate leading roles two years later. 

He also made his film debut in Russia with "Sverchok na pechi" (15), it followed "Koroleva ekrana" (16) and "Burei zhizni smyatye" (18).

After the Russian revolution Gregori Chmara went to Germany where he first appeared as a singer together with his guitar. Finally he met the actress legend Asta Nielsen and they fell in love. They lived together for several years but never got married. 

Asta Nielsen paved the way for him to the German film business and they acted together in "Der Absturz" (23). They worked together for eight movies, among them "I.N.R.I" (23), in which Gregori Chmara impersonated the role of Jesus, "Die Schmetterlingsschlacht" (24), "Hedda Gabler" (25) and "Die freudlose Gasse" (25).
Although without Asta Nielsen he was able to achive huge accesses, especially with the title role in "Raskolnikow" (23).

At the end of the 20's came only few more silent movies into being like "Frauenraub in Marokko" (28) and "Dornenweg einer Fürstin" (28) as Rasputin.

In the 30s he extended his career to the international environment and he took part in movies in Poland and France besides Germany.

To his well-known movies at the beginning of the 30s belong "L'homme qui assassina" (30), "Der Mann, der den Mord beging" (31), "Der Schlemihl" (31), "Peter Voss, der Millionendieb" (32), "Mensch ohne Namen" (32) and "Der Orlow/Der Diamant des Zaren" (32).

During a stage tour he met the actress Lila Kedrova and he remained in France. Because of his lack of French language he could not gain a foothold in the film business at first but appeared again as a singer in cabarets like in earlier years. 

After an appearance in the production "Späte Liebe" (43) he appeared in numerous movies after the war but his roles still were reduced to support roles.
To these movies belong "Nuits d'alerte" (46), "Mission à Tanger" (49), "Die Vier im Jeep" (51), "Les mémoires de la vache Yolande" (51), "Les mains sales" (51) and "Elena et les hommes" (56).

To his last cinematical works belong "Arsène Lupin contre Arsène Lupin" (62), "Paris n'existe pas" (69) and "Crime et châtiment" (70).

Besides his activity as an actor - he was also a pupil of the legendary Stanislavski - he imparted his knowledge of acting as a teacher. To his students also belonged Pierre Brice. 
 

Other movies with Gregori Chmara:
Mysl (16) Ne stroi s'chastya svoyev na zhene i rebyonke (17) Das Haus am Meer (24) Die Frau im Feuer (24) Athleten (25) Lebende Buddhas (25) Der Fall des Staatsanwalts M... (28) Mocny czlowiek (29) Strafsache van Geldern (32) Der schwarze Husar (32) Rund um eine Million (33) Une fois dans la vie (34) ...Un ami viendra ce soir... (46) Mademoiselle s'amuse (48) Jo-la-Romance (49) Dernière heure, édition spéciale (49) Les joyeux pélerins (51) Les chiffonniers d'Emmaüs (55) Mannequins de Paris (56) Les femmes sont marrantes... (58) Mon pote le gitan (59) La belle vie (63)


 
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