Willi Forst
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Willi Forst, born Wilhelm Anton Frohs (7 April 1903 – 11 August 1980) was an
Austria Austria, , bar, Östareich officially the Republic of Austria, is a country in the southern part of Central Europe, lying in the Eastern Alps. It is a federation of nine states, one of which is the capital, Vienna, the most populous ...
n
actor An actor or actress is a person who portrays a character in a performance. The actor performs "in the flesh" in the traditional medium of the theatre or in modern media such as film, radio, and television. The analogous Greek term is (), li ...
,
screenwriter A screenplay writer (also called screenwriter, scriptwriter, scribe or scenarist) is a writer who practices the craft of screenwriting, writing screenplays on which mass media, such as films, television programs and video games, are based. ...
,
film director A film director controls a film's artistic and dramatic aspects and visualizes the screenplay (or script) while guiding the film crew and actors in the fulfilment of that vision. The director has a key role in choosing the cast members, p ...
,
film producer A film producer is a person who oversees film production. Either employed by a production company or working independently, producers plan and coordinate various aspects of film production, such as selecting the script, coordinating writing, di ...
and singer. As a debonair actor he was a darling of the
German-speaking German ( ) is a West Germanic language mainly spoken in Central Europe. It is the most widely spoken and official or co-official language in Germany, Austria, Switzerland, Liechtenstein, and the Italian province of South Tyrol. It is also a ...
film audiences, as a director, one of the most significant makers of the Viennese period musical melodramas and comedies of the 1930s known as ''
Wiener Film Wiener Film (German; plural: ''Wiener Filme''; literally, "Viennese film") is an Austrian film genre, consisting of a combination of comedy, romance and melodrama in a historical setting, mostly, and typically, the Vienna of the late 19th and early ...
e''. From the mid-1930s he also recorded many records, largely of sentimental
Viennese songs The Wienerlied (German, literally: Viennese song, pl. Wienerlieder) or Weanaliad (viennese, pl. ''Weanaliada'') is a song genre which has its roots in Vienna, the capital of Austria. Traditional Viennese songs, known as ''Wienerlieder'' are cen ...
, for the
Odeon Records Odeon Records is a record label founded in 1903 by Max Straus and Heinrich Zuntz of the International Talking Machine Company in Berlin, Germany. The label's name and logo come from the Odéon-Théâtre de l'Europe in Paris. History Straus an ...
label owned by Carl Lindström AG.


