Erik Charell
Encyclopedia
Erich Karl Löwenberg later known as Erik Charell, was a German
actor
and director. He was best known as a director of musical revues and operettas, especially at Großes Schauspielhaus
in Berlin
. His most famous creations are the musical version of Im weißen Rössl/White Horse Inn (1930), the Ufa-filmoperetta Der Kongress tanzt/Congress Dances (1931) and the operetta Feuerwerk (1950). He directed the Fox-filmoperetta Caravan (1934) in Hollywood and adapted Shakespeare's Midsummer Night's Dream in 1939 for Broadway, as the "all black" Swingin' the Dream (with a cast including Louis Armstrong
).
The Schwules Museum
in Berlin dedicated a solo exhibition to the life and work of Erik Charell from 7 July to 27 September 2010: Glitter and be Gay: Erik Charell und die schwule Operette ("Erik Charell and the Homosexuality
of Operetta
").
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
actor
Actor
An actor is a person who acts in a dramatic production and who works in film, television, theatre, or radio in that capacity...
and director. He was best known as a director of musical revues and operettas, especially at Großes Schauspielhaus
Großes Schauspielhaus
The Großes Schauspielhaus was a theatre in Berlin, Germany, often described as an example of expressionist architecture, designed by Hans Poelzig for theatre impresario Max Reinhardt . The structure was originally a market built by architect Friedrich Hitzig, and it retained its external, gabled...
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...
. His most famous creations are the musical version of Im weißen Rössl/White Horse Inn (1930), the Ufa-filmoperetta Der Kongress tanzt/Congress Dances (1931) and the operetta Feuerwerk (1950). He directed the Fox-filmoperetta Caravan (1934) in Hollywood and adapted Shakespeare's Midsummer Night's Dream in 1939 for Broadway, as the "all black" Swingin' the Dream (with a cast including Louis Armstrong
Louis Armstrong
Louis Armstrong , nicknamed Satchmo or Pops, was an American jazz trumpeter and singer from New Orleans, Louisiana....
).
The Schwules Museum
Schwules Museum
The Schwules Museum is an LGBT museum in Berlin which opened in 1985.The impetus for the founding of the Schwules Museum was a successful exhibition on gay topics at the Berlin Museum in summer 1984, Eldorado. This was the first public exposition in Germany of recent research on gay life...
in Berlin dedicated a solo exhibition to the life and work of Erik Charell from 7 July to 27 September 2010: Glitter and be Gay: Erik Charell und die schwule Operette ("Erik Charell and the Homosexuality
Homosexuality
Homosexuality is romantic or sexual attraction or behavior between members of the same sex or gender. As a sexual orientation, homosexuality refers to "an enduring pattern of or disposition to experience sexual, affectional, or romantic attractions" primarily or exclusively to people of the same...
of Operetta
Operetta
Operetta is a genre of light opera, light in terms both of music and subject matter. It is also closely related, in English-language works, to forms of musical theatre.-Origins:...
").
Actor
- 1919 Prinz Kuckuck, Diretor: Paul LeniPaul LeniPaul Leni born Paul Josef Levi was a German filmmaker and a key figure in German Expressionist filmmaking, making Backstairs and Waxworks in Germany, and The Cat and the Canary , The Chinese Parrot , The Man Who Laughs , and The Last Warning in...
- 1920 Nachtgestalten, Diretor: Richard OswaldRichard OswaldRichard 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...
Stage director
- 1924 An Alle! "Die große Schau im großen Schauspielhaus in zwei Akten und zwanzig Bildern" with music by Ralph BenatzkyRalph BenatzkyRalph Benatzky , Moravia, Austrian Empire – 16 October 1957), born in Moravské Budějovice as Rudolf Josef František Benatzki, was an Austrian composer of Czech origin...
, Irving BerlinIrving BerlinIrving Berlin was an American composer and lyricist of Jewish heritage, widely considered one of the greatest songwriters in American history.His first hit song, "Alexander's Ragtime Band", became world famous...
, Jerome KernJerome KernJerome David Kern was an American composer of musical theatre and popular music. One of the most important American theatre composers of the early 20th century, he wrote more than 700 songs, used in over 100 stage works, including such classics as "Ol' Man River", "Can't Help Lovin' Dat Man", "A...
et al. - 1925 Für Dich (revue)
- 1926 Von Mund zu Mund (revue)
- 1927 Der Mikado (adaptation of the Gilbert & Sullivan operetta)
- 1927 Madame Pompadour (adaptation of the Leo Fall operetta)
- 1928 Die lustige Witwe (adaptation of the Franz Lehár operetta by Schanzer & Welisch, with Fritzi Massary and Max Hansen in the leading roles)
- 1928 Casanova with music by Ralph Benatzky and Johann StraussJohann Strauss IIIJohann Strauss III was an Austrian composer whose father was Eduard Strauss, whose uncles were Johann Strauss II & Josef Strauss, and whose grandfather was Johann Strauss I...
