Lilian Harvey facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Lilian Harvey
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Lilian Harvey in 1932
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| Born |
Helene Lilian Muriel Pape
19 January 1906 London, United Kingdom
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| Died | 27 July 1968 (aged 62) Juan-les-Pins, France
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| Occupation | Actress |
| Years active | 1924–1940 |
| Spouse(s) | Hartvig Valeur-Larsen (1953–1957) |
Lilian Harvey (born Helene Lilian Muriel Pape; 19 January 1906 – 27 July 1968) was a famous Anglo-German actress and singer. She spent most of her career in Germany. She is best known for her role as Christel Weinzinger in the 1931 film Der Kongreß tanzt.
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Early Life of Lilian Harvey
Lilian Harvey was born in 1906 in Crouch End, North London. Her mother, Ethel Marion (Laughton), was English. Her father, Walter Bruno Pape, was a German businessman.
When World War I began, her family was in Magdeburg, Germany. They could not return to England. So, Lilian was sent to live with an aunt in Solothurn, Switzerland. After the war, the family moved to Berlin. Lilian finished high school there in 1923. She started her acting journey by studying dance and voice at the Berlin State Opera. She chose her grandmother's last name, Harvey, as her stage name.
Lilian Harvey's Acting Career
In 1924, Lilian started as a dancer in Vienna. Soon after, she got her first movie role in the Austrian film The Curse. She then starred in many silent films. In 1925, she played her first main role in Passion.
Because Lilian was also a trained singer, she easily moved into the new "talkie" films of the early 1930s. Her first movie with Willy Fritsch was Chaste Susanne in 1926. Lilian and Willy became a very popular acting duo in Germany. They were called the "dream couple" of German movies. The press even called her the "sweetest girl in the world." This was after a song from their romantic film Waltz of Love.
They starred in 11 movies together. One popular film was the comedy Hokuspokus (1930). An English version, The Temporary Widow, was filmed at the same time. Lilian starred in it with Laurence Olivier, who was making his film debut. She also appeared in the musical film The Three from the Filling Station. This film was a big hit and helped launch the career of young actor Heinz Rühmann.
In 1931, Lilian Harvey played the main role in Der Kongreß tanzt (The Congress Dances). Her song from the film, Das gibt's nur einmal, became very famous. Her later movies were made in English and French versions. This helped her become known outside of Germany. She was invited to Hollywood and made four movies for Fox Film Corporation. However, these films were not as successful as her German ones.
Life During World War II
Lilian Harvey stayed in touch with her Jewish friends and colleagues. Because of this, the Gestapo (the secret police in Nazi Germany) watched her closely. Despite this, she helped the career of director Paul Martin. She starred in his comedy Lucky Kids (1936). She also made other successful movies for the UFA studio until 1939. These included Seven Slaps, Fanny Elssler (1937), Capriccio, and Frau am Steuer (1939).
In 1937, Lilian helped a choreographer named Jens Keith. He was in trouble with the authorities. Lilian posted bail for him, and he escaped to Paris. This led to a serious questioning by the Nazi authorities. In 1939, Lilian left Germany. Her property was taken by the government. In 1943, she lost her German citizenship. This was because she had performed for French troops.
Lilian moved to her home in Juan-les-Pins in France. She made two more movies there in 1940: Serenade and Miquette. These were her last films. When German forces occupied southern France in 1942, Lilian moved to the USA. She worked as a volunteer nurse in Los Angeles. She also toured, performing in a play called Blithe Spirit.
Later Years and Death
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After World War II, Lilian Harvey moved to Paris. She traveled as a singer through Scandinavia and Egypt. In 1949, she returned to West Germany and gave several concerts.
Lilian retired to Antibes, a town on the French Riviera. There, she ran a souvenir shop and raised snails. She received a pension from the German government for her property that was taken during the Nazi era. Lilian Harvey died in her hotel in Juan-les-Pins on 27 July 1968, at age 62. She was buried in Antibes.
Lilian Harvey in Popular Culture
Lilian Harvey's music is still remembered today. In the 2009 film Inglourious Basterds by Quentin Tarantino, her song "Ich wollt' ich wär ein Huhn" ("I wish I were a chicken") is played. This song was a duet with Willy Fritsch from their 1936 film Lucky Kids. In the movie, a character named Joseph Goebbels sings along to it. Later, another character, Shosanna Dreyfus, says she likes Lilian Harvey in the film. Goebbels gets angry and says Lilian Harvey's name should never be mentioned in his presence again. The song is still popular in Germany.
Music from Lilian Harvey's film Der Kongreß tanzt also appears in the 2014 animated movie The Wind Rises by Miyazaki.
Images for kids
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Lilian Harvey in 1932
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Lilian Harvey, photographed by Alexander Binder. Ross Verlag. Collection EYE Film Institute Netherlands.
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Lilian Harvey, photographed by Alexander Binder. Ross Verlag. Collection EYE Film Institute Netherlands.
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Berlin memorial plaque in Wilmersdorf
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Lilian Harvey (1963)
See also
In Spanish: Lilian Harvey para niños
