Ludwig Donath
Encyclopedia
Ludwig Donath was an Austria
n actor who appeared in many American films.
. When Hitler came to power in 1933, he returned to Vienna
and was active there in theater and film and until the Anschluss
in 1938. He began his American film career with Lady from Chungking (1942) and went on to appear in dozens of films, including Gilda
(1946), The Jolson Story
(1946), Jolson Sings Again
(1949), The Great Caruso
(1951), My Pal Gus
(1952), Sirocco
(1951), and Torn Curtain
(1966).
Donath played the father of legendary entertainer Al Jolson
(Larry Parks
) in the two biopics The Jolson Story
(1946) and Jolson Sings Again
(1949). Although in his mid- to late-40's during the filming of both films, and less than 15 actual years senior to Parks as Jolson, Donath appeared and acted believably as a character who aged well into his 80's, with both performance and makeup remarkable given 1940's filming and techniques.
He also appeared frequently on television and on Broadway
.
He died of leukemia
in 1967.
Austria
Austria , officially the Republic of Austria , is a landlocked country of roughly 8.4 million people in Central Europe. It is bordered by the Czech Republic and Germany to the north, Slovakia and Hungary to the east, Slovenia and Italy to the south, and Switzerland and Liechtenstein to the...
n actor who appeared in many American films.
Life
Donath graduated from Vienna's Academy of Dramatic Art and became a prominent actor on the stage in BerlinBerlin
Berlin is the capital city of Germany and is one of the 16 states of Germany. With a population of 3.45 million people, Berlin is Germany's largest city. It is the second most populous city proper and the seventh most populous urban area in the European Union...
. When Hitler came to power in 1933, he returned to Vienna
Vienna
Vienna is the capital and largest city of the Republic of Austria and one of the nine states of Austria. Vienna is Austria's primary city, with a population of about 1.723 million , and is by far the largest city in Austria, as well as its cultural, economic, and political centre...
and was active there in theater and film and until the Anschluss
Anschluss
The Anschluss , also known as the ', was the occupation and annexation of Austria into Nazi Germany in 1938....
in 1938. He began his American film career with Lady from Chungking (1942) and went on to appear in dozens of films, including Gilda
Gilda
Gilda is a 1946 American black-and-white film noir directed by Charles Vidor. It stars Glenn Ford and Rita Hayworth in her signature role as the ultimate femme fatale. The film was noted for cinematographer Rudolph Mate's lush photography, costume designer Jean Louis' wardrobe for Hayworth , and...
(1946), The Jolson Story
The Jolson Story
The Jolson Story is a 1946 musical biography which purports to tell the life story of singer Al Jolson. It stars Larry Parks as Jolson, Evelyn Keyes as "Julie Benson" , William Demarest as his manager, Ludwig Donath and Tamara Shayne as his parents, and Scotty Beckett as the young Jolson.The...
(1946), Jolson Sings Again
Jolson Sings Again
Jolson Sings Again is the 1949 film sequel to The Jolson Story, both of which cover the life of singer Al Jolson.-Synopsis:In this follow-up to The Jolson Story, we pick up the singer's career just as he has returned to the stage after a premature retirement. But his wife has left him and the...
(1949), The Great Caruso
The Great Caruso
The Great Caruso is a 1951 biographical film made by Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer. It was directed by Richard Thorpe and produced by Joe Pasternak with Jesse L. Lasky as associate producer from a screenplay by Sonya Levien and William Ludwig. The original music was by Johnny Green and the cinematography by...
(1951), My Pal Gus
My Pal Gus
My Pal Gus is a 1952 comedy-drama film which follows Gus who is the young son of divorced industrialist Dave Jennings . Unable to cope with Gus' mischievous streak, Jennings places the boy in a day-care center. Gus' teacher Lydia Marble manages to curb the boy's prankishness, and along the way...
(1952), Sirocco
Sirocco (film)
Sirocco is an American film noir directed by Curtis Bernhardt and written by A.I. Bezzerides and Hans Jacoby. It is based on the novel Coup de Grace written by Joseph Kessel. The drama features Humphrey Bogart, Märta Torén, Lee J. Cobb, among others.-Plot:In 1925 Damascus, the natives are engaged...
