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Karl Freund


1890 - 1969

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The cinematographer Karl Freund belonged to the most important cinematographers of the German silent film and he took part in many important productions of the 10s and 20s.

He began is professional career as a film projectionist in cinemas in 1906, later he deciated to the cinematography.
In this function he became active for the movie "Heisses Blut" (11) for the first time.

He soon became a demanded cinematographer who often worked together with two of the than greatest movie stars - Asta Nielsen and Henny Porten.
To his well-known movies of those years belong "Die Sufragette" (13), "Engelein" (13), "Zapatas Bande" (14), "Der Hund von Baskerville" (14), "Vordertreppe - Hintertreppe" (15), "Engeleins Hochzeit" (16), "Gelöste Ketten" (16), "Feenhände" (17), "Christa Hartungen" (17), "Die Claudi vom Geiserhof" (17), "Die Faust des Riesen" (17), "Das Geschlecht derer von Ringwall" (18), "Die Heimkehr des Odysseus" (18), "Die Arche" (19), "Rausch" (19) and "Die Spinnen" directed by Fritz Lang.
In the same year he founded his own company "Karl Freund-Film GmbH" (19).

The height of his career followed in the 20s. He was responsible for the camera for huge productions like "Satanas" (20), "Der Bucklige und die Tänzerin" (20), "Katharina die Grosse" (20), "Der Golem, wie er in die Welt kam" (20), "Der Roman der Christine von Herre" (21), "Der brennende Acker" (22), "Lucrezia Borgia" (22), "Die Finanzen des Grossherzogs" (24), "Der letzte Mann" (24) directed by Friedrich Wilhelm Murnau - in this film he was one of the first cinematographers who used the camera without a tripod and created an unusual mobility unknown at that time, "Varieté" (25), "Herr Tartüff" (25), "Manon Lescaut" (26), the classic "Metropolis" (26) directed by Fritz Lang, "Dona Juana" (28) and "Fräulein Else" (29).

Thank to his great successes of his movies Karl Freund soon was spotted for the American film business as well.
From 1930 he shot numerous movies in the USA and some his most popular works belong to the horror genre.
To his works of the 30s as a cinematographer belong "All Quiet on the Western Front" (30), "Dracula" (31) with Bela Lugosi in the title role, "Murders in  the Rue Morgue" (32), "Air Mail" (32), "Camille" (36), "The Good Earth" (37) - for which he was awarded with an Oscar, "Conquest" (37) and "Balalaika" (39).

At the beginning of the 40s Karl Freund was able to set a course as a cinematographer again, afterwards his engagements diminshed.
As a cinematographer he took part in the movies "Pride and Prejudice" (40), "Blossoms in the Dust" (41), "The Seventh Cross" (44), "The Thin Man Goes Home" (45), "Key Largo" (48) and "Montana" (50) as well as some TV productions like the serial "Willy" (54-55), the serial "Our Miss Brooks" (52-56) and the serial "I Love Lucy" (51-56).

During his active time in Germany he already realised some movies as a director, among them "Der tote Gast" (21) and "Der grosse Sensationsprozess" (23).
He continued this activity in the USA and as a director he shot movies like "The Mummy" (32) with Boris Karloff, "Madame Spy" (34), "The Countess of Monte Cristo" (34), "Uncertain Lady" (34) and "Mad Love" (35).

Karl Freund was among other married with the actress Gertrude Hoffmann.


Other movies from Karl Freund (Cinematographer):
Pampulik kriegt ein Kind (12) Pampulik als Affe (12) Jadna majka (12) Pampulik hat Hunger (13) S1 (13) Die Filmprimadonna (13) Das Kind ruft (14) Das Feuer (14) Eine venezianische Nacht (14) Die Tochter der Landstrasse (15) Der Mann im Spiegel (16) Die ewige Nacht (16) Der Sekretär der Königin (16) Abseits vom Glück (16) Die Räuberbraut (16) Frau Eva (16) Bummelstudenten (17) Die Ehe der Luise Rohrbach (17) Der Liebesbrief der Königin (17) Die Prinzessin von Neutralien (17) Höhenluft (17) Gräfin Küchenfee (18) Edelsteine (18) Auf Probe gestellt (18) Agnes Arnau und ihre drei Freier (18) Gefangene Seele (18) Das Maskenfest des Lebens (18) Die Sieger (18) Die blaue Laterne (18) Die Dame der Teufel und die Probiermamsell (19) Der Knabe in Blau (19) Die letzten Menschen (19) Die sich verkaufen (19) Augen (19) Das blinde Glück (20) Der Januskopf (20) Der Schrecken im Hause Ardon (20) Die Nacht auf Goldenhall (20) Die Frau im Delphin oder 30 Tage auf dem Meeresgrund (20) Der verlorene Schatten (21) Verlogene Moral (21) Aus dem Schwarzbuch eine sPolizeikommissars, 1. Teil: Loge Nr. 11 (21) Der tote Gast (21) Der Schwur des Peter Hergatz (21) Die Ratten (21) Kinder der Finsternis (21) Louise de Lavallière (2) Marizza, genannt die Schmuggler-Madonna (22) erzog Ferrantes Ende (22) Tiefland (23) Der grosse Sensationsprozess (23) Der Tiger des Zirkus Farini (23) Die Austreibung (23) Michael (24) Berlin – Die Sinfonie der Grossstadt (27) A Knight in London (28) Sleeping Partners (30) The Lottery Brie (30) The Boudoir Diplomat (30) The Bad Sister (31) Up for Murder (31) Personal Maid (31) Strictly Dishonorable (31) Scandal for Sale (32) Back Street (32) Afraid to Talk (32) The Kiss Before the Mirror (33) The Great Ziegfeld: Ziegfeld Roof Numbers (36) Parnell (37) Man-Proof (38) Three Comrades (38) Port of Seven Seas (38) Letter of Introduction (38) Tail Spin (39) Rose of Washington Square (39) Golden Boy (39) Barricade (39) The Earl of Chicago (40) Green Hell (40) Florian (40) We Who Are Young (40) Keeping Company (40) The Chocolate Soldier (41) Tortilla Flat (42) A Yank at Eton (42) The War Against Mrs. Hadley (42) Du Barry Was a Lady (43) Cry 'Havoc' (43) A Guy Names Joe (43) Without Love (45) Dangerous Partners (45) A Letter for Evie (46) Two Smart People (46) Undercurrent (46) This Time for Keeps (47) That Hagen Girl (47) Wallflower (48) The Decision of Christopher Blake (48) South of St. Louis (49) Bright Leaf (50) I Love Lucy (53) Serie "Those Whiting Girls: The College Show" (55) Serie "December Bride (55)

Director:
Zulu Love (28) Tune Up the Uke (28) Toddlin' Along (28) The Keys of Heaven (28) Madeleine (28) In a Japanese Garden (28) A Snowman's Romance (28) A Fascinating Vamp (28) A Chinese Moon (28) Moonlight and Pretzels (33) I Give My Love (34) Gift of Gab (34)

Cinematographer Assistent:
Die Insel der Seligen (13) Die Firma heiratet (14) Eine venezianische Nacht (14)

Producer:
Der tote Gast (21) Die Mühle von Sanssouci (26) Die Abenteuer eines Zehnmarkscheines (26) Madame wünscht keine Kinder (26) Der Sohn der Hagar (27) Berlin – Die Sinfonie der Grossstadt (27)

Actor:
Mascotte (20) Michael (24)

Writer:
Berlin – Die Sinfonie der Grossstadt (27)

 
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