Lil Dagover (; born Marie Antonia Siegelinde Martha Seubert; 30 September 1887 – 23 January 1980) was a German actress whose film career spanned between 1913 and 1979. She was one of the most popular and recognized film actresses in the

Weimar Republic The Weimar Republic (german: link=no, Weimarer Republik ), officially named the German Reich, was the government of Germany from 1918 to 1933, during which it was a constitutional federal republic for the first time in history; hence it is al ...

Early life

Lil Dagover was born Marie Antonia Siegelinde Martha Seubert in

Madiun Madiun ( jv, ꦑꦸꦛꦩꦝꦶꦪꦸꦤ꧀, translit=Kutha Madhiun) is a landlocked city in the western part of East Java, Indonesia, known for its agricultural center. It was formerly (until 2010) the capital of the Madiun Regency, but is now adm ...

Java Java (; id, Jawa, ; jv, ꦗꦮ; su, ) is one of the Greater Sunda Islands in Indonesia. It is bordered by the Indian Ocean to the south and the Java Sea to the north. With a population of 151.6 million people, Java is the world's List ...

Dutch East Indies The Dutch East Indies, also known as the Netherlands East Indies ( nl, Nederlands(ch)-Indië; ), was a Dutch colony consisting of what is now Indonesia. It was formed from the nationalised trading posts of the Dutch East India Company, which ...

(now

Indonesia Indonesia, officially the Republic of Indonesia, is a country in Southeast Asia and Oceania between the Indian and Pacific oceans. It consists of over 17,000 islands, including Sumatra, Java, Sulawesi, and parts of Borneo and New Guine ...

) to German parents. Some sources inaccurately give her birth name as Marta Maria Lillits. Her father, Adolf Karl Ludwig Moritz Seubert, born in Karlsruhe/Baden Germany, was a forest ranger in the service of the Dutch colonial authorities. She had two siblings. Her mother died in 1897, after which she returned to Germany, where she lived with relatives in

Tübingen Tübingen (, , Swabian: ''Dibenga'') is a traditional university city in central Baden-Württemberg, Germany. It is situated south of the state capital, Stuttgart, and developed on both sides of the Neckar and Ammer rivers. about one in thr ...

. She was educated at boarding schools in

Baden-Baden Baden-Baden () is a spa town in the states of Germany, state of Baden-Württemberg, south-western Germany, at the north-western border of the Black Forest mountain range on the small river Oos (river), Oos, ten kilometres (six miles) east of the ...

Weimar Weimar is a city in the state of Thuringia, Germany. It is located in Central Germany between Erfurt in the west and Jena in the east, approximately southwest of Leipzig, north of Nuremberg and west of Dresden. Together with the neighbouri ...

, and

Geneva Geneva ( ; french: Genève ) frp, Genèva ; german: link=no, Genf ; it, Ginevra ; rm, Genevra is the List of cities in Switzerland, second-most populous city in Switzerland (after Zürich) and the most populous city of Romandy, the French-speaki ...

, Switzerland. Orphaned at the age of 13, she spent the rest of her adolescence with friends and relatives. After completing her education she began pursuing a career as a stage actress around the principal cities of Europe. In 1907 she married actor Fritz Gustav Josef Daghofer, who was fifteen years her senior. The couple had a daughter, Eva (born 1909) but divorced a decade later, in 1919. Eva married Hungarian director

Géza von Radványi Géza von Radványi (born Géza Grosschmid; 26 September 1907 – 27 November 1986) was a Hungarian film director, cinematographer, producer and writer. Biography Born Géza Grosschmid, he took the name Radványi from his paternal grandmother. ...

in 1930. Seubert began using a variant of her husband's surname as a professional moniker – changing the spelling of "Daghofer" to "Dagover".

Acting career in the Weimar Republic

Lil Dagover made her screen debut in a 1913 film by director

Louis Held Carl Heinrich Louis Held (1 December 1851 – 17 April 1927) was a German photographer and a pioneer of photojournalism. Held was raised by relatives after the death of his parents in 1860. He first apprenticed in a company producing silk tissue ...

. During her marriage to Fritz Daghofer, she was introduced to several notable film directors; among them

Robert Wiene Robert Wiene (; 27 April 1873 – 17 July 1938) was a film director of the silent era of German cinema. He is particularly known for directing the German silent film ''The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari'' and a succession of other German Expressionism, ...

and

Fritz Lang Friedrich Christian Anton Lang (; December 5, 1890 – August 2, 1976), known as Fritz Lang, was an Austrian film director, screenwriter, and producer who worked in Germany and later the United States.Obituary ''Variety'', August 4, 1976, p. 6 ...

. Lang cast Dagover in the role of 'O-Take-San' in the 1919 exotic drama ''

Harakiri , sometimes referred to as hara-kiri (, , a native Japanese kun reading), is a form of Japanese ritual suicide by disembowelment. It was originally reserved for samurai in their code of honour but was also practised by other Japanese people ...

