Betty Bird (born Hilde Elisabeth Ptack, 18 June 1901 in

Vienna en, Viennese , iso_code = AT-9 , registration_plate = W , postal_code_type = Postal code , postal_code = , timezone = CET , utc_offset = +1 , timezone_DST ...

, Austria-Hungary – 4 March 1998 in

Rome , established_title = Founded , established_date = 753 BC , founder = King Romulus (legendary) , image_map = Map of comune of Rome (metropolitan city of Capital Rome, region Lazio, Italy).svg , map_caption ...

, Italy) was an Austrian actress known for ''Die spanische Fliege'' (1931), ''Corazones sin rumbo'' (1928) and ''Sturm auf drei Herzen'' (1930). She was married to

Gustav Ucicky Gustav Ucicky (6 July 1899 – 27 April 1961) was an Austrians, Austrian film director, screenwriter, and cinematographer. He was one of the more successful directors in Austria and Germany from the 1930s through to the early 1960s. His work cov ...

until their divorce in 1936.

Biography

Hilde Elisabeth Ptack, was born on 18 June 1901 in Vienna. Her father Ludwig Ptack was secretary to the owner of the ''Sascha-Filmfabrik'', a film production company. On 23 December 1923 she married the cameraman and later film director

. She received her first acting role in 1927 at age 20, starring in the film ''

Madame Dares an Escapade ''Madame Dares an Escapade'' (German: ''Madame wagt einen Seitensprung'') is a 1927 German silent film directed by Hans Otto and starring Xenia Desni, Livio Pavanelli and Carmen Cartellieri.Bock & Bergfelder p.474 It was shot in Vienna. Cast ...

''. With her husband, she moved to Munich and then to Berlin. Continuing her acting career, she often portrayed charming girls in

comedy films A comedy film is a category of film which emphasizes humor. These films are designed to make the audience laugh through amusement. Films in this style traditionally have a happy ending (black comedy being an exception). Comedy is one of the ol ...

of the late 1920s and early 1930s. She adopted the

stage name A stage name is a pseudonym used by performers and entertainers—such as actors, comedians, singers, and musicians. Such professional aliases are adopted for a wide variety of reasons and they may be similar, or nearly identical, to an individu ...

''Betty Bird''. In August 1936, Betty and Gustav Ucicky divorced and she went on to marry a czech dentist by the name of Hruska in Rome on 23 December 1937. She died on 4 March 1998 in Rome at the age of 96.

Selected filmography

* ''

'' (1927) * ''

Restless Hearts ''Restless Hearts'' (german: Herzen ohne Ziel, es, Corazones sin rumbo) is a 1928 Cinema of Germany, German-Cinema of Spain, Spanish silent film directed by Benito Perojo and Gustav Ucicky and starring Betty Bird, Hanna Ralph and Livio Pavanelli ...

'' (1928) * '' Der Herzensphotograph'' (1928) * ''

Der Ladenprinz ''Der Ladenprinz'' (''The Shop Prince'') is a 1928 German silent film directed by Erich Schönfelder, starring Harry Halm, La Jana and Paul Henckels and also with La Jana, Sig Arno and Hermine Sterler. It was adapted from a novel by . Kurt Mün ...

'' (1928) * '' Behind Monastery Walls'' (1928) * ''

The Hound of the Baskervilles ''The Hound of the Baskervilles'' is the third of the four crime novels by British writer Arthur Conan Doyle featuring the detective Sherlock Holmes. Originally serialised in ''The Strand Magazine'' from August 1901 to April 1902, it is set i ...

'' (1929) * ''

The Green Monocle ''The Green Monocle'' (German: ''Das grüne Monokel'') is a 1929 German silent crime film directed by Rudolf Meinert and starring Ralph Clancy, Betty Bird and Suzy Vernon. The film was based on a novel by Guido Kreutzer. It features the ficti ...

'' (1929) * ''

Taxi at Midnight ''Taxi at Midnight'' (German: ''Die Mitternachtstaxe'') is a 1929 German silent thriller film directed by Harry Piel and starring Piel, Betty Bird and Philipp Manning.Prawer p.83 It was shot at the Staaken and Grunewald Studios in Berlin. The f ...

'' (1929) * ''

Lady in the Spa ''Lady in the Spa'' (German:''Madame im Strandbad'') is a 1929 Austrian silent comedy film directed by Edmund Hahn and starring Maximilian Kraemer, Betty Bird and Helen von Münchofen. A small spa town tries to give the impression that it is ac ...

