Raoul Aslan ( hy, Ռաուլ Ասլան, born Tigran Aslanyan, Armenian: Տիգրան Ասլանյան; 16 October 1886 – 17 June 1958) was an Austrian theater actor of

Greek Greek may refer to: Greece Anything of, from, or related to Greece, a country in Southern Europe: *Greeks, an ethnic group. *Greek language, a branch of the Indo-European language family. **Proto-Greek language, the assumed last common ancestor ...

Armenian Armenian may refer to: * Something of, from, or related to Armenia, a country in the South Caucasus region of Eurasia * Armenians, the national people of Armenia, or people of Armenian descent ** Armenian Diaspora, Armenian communities across the ...

ancestry.

Life

Born in

Saloniki Thessaloniki (; el, Θεσσαλονίκη, , also known as Thessalonica (), Saloniki, or Salonica (), is the second-largest city in Greece, with over one million inhabitants in its metropolitan area, and the capital of the geographic region of ...

, Ottoman Empire (now in Greece), Aslan lived 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 ...

from 1897 until his death. In 1917 he joined the "Deutsche Volkstheater" in Vienna and was active at the Vienna

Burgtheater The Burgtheater (literally:"Castle Theater" but alternatively translated as "(Imperial) Court Theater"), originally known as '' K.K. Theater an der Burg'', then until 1918 as the ''K.K. Hofburgtheater'', is the national theater of Austria in Vi ...

from 1920 to 1958, where he mainly played classical heroes and complex characters such as

Hamlet ''The Tragedy of Hamlet, Prince of Denmark'', often shortened to ''Hamlet'' (), is a tragedy written by William Shakespeare sometime between 1599 and 1601. It is Shakespeare's longest play, with 29,551 words. Set in Denmark, the play depicts ...

Mephisto Mephisto or Mephistopheles is one of the chief demons of German literary tradition. Mephisto or Mephistopheles may also refer to: Film and television * ''Méphisto'', a 1931 French film * Mephisto (1981 film), ''Mephisto'' (1981 film), a German- ...

, Marquis Posa, and

Nathan Nathan or Natan may refer to: People *Nathan (given name), including a list of people and characters with this name *Nathan (surname) *Nathan (prophet), a person in the Hebrew Bible * Nathan (son of David), biblical figure, son of King David an ...

. Aslan was the director of the Vienna Burgtheater from 1945 to 1948. In 1929 he was the first actor to be awarded the title "Kammerschauspieler". Raoul Aslan was listed on the

Gottbegnadeten list The ''Gottbegnadeten-Liste'' ("God-gifted list" or "Important Artist Exempt List") was a 36-page list of artists considered crucial to Nazi culture. The list was assembled in September 1944 by Joseph Goebbels, the head of the Ministry of Public ...

Joseph Goebbels Paul Joseph Goebbels (; 29 October 1897 – 1 May 1945) was a German Nazi politician who was the ''Gauleiter'' (district leader) of Berlin, chief propagandist for the Nazi Party, and then Reich Minister of Propaganda from 1933 to 19 ...

as an important artist.

Quotes

Aslan once said to fellow actor

Gustaf Gründgens Gustaf Gründgens (; 22 December 1899 – 7 October 1963), born Gustav Heinrich Arnold Gründgens, was one of Germany's most famous and influential actors of the 20th century, and artistic director of theatres in Berlin, Düsseldorf, and Hamburg ...

: "Mr. Gründgens, you're the greatest German actor, I am the greatest German actor. But one thing you should never forget: My family comes from Konstantinopel via

Thessaloniki Thessaloniki (; el, Θεσσαλονίκη, , also known as Thessalonica (), Saloniki, or Salonica (), is the second-largest city in Greece, with over one million inhabitants in its Thessaloniki metropolitan area, metropolitan area, and the capi ...

to Vienna. And you, Mr. Gründgens, you are from

Düsseldorf Düsseldorf ( , , ; often in English sources; Low Franconian and Ripuarian: ''Düsseldörp'' ; archaic nl, Dusseldorp ) is the capital city of North Rhine-Westphalia, the most populous state of Germany. It is the second-largest city in th ...

