Zita Johann
Encyclopedia
Zita Johann was an American actress, best known for her role as Princess Ankhesenamón in Karl Freund
's 1932
film version of The Mummy
, co-starring with Boris Karloff
.
A Banat German, she was born Elisabeth Johann in the village of Deutschbentschek (near Temesvar
), Austria-Hungary
(now Timişoara
, Romania
). Her father, a hussar
officer named Stefan Johann, emigrated with his family to the United States in 1911.
She debuted on Broadway
in 1924 and made her first film appearance in D. W. Griffith
's 1931
film The Struggle
. After seven films, she quit to work in theater, starring with John Houseman
, to whom she was married 1929-1933, and with Orson Welles
. She also taught acting
to people with learning disorders.
Johann married three times. She made her last film appearance in the 1986
horror film
Raiders of the Living Dead
.
She died in 1993 at age 89 in Nyack
, New York
. She was cremated and her ashes were scattered in a stream in upstate New York.
Karl Freund
Karl W. Freund, A.S.C. was a cinematographer and film director most noted for photographing Metropolis , Dracula , and television's I Love Lucy .-Early life:...
's 1932
1932 in film
-Events:*Cary Grant's film career begins*Katharine Hepburn's film career begins*Shirley Temple's film career begins*Disney released Flowers and Trees, the first cartoon in three-strip Technicolor film.*Santa, first sound film made in Mexico released....
film version of The Mummy
The Mummy (1932 film)
The Mummy is a 1932 horror film from Universal Studios directed by Karl Freund and starring Boris Karloff as a revived ancient Egyptian priest. The movie also features Zita Johann, David Manners and Edward Van Sloan...
, co-starring with Boris Karloff
Boris Karloff
William Henry Pratt , better known by his stage name Boris Karloff, was an English actor.Karloff is best remembered for his roles in horror films and his portrayal of Frankenstein's monster in Frankenstein , Bride of Frankenstein , and Son of Frankenstein...
.
A Banat German, she was born Elisabeth Johann in the village of Deutschbentschek (near Temesvar
Timisoara
Timișoara is the capital city of Timiș County, in western Romania. One of the largest Romanian cities, with an estimated population of 311,586 inhabitants , and considered the informal capital city of the historical region of Banat, Timișoara is the main social, economic and cultural center in the...
), 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...
(now Timişoara
Timisoara
Timișoara is the capital city of Timiș County, in western Romania. One of the largest Romanian cities, with an estimated population of 311,586 inhabitants , and considered the informal capital city of the historical region of Banat, Timișoara is the main social, economic and cultural center in the...
, Romania
Romania
Romania is a country located at the crossroads of Central and Southeastern Europe, on the Lower Danube, within and outside the Carpathian arch, bordering on the Black Sea...
). Her father, a hussar
Hussar
Hussar refers to a number of types of light cavalry which originated in Hungary in the 14th century, tracing its roots from Serbian medieval cavalry tradition, brought to Hungary in the course of the Serb migrations, which began in the late 14th century....
officer named Stefan Johann, emigrated with his family to the United States in 1911.
She debuted on Broadway
Broadway theatre
Broadway theatre, commonly called simply Broadway, refers to theatrical performances presented in one of the 40 professional theatres with 500 or more seats located in the Theatre District centered along Broadway, and in Lincoln Center, in Manhattan in New York City...
in 1924 and made her first film appearance in D. W. Griffith
D. W. Griffith
David Llewelyn Wark Griffith was a premier pioneering American film director. He is best known as the director of the controversial and groundbreaking 1915 film The Birth of a Nation and the subsequent film Intolerance .Griffith's film The Birth of a Nation made pioneering use of advanced camera...
's 1931
1931 in film
-Top grossing films:-Academy Awards:*Best Picture: Cimarron - MGM*Best Actor: Lionel Barrymore - A Free Soul*Best Actor: Wallace Beery - The Champ*Best Actor: Fredric March - Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde...
film The Struggle
The Struggle (film)
The Struggle is a sound feature film directed by D. W. Griffith, and was his only other full-sound film besides Abraham Lincoln . After several films directed by Griffith failed at the box office, this was Griffith's last film...
. After seven films, she quit to work in theater, starring with John Houseman
John Houseman
John Houseman was a Romanian-born British-American actor and film producer who became known for his highly publicized collaboration with director Orson Welles from their days in the Federal Theatre Project through to the production of Citizen Kane...
, to whom she was married 1929-1933, and with Orson Welles
Orson Welles
George Orson Welles , best known as Orson Welles, was an American film director, actor, theatre director, screenwriter, and producer, who worked extensively in film, theatre, television and radio...
. She also taught acting
Acting
Acting is the work of an actor or actress, which is a person in theatre, television, film, or any other storytelling medium who tells the story by portraying a character and, usually, speaking or singing the written text or play....
to people with learning disorders.
