Wolfgang Zilzer
Encyclopedia
Wofgang Zilzer was a German
-American
stage and film actor.
to German-Jewish emigrant Max Zilzer, who was engaged at the local theater. Zilzer's mother died soon after his birth and his father returned to Germany in 1905. Zilzer appeared at different stages in children roles and made his first movie appearance in the age of 14. Around 1930 he moved to the United States but had only small success as an actor. He returned to Germany, but after Adolf Hitler
's seizure of power Zilzer fled to France
, where he worked as dubbing voice at several French versions of Hollywood productions. In 1935 Zilzer returned to Germany again, finally emigrating to the USA in 1937. Applying for a visa
at the U.S. embassy, he first realized his already existing US citizenship. After his emigration he started to work with Ernst Lubitsch
in several anti-Nazi movies, using pseudonyms to protect his father, who was still living in Berlin.
Zilzer married the German-Jewish actress Lotte Palfi, both appeared in the 1942 movie Casablanca
. After World War II
Zilzer appeared at different stages in the United States and in Germany.
At the end of the 1980s Zilzer contracted the Parkinson's disease
and decided to return to Germany, his wife Lotte Palfi refused to do so and their marriage was divorced after almost 50 years and close to the death of Zilzer and Palfi.
Wofgang Zilzer died in Berlin
and is buried at Waldfriedhof Zehlendorf
.
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...
-American
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
stage and film actor.
Career
Zilzer was born in Cincinnati, OhioCincinnati, Ohio
Cincinnati is a city in the U.S. state of Ohio. Cincinnati is the county seat of Hamilton County. Settled in 1788, the city is located to north of the Ohio River at the Ohio-Kentucky border, near Indiana. The population within city limits is 296,943 according to the 2010 census, making it Ohio's...
to German-Jewish emigrant Max Zilzer, who was engaged at the local theater. Zilzer's mother died soon after his birth and his father returned to Germany in 1905. Zilzer appeared at different stages in children roles and made his first movie appearance in the age of 14. Around 1930 he moved to the United States but had only small success as an actor. He returned to Germany, but after Adolf Hitler
Adolf Hitler
Adolf Hitler was an Austrian-born German politician and the leader of the National Socialist German Workers Party , commonly referred to as the Nazi Party). He was Chancellor of Germany from 1933 to 1945, and head of state from 1934 to 1945...
's seizure of power Zilzer fled to France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
, where he worked as dubbing voice at several French versions of Hollywood productions. In 1935 Zilzer returned to Germany again, finally emigrating to the USA in 1937. Applying for a visa
Visa (document)
A visa is a document showing that a person is authorized to enter the territory for which it was issued, subject to permission of an immigration official at the time of actual entry. The authorization may be a document, but more commonly it is a stamp endorsed in the applicant's passport...
at the U.S. embassy, he first realized his already existing US citizenship. After his emigration he started to work with Ernst Lubitsch
Ernst Lubitsch
Ernst Lubitsch was a German-born film director. His urbane comedies of manners gave him the reputation of being Hollywood's most elegant and sophisticated director; as his prestige grew, his films were promoted as having "the Lubitsch touch."In 1947 he received an Honorary Academy Award for his...
in several anti-Nazi movies, using pseudonyms to protect his father, who was still living in Berlin.
Zilzer married the German-Jewish actress Lotte Palfi, both appeared in the 1942 movie Casablanca
Casablanca (film)
Casablanca is a 1942 American romantic drama film directed by Michael Curtiz, starring Humphrey Bogart, Ingrid Bergman and Paul Henreid, and featuring Claude Rains, Conrad Veidt, Sydney Greenstreet, Peter Lorre and Dooley Wilson. Set during World War II, it focuses on a man torn between, in...
. After 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...
Zilzer appeared at different stages in the United States and in Germany.
At the end of the 1980s Zilzer contracted the Parkinson's disease
Parkinson's disease
Parkinson's disease is a degenerative disorder of the central nervous system...
and decided to return to Germany, his wife Lotte Palfi refused to do so and their marriage was divorced after almost 50 years and close to the death of Zilzer and Palfi.
Wofgang Zilzer died in Berlin
Berlin
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...
and is buried at Waldfriedhof Zehlendorf
Zehlendorf (Berlin)
Zehlendorf is a locality within the borough of Steglitz-Zehlendorf in Berlin. Before Berlin's 2001 administrative reform Zehlendorf was a borough in its own right, consisting of the locality of Zehlendorf as well as Wannsee, Nikolassee and Dahlem...
.
