Frederic Zelnik
Encyclopedia
Frederic Zelnik was one of the most important producers-directors of the German silent cinema. He also appeared on screen as an actor.
family in Czernowitz, today in Ukraine
(Ukrainian: Chernivtsi
), at the time the capital of the Duchy of Bukovina in the Austrian part of the Austro-Hungarian Monarchy. Czernowitz has been then largely populated by Jews and has been after Wilno
the most an important city for the Jewish culture in Eastern Europe. After the studies in Vienna
, Friedrich Zelnik worked as an actor in theaters in Nürnberg, Aachen
, Worms
, Prague
and finally Berlin
- in the theaters Theater an der Königsgrätzer Straße, Berliner Theater, Komödienhaus.
In 1914 Friedrich Zelnik began acting in films, and after 1915 producing and directing movies while still appearing in roles as an actor in other director's films. In 1918 he married a young Polish ballet dancer turned film actress named Lya Mara
and promoted her to stardom by producing and directing movies for her. In 1920 he established a film production firm Zelnik-Mara-Film GmbH.
Popular, operetta style costume films like An der schönen blauen Donau, Die Försterchristl
, Das Tanzende Wien, Heut' tanzt Mariett brought Lya Mara
and Zelnik enormous success in Germany and beyond. Several of his collaborators, such as with cameraman Frederik Fuglsang and production designer André Andrejew
are perceived today as important artists of the German silent cinema.
Upon the introduction of sound film
, Friedrich Zelnik became the first director in Europe to postsynchronize a movie, The Crimson Circle
(1929), using the DeForest Phonofilm
ound-on-film process. In 1930, Zelnik travelled to Hollywood, California and upon his return directed his first full sound film, a new version of his silent success Die Försterchristl
.
After Hitler took power in 1933, Zelnik and Lya Mara
left Germany for London
. In years to follow Friedrich Zelnik continued to direct and produce movies in Great Britain and The Netherlands. He also changed his name to Frederic Zelnik and took the British citizenship.
Friederich Zelnik died in 1950 in London.
Early life and career
Friedrich Zelnik was born in a JewishJews
The Jews , also known as the Jewish people, are a nation and ethnoreligious group originating in the Israelites or Hebrews of the Ancient Near East. The Jewish ethnicity, nationality, and religion are strongly interrelated, as Judaism is the traditional faith of the Jewish nation...
family in Czernowitz, today in Ukraine
Ukraine
Ukraine is a country in Eastern Europe. It has an area of 603,628 km², making it the second largest contiguous country on the European continent, after Russia...
(Ukrainian: Chernivtsi
Chernivtsi
Chernivtsi is the administrative center of Chernivtsi Oblast in southwestern Ukraine. The city is situated on the upper course of the River Prut, a tributary of the Danube, in the northern part of the historic region of Bukovina, which is currently divided between Romania and Ukraine...
), at the time the capital of the Duchy of Bukovina in the Austrian part of the Austro-Hungarian Monarchy. Czernowitz has been then largely populated by Jews and has been after Wilno
Vilnius
Vilnius is the capital of Lithuania, and its largest city, with a population of 560,190 as of 2010. It is the seat of the Vilnius city municipality and of the Vilnius district municipality. It is also the capital of Vilnius County...
the most an important city for the Jewish culture in Eastern Europe. After the studies in Vienna
Vienna
Vienna is the capital and largest city of the Republic of Austria and one of the nine states of Austria. Vienna is Austria's primary city, with a population of about 1.723 million , and is by far the largest city in Austria, as well as its cultural, economic, and political centre...
, Friedrich Zelnik worked as an actor in theaters in Nürnberg, Aachen
Theater Aachen
Theater Aachen is a theatre in Aachen, Germany. It is the principal venue in that city for operas, musical theatre, plays, and concerts. It is the home of the Aachen Symphony Orchestra. Construction on the original theatre began in 1822 and it opened on 15 May 1825...
, Worms
Worms, Germany
Worms is a city in Rhineland-Palatinate, Germany, on the Rhine River. At the end of 2004, it had 85,829 inhabitants.Established by the Celts, who called it Borbetomagus, Worms today remains embattled with the cities Trier and Cologne over the title of "Oldest City in Germany." Worms is the only...
, Prague
Prague
Prague is the capital and largest city of the Czech Republic. Situated in the north-west of the country on the Vltava river, the city is home to about 1.3 million people, while its metropolitan area is estimated to have a population of over 2.3 million...
and finally 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...
- in the theaters Theater an der Königsgrätzer Straße, Berliner Theater, Komödienhaus.
