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Emil Jannings was born as Theodor Friedrich Emil Janenz. His remarkable accomplishments and mesmerizing performances had a lasting impact on the early days of film. Jennings, who gained recognition for his roles in Hollywood and German motion pictures, was the first person to win the Academy Award for Best Actor.
Biography
Emil Jannings was born in Rorschach, Switzerland, on July 23, 1884. Jennings was born in St. Louis, Missouri, to German-born merchant Emil Janenz and German-born Margarethe Schwabe. After his father passed away, the family relocated to Leipzig in the German Empire and then to Görlitz
Having run away from school, Jennings pursued a seafaring adventure before returning to Görlitz. Eventually, his mother allowed him to commence a traineeship at the town state theatre, igniting the flame of his stage career. Jannings’ journey continued as he worked with various theater companies in Bremen, Nuremberg, Leipzig, Königsberg, and Glogau. His path led him to join the Deutsches Theater ensemble under the renowned director Max Reinhardt in Berlin in 1915.
Jennings began his career as a stage actor before making the switch to the cinema because he was unhappy with the lack of expressive opportunities available in the silent era. 1918 saw him make his breakthrough performance at the Schauspielhaus in Kleist’s “Broken Jug” as Judge Adam. Working with directors F. W. Murnau and Josef von Sternberg, he had standout performances in movies like “Tartuffe” (1925) and “The Last Laugh” (1924).
He began his Hollywood career in 1927 with “The Way of All Flesh” and ended it in 1928 with Josef von Sternberg’s “The Last Command”. Jannings sealed his place in history as a global celebrity in 1929 when he won the first-ever Best Actor Oscar for his parts in both movies.”The Blue Angel” (Der blaue Engel), a 1930 film, featured one of Jannings’ most well-known partnerships with Marlene Dietrich.
Though Dietrich’s riveting performance stole the show and helped propel the film to fame, it was meant to introduce Jennings to the new era of sound film. But with the talkies, his accent proved to be a hindrance, and his Hollywood career suffered.
Surprisingly, once the Third Reich came to power in 1933, Jannings carried on with his performing career in support of Nazi film. He acted in many Nazi propaganda films, which led to Joseph Goebbels referring to him as a “Artist of the State.” Jannings was notably denazified following World War II as a result of his affiliation with Nazi propaganda films.
Who are Emil Jannings’s Parents?
Emil Jannings was born to Emil Janenz and Margarethe Janenz. Emil Janenz was an American businessman from St. Louis.
Email Janenz Age, Height, Weight, Birthdate
Age | 50 years old (as at his death) |
Height | 6ft 0 (182.9 cm) |
Weight | N/A |
Birthdate | July 23, 1884 |
Emil Jannings Wife/Girlfriend
Emil Jannings married four times. He married Lucy Hofling and divorced in 1919. He later married Hanna Ralph in 1919 and got separated in 1921. His third marriage was with Lucie Hoflich in 1921 and divorced in 1921. Lastly, he married Gussy Holl in 1923.
Emil Jannings Children
Emil Jannings had one child at the time of his death.
Emil Jannings Net Worth
Emil Jannings had an estimated net worth of about $3 million at the time of his death.
References
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Emil_Jannings
https://www.idolnetworth.com/emil-jannings-net-worth-142735
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