George Hoellering facts for kids

George Michael Hoellering (born July 20, 1897 – died February 10, 1980) was a talented film director, producer, and cinema manager from Austria. He is well-known for directing the 1936 film Hortobagy, which was about the Hungarian plains called the Puszta. He also directed the 1951 British film Murder in the Cathedral, which he helped write with the famous author T. S. Eliot. From 1944 until he passed away in 1980, he was in charge of the Academy Cinema in London.

Early Life and Beginnings

George Hoellering was born as Georg Michael Höllering on July 20, 1897. His birthplace was Baden, a town near Vienna, Austria. He was the third of four children. His father, Georg Höllering, was a musician and show organizer, and his mother was Maria Magdalene.

Starting in the Film World

From 1919 to 1924, Hoellering ran the Schikaneder Kino, a cinema in Vienna. In the early 1920s, he moved to Berlin, Germany. Even from Berlin, he continued to manage his cinema in Vienna. He also started working in the film industry there. He gained experience as an editor and director of short films.

Working on Kuhle Wampe

Hoellering was the production manager for Kuhle Wampe (1932). This film is considered a classic German movie. It was written by the famous playwright Bertolt Brecht.

Moving to Hungary

Towards the end of 1932, with big political changes happening in Germany, Hoellering and his wife decided to leave. They first settled in Vienna for a short time. In early 1934, Hoellering, his family, and cameraman László Schäffer moved to Hungary. Their goal was to make a film about the famous Puszta region of Hortobágy.

Making Hortobagy

The film Hortobagy is a special kind of movie called a docu-fiction. This means it mixes real documentary footage with a story. The story was acted out by local peasants and herdsmen. The Hungarian government asked for more than 10% of the film to be cut. Because of this, Hoellering decided to move to England in 1936.

The film had its first showing in London on December 13, 1936. It was shown at the New Gallery Cinema. This allowed the film to be seen without needing a special British license.

What Critics Said About Hortobagy

The writer Graham Greene reviewed Hortobagy in The Spectator magazine. He wrote that the film was "one of the most satisfying films I have seen." He praised the "extraordinarily beautiful" photography and the "superb" editing. Greene felt the film showed a complete way of life without trying to push any specific message.

Leading the Academy Cinema

Hoellering became a director at the Academy Cinema in London's Oxford Street. Elsie Cohen was the manager there. From 1944 until his death in 1980, Hoellering was both the manager and a part-owner of the cinema.

During World War II

In the summer of 1940, the British government arrested and held many people from countries they were fighting. Hoellering was one of them. He was sent to the Isle of Man for several months. While there, he helped create and direct a musical play called "What a Life!" The music was mostly written by another person held there, Hans Gál.

During the war, Hoellering also directed several short films. These films were made to help the war effort. He also directed Message from Canterbury (1944). This was a documentary made with help from Archbishop William Temple.

Later Film Work

His 1950 film, Shapes and Forms, was important. It is thought to be the first time the Institute of Contemporary Arts (ICA) appeared in a film.

Hoellering spent several years working on a film version of T.S. Eliot's play Murder in the Cathedral. This film was very successful. It won two awards at the Venice International Film Festival in 1951. It won for Best Art Direction and Best Film in Costume.

Personal Life

In 1919, Hoellering married Emma Weidenauer, an actress from Germany. Sadly, Emma passed away from cancer in 1927.

His second wife was Dora Constance Lehmann. She had been married before and had a son named Ivo Jarosy. Dora was the daughter of Felix Lehmann and Anna Friedländer. George and Dora married in 1929 in Baden, Austria. Their only child, Andrew, was born in Vienna in 1932. Dora passed away in England in 1955.

On November 24, 1956, Hoellering married Anne Allnatt. She was born in 1925 or 1926. Her father, Alfred Ernest Allnatt, was a building contractor.

Death

George Michael Hoellering passed away in Suffolk, England, on February 10, 1980.

Selected Films

Here are some of the films George Hoellering worked on:

• Hunting You (1929), as a producer
• Kuhle Wampe (1932), as a production manager
• Hortobágy (1936), as director and producer
• Murder in the Cathedral (1951), as director, producer, screenwriter, and co-editor

Short Films and Newsreels

Hoellering also directed and produced many short films and newsreel trailers, especially during World War II. These often helped share important messages with the public.

• Water Saving (1942), director
• Water Pipes (1942), director
• Eyes on the Target (1942), director
• Salvage Saves Shipping (1943), producer
• Peak Load (1943), producer
• Make Do and Mend Parties (1943), producer
• Blood Will Out (1943), director and producer
• Skeleton in the Cupboard (1943), director and producer
• Blood Will Out (1943), director and producer
• Books, Books, Books (1943), director and producer
• Old Logs (1943), director and producer
• Tim Marches Back (1944), director and producer
• Tyre Economy (1944), director and producer
• Hands Off (1945), director and producer
• Golden Glory (1945), director and producer
• Help Wanted (1945), director and producer
• Paper Possibilities (1945), director and producer
• Family Allowances (1946), director
• Briquette Making (1946), director
• Message from Canterbury (1944), director, producer and editor
• Shapes and Forms (1950), director, producer, screenwriter and editor
• Plan for Living (1950), director and producer
• Glasgow Orpheus Choir (1951), director, producer, screenwriter and co-editor