'' which proved to be Dagover's breakout role. The following year, she was directed by Robert Wiene in the

German Expressionist German Expressionism () consisted of several related creative movements in Germany before the First World War that reached a peak in Berlin during the 1920s. These developments were part of a larger Expressionist movement in north and central ...

horror classic '' Das Kabinett des Doktor Caligari'', from a script by

Carl Mayer Carl Mayer (20 November 1894 – 1 July 1944) was an Austrians, Austrian screenwriter who wrote or co-wrote the screenplays to ''The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari'' (1920), ''The Head of Janus'' (1920), ''The Haunted Castle (1921 film), The Haunted C ...

and

Hans Janowitz Hans Janowitz (2 December 1890 – 25 May 1954) was a German author. Janowitz was an officer in World War I, but returned from it as a pacifist. Shortly after the war ended, he met the similarly minded Carl Mayer in Berlin, who suggested he wo ...

opposite actors

Werner Krauss Werner Johannes Krauss (''Krauß'' in German; 23 June 1884 – 20 October 1959) was a German stage and film actor. Krauss dominated the German stage of the early 20th century. However, his participation in the antisemitic propaganda film ''Jud S ...

and

Conrad Veidt Hans Walter Conrad Veidt (; 22 January 1893 – 3 April 1943) was a German film actor who attracted early attention for his roles in the films ''Different from the Others'' (1919), '' The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari'' (1920), and ''The Man Who Laugh ...

. Lang directed Dagover in three more films: 1919's ''

Die Spinnen ''The Spiders'' (german: Die Spinnen) is a German silent two-part adventure film written and directed by Fritz Lang. It was released in two parts in 1919 and 1920. Two more parts were originally planned but never made. It was believed to be a ...

'' (English title: ''Spiders''), 1921's ''

Der Müde Tod ''Destiny'' (german: Der müde Tod'':'' ''ein deutsches Volkslied in sechs Versen'' (''Weary Death: A German Folk Story in Six Verses''); originally released in the United States as ''Behind the Wall'') is a 1921 silent German Expressionist fan ...

'' (English release titles: ''Destiny'' and ''Behind The Wall''), and 1922's '' Dr. Mabuse der Spieler''. By the early 1920s, Dagover was one of the most popular and recognized film actresses in the

, appearing in motion pictures by such prominent directors as

F. W. Murnau Friedrich Wilhelm Murnau (born Friedrich Wilhelm Plumpe; December 28, 1888March 11, 1931) was a German film director, producer and screenwriter. He was greatly influenced by Schopenhauer, Nietzsche, Shakespeare and Ibsen plays he had seen at t ...

Lothar Mendes Lothar Mendes (19 May 1894 – 24 February 1974) was a German-born screenwriter and film director. His two best known films are ''Jew Süss (1934 film), Jew Süss'' (1934) and ''The Man Who Could Work Miracles'' (1936), both productions for Briti ...

and

Carl Froelich Carl August Hugo Froelich (5 September 1875 – 12 February 1953) was a German film pioneer and film director. He was born and died in Berlin. Biography Apparatus builder and cameraman From 1903 Froelich was a colleague of Oskar Messter, one of ...

. In 1925 she made her stage debut under the direction of

Max Reinhardt Max Reinhardt (; born Maximilian Goldmann; 9 September 1873 – 30 October 1943) was an Austrian-born Theatre director, theatre and film director, theater manager, intendant, and theatrical producer. With his innovative stage productions, he i ...

. In the following years she played in Reinhardt’s Deutsches Theater in Berlin and also at the

Salzburg Festival The Salzburg Festival (german: Salzburger Festspiele) is a prominent festival of music and drama established in 1920. It is held each summer (for five weeks starting in late July) in the Austrian town of Salzburg, the birthplace of Wolfgang Amad ...

. In 1926 she married film producer Georg Witt, who produced many of Dagover's future films. The couple remained married until Witt's death in 1973. Lil Dagover's film career in

German cinema The film industry in Germany can be traced back to the late 19th century. German cinema made major technical and artistic contributions to early film, broadcasting and television technology. Babelsberg became a household synonym for the early 20 ...

through the 1920s was prolific, making over forty films and appearing opposite such actors as

Emil Jannings Emil Jannings (born Theodor Friedrich Emil Janenz, 23 July 1884 – 2 January 1950) was a Swiss born German actor, popular in the 1920s in Hollywood. He was the first recipient of the Academy Award for Best Actor for his roles in '' The La ...

Nils Olaf Chrisander Nils Olaf Chrisander (born Waldemar Olaf Chrisander, 14 February 1884 – 5 June 1947) was a Swedish actor and film director in the early part of the twentieth century. Biography Chrisander's first screen appearances as an actor were in German a ...

Willy Fritsch Willy Fritsch (27 January 1901 – 13 July 1973) was a German theater and film actor, a popular leading man and character actor from the silent-film era to the early 1960s. Biography Early life He was born Wilhelm Egon Fritz Fritsch, the only s ...

, Lya De Putti,

Bruno Kastner Richard Otto Bruno Kastner (January 1890Different sources cite 1 January, 3 January, 20 January, and 30 January as Kastner's date of birth. – 30 June 1932) was a German stage and film actor, screenwriter, and film producer whose career was most ...

and

Xenia Desni Xenia Desni ( Ukrainian: Ксенія Десні; 19 January 1894 – 27 May 1962) was a Ukrainian silent screen era actress who predominantly appeared in German films. Early life Densi was born Ksenia Desnytska in Kyiv, Ukraine. She and her fam ...