(1951), and Torn Curtain
Torn Curtain
Torn Curtain is a 1966 American political thriller film directed by Alfred Hitchcock, starring Paul Newman and Julie Andrews.-Plot:On a cruise ship en route to Copenhagen, Michael Armstrong , an esteemed American physicist and rocket scientist, is to attend a scientific conference...
(1966).
Donath played the father of legendary entertainer Al Jolson
Al Jolson
Al Jolson was an American singer, comedian and actor. In his heyday, he was dubbed "The World's Greatest Entertainer"....
(Larry Parks
Larry Parks
Larry Parks was an American stage and movie actor. He was born Samuel Klausman Lawrence Parks. His career was virtually ended when he admitted to having once been a member of a Communist party cell, which led to his blacklisting by all Hollywood studios.-Background:Parks grew up in Joliet,...
) in the two biopics The Jolson Story
The Jolson Story
The Jolson Story is a 1946 musical biography which purports to tell the life story of singer Al Jolson. It stars Larry Parks as Jolson, Evelyn Keyes as "Julie Benson" , William Demarest as his manager, Ludwig Donath and Tamara Shayne as his parents, and Scotty Beckett as the young Jolson.The...
(1946) and Jolson Sings Again
Jolson Sings Again
Jolson Sings Again is the 1949 film sequel to The Jolson Story, both of which cover the life of singer Al Jolson.-Synopsis:In this follow-up to The Jolson Story, we pick up the singer's career just as he has returned to the stage after a premature retirement. But his wife has left him and the...
(1949). Although in his mid- to late-40's during the filming of both films, and less than 15 actual years senior to Parks as Jolson, Donath appeared and acted believably as a character who aged well into his 80's, with both performance and makeup remarkable given 1940's filming and techniques.
He also appeared frequently on television and on Broadway
Broadway theatre
Broadway theatre, commonly called simply Broadway, refers to theatrical performances presented in one of the 40 professional theatres with 500 or more seats located in the Theatre District centered along Broadway, and in Lincoln Center, in Manhattan in New York City...
.
He died of leukemia
Leukemia
Leukemia or leukaemia is a type of cancer of the blood or bone marrow characterized by an abnormal increase of immature white blood cells called "blasts". Leukemia is a broad term covering a spectrum of diseases...
in 1967.
Selected filmography
.- Sins of JezebelSins of JezebelSins of Jezebel is a 1953 film based on the Biblical story of Jezebel, the Phoenician princess whose influence corrupted King Ahab of Israel in the mid 9th century BC.-Cast:*Paulette Goddard as Jezebel*George Nader as Jehu*Eduard Franz as Ahab...
(1953) - Too Many ThievesToo Many ThievesToo Many Thieves is a 1966 American crime film directed by Abner Biberman and starring Peter Falk, Britt Ekland and Joanna Barnes. A gang of criminals steal a priceless Macedonian artefact from a museum.-Cast:* Peter Falk - Danny* Britt Ekland - Claudia...
(1966) - Torn CurtainTorn CurtainTorn Curtain is a 1966 American political thriller film directed by Alfred Hitchcock, starring Paul Newman and Julie Andrews.-Plot:On a cruise ship en route to Copenhagen, Michael Armstrong , an esteemed American physicist and rocket scientist, is to attend a scientific conference...
(1966)
Television Appearances
- BonanzaBonanzaBonanza is an American western television series that both ran on and was a production of NBC from September 12, 1959 to January 16, 1973. Lasting 14 seasons and 430 episodes, it ranks as the second longest running western series and still continues to air in syndication. It centers on the...
"The Way Of Aaron"? (1963) - The Twilight ZoneThe Twilight Zone (1959 TV series)The Twilight Zone is an American anthology television series created by Rod Serling, which ran for five seasons on CBS from 1959 to 1964. The series consisted of unrelated episodes depicting paranormal, futuristic, dystopian, or simply disturbing events; each show typically featured a surprising...
: He's AliveHe's Alive"He's Alive" is a fourth-season episode of The Twilight Zone. It tells of an American neo-Nazi who is inspired by the ghost of Adolf Hitler...
(1963) - The Fugitive "Blessings of Liberty" (1966)