'' (1929) * ''

The Fourth from the Right ''The Fourth from the Right'' (German: ''Die vierte von rechts'') is a 1929 German silent comedy film directed by Conrad Wiene and starring Ossi Oswalda, Betty Bird and Arthur Pusey.Habel p.197 The film's sets were designed by the art director ...

'' (1929) * ''

The Hero of Every Girl's Dream ''The Hero of Every Girl's Dream'' (German: ''Der Held aller Mädchenträume'') is a 1929 German silent film directed by Robert Land and starring Harry Liedtke, Betty Bird and Hermine Sterler.Rogowski p.120 The film's sets were designed by Robe ...

'' (1929) * '' Waterloo'' (1929) * ''

Darling of the Gods ''Darling of the Gods'' (german: Liebling der Götter) is a 1930 German musical drama film directed by Hanns Schwarz and starring Emil Jannings, Renate Müller and Olga Tschechowa. Jannings had recently returned from Hollywood where the arrival ...

'' (1930) * ''

A Student's Song of Heidelberg ''A Student's Song of Heidelberg'' (German: ''Ein Burschenlied aus Heidelberg'') is a 1930 German musical film directed by Karl Hartl and starring Hans Brausewetter, Betty Bird and Willi Forst. It marked Hartl's directoral debut.Bock & Bergfelder ...

'' (1930) * ''

Grock Grock (born Charles Adrien Wettach; 10 January 1880 – 14 July 1959) was a Swiss clown, composer, and musician. Called “the king of clowns”Pat CashinGrockClown Alley (blog). (August 24, 2006). Retrieved April 22, 2011 and “the greatest ...

'' (1931) * '' The Spanish Fly'' (1931) * ''

The Opera Ball ''The Opera Ball'' (german: Opernredoute) is a 1931 German musical comedy film Musical film is a film genre in which songs by the characters are interwoven into the narrative, sometimes accompanied by dancing. The songs usually advance the pl ...

'' (1931) * '' Grandstand for General Staff'' (1932) * ''

The Escape to Nice ''The Escape to Nice'' (german: Flucht nach Nizza) is a 1932 German comedy crime film directed by James Bauer and starring Fritz Fischer, Georg Alexander and Else Elster. The film is based on the novel ''Orje Lehmann wird Detektiv'' by Dolly Bruc ...

'' (1932) * ''

Secret of the Blue Room ''The Secret of the Blue Room'' is a 1933 American pre-Code mystery film directed by Kurt Neumann and starring Lionel Atwill, Gloria Stuart, Paul Lukas and Edward Arnold. The film's plot concerns a group of wealthy people who stay at a Europe ...

'' (1932) * ''

I Do Not Want to Know Who You Are ''I Do Not Want to Know Who You Are'' (german: Ich will nicht wissen, wer du bist) is a 1932 German comedy film directed by Géza von Bolváry and starring Liane Haid, Gustav Fröhlich, and S.Z. Sakall. The film's sets were designed by the a ...

'' (1932) * ''

Salon Dora Green ''The House of Dora Green'' (german: Salon Dora Green) is a 1933 German thriller film directed by Henrik Galeen and starring Mady Christians, Paul Hartmann, and Leonard Steckel. It was based on the novel ''Diplomatische Unterwelt'' by Hans Rudo ...

'' (1933) * '' The Emperor's Waltz'' (1933) * ''

What Am I Without You ''What Am I Without You'' (german: Was bin ich ohne Dich) is a 1934 German musical comedy film directed by Arthur Maria Rabenalt and starring Wolfgang Liebeneiner, Betty Bird, and Olga Chekhova. The film's sets were designed by the art director ...

'' (1934) * ''

Held einer Nacht ''Held einer Nacht '' is a Czech-German comedy film directed by Martin Frič, released in 1935. It is the German-language version of '' Hrdina jedné noci''. Cast * Vlasta Burian - Florian Kerzl * Else Lord - Plaschek, Schneidermeisterin * B ...

'' (1935)

External links

*
Betty Bird
at Virtual History

at www.cyranos.ch (german) 1901 births 1998 deaths Austrian film actresses Austrian silent film actresses Actresses from Vienna 20th-century Austrian actresses {{Austria-actor-stub