. She also made several films in Sweden for directors

Olof Molander Olof Johan Harald Molander (8 October 1892 – 26 May 1966) was a Sweden, Swedish theatre director, theatre and film director. He was most notable for his many Strindberg and Shakespeare productions. Biography Molander was born in Helsinki. H ...

and

Gustaf Molander Gustaf Harald August Molander (18 November 1888 – 19 June 1973) was a Sweden, Swedish actor and film director. His parents were director Harald Molander, Sr. (1858–1900) and singer and actress Lydia Molander, ''née'' Wessler, and his brother ...

and appear in several French silent films – her last film appearance of the 1920s was in the 1929

Henri Fescourt Henri Fescourt (23 November 1880 – 9 August 1966) was a French film director. He directed some 40 films in his career. Filmography * 1912 : '' Un vol a été commis'' * 1912 : '' Le Petit restaurant de l'impasse Canin'' * 1912 : '' Paris-Sa ...

-directed French silent film '' Monte Cristo'' opposite

Jean Angelo Jean Angelo (born Jean-Jacques Barthélémy, 17 May 1888 - 26 November 1933) was a French film actor of silent movies and early talkies. He was often a leading man playing romantic or athletic roles. Angelo was born and died in Paris. Filmogra ...

and

Marie Glory Marie may refer to: People Name * Marie (given name) * Marie (Japanese given name) * Marie (murder victim), girl who was killed in Florida after being pushed in front of a moving vehicle in 1973 * Marie (died 1759), an enslaved Cree person in T ...

Talkies and the Third Reich

With the advent of

talkies A sound film is a motion picture with synchronized sound, or sound technologically coupled to image, as opposed to a silent film. The first known public exhibition of projected sound films took place in Paris in 1900, but decades passed before ...

, Lil Dagover ceased making foreign films and appear only in German productions; with the exception of one English language American film, the

Michael Curtiz Michael Curtiz ( ; born Manó Kaminer; since 1905 Mihály Kertész; hu, Kertész Mihály; December 24, 1886 April 10, 1962) was a Hungarian-American film director, recognized as one of the most prolific directors in history. He directed cla ...

-directed drama ''

The Woman from Monte Carlo ''The Woman from Monte Carlo'' is an American pre-Code film produced by Warner Bros. subsidiary First National Pictures (with the Vitaphone logo) in 1931 and released on January 9, 1932. It was directed by Michael Curtiz and gave top billing to ...

'' (1932) with actor

Walter Huston Walter Thomas Huston ( ;According to the Province of Ontario. ''Ontario, C ...

, shot on location in the United States. After her return to Germany and the rise of the

Third Reich Nazi Germany (lit. "National Socialist State"), ' (lit. "Nazi State") for short; also ' (lit. "National Socialist Germany") (officially known as the German Reich from 1933 until 1943, and the Greater German Reich from 1943 to 1945) was ...

in 1933, she avoided overt political involvement and generally appeared in popular costume musicals and comedies during World War II. However, in 1937, she received the State Actress award, and in 1944 she was awarded the War Merits Cross for entertaining

Wehrmacht The ''Wehrmacht'' (, ) were the unified armed forces of Nazi Germany from 1935 to 1945. It consisted of the ''Heer'' (army), the ''Kriegsmarine'' (navy) and the ''Luftwaffe'' (air force). The designation "''Wehrmacht''" replaced the previous ...

troops on the Eastern Front in 1943 and on the German occupied Channel Islands of Jersey and Guernsey in 1944.Lil Dagover profile
dhm.de; accessed 21 October 2021. While Dagover's films of the period were decidedly apolitical, she was known to be one of

Adolf Hitler Adolf Hitler (; 20 April 188930 April 1945) was an Austrian-born German politician who was dictator of Nazi Germany, Germany from 1933 until Death of Adolf Hitler, his death in 1945. Adolf Hitler's rise to power, He rose to power as the le ...

's favorite film actresses and Dagover is known to have been a dinner guest of Hitler on several occasions.

Later career

After the defeat of

Nazi Germany Nazi Germany (lit. "National Socialist State"), ' (lit. "Nazi State") for short; also ' (lit. "National Socialist Germany") (officially known as the German Reich from 1933 until 1943, and the Greater German Reich from 1943 to 1945) was ...

, Dagover continued to appear in West German films. In 1948, she appeared in the anti-Nazi drama ''

Gaspary's Sons ''Gaspary's Sons'' (german: Die Söhne des Herrn Gaspary) is a 1948 German drama film directed by Rolf Meyer and starring Lil Dagover, Hans Stüwe and Inge Landgut.Bock & Bergfelder p. 77 It was shot at the Bendestorf Studios near Hamburg and ...

''. The film follows the disintegration of a German family living under

National Socialism Nazism ( ; german: Nazismus), the common name in English for National Socialism (german: Nationalsozialismus, ), is the far-right politics, far-right Totalitarianism, totalitarian political ideology and practices associated with Adolf Hit ...

. Dagover's most internationally popular film of the post-WWII era is the 1959

Alfred Weidenmann Alfred Weidenmann (10 May 1916 – 9 June 2000) was a German film director, screenwriter, and author of children's books. He directed more than 30 films between 1942 and 1984. Selected filmography * '' Hände hoch (1942) * ' (1944) * '' I ...

