John Gottowt
Encyclopedia
John Gottowt was a German
actor, stage director and film director
for theatres and silent movies.
He was born as Isidor Gesang in Lemberg, Austria-Hungary
. After his education in Vienna
, he joined the Deutsches Theater
in Berlin
in 1905, working for Max Reinhardt
as an actor and director. Gottowt was mainly active in different theatres in Berlin as a character actor and director.
His first silent film appearance was in Paul Wegener
’s Der Student von Prag
("The Student of Prague") (1913). In 1920 he appeared in Robert Wiene
's Genuine
and took the main role in the early science fiction film Algol
("Algol: Tragedy of Power"). In 1921 he played Professor Bulwer (Abraham van Helsing
) in the classic silent film Nosferatu directed by F.W. Murnau.
Gottowt made also several films with his brother-in-law Henrik Galeen but, as a Jew, was banned in 1933 from working as a professional actor. After a few years in Denmark
he moved to Kraków
in Poland
. He was murdered in 1942 by the SS in Wieliczka
.
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, stage director and film director
Film director
A film director is a person who directs the actors and film crew in filmmaking. They control a film's artistic and dramatic nathan roach, while guiding the technical crew and actors.-Responsibilities:...
for theatres and silent movies.
He was born as Isidor Gesang in Lemberg, Austria-Hungary
Austria-Hungary
Austria-Hungary , more formally known as the Kingdoms and Lands Represented in the Imperial Council and the Lands of the Holy Hungarian Crown of Saint Stephen, was a constitutional monarchic union between the crowns of the Austrian Empire and the Kingdom of Hungary in...
. After his education 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...
, he joined the Deutsches Theater
Deutsches Theater
The Deutsches Theater in Berlin is a well-known German theatre. It was built in 1850 as Friedrich-Wilhelm-Städtisches Theater, after Frederick William IV of Prussia. Located on Schumann Street , the Deutsches Theater consists of two adjoining stages that share a common, classical facade...
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...
in 1905, working for Max Reinhardt
Max Reinhardt
----Max Reinhardt was an Austrian theater and film director and actor.-Biography:...
as an actor and director. Gottowt was mainly active in different theatres in Berlin as a character actor and director.
His first silent film appearance was in Paul Wegener
Paul Wegener
Paul Wegener was a German actor, writer and film director known for his pioneering role in German expressionist cinema.-Stage and early film career:...
’s Der Student von Prag
The Student of Prague (1913 film)
The Student of Prague is a 1913 German silent horror film. The film was remade in 1926, 1935, and 2004 under the same title The Student of Prague.-Plot:...
("The Student of Prague") (1913). In 1920 he appeared in Robert Wiene
Robert Wiene
Robert Wiene was an important film director of the German silent cinema.Robert Wiene was born in Breslau, as the elder son of the successful theatre actor Carl Wiene. His younger brother Conrad also became an actor, but Robert Wiene at first studied law at the University of Berlin. In 1908 he also...
's Genuine
Genuine (film)
Genuine is a 1920 silent horror film directed by Robert Wiene. It was also released as Genuine: A Tale of a Vampire....
and took the main role in the early science fiction film Algol
Algol (film)
Algol: Tragedy of Power is a 1920 German science fiction film about an alien from the planet Algol.-Production background:The film was directed by Hans Werckmeister and stars Emil Jannings and John Gottowt. The story centers on a human who is given a machine by an alien spirit which if used would...
("Algol: Tragedy of Power"). In 1921 he played Professor Bulwer (Abraham van Helsing
Abraham Van Helsing
Professor Abraham van Helsing is a protagonist from Bram Stoker's 1897 novel, Dracula.Van Helsing is a Dutch doctor with a wide range of interests and accomplishments, partly attested by the string of letters that follows his name: "M.D., D.Ph., D.Litt., etc." The character is best known as a...
) in the classic silent film Nosferatu directed by F.W. Murnau.
Gottowt made also several films with his brother-in-law Henrik Galeen but, as a Jew, was banned in 1933 from working as a professional actor. After a few years in Denmark
Denmark
Denmark is a Scandinavian country in Northern Europe. The countries of Denmark and Greenland, as well as the Faroe Islands, constitute the Kingdom of Denmark . It is the southernmost of the Nordic countries, southwest of Sweden and south of Norway, and bordered to the south by Germany. Denmark...
he moved to Kraków
Kraków
Kraków also Krakow, or Cracow , is the second largest and one of the oldest cities in Poland. Situated on the Vistula River in the Lesser Poland region, the city dates back to the 7th century. Kraków has traditionally been one of the leading centres of Polish academic, cultural, and artistic life...
in Poland
Poland
Poland , officially the Republic of Poland , is a country in Central Europe bordered by Germany to the west; the Czech Republic and Slovakia to the south; Ukraine, Belarus and Lithuania to the east; and the Baltic Sea and Kaliningrad Oblast, a Russian exclave, to the north...
