Alfred Abel
Encyclopedia
Alfred Abel was a German film actor, director, and producer. He appeared in over 140 silent and sound films between 1913 and 1938. Abel is also known as the "Lewis Stone
of German films." His most well known performance is his role as Joh Fredersen in Fritz Lang
's 1927 film Metropolis
.
in the German Empire
on 12 March 1879, Alfred Peter Abel was the son of Louis Abel, a peddler, and Anna Maria Selma. Abel had several careers before becoming an actor. In his early adulthood, Abel first studied to be a forester and later studied gardening in Saxon Mittweida
. He then changed his area of study to business in hopes of becoming a businessman. A short study of art drafting then followed at the Leipzig Academy. During this time, Abel attended private acting classes.
, Switzerland
. He continued acting in numerous theaters in the Lucerne canton
, until he finally moved on to perform at the Baranowsky Theater in Berlin
under the direction of Max Reinhardt
. He quickly gained fame and was called to do several other acting jobs.
Abel acted alongside Fritzi Massary
in Erich Engles’ production of The First Mrs. Shelby at the Königgrätzer Straße Theater. He then garnered international success with his guest performance at the Irving Place Theatre in New York City
. By the recommendation of fellow actor Rudolf Christians, Abel appeared with the acting ensemble at the Deutschen Theater in Berlin in 1904, where he remained for the next ten years. At this point, he had performed in every theater in Berlin.
, who helped him break into the film industry. That same year, he made his screen debut playing the lead role of Anselmus Aselmeyer in Max Reinhardt’s silent movie, ‘’Eine Venezianische Nacht.’’ Abel acted in over one hundred silent films by well-renowned directors including Ernst Lubitsch
, F. W. Murnau, and Richard Oswald
. He acted alongside several famous silent film stars including Pola Negri
, Henny Porten, Jenny Jugo, and Asta Nielsen. Abel’s more notable silent film roles include his performances as Lorenz Lubota in Phantom
(1922), as Count Graf Told in Dr. Mabuse the Gambler (1922), as Gaston in Die Flamme (1923), and as Alphonse Gunderman in the French film, L’Argent (1928). Abel’s most famous silent film performance was in Fritz Lang’s futuristic film, Metropolis
(1927). In the film, he plays the arrogant Joh Fredersen, leader of the metropolis.
Abel was renowned for his acting style characterized by his avoidance of dramatic gesturing. He learned to show the psychology and internal tensions of his characters with reserved expressions. Many actors of his day struggled to change their acting styles for film after transitioning from stage acting and were often mocked later as sound film was introduced.
With the beginning of talkies
, Abel remained a much desired actor and starred in 38 films. He stood in front of the camera of many renowned directors such as Detlef Sierk, Anatole Litvak
, and Paul Martin. Some of his well-known talkie films include Anatole Litvak’s ‘’Dolly's Way to Stardom’’ (1930) as Count Eberhard, Heinz Ruehmann’s ‘’Meine Frau, die Hochstaplerin’’ (1931), Reinhold Schuenzel’s romance ‘’Beautiful Adventure’’ (1932) as Count d’Eguzon, and Franz Liszt’s ‘’The Court Concert’’ (1936) as Dichter Knips. Abel also played the starring role of Sir John Menier in Alfred Hitchcock
’s Mary (1931), the German version of the Hitchcock’s Murder!
(1930). Abel’s final film role was as Daffinger in Herbert Maisch’s Frau Sylvelin (1938), which was not released until after his death.
in 1935 prohibited her from appearing in any further films after she failed to produce ancestry papers (Ariernachweis
) for her father to prove he was not of Jewish descent.
cemetery in Berlin. His tombstone has since been lost, and his burial place is currently unknown.
Lewis Stone
Lewis Shepard Stone was an American actor.Born in Worcester, Massachusetts, son of Bertrand Stone and Philena Heald Ball. Stone's hair grew gray by the time he was twenty. He fought in the Spanish-American War, then returned to a career as a writer. He soon began acting...
of German films." His most well known performance is his role as Joh Fredersen in Fritz Lang
Fritz Lang
Friedrich Christian Anton "Fritz" Lang was an Austrian-American filmmaker, screenwriter, and occasional film producer and actor. One of the best known émigrés from Germany's school of Expressionism, he was dubbed the "Master of Darkness" by the British Film Institute...