-directed adaptation of the 1901

Thomas Mann Paul Thomas Mann ( , ; ; 6 June 1875 – 12 August 1955) was a German novelist, short story writer, social critic, philanthropist, essayist, and the 1929 Nobel Prize in Literature laureate. His highly symbolic and ironic epic novels and novella ...

novel ''

Buddenbrooks ''Buddenbrooks'' () is a 1901 novel by Thomas Mann, chronicling the decline of a wealthy north German merchant family over the course of four generations, incidentally portraying the manner of life and mores of the Hanseatic bourgeoisie in th ...

''. In 1960, Dagover began appearing in numerous West German television roles in addition to continuing to perform in film. In 1973 she starred in the

Academy Award The Academy Awards, better known as the Oscars, are awards for artistic and technical merit for the American and international film industry. The awards are regarded by many as the most prestigious, significant awards in the entertainment ind ...

-nominated and

Golden Globe The Golden Globe Awards are accolades bestowed by the Hollywood Foreign Press Association beginning in January 1944, recognizing excellence in both American and international film and television. Beginning in 2022, there are 105 members of t ...

-winner for Best Foreign-Language Foreign Film of 1973, ''

The Pedestrian "The Pedestrian" is a science fiction short story by American writer Ray Bradbury. This story was originally published in the August 7, 1951 issue of '' The Reporter'' by The Fortnightly Publishing Company. It is included in the collection ''T ...

''. The film was directed by Austrian actor-director

Maximilian Schell Maximilian Schell (8 December 1930 – 1 February 2014) was an Austrian-born Swiss actor, who also wrote, directed and produced some of his own films. He won the Academy Award for Best Actor for the 1961 American film ''Judgment at Nuremberg'', h ...

, and featured international former early silent film peers

Peggy Ashcroft Dame Edith Margaret Emily Ashcroft (22 December 1907 – 14 June 1991), known professionally as Peggy Ashcroft, was an English actress whose career spanned more than 60 years. Born to a comfortable middle-class family, Ashcroft was deter ...

Käthe Haack Käthe Haack (born Käte Lisbeth Minna Sophie Isolde Haack; 11 August 1897 – 5 May 1986) was a German stage and film actress. She appeared in more than 200 films and 30 television productions between 1915 and 1985. Life and career Käte Li ...

Elisabeth Bergner Elisabeth Bergner (22 August 1897 – 12 May 1986) was an Austrian-British actress. Primarily a stage actress, her career flourished in Berlin and Paris before she moved to London to work in films. Her signature role was Gemma Jones in '' Esca ...

Elsa Wagner Elsa Wagner (24 January 1881 – 17 August 1975) was a German actress who appeared in numerous theatrical productions and feature films during the 20th century, including 1920's '' The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari''. Life and career Born as Elisab ...

and Françoise Rosay. Dagover's last film role was at age 91 in the 1979

-directed and produced drama motion picture ''

Tales from the Vienna Woods "Tales from the Vienna Woods" (german: "Geschichten aus dem Wienerwald", links=no, italic=no, occasionally ) is a waltz by Johann Strauss II. Composed in 1868, , Op. 325, was one of six Viennese waltzes by Johann Strauss II which featured a vi ...

''.

Death and legacy

In 1962, Lil Dagover was awarded the

Bundesfilmpreis The German Film Award (), also known as Lola after its prize statuette, is the national film award of Germany Germany,, officially the Federal Republic of Germany, is a country in Central Europe. It is the second most populous co ...

. In 1964, she was awarded the

Bambi ''Bambi'' is a 1942 American animated drama film directed by David Hand (supervising a team of sequence directors), produced by Walt Disney and based on the 1923 book ''Bambi, a Life in the Woods'' by Austrian author and hunter Felix Salten. ...

annual television and media award from Hubert Burda Media, and the

Cross of Merit of the Federal Republic of Germany The Order of Merit of the Federal Republic of Germany (german: Verdienstorden der Bundesrepublik Deutschland, or , BVO) is the only federal decoration of Germany. It is awarded for special achievements in political, economic, cultural, intellect ...

in 1967. In 1979, she published her autobiography, ''Ich war die Dame'' (English: ''I Was The Lady''). Dagover died at the age of 92, on 24 January 1980, in

Munich Munich ( ; german: München ; bar, Minga ) is the capital and most populous city of the States of Germany, German state of Bavaria. With a population of 1,558,395 inhabitants as of 31 July 2020, it is the List of cities in Germany by popu ...

Bavaria Bavaria ( ; ), officially the Free State of Bavaria (german: Freistaat Bayern, link=no ), is a state in the south-east of Germany. With an area of , Bavaria is the largest German state by land area, comprising roughly a fifth of the total lan ...

, West Germany, and was buried at the Waldfriedhof Grünwald cemetery, near Munich.

Filmography

* ''Die Retterin'' (1916) *Credited as Martha Daghofer * '' Clown Charly'' (1917) *Credited as Martha Daghofer * ''Das Rätsel der Stahlkammer'' (1917) *Credited as Martha Daghofer * ''Lebendig tot'' (1918) * ''Der Volontär'' (1918) * ''The Song of the Mother'' (1918) *Credited as Martha Daghofer * ''

Bettler GmbH ''Bettler GmbH'' is a 1919 German silent film directed by Alwin Neuß and starring Paul Otto and Lil Dagover.Hardt p. 215–216 Cast * Fritz Achterberg * Lil Dagover * Fred Goebel * Alwin Neuß as Bobby * Paul Otto Paul Otto Schlesing ...

