Ondra, Anny (1903-1987)

Ondra, Anny

ACTOR, SINGER (AUSTRIAN EMPIRE)

BORN 15 May 1903, Tarnów (now Poland) - DIED 28 Feb 1987, Hollenstedt (near Hamburg)
BIRTH NAME Ondráková, Anna Sophie
CAUSE OF DEATH stroke
GRAVE LOCATION Hollenstedt, Niedersachsen: St. Andreas Friedhof, Max Schmelingstrasse

Anny Ondráková was the daughter of an officer in the Austrian army. She grew up in Prague and after attending a convent school she studied acting with a professor Bor. From 1919 onwards she cooperated with actor and director Carl Lamac who became her first husband. During the 1920s she became a well known comedian in Czechoslovakian movies and "Evas Töchter" (1928) and "Sündig und süß" (1929) made her famous in Germany.

In 1929 she appeared in the Hitchcock movies "Blackmail" and "The Manxman". "Blackmail" was the first movie with voice synchronisation. Ondra moved her lips and Joan Barry spoke her part in English. In 1930 she founded the Ondra-Lamac-Filmgesellschaft in Germany that existed until 1936. Her first sound movie "Die vom Rummelplatz" (1930) is lost. During the filming of "Die Regimentstochter" (1932) she met the German boxer Max Schmeling in Vienna. They married in 1933 and in 1935 she appeared with Schmeling in "Knock-Out".

She became pregnant but miscarried after a car incident. The marriage remained childless but continued until her death. She made several more movies until 1942 and finally in "Schön muss man sein" in 1951. In 1957 she appeared as herself in "Die Zürcher Verlobung" (1957). In 1979 Robert Michael Lewis filmed "Ring of Passion" about Ondra and Schmeling with Britt Eklund as Ondra.

After her death in 1987 she was buried in Hollenstedt near Hamburg. Schmeling lived until 2005 and was buried beside her.

Family
• Husband: Schmeling, Max (1933-1987, Bad Saarow)

Related persons
• was a friend of Schreck, Max
• worked as a model for Thorak, Josef

Images
Anny Ondra. (1933-1934)	Anny Ondra. Picture by Tobis Magna/Terra Filmkunst	The grave of Anny Ondra and Max Schmeling at the St. Andreasfriedhof, Hollenstedt. Picture by androom (19 dec 2012)
The grave of Anny Ondra and Max Schmeling at the St. Andreasfriedhof, Hollenstedt. Picture by androom (19 dec 2012)	Annie Ondra in "Die Tochter des Regiments". Picture by Ondra Lamac Film	Anny Ondra (1933-1934) Picture by Binder