In 1914 Friedrich Zelnik began acting in films, and after 1915 producing and directing movies while still appearing in roles as an actor in other director's films. In 1918 he married a young Polish ballet dancer turned film actress named Lya Mara
Lya Mara
Lya Mara was one of the biggest stars of the German silent cinema.Lya Mara was born as Aleksandra Gudowicz in a Polish family in Riga, Livonia. As a young girl she wanted to become a chemist, as then famous Maria Skłodowska-Curie...
and promoted her to stardom by producing and directing movies for her. In 1920 he established a film production firm Zelnik-Mara-Film GmbH.
Popular, operetta style costume films like An der schönen blauen Donau, Die Försterchristl
Die Försterchristl
Die Försterchristl is an operetta in three acts by Georg Jarno to a libretto by Bernhard Buchbinder. It premiered on 17 December 1907 at the Theater in der Josefstadt in Vienna. Three years later, its English version had a run of 64 performances at Broadway's Herald Square Theatre in 1910/11 under...
, Das Tanzende Wien, Heut' tanzt Mariett brought Lya Mara
Lya Mara
Lya Mara was one of the biggest stars of the German silent cinema.Lya Mara was born as Aleksandra Gudowicz in a Polish family in Riga, Livonia. As a young girl she wanted to become a chemist, as then famous Maria Skłodowska-Curie...
and Zelnik enormous success in Germany and beyond. Several of his collaborators, such as with cameraman Frederik Fuglsang and production designer André Andrejew
André Andrejew
André Andrejew was one of the most important art directors of the international cinema of the twentieth century. He had a distinctive, innovative style. His décors were both expressive and realistic...
are perceived today as important artists of the German silent cinema.
Upon the introduction of sound film
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...
, Friedrich Zelnik became the first director in Europe to postsynchronize a movie, The Crimson Circle
Der rote Kreis (1929 film)
Der rote Kreis is a 1929 British-German crime film directed by Frederic Zelnik and starring Lya Mara, Fred Louis Lerch, and Stewart Rome....
(1929), using the DeForest Phonofilm
Phonofilm
In 1919, Lee De Forest, inventor of the audion tube, filed his first patent on a sound-on-film process, DeForest Phonofilm, which recorded sound directly onto film as parallel lines. These parallel lines photographically recorded electrical waveforms from a microphone, which were translated back...
ound-on-film process. In 1930, Zelnik travelled to Hollywood, California and upon his return directed his first full sound film, a new version of his silent success Die Försterchristl
Die Försterchristl
Die Försterchristl is an operetta in three acts by Georg Jarno to a libretto by Bernhard Buchbinder. It premiered on 17 December 1907 at the Theater in der Josefstadt in Vienna. Three years later, its English version had a run of 64 performances at Broadway's Herald Square Theatre in 1910/11 under...
.
After Hitler took power in 1933, Zelnik and Lya Mara
Lya Mara
Lya Mara was one of the biggest stars of the German silent cinema.Lya Mara was born as Aleksandra Gudowicz in a Polish family in Riga, Livonia. As a young girl she wanted to become a chemist, as then famous Maria Skłodowska-Curie...
left Germany for London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
. In years to follow Friedrich Zelnik continued to direct and produce movies in Great Britain and The Netherlands. He also changed his name to Frederic Zelnik and took the British citizenship.
Friederich Zelnik died in 1950 in London.
Selected filmography
Director- Der rote KreisDer rote Kreis (1929 film)Der rote Kreis is a 1929 British-German crime film directed by Frederic Zelnik and starring Lya Mara, Fred Louis Lerch, and Stewart Rome....
(1929) - HappyHappy (1933 film)Happy is a 1933 British musical film directed by Frederic Zelnik and starring Stanley Lupino, Laddie Cliff and Will Fyffe. In Paris, a band leader pretends to be a millionaire.-Cast:* Stanley Lupino ... Frank Brown* Laddie Cliff ... George...
(1933) - The Emperor's Waltz (1933)
- Southern RosesSouthern RosesSouthern Roses is a 1936 British musical comedy film directed by Frederic Zelnik and starring George Robey, Gina Malo and Chili Bouchier. It was shot at Denham Studios.-Cast:* George Robey ... Mr. Higgins* Neil Hamilton ... Reggie...
(1934) - The Lilac Domino (1937)
- I Killed the CountI Killed the CountI Killed the Count is a 1939 British, black-and-white, comedy, crime, mystery film, directed by Frederic Zelnik and starring Ronald Shiner as Mullet, Ben Lyon, Syd Walker, Terence de Marney, Barbara Blair and Athole Stewart. It was produced by Grafton Films...
(1939)