Filmography
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Casablanca (film) Casablanca is a 1942 American romantic drama film directed by Michael Curtiz, starring Humphrey Bogart, Ingrid Bergman and Paul Henreid, and featuring Claude Rains, Conrad Veidt, Sydney Greenstreet, Peter Lorre and Dooley Wilson. Set during World War II, it focuses on a man torn between, in... The Devil with Hitler The Devil with Hitler is a 1942 comedy short propaganda film that was one of Hal Roach's Streamliners. When the board of directors of Hell want Adolf Hitler to take charge, the Devil tries to save his job by making the German dictator perform a good deed.... Invisible Agent Invisible Agent is a 1942 science fiction film from Universal. This movie was a war-time propaganda production that was part of a Hollywood effort to boost morale at the home front. It loosely echoed a series of formula war-horror films produced during this period that typically featured a mad... To Be or Not to Be (1942 film) To Be or Not to Be is a 1942 American comedy directed by Ernst Lubitsch, about a troupe of actors in Nazi-occupied Warsaw who use their abilities at disguise and acting to fool the occupying troops. It was adapted by Lubitsch and Edwin Justus Mayer from the story by Melchior Lengyel... Behind the Rising Sun (film) Behind the Rising Sun is a 1943 American war film based on the 1941 book by the same name written by James R Young. Later-blacklisted Edward Dmytryk directed the film, and it stars Margo, Tom Neal, J... Hitler's Madman Hitler's Madman is a 1943 World War II film about the assassination of Nazi Reinhard Heydrich and the revenge taken by the Germans. It was produced by Seymour Nebenzal for PRC and Angelus Pictures, Inc. The shooting of Hitler's Madman took place late in 1942 and early 1943... They Came to Blow Up America They Came to Blow Up America is a 1943 American war film drama based on Operation Pastorius, directed by Edward Ludwig. It stars George Sanders, Anna Sten and Ward Bond.-Plot:... They Got Me Covered They Got Me Covered is a 1943 film starring Bob Hope and Dorothy Lamour. The comedy movie was directed by David Butler. Otto Preminger appears in a supporting role.-Cast:*Bob Hope as Robert Kittredge*Dorothy Lamour as Christina Hill... In Our Time (1944 film) In Our Time is a 1944 romantic drama film set in the days leading up to World War II. It stars Ida Lupino and Paul Henreid.-Plot:In March 1939, antiques dealer Mrs. Bromley and her assistant Jennifer "Jenny" Whittredge travel through Poland making purchases... Stairway to Light Stairway to Light is a 1945 short drama film directed by Sammy Lee, and was one of John Nesbitt's Passing Parade series. Set in Paris during the French Revolution, it tells the story of Philippe Pinel and his efforts in pointing out that the mentally ill should not be treated as animals... Week-End at the Waldorf Week-End at the Waldorf is a 1945 American comedy drama film directed by Robert Z. Leonard. The screenplay by Samuel and Bella Spewack is based on Guy Bolton's adaptation of the Vicki Baum novel Menschen im Hotel, which was filmed as Grand Hotel in 1932.-Plot:The film focuses on various guests... Hotel Berlin Hotel Berlin is a film set in Berlin near the close of the Second World War, made by Warner Brothers in late 1944 - early 1945. The film was released in March, 1945.... Women in the Night Women in the Night is a 1948 American film directed by William Rowland.The film is also known as When Men Are Beasts.- Cast :*Tala Birell as Yvette Aubert*William Henry as Philip Adams / Maj. von Arnheim*Richard Loo as Col. Noyama... Singing in the Dark Singing in the Dark is a 1956 black-and-white motion picture about a Holocaust survivor suffering from total amnesia who comes to the United States... The United States Steel Hour The United States Steel Hour is an anthology series which brought hour-long dramas to television from 1953 to 1963. The television series and the radio program that preceded it were both sponsored by the United States Steel Corporation.... The Bottle Imp The Bottle Imp is a short story by the Scottish author Robert Louis Stevenson usually found in the short story collection Island Nights' Entertainments... (TV) Terror After Midnight Terror After Midnight is a 1962 German drama film directed by Jürgen Goslar and starring Christine Kaufmann, Martin Held and Hilde Krahl. A gangster kidnaps a girl and holds her to ransom. It is based on the novel The Hours After Midnight by Joseph Hayes. Its German title is Neunzig Minuten nach... Mister Buddwing Mister Buddwing is a 1966 American film drama starring James Garner, directed by Delbert Mann.It is the story of a well-dressed man who finds himself on a bench in Central Park with no idea of who he is... Union City -In the United States:*Union City, Connecticut *Union City, California *Union City, Georgia *Union City, Indiana , across the state line from Union City, Ohio... Lovesick Lovesick is a 1983 romantic comedy film. It was written and directed by Marshall Brickman. It stars Dudley Moore and Elizabeth McGovern and features Alec Guinness as the ghost of Sigmund Freud.-Plot:... |