'' (1919) * '' The Mask'' (1919) * '' The Spiders'' (1919) as Sonnenpriesterin Naela * '' The Dancer'' (1919) as Mutter Rellnow * ''

'' (1919) as O-Take-San * ''Phantome des Lebens'' (1919) * '' Revenge Is Mine'' (1919) * '' The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari'' (1920) as Jane Olsen * ''Spiritismus'' (1920) * ''

The Woman in Heaven ''The Woman in Heaven'' (German:''Die Frau im Himmel'') is a 1920 German silent film directed by Johannes Guter and starring Lil Dagover and Werner Krauss.Bock & Bergfelder p.1 The film's art direction was by Franz Seemann. Cast In alphabetica ...

'' (1920) as Tatjana * ''

The Hunt for Death ''The Hunt for Death'' (german: Die Jagd nach dem Tode) is a 1920 German silent film directed by Karl Gerhardt (director), Karl Gerhardt and starring Lil Dagover.Expressionism Reassessed p. 93 It was followed by three sequels. The film's art dir ...

'' (1920–1921, part 1, 2, 3) as Tänzerin Malatti * ''

The Mayor of Zalamea ''The Mayor of Zalamea'' ( es, El Alcalde de Zalamea) is a play written by Pedro Calderón de la Barca (1600–1681) during the Golden Age of Spanish drama. It was probably written in 1636. It pays homage to a play by the same name by Lope de Ve ...

'' (1920) as Isabel * '' The Blood of the Ancestors'' (1920) as Fürstin Wanda Lubowiczka * ''

The Kwannon of Okadera ''The Kwannon of Okadera'' (German: ''Die Kwannon von Okadera'') is a 1920 German silent film directed by Carl Froelich and starring Lil Dagover and Werner Krauss.Hardt p.221 Produced by Erich Pommer of Decla-Bioscop it was shot at the Babelsb ...

'' (1920) as Kwannon * '' The Eyes of the Mask'' (1920) * '' The Secret of Bombay'' (1921) as Die Tänzerin Farnese * '' Island of the Dead'' (1921) * ''

The Medium ''The Medium'' is a short (one-hour-long) two-act dramatic opera with words and music by Gian Carlo Menotti. Commissioned by the Alice M. Ditson Fund at Columbia University, its first performance was there on 8 May 1946. The opera's first profes ...

'' (1921) * ''

Destiny Destiny, sometimes referred to as fate (from Latin ''fatum'' "decree, prediction, destiny, fate"), is a predetermined course of events. It may be conceived as a predetermined future, whether in general or of an individual. Fate Although often ...

'' (1921) as Young Woman / Das junge Mädchen / Zobeide / Monna Fiametta / Tiao Tsien * ''

Murders in the Greenstreet ''Murders in the Greenstreet'' (German:''Der Mord in der Greenstreet'') is a 1921 German silent film directed by Johannes Guter and starring Lil Dagover.Bock & Bergfelder p.77 The film's art direction was by Franz Seemann. Cast In alphabeti ...

'' (1921) * '' Dr. Mabuse: The Gambler'' (1922) (uncredited) * '' Luise Millerin'' (1922) as Luise Millerin * '' Power of Temptation'' (1922) * ''

Phantom Phantom may refer to: * Spirit (animating force), the vital principle or animating force within all living things ** Ghost, the soul or spirit of a dead person or animal that can appear to the living Aircraft * Boeing Phantom Ray, a stealthy un ...

'' (1922) as Marie Starke * ''

Lowlands Upland and lowland are conditional descriptions of a plain based on elevation above sea level. In studies of the ecology of freshwater rivers, habitats are classified as upland or lowland. Definitions Upland and lowland are portions of p ...

'' (1923) as Martha * ''

Princess Suwarin ''Princess Suwarin'' (German: ''Die Prinzessin Suwarin'') is a 1923 German silent film directed by Johannes Guter and starring Lil Dagover, Heinrich Schroth and Xenia Desni.Hardt p.52 The film's sets were designed by the art director Erich Cze ...

'' (1923) as Tina Bermonte * '' His Wife, The Unknown'' (1923) as Eva * '' Comedy of the Heart'' (1924) as Gerda Werska * '' Chronicles of the Gray House'' (1925) as Bärbe * ''

The Humble Man and the Chanteuse ''The Humble Man and the Chanteuse'' (German: ''Der Demütige und die Tänzerin'') is a 1925 German silent film directed by E. A. Dupont and starring Lil Dagover, Olga Limburg and Margarete Kupfer. It was based on a novel by Felix Hollaender. ...

'' (1925) as Toni Seidewitz * ''

Tartuffe ''Tartuffe, or The Impostor, or The Hypocrite'' (; french: Tartuffe, ou l'Imposteur, ), first performed in 1664, is a theatrical comedy by Molière. The characters of Tartuffe, Elmire, and Orgon are considered among the greatest classical thea ...

'' (1925) as Frau Elmire / Elmire, Orgon's wife * ''Wenn die Filmkleberin gebummelt hat'' (1925) * ''

The Brothers Schellenberg ''The Brothers Schellenberg'' (German: ''Die Brüder Schellenberg'') is a 1926 Cinema of Germany, German silent film, silent drama film directed by Karl Grune and starring Conrad Veidt, Lil Dagover and Liane Haid. It was shot at the Babelsberg St ...

