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| Fritz
Kortner
1892 - 1970 |
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. The actor and director Fritz Kortner attended the study of music and performing arts at the K.K. Academy from 1908 to 1910. When his professor Ferdinand Gregori was appointed as director for the Nationaltheater of Mannheim he obligated Kortner also to this theater. There he made his debut as Maximilian in Kleist's "Das Kätchen von Heilbronn" in the late 10s. In only five months he played in 17 further roles before he canceled his contract and went to Max Reinhardt in Berlin. In the following years he worked for many German theaters. In 1915 he made his debut in the film business. He was spot by Harry Piel like many others before him and acted in leading roles for several of his films. Fritz Kortner could also gain a foothold in this profession soon and celebrated great successes. Three years later, in 1918, he directed a movie for the first time - "Gregor Marold". During the silent moive era he appeared in films like "Police Nr. 1111" (15), "Die Brüder Karamasoff" (20), "Katharina die Grosse" (20), "Satanas" (20), "Luise Millerin" (22), "Orlacs Hände" (24) and "Mata Hari" (27). Together with the sound film his possibilities of expressiveness widened. He wrote the screenplay for "Der brave Sünder" (31) together with Alfred Polgar and directed his first sound movie at the same time. In the 30s he was confronted with attacks by the National Socialists. There was written in Goebbels propaganda paper "Der Angriff":In den 30er Jahren musste auch Kortner sich den Angriffen der Nationalsozialisten ausgesetzt sehen. In Goebbels Propagandablatt "Der Angriff" wurde geschrieben: "For the role in "Gott, Kaiser und Bauer" (32) they have engaged the Jew Kortner-Kohn who should have finished in the Berliner theater life long ago. He is practically the greasiest and worst type who ever stood on a German stage". (29.12.1932). Kortner had to draw the conclusion and went to exil, first to Vienna (1933), then to London (1934) and finally to New York (1937) and four years later to Hollywood. During this time Kortner didn't direct for movies. He was assigned as an actor, frequently in anti nazi films like "Der seltsame Tod des Adolf Hitler" (1943), for which Kortner also wrote the screenplay, and "The Hitler Gang" (1944). In 1947 he came back to Germany. He could gain again a foothold at the theater. And for the film too he could work again and take on direction work once more from 1954. A great success was the film "Die Sendung der Lysistrata" (1961). Since 1924 Kortner was married with actress Johanna Hofer (1896-1988).
Other movies with Fritz Kortner
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Other movies from Fritz Kortner
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Other movies from Fritz Kortner
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