Biography

His first major role was opposite
Marlene Dietrich Marie Magdalene "Marlene" DietrichBorn as Maria Magdalena, not Marie Magdalene, according to Dietrich's biography by her daughter, Maria Riva ; however Dietrich's biography by Charlotte Chandler cites "Marie Magdalene" as her birth name . (, ; ...
in the silent film '' Café Elektric'' in 1927. However, he was best known for his characters in light musicals, which rapidly made him a star. He developed the genre of the Viennese Film with writer
Walter Reisch Walter Reisch (May 23, 1903 – March 28, 1983) was an Austrian-born director and screenwriter. He also wrote lyrics to several songs featured in his films, one popular title is "Flieger, grüß mir die Sonne". He was married to the dancer and a ...
in the 1930s, beginning with the
Franz Schubert Franz Peter Schubert (; 31 January 179719 November 1828) was an Austrian composer of the late Classical and early Romantic eras. Despite his short lifetime, Schubert left behind a vast ''oeuvre'', including more than 600 secular vocal wor ...
melodrama '' Leise flehen meine Lieder'' (1933) which became an iconic role for the actor
Hans Jaray Hans Jaray (1906–1990) was an Austrian actor and playwright. He also wrote and directed several television films. Jaray starred as a leading man in a number of 1930s films, such as the Schubert biopic ''Gently My Songs Entreat'' (1933).Bergfelde ...
and ''
Maskerade ''Maskerade'' is a fantasy novel by British writer Terry Pratchett, the eighteenth book in the ''Discworld'' series. The witches Granny Weatherwax and Nanny Ogg visit the Ankh-Morpork Opera House to find Agnes Nitt, a girl from Lancre, and g ...
'' (1934), which launched his fame as a significant director and brought
Paula Wessely Paula Anna Maria Wessely (20 January 1907 – 11 May 2000) was an Austrian theatre and film actress. ''Die Wessely'' (literally "The Wessely"), as she was affectionately called by her admirers and fans, was Austria's foremost popular postwar actr ...
to international fame. He founded his own film company, Willi Forst-Film, in 1937 and considered a move to Hollywood the same year. Following the annexation of Austria in 1938, he was much courted by the
National Socialists Nazism ( ; german: Nazismus), the common name in English for National Socialism (german: Nationalsozialismus, ), is the far-right totalitarian political ideology and practices associated with Adolf Hitler and the Nazi Party (NSDAP) in Na ...
but succeeded in avoiding overt political statement, concentrating entirely on the opulent period musical entertainment for which he was famous and which was much in demand during
World War II World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great powers—forming two opposin ...
. During the seven-year Nazi rule in Austria, he only made six films, none of them political (although his ardent Vienna-Austrian topos is considered subversive of pan-German Nazism by many film historians), which are considered among his finest and classics of the Viennese Film genre. He had comparatively little success after the war except for the film '' The Sinner'' (1951) starring
Hildegard Knef Hildegard Frieda Albertine Knef (; 28 December 19251 February 2002) was a German actress, voice actress, singer, and writer. She was billed in some English-language films as Hildegard Neff or Hildegarde Neff. Early years Hildegard Knef was born ...
, which became a scandal because of the protests of the
Roman Catholic Roman or Romans most often refers to: *Rome, the capital city of Italy *Ancient Rome, Roman civilization from 8th century BC to 5th century AD *Roman people, the people of ancient Rome *'' Epistle to the Romans'', shortened to ''Romans'', a lette ...
church against its nudity, rare in contemporary German-speaking cinema, but which subsequently attracted an audience of seven million people. He gave international actress
Senta Berger Senta Verhoeven (née Berger; ''Austrian German:'' , ; born 13 May 1941) is an Austrian-German actress. She received many award nominations for her acting in theatre, film and television; her awards include three Bambi Awards, two Romys, an Ad ...
her first role in 1957 and that same year directed his last film ('' Vienna, City of My Dreams''), after which he retired from the industry, suggesting that his style was no longer in demand. Forst is today considered one of Europe's important early sound directors. After the death of his wife in 1973, he lived a reclusive life in the
Swiss Swiss may refer to: * the adjectival form of Switzerland * Swiss people Places * Swiss, Missouri * Swiss, North Carolina *Swiss, West Virginia * Swiss, Wisconsin Other uses *Swiss-system tournament, in various games and sports *Swiss Internation ...
canton of
Ticino Ticino (), sometimes Tessin (), officially the Republic and Canton of Ticino or less formally the Canton of Ticino,, informally ''Canton Ticino'' ; lmo, Canton Tesin ; german: Kanton Tessin ; french: Canton du Tessin ; rm, Chantun dal Tessin . ...
. He died of cancer in Vienna in 1980 and is buried in
Neustift am Walde Until 1892 Neustift am Walde (Central Bavarian: ''Neistift aum Woid'') was an independent municipality in the outskirts of Vienna, Austria and is today a part of Döbling, the 19th district of Vienna. It is also one of the 89 Katastralgemeinden. ...
.