's 1927 film Metropolis
Metropolis (film)
Metropolis is a 1927 German expressionist film in the science-fiction genre directed by Fritz Lang. Produced in Germany during a stable period of the Weimar Republic, Metropolis is set in a futuristic urban dystopia and makes use of this context to explore the social crisis between workers and...
.
Early life
Born in LeipzigLeipzig
Leipzig Leipzig has always been a trade city, situated during the time of the Holy Roman Empire at the intersection of the Via Regia and Via Imperii, two important trade routes. At one time, Leipzig was one of the major European centres of learning and culture in fields such as music and publishing...
in the German Empire
German Empire
The German Empire refers to Germany during the "Second Reich" period from the unification of Germany and proclamation of Wilhelm I as German Emperor on 18 January 1871, to 1918, when it became a federal republic after defeat in World War I and the abdication of the Emperor, Wilhelm II.The German...
on 12 March 1879, Alfred Peter Abel was the son of Louis Abel, a peddler, and Anna Maria Selma. Abel had several careers before becoming an actor. In his early adulthood, Abel first studied to be a forester and later studied gardening in Saxon Mittweida
Mittweida
Mittweida is a town in the Free State of Saxony, Germany, in the Mittelsachsen district. It is situated on the Zschopau River, 18 km north of Chemnitz, and 54 km west of Dresden....
. He then changed his area of study to business in hopes of becoming a businessman. A short study of art drafting then followed at the Leipzig Academy. During this time, Abel attended private acting classes.
Stage career
Abel received his first acting job in the city of LucerneLucerne
Lucerne is a city in north-central Switzerland, in the German-speaking portion of that country. Lucerne is the capital of the Canton of Lucerne and the capital of the district of the same name. With a population of about 76,200 people, Lucerne is the most populous city in Central Switzerland, and...
, Switzerland
Switzerland
Switzerland name of one of the Swiss cantons. ; ; ; or ), in its full name the Swiss Confederation , is a federal republic consisting of 26 cantons, with Bern as the seat of the federal authorities. The country is situated in Western Europe,Or Central Europe depending on the definition....
. He continued acting in numerous theaters in the Lucerne canton
Cantons of Switzerland
The 26 cantons of Switzerland are the member states of the federal state of Switzerland. Each canton was a fully sovereign state with its own borders, army and currency from the Treaty of Westphalia until the establishment of the Swiss federal state in 1848...
, until he finally moved on to perform at the Baranowsky Theater in Berlin
Berlin
Berlin is the capital city of Germany and is one of the 16 states of Germany. With a population of 3.45 million people, Berlin is Germany's largest city. It is the second most populous city proper and the seventh most populous urban area in the European Union...
under the direction of Max Reinhardt
Max Reinhardt
----Max Reinhardt was an Austrian theater and film director and actor.-Biography:...
. He quickly gained fame and was called to do several other acting jobs.
Abel acted alongside Fritzi Massary
Fritzi Massary
Fritzi Massary was an Austrian-American actress and soprano singer....
in Erich Engles’ production of The First Mrs. Shelby at the Königgrätzer Straße Theater. He then garnered international success with his guest performance at the Irving Place Theatre in New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
. By the recommendation of fellow actor Rudolf Christians, Abel appeared with the acting ensemble at the Deutschen Theater in Berlin in 1904, where he remained for the next ten years. At this point, he had performed in every theater in Berlin.
Film career
During the first part of the twentieth century, Abel began working towards a film career. In 1913, he caught the eye of Asta NielsenAsta Nielsen
Asta Nielsen , was a Danish silent film actress who was one of the most popular leading ladies of the 1910s and one of the first international movie stars. Seventy of Nielsen's 74 films were made in Germany where she was known simply as Die Asta...