'' (1926) as Esther * '' Love is Blind'' (1926) as Diane * ''

The Violet Eater ''The Violet Eater'' (German: ''Der Veilchenfresser'') is a 1926 German silent comedy film directed by Frederic Zelnik and starring Lil Dagover, Harry Liedtke and Ernö Verebes.Grange p.235 It was shot at the Staaken Studios in Berlin. The f ...

'' (1926) as Melitta von Arthof * ''

Only a Dancing Girl ''Only a Dancing Girl'' (german: Nur eine Tänzerin, sv, Bara en danserska) is a 1926 German-Swedish silent drama film directed by Olof Molander and starring Lil Dagover, Walter Janssen and Harry Halm.Schumann p. 180 The film's sets were desi ...

'' (1926) as Marie Berner - varieté dansös * ''

His English Wife ''His English Wife'' (German: ''Die Lady ohne Schleier'', Swedish: ''Hans engelska fru'') is a 1927 German-Swedish silent drama film directed by Gustaf Molander and starring Lil Dagover, Gösta Ekman and Karin Swanström.Donoghue p.viii It was ...

'' (1927) as Cathleen Paget, née Brock * ''

Orient Express The ''Orient Express'' was a long-distance passenger train service created in 1883 by the Belgian company ''Compagnie Internationale des Wagons-Lits'' (CIWL) that operated until 2009. The train traveled the length of continental Europe and int ...

'' (1927) as Beate von Morton * ''

Attorney for the Heart ''Attorney for the Heart'' (german: Der Anwalt des Herzens) is a 1927 German silent romance film directed by Wilhelm Thiele and starring Lil Dagover, Jean Murat, and Ernst Stahl-Nachbaur Ernst Stahl-Nachbaur (6 March 1886 – 13 May 1960 ...

'' (1927) as June Orchard * ''

The Maelstrom of Paris ''The Maelstrom of Paris'' or ''The Whirlwind of Paris'' (French:''Le tourbillon de Paris'') is a 1928 French silent film directed by Julien Duvivier and starring Lil Dagover, Léon Bary and Gaston Jacquet.Goble p.2 Cast * Lil Dagover as Lady ...

'' (1928) as Lady Amiscia Abenston * '' The Secret Courier'' (1928) as Mme. Thérèse de Renal * ''

Hungarian Rhapsody The Hungarian Rhapsodies, S.244, R.106 (french: Rhapsodies hongroises, german: Ungarische Rhapsodien, hu, Magyar rapszódiák), is a set of 19 piano pieces based on Hungarian folk themes, composed by Franz Liszt during 1846–1853, and late ...

'' (1928) as Camilla * '' La grande passion'' (1928) as Sonia de Blick * ''

Marriage Marriage, also called matrimony or wedlock, is a culturally and often legally recognized union between people called spouses. It establishes rights and obligations between them, as well as between them and their children, and between ...

'' (1929) * '' Monte Cristo'' (1929) as Mercédès / Comtesse de Morcerf * ''

Hungarian Nights ''Hungarian Nights'' or ''Night Is Whispering'' (German: ''Es flüstert die Nacht'') is a 1929 German silent drama film directed by Victor Janson and starring Lil Dagover, Hans Stüwe and Alexander Murski.Parish p.131 The film's sets were desi ...

'' (1929) as Coraly Rekoczi * '' The Favourite of Schonbrunn'' (1929) as Kaiserin Maria Theresia * ''

The Ring of the Empress ''The Ring of the Empress'' (German: ''Spielereien einer Kaiserin'') is a 1930 German silent film directed by Vladimir Strizhevsky and starring Lil Dagover.Goble p.963 It was shot at the Babelsberg Studios in Potsdam. The film's sets were design ...

'' (1930) as Catherine the Great * '' The White Devil'' (1930) as Nelidowa * ''

There Is a Woman Who Never Forgets You ''There Is a Woman Who Never Forgets You'' (German: ''Es gibt eine Frau, die dich niemals vergißt'') is a 1930 German drama film directed by Leo Mittler and starring Iván Petrovich, Lil Dagover and Helene Fehdmer.Canziani p.306 It was origina ...

'' (1930) as Tilly Ferrantes * ''Va Banque'' (1930) as Miß Harriet Williams * '' The Old Song'' (1930) as Baronin Eggedy * ''

Boycott A boycott is an act of nonviolent, voluntary abstention from a product, person, organization, or country as an expression of protest. It is usually for moral, social, political, or environmental reasons. The purpose of a boycott is to inflict som ...

'' (1930) as Seine Frau * '' Die große Sehnsucht'' (1930) as Herself, Lil Dagover * ''

The Case of Colonel Redl ''The Case of Colonel Redl'' (German: ''Der Fall des Generalstabs-Oberst Redl'') is a 1931 German spy drama film directed by Karl Anton and starring Theodor Loos, Lil Dagover and Otto Hartmann. It was co-production between the Prague-based compa ...