, at the Grosse Schauspielhaus Berlin, with Michael BohnenMichael BohnenFranz Michael Bohnen was a German bass baritone opera singer and actor.-Life:Michael Bohnen was born in Cologne. He trained in opera singing at the Hochschule für Musik Köln and with a private tutor, making his debut in 1910 at the Stadttheater Düsseldorf. In 1912 he appeared at the Hoftheater...
in the title role) - 1929 Drei Musketiere with music by Ralph Benatzky, at the Grosse Schauspielhaus Berlin, with Alfred Jerger, Max HansenMax Hansen (tenor)Max Hansen was a Danish singer known as 'The Little Caruso', also a cabaret artist, actor and comedian.- Biography :...
, La Jana and Siegfried Arno - 1930 Im weißen Rössl with music by Ralph Benatzky, at the Grosse Schauspielhaus Berlin, with Max HansenMax Hansen (tenor)Max Hansen was a Danish singer known as 'The Little Caruso', also a cabaret artist, actor and comedian.- Biography :...
, Siegfried Arno Camilla SpiraCamilla SpiraCamilla Spira was a German film actress. She appeared in 68 films between 1924 and 1986.She was born in Hamburg, Germany and died in Berlin, Germany.-Selected filmography:* Piccadilly Zero Hour 12... - 1931 Der Kongreß tanzt with Lilian HarveyLilian HarveyLilian Harvey was a British-born actress and singer, long-based in Germany, where she is best known for her role as Christel Weinzinger in Erik Charell's 1931 film Der Kongress tanzt.-Life:...
, Willy FritschWilly FritschWilly Fritsch was a German theater and film actor, the popular leading man in German silent motion-pictures.-Biography:...
, Lil DagoverLil DagoverLil Dagover was a German stage, film and television actress whose career spanned nearly six decades.-Early life:...
, music by Werner Richard Heymann - 1934 Caravan with Charles BoyerCharles BoyerCharles Boyer was a French actor who appeared in more than 80 films between 1920 and 1976. After receiving an education in drama, Boyer started on the stage, but he found success in movies during the 1930s. His memorable performances were among the era's most highly praised romantic dramas,...
and Loretta YoungLoretta YoungLoretta Young was an American actress. Starting as a child actress, she had a long and varied career in film from 1917 to 1953...
, music by Werner Richard Heymann - 1936 The White Horse Inn with Kitty Carlisle at the Center Theatre, New York
- 1939 Swingin' the Dream, with music by Jimmy Van Heusen
- 1950 Das Feuerwerk, with music by Paul BurkhardPaul BurkhardPaul Burkhard was Swiss composer. He wrote primarily Oratoria, Musicals and Operettas.His probably most famous artistic creation was the song Oh mein Papa , about the death of a beloved clown-father, written for the musical "Der Schwarze Hecht" that premiered in April 1939...
, at the Staatstheater am GärtnerplatzStaatstheater am GärtnerplatzStaatstheater am Gärtnerplatz is an opera house and opera company in Munich. Designed by the architect Michael Reiffenstuel, it opened on 5 November 1865 as the city's second opera house after the National Theatre....
Producer
- 1952 Im weißen Rössl with Johannes HeestersJohannes HeestersJohan Marius Nicolaas "Johannes" Heesters is a Dutch actor, singer and entertainer with a -year career, almost exclusively in the German-speaking world. In Germany and Austria, Heesters is mainly known for his acting career...
- 1954 Feuerwerk with Lilli PalmerLilli PalmerLilli Palmer , born Lilli Marie Peiser, was a German actress. She won the Volpi Cup, the Deutscher Filmpreis three times, and was nominated twice for a Golden Globe Award.-Life and career:...
, Karl SchönböckKarl Schönböck-Selected filmography:* Daphne and the Diplomat * Bismarck * Das Grosse Spiel * Titanic * Peter Voss, der Millionendieb * Feuerwerk * Der Kongreß tanzt * Love Now, Pay Later...
, Romy SchneiderRomy SchneiderRomy Schneider was an Austrian-born German film actress who also held French citizenship.-Early life:Schneider was born Rosemarie Magdalena Albach in Nazi-era Vienna, six months after the Anschluss, into a family of actors that included her paternal grandmother Rosa Albach-Retty, her Austrian...