."The Accidental Caregiver
/ref>

Selected filmography

* '' The Other I'' (1918) * ''

The Venus ''The Venus'' (German: ''Die Venus'') is a 1922 Austrian silent film directed by Hans Homma and starring Raoul Aslan, Magda Sonja and Nora Gregor.Caneppele & Krenn p.191 Cast * Raoul Aslan as Paul Greville * Magda Sonja as Gräfin * Nora Grego ...

'' (1922) * ''

The Flute Concert of Sanssouci ''The Flute Concert of Sanssouci'' (german: Das Flötenkonzert von Sans-souci) is a 1930 German drama film directed by Gustav Ucicky and starring Otto Gebühr. It was part of the popular cycle of Prussian films.Hoffmann p. 44 It was made at the ...

'' (1930) * ''

Yorck ''Yorck'' is a 1931 German war film directed by Gustav Ucicky and starring Werner Krauss, Grete Mosheim and Rudolf Forster.Noack p.59 It portrays the life of the Prussian General Ludwig Yorck von Wartenburg, particularly his refusal to serve i ...

'' (1931) * ''

The White Demon ''The White Demon'' (German: ''Der weiße Dämon'') is a 1932 German drama film directed by Kurt Gerron and starring Hans Albers, Gerda Maurus and Peter Lorre.Kreimeier pp. 198–199 The film is also known by the alternative title of ''Dope''. ...

'' (1932) * ''

Narcotics The term narcotic (, from ancient Greek ναρκῶ ''narkō'', "to make numb") originally referred medically to any psychoactive compound with numbing or paralyzing properties. In the United States, it has since become associated with opiates ...

'' (1932) * ''

Gently My Songs Entreat ''Gently My Songs Entreat'' (German: ') is a 1933 Austrian-German musical film directed by Willi Forst and starring Marta Eggerth, Luise Ullrich and Hans Jaray. The film was shot at the Sievering Studios in Vienna with art direction by Julius ...

'' (1933) * ''

Invisible Opponent ''Invisible Opponent'' (German: ''Unsichtbare Gegner'') is a 1933 German-Austrian drama film directed by Rudolph Cartier and starring Gerda Maurus, Paul Hartmann, and Oskar Homolka. The film's sets were designed by the art director Erwin S ...

'' (1933) * ''

The Oil Sharks ''The Oil Sharks'' (french: Les requins du pétrole) is a 1933 German drama film directed by Rudolph Cartier and Henri Decoin and starring Arlette Marchal, Vivian Grey and Gabriel Gabrio.Youngkin p. 466 It is the French-language version of ''Invis ...

'' (1933) * ''

Mirror of Life ''Mirror of Life'' (german: Spiegel des Lebens) is a 1938 Austrian drama film directed by Géza von Bolváry and starring Peter Petersen, Paula Wessely, and Attila Hörbiger. The film's sets were overseen by art director Julius von Borsody Juli ...

'' (1938) * ''

Mozart Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart (27 January 17565 December 1791), baptised as Joannes Chrysostomus Wolfgangus Theophilus Mozart, was a prolific and influential composer of the Classical period (music), Classical period. Despite his short life, his ra ...

'' (1955) * '' Goetz von Berlichingen'' (1955)

References

1886 births 1958 deaths Austrian male stage actors Austrian male film actors Austrian male silent film actors Armenians from the Ottoman Empire Emigrants from the Ottoman Empire to Austria-Hungary Austrian people of Armenian descent Male actors from Vienna Ethnic Armenian male actors Gay film actors Gay stage actors Austrian LGBT actors Greek LGBT actors 20th-century Austrian male actors {{Austria-actor-stub Armenian LGBT people