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Werner Johannes Krauss was a German theater and movie actor. His extraordinary brilliance and contentious connections throughout his career had a lasting impression on early 20th-century cultural history.
Biography
Werner Krauss was born in Gestungshausen, Upper Franconia, on June 23, 1884. He was raised In Breslau, where his grandpa was a Protestant minister. Krauss chose to pursue a profession in acting despite obstacles, such as being suspended from a teacher’s college for working as a theater extra. His extraordinary career began when he joined a touring playgroup.
In 1903, Krauss made his stage debut in the municipal theater in Guben, beginning a career that would take him to other venues throughout Germany. His 1913 meeting with Max Reinhardt proved to be crucial in establishing his affiliation with Berlin’s Deutsches Theater. Despite having no official training in acting, Krauss was excellent in roles such as Mephistopheles in Faust and King Claudius in Hamlet.
At the same time, he entered the realm of film, becoming well-known throughout the globe for his demonic interpretation of the title role in Robert Wiene’s classic of German Expressionism, “The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari” (1920). Krauss had a variety of parts in his career, including Iago in 1922 and Othello in a 1920 adaption. He also made significant cameos in movies like “Waxworks” (1924) and “Tartuffe” (1926).
In 1924, he joined the Prussian State Theatre in Berlin, continuing his stage career. Krauss’s consummate skills earned him the moniker “the man with a thousand faces.”
After World War II, Krauss faced consequences for his wartime activities. Expelled from Austria and banned from performing in Germany, he underwent denazification. In 1951, Krauss regained German citizenship, slowly reclaiming his position in the cultural landscape. Despite facing protests and controversies, he received accolades such as the Iffland-Ring in 1954 and the Order of the Federal Republic of Germany in 1955.
In 1958, Krauss published his autobiography, “Das Schauspiel Meines Lebens” (The Play of My Life). He died in relative obscurity in Vienna on October 20, 1959, at the age of 75.
Werner Krauss Parents
Werner Krauss was born to Paul Krauss and Caroline Krauss.
Werner Krauss Age, Height, Weight, Birthdate
Age | 75 years old (at the time of his death) |
Height | N/A |
Weight | N/A |
Birthdate | June 23, 1884 |
Werner Krauss’s Wife/Girlfriend
Werner Krauss married three times. He married Paula Saenger in 1908, Maria Bard in 1931, and Liselotte Graf in 1940.
Werner Krauss Children
Werner Krauss had two children, Egon Krauss and Gregory Krauss.
Werner Krauss Net Worth
The net worth of Werner Krauss was $1 million.
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