Mauritz Stiller facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Mauritz Stiller
Mauritz Stiller in 1927
Born	Moshe Stiller (1883-07-17)17 July 1883 Helsinki, Grand Duchy of Finland, Russian Empire
Died	18 November 1928(1928-11-18) (aged 45) Stockholm, Sweden
Occupation	Director, screenwriter, actor
Years active	1912–1928
Awards	Walk of Fame - Motion Picture 1713 Vine Street

Mauritz Stiller (born Moshe Stiller, 17 July 1883 – 18 November 1928) was a famous Swedish film director. He was born in Finland, which was then part of the Russian Empire. Stiller is best known for finding the talented actress Greta Garbo. He helped her become a big star in America.

Stiller was a very important person in the early Swedish film industry. He wrote and directed many short films starting in 1912. Later, a big Hollywood studio, Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer, invited him to direct movies in America. He brought Greta Garbo with him. It is believed that he even suggested her famous screen name, Greta Garbo.

Mauritz Stiller had some disagreements with the movie studio bosses in Hollywood. Because of this, he returned to Sweden. He sadly passed away soon after.

Early Life and Moving to Sweden

Moshe Stiller was born in Helsinki, Finland. His family had a Jewish background. They had lived in Russia and Poland before settling in Finland. Young Stiller was raised by family friends. From a very young age, he loved acting. People quickly noticed his talent. Soon, Stiller had chances to act in theaters in Helsinki and Åbo in Finland.

At that time, Finland was part of the Russian Empire. Stiller was asked to join the army of Czar Nicholas II. Instead of joining, he moved to Sweden. He became a Swedish citizen in 1921.

Stiller's Film Career Begins

By 1912, Mauritz Stiller became involved in Sweden's growing silent film industry. He started by writing movie scripts, acting, and directing short films. Within a few years, he stopped acting. He wanted to spend all his time writing and directing.

He soon began directing longer movies. His 1918 film, Thomas Graals bästa barn (Thomas Graal's First Child), was very popular. It starred Karin Molander and Victor Sjöström. By 1920, Stiller had directed more than 35 films. This made him a leading figure in Swedish filmmaking. Some of his famous films include Sir Arne's Treasure and Erotikon. He also directed The Blizzard in 1923. This movie starred a young actor named Einar Hanson. It was based on a novel by Selma Lagerlöf.

Discovering Greta Garbo

Greta Garbo and Stiller on the ship SS Drottningholm in 1925, traveling to the United States.

At the Royal Dramatic Theatre in Stockholm, Stiller met a young actress. Her name was Greta Gustafsson. He gave her an important role in his film, Gösta Berlings saga. Some people say he also gave her the stage name Greta Garbo. Stiller was very impressed by the 18-year-old actress. Her strong presence on screen made him want to help her career.

When Louis B. Mayer from Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM) offered Stiller a job in Hollywood, he accepted. Stiller brought both Greta Garbo and Einar Hanson with him to the United States.

Working in Hollywood

In Hollywood, Mauritz Stiller was supposed to direct The Temptress (1926). This was Greta Garbo's second movie with MGM. However, Stiller found it hard to work with the studio's rules. He had many arguments with the MGM executives. Because of these disagreements, he was replaced by another director, Fred Niblo. His contract with MGM ended.

Stiller was quickly hired by another big studio, Paramount Pictures. He directed three successful films there. But his disagreements with studio bosses continued. He was let go a second time while directing his fourth film.

Later Life and Legacy

Stiller went back to Sweden in 1927. He passed away the next year from a lung illness called pleurisy. He was only 45 years old. He was buried in the Norra begravningsplatsen cemetery in Stockholm.

Mauritz Stiller's important work in movies was honored in 1960. He received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. His star is located at 1713 Vine Street. For many years, his name was spelled wrong on the star. It said "Maurice Diller" by mistake. This was fixed in the late 1980s. A special monument was also built in his honor in Kristianstad, Sweden.

In a TV show called Badehotellet, a character named Kitty talks about Stiller. She says he wanted to take her to Hollywood. When someone asks who he is, Kitty explains that Stiller discovered Greta Garbo. She even shows a newspaper picture of Garbo and Stiller on a ship.

Selected Filmography

Mauritz Stiller directed and wrote many films. Here are some of the movies he worked on:

See also

In Spanish: Mauritz Stiller para niños