. He was murdered in 1942 by the SS in Wieliczka
Wieliczka
-External links:***...
.
List of films
(Title, Year, Character if known, Director)- Der Student von Prag, 1913, Scapinelli, Stellan Rye
- Das Schwarze Los, Pierrots letzte Abendteuer, 1913, Brighella, John Gottowt
- Büßende Magdalena, 1915, Emil Albes
- Satan Opium, 1915, Siegfried Dessauer
- Prinzessin von Neutralien, 1917, Milliardär Joe Vandergolt, Rudolf Biebrach
- Peer Gynt. 1. Peer Gynts Jugend, 1918, der Dovre-Alte, Victor Barnowsky
- Peer Gynt 2. Wanderjahre und Tod, 1918, Victor Barnowsky
- Morphium, 1919, Bruno Ziener
- Der rote Henker, 1919, Narr, Rudolf Biebrach
- Der Verbotene Weg, 1920, Lupu Pick, Henrik Galeen
- GenuineGenuine (film)Genuine is a 1920 silent horror film directed by Robert Wiene. It was also released as Genuine: A Tale of a Vampire....
, 1920, Friseur Guyard, Robert WieneRobert WieneRobert Wiene was an important film director of the German silent cinema.Robert Wiene was born in Breslau, as the elder son of the successful theatre actor Carl Wiene. His younger brother Conrad also became an actor, but Robert Wiene at first studied law at the University of Berlin. In 1908 he also... - Die Nacht der Königin Isabeau, 1920, Buckliger Narr, Robert Wiene
- Der Bucklige und die TänzerinThe Hunchback and the DancerThe Hunchback and the Dancer is a 1920 silent German horror film directed by F. W. Murnau. The film is considered to be lost.-Cast:* Sascha Gura - Gina* John Gottowt - James Wilton* Paul Biensfeldt - Smith* Henri Peters-Arnolds - Percy...
, 1920, James Wilton, F.W. Murnau - Niemand weiß es, 1920, Lupu Pick
- AlgolAlgol (film)Algol: Tragedy of Power is a 1920 German science fiction film about an alien from the planet Algol.-Production background:The film was directed by Hans Werckmeister and stars Emil Jannings and John Gottowt. The story centers on a human who is given a machine by an alien spirit which if used would...
, 1920, Algolmännchen, Hans Werckmeister - Die tote Stunde, 1920, Friedrich Feher
- Die Lou vom Montmartre, 1921, Leo Lasko
- Pariserinnen, 1921, Leo Lasko
- Brennendes Land, 1921, Heinz Herald
- Nosferatu, eine Symphonie des GrauensNosferatu, eine Symphonie des Grauensis a classic 1922 German Expressionist horror film, directed by F. W. Murnau, starring Max Schreck as the vampire Count Orlok...
, 1922, Professor Bulwer (van Helsing), F. W. Murnau - Der schwarze Stern, 1922, James Bauer
- Elixiere des Teufels, 1922, Adolf Abter
- Der falsche Dimitry, 1922, Iwans Narr, Hans SteinhoffHans SteinhoffHans Steinhoff was a German film director, best known for the films he made in the Nazi era. His most notable film was Ohm Krüger, for which he won the Mussolini Cup at the 1941 Venice Film Festival.-Filmography:*Hitlerjunge Quex...
- Der Geldteufel, 1923, Heinz Goldberg
- Wachsfigurenkabinett, 1923, Schaubudenbesitzer, Leo BirinskiLeo BirinskiLeo Birinski was a playwright, screenwriter and director. He worked in Austria-Hungary, Germany and in the United States. As a playwright in Europe he gained his biggest popularity in 1910 – 1917, then he was forgotten. From the 20s to the 40s of the 20th century he worked mainly as a...
, 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... - Menschenopfer, 1923, Carl WilhelmCarl WilhelmCarl Wilhelm was a prolific German film director, film producer and screenwriter of the silent film era, at the end of which his career apparently entirely faded away and he vanished into obscurity....
- Dürfen wir schweigen?, 1926, Faktotum, 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...
- Die Flucht in die Nacht, 1926, Amleto Palermi
- Prinz Louis Ferdinand, 1927, Hans Behrendt
- Unheimliche Geschichten, 1932, Beamter des Mechanischen Museums, 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...