Filmography


Actor

* ''
Sodom and Gomorrah Sodom and Gomorrah () were two legendary biblical cities destroyed by God for their wickedness. Their story parallels the Genesis flood narrative in its theme of God's anger provoked by man's sin (see Genesis 19:1–28). They are mentioned frequ ...
'' (1922) * ''
Oh, Dear Augustine ''Oh, Dear Augustine'' (german: Oh, du lieber Augustin) is a 1922 Austrian silent film directed by Hans Karl Breslauer and starring Willi Forst. It takes its title from the popular Viennese song "Oh du lieber Augustin "" ("Oh, you dear Augus ...
'' (1922) *''Der verwechselte Filmstar'' (1922) * ''Lieb' mich und die Welt ist mein'' (1923) * ''
The Eleven Devils ''The Eleven Devils'' (German: ''Die elf Teufel'') is a 1927 German silent sports film directed by Zoltan Korda and Carl Boese and starring Gustav Fröhlich, Evelyn Holt and Lissy Arna.Kaes, Anton. ''Shell Shock Cinema: Weimar Culture and the W ...
'' (1927) * '' Café Elektric'' (1927) * ''Die drei Niemandskinder'' (1927) * '' Love on Skis'' (1928) * '' A Better Master'' (1928) * ''Ein Tag Film'' (1928) * ''
Folly of Love ''Folly of Love'' (German: ''Unfug der Liebe'') is a 1928 German silent comedy film directed by Robert Wiene and starring Maria Jacobini, Jack Trevor and Betty Astor. While several of Wiene's previous films had met with mixed responses, ''Folly ...
'' (1928) * ''
The Blue Mouse ''The Blue Mouse'' (german: Die blaue Maus) is a 1928 German silent comedy film directed by Johannes Guter and starring Jenny Jugo, Harry Halm, and Brita Appelgren. The film's sets were designed by the art director Jacek Rotmil Jacek Rotmil ...
'' (1928) * ''
German Wine German wine is primarily produced in the west of Germany, along the river Rhine and its tributaries, with the oldest plantations going back to the Ancient Rome, Roman era. Approximately 60 percent of German wine is produced in the state of Rhine ...
'' (1928) * ''
The Convict from Istanbul ''The Convict from Istanbul'' (German: ''Der Sträfling aus Stambul'') is a 1929 German silent drama film directed by Gustav Ucicky and starring Heinrich George, Betty Amann and Paul Hörbiger.Prawer p.84 It was shot at the Babelsberg Studios in ...
'' (1929) * ''
The Happy Vagabonds ''The Happy Vagabonds'' (German:''Die lustigen Vagabunden'') is a 1929 German silent film directed by Jacob Fleck and Luise Fleck and starring Georg Alexander, Lotte Lorring and Ernö Verebes.Bock & Bergfelder p.129 The film's art direction was ...
'' (1929) * ''
Miss Midshipman ''Miss Midshipman'' (German: ''Fräulein Fähnrich'') is a 1929 German silent comedy film directed by Fred Sauer and starring Mary Parker, Willi Forst and Fritz Schulz. https://www.filmportal.de/film/fraeulein-faehnrich_35464754e66f4f6a9765b5e ...
'' (1929) * '' Atlantik'' (1929, his first sound film) * ''
The Woman Everyone Loves Is You ''The Woman Everyone Loves Is You'' (German: ''Die Frau, die jeder liebt, bist du'') is a 1929 German silent film directed by Carl Froelich and starring Henny Porten, Fritz Kampers and Paul Hörbiger.Bock & Bergfelder p.215 The film's sets wer ...
'' (1929) * '' The White Roses of Ravensberg'' (1929) * '' Katharina Knie'' (1929) * ''
Dangers of the Engagement Period Dangers may refer to: * Dangers, Eure-et-Loir, a commune in north-central France * Dangers (band), American hardcore punk band * Jack Dangers (born 1965), English musician See also * Danger (disambiguation) Danger is a lack of safety and may ...
'' (1930) * ''
The Song Is Ended ''The Song Is Ended'' (german: Das Lied ist aus) is a 1930 German romantic musical film directed by Géza von Bolváry, and starring Liane Haid, Willi Forst, and Margarete Schlegel. A separate French-language version ''Petit officier... Adie ...