, who helped him break into the film industry. That same year, he made his screen debut playing the lead role of Anselmus Aselmeyer in Max Reinhardt’s silent movie, ‘’Eine Venezianische Nacht.’’ Abel acted in over one hundred silent films by well-renowned directors including Ernst Lubitsch
Ernst Lubitsch
Ernst Lubitsch was a German-born film director. His urbane comedies of manners gave him the reputation of being Hollywood's most elegant and sophisticated director; as his prestige grew, his films were promoted as having "the Lubitsch touch."In 1947 he received an Honorary Academy Award for his...
, F. W. Murnau, and Richard Oswald
Richard Oswald
Richard Oswald was an Austrian director, producer, and screenwriter.Richard Oswald, born in Vienna as Richard W. Ornstein, began his career as an actor on the Viennese stage. He made his film directorial debut at age 34 with Das Eiserne Kreuz...
. He acted alongside several famous silent film stars including Pola Negri
Pola Negri
Pola Negri was a Polish stage and film actress who achieved worldwide fame for her tragedienne and femme fatale roles from the 1910s through the 1940s during the Golden Era of Hollywood film. She was the first European film star to be invited to Hollywood, and became a great American star. She...
, Henny Porten, Jenny Jugo, and Asta Nielsen. Abel’s more notable silent film roles include his performances as Lorenz Lubota in Phantom
Phantom (1922 film)
Phantom is a silent film that was directed by F. W. Murnau the same year Murnau directed Nosferatu. It is an example of German Expressionist film and has a surreal, dreamlike quality.-Plot summary:The film is told in an extended flashback...
(1922), as Count Graf Told in Dr. Mabuse the Gambler (1922), as Gaston in Die Flamme (1923), and as Alphonse Gunderman in the French film, L’Argent (1928). Abel’s most famous silent film performance was in Fritz Lang’s futuristic film, Metropolis
Metropolis (film)
Metropolis is a 1927 German expressionist film in the science-fiction genre directed by Fritz Lang. Produced in Germany during a stable period of the Weimar Republic, Metropolis is set in a futuristic urban dystopia and makes use of this context to explore the social crisis between workers and...
(1927). In the film, he plays the arrogant Joh Fredersen, leader of the metropolis.
Abel was renowned for his acting style characterized by his avoidance of dramatic gesturing. He learned to show the psychology and internal tensions of his characters with reserved expressions. Many actors of his day struggled to change their acting styles for film after transitioning from stage acting and were often mocked later as sound film was introduced.
With the beginning of talkies
Sound film
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 would pass before sound motion pictures were made commercially...
, Abel remained a much desired actor and starred in 38 films. He stood in front of the camera of many renowned directors such as Detlef Sierk, Anatole Litvak
Anatole Litvak
Anatole Litvak was a Ukrainian-born filmmaker who wrote, directed, and produced films in a various countries and languages...
, and Paul Martin. Some of his well-known talkie films include Anatole Litvak’s ‘’Dolly's Way to Stardom’’ (1930) as Count Eberhard, Heinz Ruehmann’s ‘’Meine Frau, die Hochstaplerin’’ (1931), Reinhold Schuenzel’s romance ‘’Beautiful Adventure’’ (1932) as Count d’Eguzon, and Franz Liszt’s ‘’The Court Concert’’ (1936) as Dichter Knips. Abel also played the starring role of Sir John Menier in Alfred Hitchcock
Alfred Hitchcock
Sir Alfred Joseph Hitchcock, KBE was a British film director and producer. He pioneered many techniques in the suspense and psychological thriller genres. After a successful career in British cinema in both silent films and early talkies, Hitchcock moved to Hollywood...
’s Mary (1931), the German version of the Hitchcock’s Murder!
Murder!
Murder! is a 1930 British drama film directed by Alfred Hitchcock and starring Herbert Marshall, Norah Baring and Edward Chapman. It is based on a novel and play called Enter Sir John by Clemence Dane and Helen Simpson...
