German character actor, an ex-bank employee.
On stage from 1910 despite lack of formal training.
Performed primarily in Hamburg and Berlin during the 1910's and 20's.
In films for almost half a century, beginning in 1916.
Often played physicians, aristocrats, judicial figures or officers.
Noted for strong performances in several East German Defa productions.
Also provided the German dubbing voice for Claude Rains, Robert Taylor and Gig Young.
His activity in front of the camera decreased after the war but especially in the 50's he took part in great productions once more, among them "Das Beil von Wandsbek" (1951), "Der Untertan" (1951), "Canaris" (1954) and "Madeleine und der Legionär" (1958).
During the war he was able to continue his career and he entertained the audience with movies like "Quax, der Bruchpilot" (1941), "Diesel" (1942) and "Ich vertraue Dir meine Frau an" (1943).
The actor Arthur Schröder was a popular support actor whose film career covers 47 years.
Admiral Canaris is chief of the intelligence service of Nazi Germany. His department is quite successful and Hitler grants him all the money he wants for new developments. Still he's a thorn in the side of the Nazi chiefs, since he's not as unscrupulous as they want him and is known to criticize their ideology.
Diederich Heßling is scared of everything and everyone. But as he grows up, he comes to realize that he has to offer his services to the powers-that-be if he wants to wield power himself. His life motto now runs: bow to those at the top and tread on those below. In this way, he always succeeds: as a student in a duel-fighting student fraternity and as a businessman in a paper factory. He cajoles the obese district administrative president Von Wulkow and wins his favor. He slanders his financial rivals and hatches a plot with the social democrats in the town council. On his honeymoon with his rich wife Guste, he finally finds a chance to do his beloved Kaiser a favor. And when a memorial to the Kaiser is unveiled in the town where Diederich lives and works, he delivers the address. He stands behind the lectern in the pouring rain, saluting his Kaiser. The crowd is dispersed. Everything is laid in ruins...
Hamburg, Germany 1934: An executioner is needed. Teetjen makes the biggest mistake of his life. Because his butcher shop is facing bankruptcy, he agrees to execute a group of political prisoners for the Nazis. Once this becomes known, Teetjen’s life falls apart.
Adaptation of Molière's comedy "The Imaginary Invalid", about a hypochondriac, his doctor, his daughter and her lover.