'' (1931) as Vera Nikolayevna * '' Elisabeth of Austria'' (1931) as Elisabeth of Austria * '' The Congress Dances'' (1931) as The Countess * ''

Madame Bluebeard ''Madame Bluebeard'' (German: ''Madame Blaubart'') is a 1931 Austrian drama film directed by Conrad Wiene and starring Lil Dagover, Harry Frank and Otto Hartmann.Waldman p.31 The film's sets were designed by the art director Hans Ledersteger ...

'' (1931) as Frau Erika Dankwarth * ''

'' (1932) as Lottie Corlaix * ''

The Dancer of Sanssouci ''The Dancer of Sanssouci'' (german: Die Tänzerin von Sans Souci) is a 1932 German historical drama film directed by Frederic Zelnik and starring Otto Gebühr, Lil Dagover, and Rosa Valetti. Set at the court of Frederick the Great, the film is p ...

'' (1932) as Barberina Campanini * ''

Thea Roland ''Thea Roland'' or ''The Adventure of Thea Roland'' (German: ''Das Abenteuer der Thea Roland'') is a 1932 German comedy film directed by Henry Koster and starring Lil Dagover, Hans Rehmann and Margarete Kupfer. The film marked the directorial de ...

'' (1932) as Thea Roland * ''Johannisnacht'' (1933) as Lisa Lers, Schauspielerin * ''

The Fugitive from Chicago The Fugitive from Chicago (german: Der Flüchtling aus Chicago) is a German crime and adventure movie produced in 1933 by director Johannes Meyer. The screenplay was written by Max W. Kimmich, Hermann Oberländer and Hans Martin Cremer after the ...

'' (1934) as Eveline * '' A Woman Who Knows What She Wants'' (1934) as Mona Cavallini, Revuestar * ' (1934) as Lisa Behmer * '' The Bird Seller'' (1935) as Der Kurfürstin * ''

Lady Windermere's Fan ''Lady Windermere's Fan, A Play About a Good Woman'' is a four-act comedy by Oscar Wilde, first performed on Saturday, 20 February 1892, at the St James's Theatre in London. The story concerns Lady Windermere, who suspects that her husband i ...

'' (1935) as Mrs. Erlynne * ''

The Higher Command ''The Higher Command'' (german: Der höhere Befehl) is a 1935 German historical film directed by Gerhard Lamprecht and starring Lil Dagover, Karl Ludwig Diehl and Heli Finkenzeller. Produced and distributed by UFA, it was shot at the company's B ...

'' (1935) as Madame Martin * ''

Augustus the Strong Augustus II; german: August der Starke; lt, Augustas II; in Saxony also known as Frederick Augustus I – Friedrich August I (12 May 16701 February 1733), most commonly known as Augustus the Strong, was Elector of Saxony from 1694 as well as K ...

'' (1936) as Gräfin Aurore Königsmark * ''Final Accord'' (1936) as Charlotte Garvenberg, seine Frau * '' The Girl Irene'' (1936) as Jennifer Lawrence * ''

Fridericus ''Fridericus'' is a 1937 German historical film directed by Johannes Meyer and starring Otto Gebühr, Hilde Körber and Lil Dagover. It is based on the life of Frederick II of Prussia.Waldman p. 208 It was part of the popular cycle of Prussian ...

'' (1937) as Marquise de Pompadour * ''

The Kreutzer Sonata ''The Kreutzer Sonata'' (russian: Крейцерова соната, ) is a novella by Leo Tolstoy, named after Beethoven's Violin Sonata No. 9 (Beethoven), Kreutzer Sonata. The novella was published in 1889, and was promptly censored by the Rus ...

'' (1937) as Jelaina Posdnyschew * ''Strife Over the Boy Jo'' (1937) as Leonine Brackwieser - seine Frau * ''Beate's Mystery'' (1938) as Beate Kaiserling * '' Triad'' (1938) as Cornelia Contarini * ''Maja zwischen zwei Ehen'' (1938) as Maja * '' The Stars Shine'' (1938) as Herself * ''

Detours to Happiness ''Detours to Happiness'' (German: ''Umwege zum Glück'') is a 1939 German drama film directed by Fritz Peter Buch and starring Ewald Balser, Lil Dagover and Viktor Staal. Klaus p.184 It was shot at the Tempelhof Studios in Berlin and on locatio ...

'' (1939) as Hanna Bracht * ''Friedrich Schiller'' (1940) as Franziska von Hohenheim * '' Bismarck'' (1940) as Queen Eugénie * ''

The Little Residence ''The Little Residence'' (german: Kleine Residenz) is a 1942 German comedy film directed by Hans H. Zerlett and starring Winnie Markus, Johannes Riemann, and Lil Dagover.Bock & Bergfelder p. 78 The film's sets were designed by the art directo ...

'' (1942) as Herzogin von Lauffenburg * '' Vienna 1910'' (1943) as Maria Anschütz * ''

Music in Salzburg ''Music in Salzburg'' (german: Musik in Salzburg) is a 1944 German comedy film directed by Herbert Maisch and starring Willy Birgel, Lil Dagover and Hans Nielsen.Bock & Bergfelder p. 43 The film's sets were designed by the art director Max Mell ...

'' (1944) as Ursula Sanden * ''

'' (1948) as Margot von Korff * ''

Don't Play with Love ''Don't Play with Love'' (german: Man spielt nicht mit der Liebe) is a 1949 West German comedy film directed by Hans Deppe and starring Lil Dagover, Albrecht Schoenhals and Bruni Löbel.Bock & Bergfelder p. 78 It was shot at the Althoff Studios ...