'' (1930) * ''Der Herr auf Bestellung'' (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) * '' Ein Tango für Dich'' (1930) * ''Petit officier… Adieu!'' (1930) * ''
Two Hearts in Waltz Time 2 (two) is a number, numeral and digit. It is the natural number following 1 and preceding 3. It is the smallest and only even prime number. Because it forms the basis of a duality, it has religious and spiritual significance in many cultur ...
'' (1930) * ''
The Theft of the Mona Lisa ''The Theft of the Mona Lisa'' (german: Der Raub der Mona Lisa) is a 1931 German drama film directed by Géza von Bolváry and starring Trude von Molo, Willi Forst, and Gustaf Gründgens. It is based on a true story. It was shot at the Tempelh ...
'' (1931) * ''
The Merry Wives of Vienna ''The Merry Wives of Vienna'' (german: Die lustigen Weiber von Wien) is a 1931 German musical comedy film directed by Géza von Bolváry and starring Willi Forst, Lee Parry, and Paul Hörbiger. It was shot at the Tempelhof Studios in Berlin. The ...
'' (1931) * '' The Prince of Arcadia'' (1932) * ''
A Blonde Dream ''A Blonde Dream'' (german: Ein blonder Traum) is a 1932 German musical comedy film directed by Paul Martin and starring Lilian Harvey, Willy Fritsch and Willi Forst. A separate English-language version '' Happy Ever After'' was made as a co-pro ...
'' (1932) * ''
You Don't Forget Such a Girl ''You Don't Forget Such a Girl'' (German: ''So ein Mädel vergißt man nicht'') is a 1932 Austrian-German romantic comedy film directed by Fritz Kortner and starring Willi Forst, Dolly Haas, and Oskar Sima. The film was shot at the Halensee Studi ...
'' (1932) * '' Peter Voss, Thief of Millions'' (1932) * ''Ihre Durchlaucht, die Verkäuferin'' (1933) * ''
The Burning Secret ''The Burning Secret'' (german: Brennendes Geheimnis) is a 1933 Austrian-German drama film directed by Robert Siodmak and starring Alfred Abel, Hilde Wagener and Hans Joachim Schaufuß. It was based on the novella of the same title by Stefan Zw ...
'' (1933) * ''
So Ended a Great Love ''So Ended a Great Love'' (German: ''So endete eine Liebe'') is a 1934 German historical romance film directed by Karl Hartl and starring Paula Wessely, Willi Forst and Gustaf Gründgens.Bock & Bergfelder p.185 The film's sets were designed by th ...
'' (1934) * ''
I Am Sebastian Ott ''I Am Sebastian Ott'' (german: Ich bin Sebastian Ott) is a 1939 German crime film directed by Willi Forst and starring Forst, Gustav Diessl and Trude Marlen.Von Dassanowsky p. 60 Some of the film was shot by the assistant director Viktor Becke ...
'' (1939) * ''
Bel Ami ''Bel-Ami'' (, "Dear Friend") is the second novel by French author Guy de Maupassant, published in 1885; an English translation titled ''Bel Ami, or, The History of a Scoundrel: A Novel'' first appeared in 1903. The story chronicles journalist ...
'' (1939) * ''
Operetta Operetta is a form of theatre and a genre of light opera. It includes spoken dialogue, songs, and dances. It is lighter than opera in terms of its music, orchestral size, length of the work, and at face value, subject matter. Apart from its s ...
'' (1940) * ''
Viennese Girls ''Viennese Girls'' (German: ''Wiener Mädeln'') is a 1945 historical musical film directed by Willi Forst and starring Forst, Anton Edthofer and Judith Holzmeister. The film was made by Wien-Film, a Vienna-based company set up after Austria ...
'' (1945) * ''
Miracles Still Happen ''Miracles Still Happen'' ( it, I miracoli accadono ancora) is a 1974 Italian film directed by Giuseppe Maria Scotese. It features the story of Juliane Diller, the sole survivor of 92 passengers and crew, in the 24 December 1971 crash of LANSA ...
'' (1951) * '' Walking Back into the Past'' (1954) * ''Ein Mann vergißt die Liebe'' (1955)


