Fröhlich, Gustav (1902-1987)

Fröhlich, Gustav

ACTOR, DIRECTOR (GERMANY)

BORN 21 Mar 1902, Hannover, Niedersachsen - DIED 22 Dec 1987, Lugano, Ticino
GRAVE LOCATION Brissago, Ticino: Cimitero di Brissago, Via Valmara 9 (Colombarium (ashes))

Gustav Fröhlich was the son of an engineer. He grew up with foster parents in Hanover and Würzburg. He worked as an editor for a while and wrote two cheap novels, but in 1922 he made his movie debut as Franz Liszt in "Paganini". When he worked on the set of the movie Metroloplis he was noticed by Thea von Harbou, the wife of director Fritz Lang. She gave him the part of Freder in the movie and this made him famous.

In 1930 he was contracted by Warner Brothers to appear in German versions of American movies. In 1931 he married the actress Gitta Alpar. He worked in hollywood for a while. After his return in Germany he directed "Rakoczy-Marsch" and he appeared in futher movies. He and Gitta had a daughter, Julika, in 1934 but a divorce followed in 1935. In 1936 he started living with the actress Lida Baarova. When he lost her to Joseph Goebbels he and Goebbels quarreled. In 1937 he rented his house in Berchtesgaden to Albert Speer. In 1941 he married Maria Hajek (1907-1987) and in the same year he was forced to serve in the Wehrmacht, although his service was interrupted for acting work several times.

He was hardly involved in propaganda movies and this helped him to comtinue his career after the war. He was engaged at the Brunnenhoftheater in Munich in 1946 and he worked under Gustaf Gründgens in Düsseldorf until 1953. In 1951 he was in the move "Die Sünderin" with Hildegard Knef. He also appeared in a few more movies. In 1956 he settled in Brissago at the Lago Maggiore and largely retired from the film business, but he made appearances until the early 1980s. He died in Lugano after an operation in 1987.

Related persons
• was the lover of Baarova, Lida
• was discovered by Harbou, Thea von
• has a connection with Speer, Albert
• was directed by Weiss, Helmut

Events

Images
Gustav Fröhlich and Camilla Horn in "Rakoczymarsch". (c.1933)	Gustav Fröhlich and Camilla Horn in "Rakoczymarsch". (c.1933)	Gustav Fröhlich.
The grave of Gustav Fröhlich at the Chiesa Madonna di Ponte in Brissago, Ticino. Picture by Androom (16 Feb 2019)	Gustav fröhlich. (1939-1940) Picture by Bavaria