'' (1949) as Florentine Alvensleben * '' A Day Will Come'' (1950) as Mme. Mombour * ''

Chased by the Devil ''Chased by the Devil'' (german: Vom Teufel gejagt) is a 1950 West German crime film directed by Viktor Tourjansky and starring Hans Albers, Willy Birgel and Lil Dagover.Hake p. 224 A doctor discovers a new medical cure with dangerous side eff ...

'' (1950) as Frau Dakar * ''

The Secret of the Mountain Lake ''The Secret of the Mountain Lake'' (german: Das Geheimnis vom Bergsee) is a 1952 drama film directed by Jean Dréville and starring Harriet Geßner, Lil Dagover and Fredy Scheim.Bock & Bergfelder p. 78 It was made as a co-production between ...

'' (1952) as Lamberta * ''

Red Roses, Red Lips, Red Wine ''Red Roses, Red Lips, Red Wine'' (german: Rote Rosen, rote Lippen, roter Wein) is a 1953 West German romantic drama film directed by Paul Martin and starring Gardy Granass, John Van Dreelen, and Rolf von Nauckhoff.Bock & Bergfelder p. 241 It sh ...

'' (1953) as Gräfin Waldenberg * ''

His Royal Highness Royal Highness is a style used to address or refer to some members of royal families, usually princes or princesses. Monarchs and their consorts are usually styled ''Majesty''. When used as a direct form of address, spoken or written, it takes ...

'' (1953) as Gräfin Löwenjoul * '' Hubertus Castle'' (1954) as Baronin Kleesberg * ''Ich weiß, wofür ich lebe'' (1955) as Alice Lechaudier * ''

The Fisherman from Heiligensee ''The Fisherman from Heiligensee'' (german: Der Fischer vom Heiligensee) is a 1955 West German romantic comedy film directed by Hans H. König and starring Edith Mill, Lil Dagover and Albert Lieven.von Moltke p.99 It was part of the post-war boom ...

'' (1955) as Baronin Hermine von Velden * ' (1955) as Mrs. von Briest * ''

The Barrings ''The Barrings'' (german: link=no, Die Barrings) is a 1955 West German historical drama film directed by Rolf Thiele and starring Dieter Borsche, Nadja Tiller and Paul Hartmann.Bock & Bergfelder p.511 It was shot at the Göttingen Studios wit ...

'' (1955) as Thilde von Barring * ''

Crown Prince Rudolph's Last Love ''Crown Prince Rudolph's Last Love'' (German: ''Kronprinz Rudolfs letzte Liebe''/''Mayerling'') is a 1955 Austrian historical drama film directed by Rudolf Jugert and starring Rudolf Prack, Christiane Hörbiger and Winnie Markus.Bock & Bergfelder ...

'' (1956) as Kaiserin Elisabeth * ''Meine 16 Söhne'' (1956) as Frau Senator Giselius * '' Confessions of Felix Krull'' (1957) * ''

Beneath the Palms on the Blue Sea ''Beneath the Palms on the Blue Sea'' (german: Unter Palmen am blauen Meer, it, Vacanze a Portofino) is a 1957 German-Italian musical film directed by Hans Deppe and starring Bibi Johns, Giulia Rubini and Harald Juhnke.Bock & Bergfelder p.78 C ...

'' (1957) as Contessa Celestina Morini * '' The Buddenbrooks'' (1959, part 1, 2) as Elisabeth Buddenbrook * ''

The Strange Countess ''The Strange Countess'' (german: Die seltsame Gräfin) is a 1961 West German crime film directed by Josef von Báky and starring Lil Dagover, Joachim Fuchsberger and Marianne Hoppe. It is based on Edgar Wallace's 1925 novel of the same titl ...

'' (1961) as Gräfin / Lady Leonora Moron * ' (1969, TV film) as Die Maharani * ''

'' (1973) as Frau Eschenlohr * ''

Karl May Karl Friedrich May ( , ; 25 February 1842 – 30 March 1912) was a German author. He is best known for his 19th century novels of fictitious travels and adventures, set in the American Old West with Winnetou and Old Shatterhand as main pro ...

'' (1974) as Bertha von Suttner * ''

Tatort ''Tatort'' ("Crime scene") is a German language police procedural television series that has been running continuously since 1970 with some 30 feature-length episodes per year, which makes it the longest-running German TV drama. Developed by ...

'' (1975, Episode: "") as Mutter Koenen * ''

End of the Game ''End of the Game'' (German: ''Der Richter und sein Henker'') is a 1975 DeLuxe Color German mystery thriller film directed by Maximilian Schell and starring Jon Voight, Jacqueline Bisset, Martin Ritt and Robert Shaw. Co-written by Friedrich ...

'' (1975) as Gastmann's Mother * '' The Standard'' (1977) as Erzherzogin * ''

'' (1979) as Helene (final film role)

References

External links

*
''Lil Dagover: Schauspielerin''
(in German)

Photographs and literature
{{DEFAULTSORT:Dagover, Lil 1887 births 1980 deaths People from Madiun German film actresses German silent film actresses German stage actresses German television actresses Commanders Crosses of the Order of Merit of the Federal Republic of Germany 20th-century German actresses