Ossip Runitsch
Encyclopedia
Ossip Iliych Runitsch was a Russian
silent film
actor,producer and stage director.
He was one of the biggest stars of Russian silent cinema and one of the first iconic figures of Russian cinematograph. In 1915-1919 he starred in some successful silent films of that time as "Molchi, grust... molchi
" and "Posledneiye tango" with other film stars as Vera Kholodnaya
, Vitold Polonsky
and Pyotr Chardynin
.
Runitsch was a long time admirer of his co-star Kholodnaya and after her tragic death in 1919 during Russian Civil War
, he fled Russia
and left for Italy
where he took part in a number of films.Later, he moved to Germany
where he starred together with Emil Jannings
and other famous German
actors.
In 1925 he married Nina Pavlishcheva,a courtier ballet
dancer.
By the late 1930s, he was living in Riga
, Latvia
,where he played in the troupe of Russian Drama Theatre.Apparently, when he realised that the World War II
was inevitable, he accepted an invitation to tour South Africa
from his local Jewish friends. He stayed in South Africa and became a founder of one of the first professional Jewish theatre companies in a country. Besides, he produced operas for the State Theatre in mid-1940s.
Died in 1947.
Russians
The Russian people are an East Slavic ethnic group native to Russia, speaking the Russian language and primarily living in Russia and neighboring countries....
silent film
Silent film
A silent film is a film with no synchronized recorded sound, especially with no spoken dialogue. In silent films for entertainment the dialogue is transmitted through muted gestures, pantomime and title cards...
actor,producer and stage director.
He was one of the biggest stars of Russian silent cinema and one of the first iconic figures of Russian cinematograph. In 1915-1919 he starred in some successful silent films of that time as "Molchi, grust... molchi
Molchi, grust... molchi
Molchi, grust... molchi is Russian silent drama film directed by famous director Pyotr Chardynin and starring several big Russian silent film stars as Vera Kholodnaya, Ossip Runitsch, Vitold Polonsky and Vladimir Maksimov.This film consisted of two parts,but survived just a 44 minutes long episode...
" and "Posledneiye tango" with other film stars as Vera Kholodnaya
Vera Kholodnaya
Vera Vasilyevna Kholodnaya was the first star of Russian silent cinema...
, Vitold Polonsky
Vitold Polonsky
Vitold Alfonsovich Polonsky Vitold Alfonsovich Polonsky Vitold Alfonsovich Polonsky (Russian: Витольд Альфонсович Полонский (1879 - 5 January 1919) was a Russian silent film actor.-Biography:Polonsky took drama courses in the Moscow theatre school, graduating in 1907....
and Pyotr Chardynin
Pyotr Chardynin
Pyotr Ivanovich Chardynin was a Russian film director, screenwriter, and actor. Pyotr Chardynin, one of the pioneers of the film industry in the Russian Empire, directed over a hundred silent films during his career.-Biography:...
.
Runitsch was a long time admirer of his co-star Kholodnaya and after her tragic death in 1919 during Russian Civil War
Russian Civil War
The Russian Civil War was a multi-party war that occurred within the former Russian Empire after the Russian provisional government collapsed to the Soviets, under the domination of the Bolshevik party. Soviet forces first assumed power in Petrograd The Russian Civil War (1917–1923) was a...
, he fled Russia
Russia
Russia or , officially known as both Russia and the Russian Federation , is a country in northern Eurasia. It is a federal semi-presidential republic, comprising 83 federal subjects...
and left for Italy
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
where he took part in a number of films.Later, he moved to Germany
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
where he starred together with Emil Jannings
Emil Jannings
Emil Jannings was a German actor. He was not only the first actor to win the Academy Award for Best Actor, but also the first person to be presented an Oscar...
and other famous German
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
actors.
In 1925 he married Nina Pavlishcheva,a courtier ballet
Ballet
Ballet is a type of performance dance, that originated in the Italian Renaissance courts of the 15th century, and which was further developed in France and Russia as a concert dance form. The early portions preceded the invention of the proscenium stage and were presented in large chambers with...
dancer.
By the late 1930s, he was living in Riga
Riga
Riga is the capital and largest city of Latvia. With 702,891 inhabitants Riga is the largest city of the Baltic states, one of the largest cities in Northern Europe and home to more than one third of Latvia's population. The city is an important seaport and a major industrial, commercial,...
, Latvia
Latvia
Latvia , officially the Republic of Latvia , is a country in the Baltic region of Northern Europe. It is bordered to the north by Estonia , to the south by Lithuania , to the east by the Russian Federation , to the southeast by Belarus and shares maritime borders to the west with Sweden...
,where he played in the troupe of Russian Drama Theatre.Apparently, when he realised that the World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
was inevitable, he accepted an invitation to tour South Africa
South Africa
The Republic of South Africa is a country in southern Africa. Located at the southern tip of Africa, it is divided into nine provinces, with of coastline on the Atlantic and Indian oceans...
from his local Jewish friends. He stayed in South Africa and became a founder of one of the first professional Jewish theatre companies in a country. Besides, he produced operas for the State Theatre in mid-1940s.
Died in 1947.
Filmography
- Война и Мир (Voyna i mir) (1915) as Nikolai Rostov
- Песнь торжествующей любви (Pesn torzhestvuyushchey lyubvi) (1915)
- Обожженные крылья (Obozhzhenniye krylya) (1915)
- Истерзанные души (Isterzannye dushi) (1917) as Ingenieur Karin
- Человек-зверь (Chelovek - zver) (1917)
- Живой труп (Zhivoy trup) (1918)
- Женщина,которая изобрела любовь (Zhenshchina, kotoraya izobrela lyubov) (1918)
- Молчи, грусть… молчи… (Molchi, grust... molchiMolchi, grust... molchiMolchi, grust... molchi is Russian silent drama film directed by famous director Pyotr Chardynin and starring several big Russian silent film stars as Vera Kholodnaya, Ossip Runitsch, Vitold Polonsky and Vladimir Maksimov.This film consisted of two parts,but survived just a 44 minutes long episode...
) (1918) as Zaritskii, a barrister - Последнее танго (Posledneiye tango) (1918) as Joe
- Die Bestie im Menschen (1920) as Jacques Lantier
- L'orchidea fatale (1920)
- Lord Bluff (1920)
- La catena (1920)
- L'automobile errante (1921)
- Danton (1921) as Desmoulins
- Das Spiel mit dem Feuer (1921)
- Dubrowsky, der Räuber Ataman (1921)
- Die höllische Macht (1922)
- Marie Antoinette - Das Leben einer Königin (1922)
- Psicha, die Tänzerin Katherina (1923)
- Der Puppenmacher von Kiang-Ning (1923)
- Düstere Schatten, strahlendes Glück (1924) as F. C. Morland
- Frühlingsfluten (1924)
- Prater (1924) as Graf Rynon
- Das goldene Kalb (1925) as Leibgardist
- Tagebuch einer Kokotte (1929) as Hoteldirektor Lambert
- Sensation im Wintergarten (1929) as Zirkusdirektor
- Das Donkosakenlied (1930) as Basmanoff