Veidt, Conrad

born Konrad Hans Walter (1893-1943)

   actor and direc-tor; famous as the murderous sleepwalker in The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari.* Born in Berlin,* he began studies in 1912 with Max Reinhardt* and was soon taking parts in the director's acting company. His early stage work included roles with Emil Jannings* and Werner Krauss.* During 1914-1916 he served in the army, with illness finally bringing reassignment to Berlin. Although he was highly successful through 1923 on the Berlin stage, his 1917 film* debut in Der Spion initiated a career in cinema. In a risque and controversial role he played a sympathetic homosexual in Richard Oswald's 1919 film Anders als die Andern (Different from the others); when threatened with exposure, Veidt's character commits suicide. Satanas, another 1919 endeavor, written by Robert Wiene and directed by F. W. Murnau,* featured Veidt as the devil. Briefly forming his own company with Murnau (he directed two films), he moved entirely to acting upon winning international acclaim as Cesare the somnambulist in the 1920 Expres-sionist classic Caligari. In 1924 he was Ivan the Terrible in Das Wachsfigur-enkabinett, the last important Expressionist film.

   Veidt accepted John Barrymore's 1926 invitation to come to Hollywood. He remained for two years in the United States, but returned to Germany before the first sound films. Forced by sound to change his style, he was soon a master of realism. Married to a woman of Jewish ancestry, Veidt left Germany with some difficulty. He finally emigrated to England and became a British subject in 1938. Multilingual and well trained by Reinhardt, he portrayed both cultured aristocrats and villainous Nazis on the London stage. During 1940-1943 he worked in Hollywood, last appearing as Major Strassner in Casablanca.

   REFERENCES:Benz and Graml, Biographisches Lexikon; Lotte Eisner, Haunted Screen; International Dictionary of Films and Filmmakers; Manvell and Fraenkel, German Cinema.