(1930). Abel’s final film role was as Daffinger in Herbert Maisch’s Frau Sylvelin (1938), which was not released until after his death.
Directing career
At the beginning of the 1920s, Abel began considering a career as a director and created the production company Artifex Film. The company's only film was The Strike of the Thieves (1921), which Abel directed himself. The film was a box office failure. Abel did not direct again until 1929; Narcose is considered his most ambitious work. Following Narcose, Abel directed Bon Voyage (1933) and Everything for a Woman (1935). Abel also assisted Carl Hoffman as the dialogue director in the film Viktoria in 1935.Personal life
Abel was married to Elizabeth Seidel with whom he had one daughter, Ursula (1915-1951). Ursula, like her father, also became a film actor. However, the Nazi regimeNazi Germany
Nazi Germany , also known as the Third Reich , but officially called German Reich from 1933 to 1943 and Greater German Reich from 26 June 1943 onward, is the name commonly used to refer to the state of Germany from 1933 to 1945, when it was a totalitarian dictatorship ruled by...
in 1935 prohibited her from appearing in any further films after she failed to produce ancestry papers (Ariernachweis
Ahnenpass
The Ahnenpaß documented the Aryan lineage of citizens of Nazi Germany. It was one of the forms of the Aryan certificate ....
) for her father to prove he was not of Jewish descent.
Death
After battling a longtime illness, Abel died on 12 December 1937 at the age of 58. He was buried in the Friedhof HeerstraßeFriedhof Heerstraße
The Friedhof Heerstraße cemetery is located at Trakehnerallee 1 , district of Charlottenburg-Wilmersdorf in Berlin, Germany, beneath the Olympiastadion. It covers an area of 149,650 square meters....
cemetery in Berlin. His tombstone has since been lost, and his burial place is currently unknown.
Select filmography
- Eine Venezianische Nacht (1913)
- Sinning Mother (1918)
- The Secret of Bombay (1921)
- Mad Love (1921)
- The False Dimitri (1922)
- PhantomPhantom (1922 film)Phantom is a silent film that was directed by F. W. Murnau the same year Murnau directed Nosferatu. It is an example of German Expressionist film and has a surreal, dreamlike quality.-Plot summary:The film is told in an extended flashback...
(1922) - The Burning Soil (1922)
- Dr. Mabuse the Gambler (1922)
- Die Flamme (1923)
- The Grand Duke's FinancesThe Grand Duke's FinancesGrand Duke's Finances is a 1924 silent German comedy film directed by F. W. Murnau.-Cast:* Alfred Abel - Philipp Collins* Mady Christians - Großfürstin Olga von Rußland* Adolphe Engers - Don Esteban Paqueno* Julius Falkenstein - Ernst Isaacs...
(1924) - The Guardsman (1925)
- Dancing Vienna (1927)
- MetropolisMetropolis (film)Metropolis is a 1927 German expressionist film in the science-fiction genre directed by Fritz Lang. Produced in Germany during a stable period of the Weimar Republic, Metropolis is set in a futuristic urban dystopia and makes use of this context to explore the social crisis between workers and...
(1927) - Art of Love (1928)
- Strauss, the Waltz King (1928)
- L’ArgentL'Argent (1928 film)L'Argent is a French silent film directed in 1928 by Marcel L'Herbier. The film was adapted from the novel L'Argent by Émile Zola, and it portrays the world of banking and the stock market in Paris in the 1920s.-Background:...
(1928) - Dolly’s Way to Stardom (1930)
- Mary (1931)
- The Fate of Renate Langen (1931)
- The Office Manager (1931)
- Meine Frau, die Hochstaplerin (1931)
- Beautiful Adventure (1932)
- Viennese Waltz (1932)
- The Gala Performance (1932)
- The Burning Secret (1933)
- The Little Crook (1933)
- The Court Concert (1936)
- A Strange Guest (1936)
- Seven Slaps (1937)
- Frau Sylvelin (1938)
Directorial work
- The Strike of the Thieves (1921)
- Narcose (1929)
- Bon Voyage (1933)
- Everything for a Woman (1935)