Léo Lasko (1885–1949) was a German

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. ...

and

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 ...

of the silent and early sound eras. As Lasko was of Jewish descent he was classified as a "non-

Aryan Aryan or Arya (, Indo-Iranian *''arya'') is a term originally used as an ethnocultural self-designation by Indo-Iranians in ancient times, in contrast to the nearby outsiders known as 'non-Aryan' (*''an-arya''). In Ancient India, the term ' ...

" by the

Nazis 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 ...

. Following their 1933 takeover he was banned from film work and eventually emigrated to Britain.

Selected filmography

Director * ''

The Merry Husband ''The Merry Husband'' (German: ''Der lustige Ehemann'') is a 1919 German silent film, silent comedy film directed by Léo Lasko and starring Victor Janson, Irmgard Bern and Marga Köhler.Monaco p.339 The film's sets were designed by the art direc ...

'' (1919) * ''

The Dagger of Malaya ''The Dagger of Malaya'' (german: Der Dolch des Malayen) is a 1919 German silent film, silent crime film directed by Léo Lasko and starring Carl Auen, Bernhard Goetzke, and Victor Janson. It is part of the Joe Deebs detective series films. The f ...

'' (1919) * ''

The Panther Bride ''The Panther Bride'' (German: ''Die Pantherbraut'') is a 1919 German silent film, silent crime film directed by Léo Lasko and starring Carl Auen, Victor Janson and Ria Jende. It was part of a series of films featuring the detective character Joe ...

'' (1919) * ''

The Howling Wolf ''The Howling Wolf'' (German: ''Der heulende Wolf'') is a 1919 German silent crime film directed by Léo Lasko and starring Carl Auen, Meinhart Maur and Victor Janson. It was part of a series of films featuring the detective character Joe Deebs. ...

'' (1919) * '' The Woman Without a Soul'' (1920) * ''

Va banque ''Va banque'' or ''Vabanque'' is a gambling term from the card game of Pharo or Faro, which was popular in the 18th and 19th century. It is similar to the decision to "go bank" (or "''banco''") in '' chemin de fer'', a form of baccarat. It ...

'' (1920) * '' Indian Revenge'' (1920) *''The Pink Jersey'' (Das rosa Trikot) (1920) * ''

The Convict of Cayenne ''The Convict of Cayenne'' (German: ''Der Sträfling von Cayenne'') is a 1921 German silent drama film directed by Léo Lasko and starring Frederic Zelnik and Loni Nest.Bock & Bergfelder p.549 It premiered in Berlin at the Marmorhaus. Cast In a ...

'' (1921) * ''

James Morres James is a common English language surname and given name: * James (name), the typically masculine first name James * James (surname), various people with the last name James James or James City may also refer to: People * King James (disambigua ...

'' (1921) * ''

The Devil's Chains ''The Devil's Chains'' (German: ''Satansketten'') is a 1921 German silent film directed by Léo Lasko and starring Ressel Orla, Margarete Kupfer and Marga von Kierska. The film's sets were designed by the art director Robert Herlth and Walter R� ...

'' (1921) * ''

The Buried Self ''The Buried Self'' (German: ''Das begrabene Ich'') is a 1921 German silent drama film directed by Léo Lasko and starring Frederic Zelnik and Wilhelm Diegelmann.Bock & Bergfelder p.549 The film's sets were designed by the art director Fritz ...

'' (1921) * ''

Parisian Women ''Parisian Women'' (German: ''Pariserinnen'') is a 1921 German silent film directed by Léo Lasko and starring Ressel Orla, Xenia Desni and Ralph Arthur Roberts.Krautz p.314 The film's sets were designed by the art director Robert Herlth and Walt ...

'' (1921) * '' People of the Sea'' (1925) * ''

Hands Up, Eddy Polo ''Hands Up, Eddy Polo'' (German: ''Hände hoch, hier Eddy Polo'') is a 1928 German silent action film directed by Léo Lasko and starring Eddie Polo, Ernst Reicher and Otz Tollen.Krautz p.115 The film's sets were designed by the art director ...

'' (1928) * ''

Scapa Flow Scapa Flow viewed from its eastern end in June 2009 Scapa Flow (; ) is a body of water in the Orkney Islands, Scotland, sheltered by the islands of Mainland, Graemsay, Burray,S. C. George, ''Jutland to Junkyard'', 1973. South Ronaldsay and ...

'' (1930) * ''

Night of Temptation ''Night of Temptation'' (german: Nacht der Versuchung) is a 1932 German drama film directed by Léo Lasko and Robert Wohlmuth and starring Werner Fuetterer, Elga Brink and Josef Eichheim.Krautz p. 292 It was shot at the Emelka Studios in Munich. ...

'' (1932) Screenwriter * '' Vendetta'' (1919) * '' Wibbel the Tailor'' (1920) * '' The Land of Smiles'' (1930) * ''

Schubert's Dream of Spring ''Schubert's Dream of Spring'' (german: Schuberts Frühlingstraum, link=no) is a 1931 German musical film directed by Richard Oswald and starring Carl Jöken, Gretl Theimer and Alfred Läutner. It was shot at the Halensee Studios in Berlin with ...

'' (1931) * ''

'' (1932)

Bibliography

External links

* 1885 births 1949 deaths Film people from Hamburg Jewish emigrants from Nazi Germany to the United Kingdom Silent film screenwriters 20th-century screenwriters {{Germany-film-director-stub