Director

* ''
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 ...
'' (Austria/Germany, 1933) * ''
Maskerade ''Maskerade'' is a fantasy novel by British writer Terry Pratchett, the eighteenth book in the ''Discworld'' series. The witches Granny Weatherwax and Nanny Ogg visit the Ankh-Morpork Opera House to find Agnes Nitt, a girl from Lancre, and g ...
'' (Austria, 1934) * ''
Unfinished Symphony An unfinished symphony is a fragment of a symphony, by a particular composer, that musicians and academics consider incomplete or unfinished for various reasons. The archetypal unfinished symphony is Franz Schubert's Symphony No. 8 (sometimes c ...
'' (UK/Austria, 1934) * ''
Mazurka The mazurka (Polish: ''mazur'' Polish ball dance, one of the five Polish national dances and ''mazurek'' Polish folk dance') is a Polish musical form based on stylised folk dances in triple meter, usually at a lively tempo, with character de ...
'' (1935) * ''
Tomfoolery ''Tomfoolery'' (or ''Tom Foolery'') is a musical revue based on the songs of American satirist Tom Lehrer. Devised and produced by Cameron Mackintosh, it premiered in London at the Criterion Theatre, directed by Gillian Lynne, on 5 June 1980, w ...
'' (1936) * '' Court Theatre'' (Austria, 1936) * ''
Serenade In music, a serenade (; also sometimes called a serenata, from the Italian) is a musical composition or performance delivered in honor of someone or something. Serenades are typically calm, light pieces of music. The term comes from the Italian w ...
'' (1937) * ''
I Am Sebastian Ott ''I Am Sebastian Ott'' (german: Ich bin Sebastian Ott) is a 1939 German crime film directed by Willi Forst and starring Forst, Gustav Diessl and Trude Marlen.Von Dassanowsky p. 60 Some of the film was shot by the assistant director Viktor Becke ...
'' (1939) * ''
Bel Ami ''Bel-Ami'' (, "Dear Friend") is the second novel by French author Guy de Maupassant, published in 1885; an English translation titled ''Bel Ami, or, The History of a Scoundrel: A Novel'' first appeared in 1903. The story chronicles journalist ...
'' (1939) * ''
Operetta Operetta is a form of theatre and a genre of light opera. It includes spoken dialogue, songs, and dances. It is lighter than opera in terms of its music, orchestral size, length of the work, and at face value, subject matter. Apart from its s ...
'' (1940) * '' Vienna Blood'' (1942) * ''
Women Are No Angels ''Women Are No Angels'' (german: Frauen sind keine Engel) is a 1943 German comedy film directed by Willi Forst and starring Marte Harell, Axel von Ambesser and Margot Hielscher.Hake p. 58 The film was made by Wien-Film in Anschluss, German-occupi ...
'' (1943) * ''
Viennese Girls ''Viennese Girls'' (German: ''Wiener Mädeln'') is a 1945 historical musical film directed by Willi Forst and starring Forst, Anton Edthofer and Judith Holzmeister. The film was made by Wien-Film, a Vienna-based company set up after Austria ...
'' (1945) * '' The Sinner'' (1951) * ''
Miracles Still Happen ''Miracles Still Happen'' ( it, I miracoli accadono ancora) is a 1974 Italian film directed by Giuseppe Maria Scotese. It features the story of Juliane Diller, the sole survivor of 92 passengers and crew, in the 24 December 1971 crash of LANSA ...
'' (1951) * ''
The White Horse Inn ''The White Horse Inn'' (or ''White Horse Inn'') (German title: ''Im weißen Rößl'' ) is an operetta or musical comedy by Ralph Benatzky and Robert Stolz in collaboration with a number of other composers and writers, set in the picturesque Salz ...
'' (1952) * ''
Cabaret Cabaret is a form of theatrical entertainment featuring music, song, dance, recitation, or drama. The performance venue might be a pub, a casino, a hotel, a restaurant, or a nightclub with a stage for performances. The audience, often dining or d ...
'' (1954) * '' The Three from the Filling Station'' (1955) * ''
Kaiserjäger The ''Kaiserjäger'' (officially designated by the Imperial and Royal (''k.u.k.'') military administration as the ''Tiroler Jäger-Regimenter'' or "Tyrolean Rifle Regiments"), were formed in 1895 as four normal infantry regiments within the Commo ...
'' (1956) * '' The Unexcused Hour'' (1957) * '' Vienna, City of My Dreams'' (1957)


Screenwriter only

* ''
Capers ''Capparis spinosa'', the caper bush, also called Flinders rose, is a perennial plant that bears rounded, fleshy leaves and large white to pinkish-white flowers. The plant is best known for the edible flower buds (capers), used as a seasoning ...
'' (1937)


Awards

* 1968
Bundesfilmpreis The German Film Award (), also known as Lola after its prize statuette, is the national film award of Germany. It is presented at an annual ceremony honouring cinematic achievements in the German film industry. Besides being the most important ...
(Filmband in Gold) for his life's work


Sources

* Kirsten Burghardt, ''Werk, Skandal, Exempel.'' Munich 1996 (deals with Forst's film "Die Sünderin") * Robert Dachs, ''Willi Forst. Eine Biographie.'' Vienna 1986. * Armin Loacker (ed.), ''Willi Forst - Ein Filmstil aus Wien.'' 2003.


External links

*
SensesofCinema.com: Essay on Willi Forst

Virtual-History.com: photos


*

*
line.de/archiv_text/nost_film20b40/07_forst
{{DEFAULTSORT:Forst, Willi 1903 births 1980 deaths Musicians from Vienna Austrian film directors Austrian male silent film actors Austrian male film actors 20th-century Austrian male singers Writers from Vienna Male actors from Vienna 20th-century Austrian male actors