Willy Fritsch facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Willy Fritsch
Photography by Alexander Binder, about 1927
Born	Wilhelm Egon Fritz Fritsch (1901-01-27)27 January 1901 Kattowitz, German Empire
Died	13 July 1973(1973-07-13) (aged 72) Hamburg, West Germany
Occupation	Actor
Years active	1921–1964
Spouse(s)	Dinah Grace (d. 1963)
Children	Thomas Fritsch

Willy Fritsch photographed by Alexander Binder, 1920s. Collection EYE Film Institute Netherlands.

Willy Fritsch photographed by Alexander Binder, 1920s. Collection EYE Film Institute Netherlands.

Willy Fritsch (born January 27, 1901 – died July 13, 1973) was a German actor who starred in both theater and films. He was a very popular leading man and character actor from the time of silent movies until the early 1960s.

About Willy Fritsch's Life

His Early Years

Willy Fritsch was born Wilhelm Egon Fritz Fritsch in a town called Kattowitz. This town is now known as Katowice and is in Poland. His father owned a factory. When Willy was 11 years old, in 1912, his father's business went bankrupt.

After this, his family moved to Berlin. There, his father worked for a company called Siemens-Schuckert. Young Willy first thought about becoming a mechanic. But soon, he started working as an extra at a big theater called the Großes Schauspielhaus.

Becoming a Star: 1919-1932

In 1919, Willy Fritsch began studying acting at the Deutsches Theater. He started with small roles and sometimes performed alongside famous actors like Marlene Dietrich. His first movie role was in Miss Venus in 1920. Three years later, he got a more important role in His Mysterious Adventure.

In 1925, Willy Fritsch became known around the world. He played the main character in the silent film A Waltz Dream. He was offered a contract to work in the United States. However, he decided not to move because he was worried about his English skills.

The UFA film company helped his career grow. He often played young lovers in silent comedies. Some of these popular films included Chaste Susanne (1926) and The Last Waltz (1927). He also starred in two serious silent films directed by Fritz Lang: the thriller Spies (1928) and the sci-fi movie Woman in the Moon (1929). These movies made him famous internationally.

In 1929, Willy Fritsch spoke the first words ever heard in a German talkie. He said, "I'm saving money to buy a horse!" in the movie Melody of the Heart. Soon after, he teamed up with Lilian Harvey again. They had worked together twice before. Their musical comedy Waltz of Love (1930) was a huge hit.

Because of this success, the producer decided to keep making movies with them. They were called the "perfect couple." They appeared in many UFA movies together, like The Three from the Filling Station (1930) and Congress Dances (1931). Willy Fritsch also starred with Käthe von Nagy in films like Her Grace Commands (1931). He was also a good singer in his musical comedies. He performed popular German film songs.

By the end of the 1920s, he was one of the highest-paid actors in Germany. Many fans loved him. Songs were even written about him, like "I'm In Love With Willy Fritsch" (1931).

During World War II: 1933-1945

When Adolf Hitler came to power in 1933, Willy Fritsch was able to continue his acting career in Germany. In the mid-1930s, he starred in very successful comedies. These included Amphitryon (1935) and Lucky Kids (1936). Lucky Kids was a German version of the American film It Happened One Night.

He made two more comedies with Lilian Harvey, Seven Slaps (1937) and Woman At The Wheel (1939). After this, Lilian Harvey moved to France. In 1940, Willy Fritsch also played the main role in the first German color movie, Women Are Better Diplomats.

Willy Fritsch joined the Nazi Party because he felt pressured to do so. However, he tried to avoid being involved in Nazi propaganda. He only appeared in one aviator movie, Junge Adler [de] (1944), which put him on a special list by Joseph Goebbels. He also starred in comedies from Austria, like Vienna Blood (1942) and A Salzburg Comedy (1943). Even though the secret police watched him for "not being politically reliable," he kept his good reputation during the Hitler era.

Later Career: 1945-1964

After World War II, Willy Fritsch moved to Hamburg. He continued to act in movies such as Film Without A Title (1948). He also appeared in big German films like The Heath Is Green (1951) and When the White Lilacs Bloom Again (1953). In these films, he acted alongside young stars like Romy Schneider.

In 1958, Fritsch starred in the German movie Mit Eva fing die Sünde an [de]. This film was later changed and added to by Francis Ford Coppola for his first movie, The Bellboy and the Playgirls (1962).

Willy Fritsch's last film was I Learned It from Father (1964). In this movie, he acted with his son, Thomas Fritsch, who also became a successful actor.

Willy Fritsch's Family Life

Willy Fritsch married a dancer named Dinah Grace in 1937. They had two sons. His younger son, Thomas Fritsch, became a well-known actor, just like his father.

Willy Fritsch passed away from a heart attack when he was 72 years old. He was buried in Ohlsdorf Cemetery in Hamburg.

Filmography

Silent Films

Sound Films

Images for kids

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  Willy Fritsch photographed by Alexander Binder, 1920s. Collection EYE Film Institute Netherlands.

See also

In Spanish: Willy Fritsch para niños