Johann married three times. She made her last film appearance in the 1986
1986 in film
-Events:*April 12 - Actor Morgan Mason marries The Go-Go's Belinda Carlisle.*April 26 - Actor Arnold Schwarzenegger marries television journalist Maria Shriver.*May - Actress Heather Locklear marries Mötley Crüe drummer Tommy Lee....
horror film
Horror film
Horror films seek to elicit a negative emotional reaction from viewers by playing on the audience's most primal fears. They often feature scenes that startle the viewer through the means of macabre and the supernatural, thus frequently overlapping with the fantasy and science fiction genres...
Raiders of the Living Dead
Raiders of the Living Dead
Raiders of the Living Dead is a 1986 motion picture, a zombie horror film directed by Samuel M. Sherman from a script he co-wrote with Brett Piper.-Plot:In an abandoned prison, a doctor has revived executed convicts as the living dead...
.
She died in 1993 at age 89 in Nyack
Nyack, New York
Nyack is a village in the towns of Orangetown and Clarkstown in Rockland County, New York, United States, located north of South Nyack; east of Central Nyack; south of Upper Nyack and west of the Hudson River, approximately 19 miles north of the Manhattan boundary, it is an inner suburb of New...
, New York
New York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
. She was cremated and her ashes were scattered in a stream in upstate New York.
Filmography
- 19311931 in film-Top grossing films:-Academy Awards:*Best Picture: Cimarron - MGM*Best Actor: Lionel Barrymore - A Free Soul*Best Actor: Wallace Beery - The Champ*Best Actor: Fredric March - Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde...
: The StruggleThe Struggle (film)The Struggle is a sound feature film directed by D. W. Griffith, and was his only other full-sound film besides Abraham Lincoln . After several films directed by Griffith failed at the box office, this was Griffith's last film...
(Florrie) - 19321932 in film-Events:*Cary Grant's film career begins*Katharine Hepburn's film career begins*Shirley Temple's film career begins*Disney released Flowers and Trees, the first cartoon in three-strip Technicolor film.*Santa, first sound film made in Mexico released....
: Tiger SharkTiger Shark (film)Tiger Shark is a 1932 film directed by Howard Hawks. The movie was made the same year as Scarface, which is widely acknowledged to be the director's best film of the early sound era...
(Quita Silva) - 1932: The MummyThe Mummy (1932 film)The Mummy is a 1932 horror film from Universal Studios directed by Karl Freund and starring Boris Karloff as a revived ancient Egyptian priest. The movie also features Zita Johann, David Manners and Edward Van Sloan...
(Helen Grosvenor / Princess Anck-es-en-Amon) - 19331933 in film-Events:* March 2 - King Kong premieres in New York City.* June 6 - The first drive-in theater opens, in Camden, New Jersey.* British Film Institute founded....
: The Sin of Nora MoranThe Sin of Nora MoranThe Sin of Nora Moran is a 1933 American film directed by Phil Goldstone.The film is also known as Voice from the Grave .- Cast :*Zita Johann as Nora Moran*John Miljan as Paulino...
(Nora Moran) - 1933: The Man Who DaredThe Man Who DaredThe Man Who Dared is a 1946 film directed by John Sturges. It tells the story of a reporter who concocts a false case so as to get himself convicted for first degree murder. He does this to prove that the death sentence should be banned, because it can be given based on circumstantial evidence....
(Teena Pavelic) - 1933: Luxury LinerLuxury linerLuxury liner may refer to:*Passenger ships with a high standard of accommodation, especially ocean liners*Luxury Liner , a 1977 album by Emmylou Harris*"Luxury Liner" , 1948 motion picture from MGM...
(Miss Morgan) - 19341934 in film-Events:*January 26 - Samuel Goldwyn purchases the film rights to The Wonderful Wizard of Oz from the L. Frank Baum estate for $40,000.*February 19 - Bob Hope marries Dolores Reade...
: Grand CanaryGrand Canary (film)Grand Canary is a 1934 Fox film of A. J. Cronin's novel of the same title. The film was produced by Jesse L. Lasky and directed by Irving Cummings.-Cast:*Warner Baxter as Dr. Harvey Leith*Madge Evans as Lady Mary Fielding...
(Suzan Tranter) - 19861986 in film-Events:*April 12 - Actor Morgan Mason marries The Go-Go's Belinda Carlisle.*April 26 - Actor Arnold Schwarzenegger marries television journalist Maria Shriver.*May - Actress Heather Locklear marries Mötley Crüe drummer Tommy Lee....
: Raiders of the Living DeadRaiders of the Living DeadRaiders of the Living Dead is a 1986 motion picture, a zombie horror film directed by Samuel M. Sherman from a script he co-wrote with Brett Piper.-Plot:In an abandoned prison, a doctor has revived executed convicts as the living dead...
(a librarian)