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French postcard by Editions Cinémagazine, no. 552. Photo: Jean Dehelly as the symbolic figure of the young man and an anonymous local woman as the the symbolic figure of the young woman in Léon Poirier's silent film Verdun, visions d'histoire/Verdun, historical visions (Léon Poirier, 1928).

Jean Dehelly (1896-1964) was a French film actor, who was active in French cinema of the 1920s and early 1930s.

The French silent film Verdun, visions d'histoire (Léon Poirier, 1928) is a dramatised account of the Battle of Verdun (1916), a key World War I battle. French troops, fighting alone and often in desperate hand-to-hand combat, had to halt the German advance at all costs. The film uses newsreel footage, director Léon Poirier's own highly realistic reconstructions of the conflict and some little dramatic scenes which add a thread of personal interest to the events.

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Dutch postcard, no. 125. Photo: Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer.

Between 1939 and 1951, American actor Robert Walker (1918-1951) played in about twenty films. He starred in Alfred Hitchcock's psychological thriller Strangers on a Train (1949) as the madman who proposes a perfect murder in exchange.

Robert Hudson Walker was born in Salt Lake City in 1918. Walker was the youngest of four children of a newspaper publisher. In 1938, he studied acting at the American Academy of Dramatic Arts (AADA )in New York. A year later, Walker married actress Jennifer Jones, whom he had met at the AADA. They had two sons who later both became actors, the oldest is Robert Walker Jr. Jones met film producer David O. Selznick who cast her in the film The Song of Bernadette (Henry King, 1943). That same year Walker also landed a studio contract with Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer as well as his first major film roles in Hollywood, having gone uncredited for his first three small film roles in 1939. Walker played a soldier in World War II in the war film Bataan (Tay Garnett, 1943) starring Robert Taylor, and would go on to play soldiers on several occasions. Jones and Walker appeared together in the lavishly produced Home Front film Since You Went Away (John Cromwell, 1944) as young lovers whose hopes for a future together remain unfulfilled. At the time, their marriage was on the rocks, with Jennifer Jones leaving him for David O. Selznick. They divorced in 1945. Since You Went Away (1944) was one of the most successful films of the year and finally established Walker in Hollywood.

In his films in the 1940s, Robert Walker primarily adopted the role schema of the nice, often sensitive and shy 'boy next door'. In 1945 he starred in The Clock (Vincente Minnelli, 1945) as a soldier who falls in love with Judy Garland's character on his last weekend in New York before being stationed in Europe. In the post-war period, Walker played two well-known musicians, Jerome Kern in Till the Clouds Roll By (1946) and Johannes Brahms in Song of Love (Clarence Brown, 1947) with Katharine Hepburn. Later Walker appeared several times in comedies such as One Touch of Venus (William A. Seiter, 1948) opposite Ava Gardner and Please Believe Me (Norman Taurioog, 1950) with Deborah Kerr, but with only moderate success. In his private life, Walker increasingly struggled with alcohol problems and mental illness after his divorce from Jennifer Jones. He was hospitalised at the Menninger Clinic in 1949. In 1948, Robert Walker was briefly married to Barbara Ford, the daughter of film director John Ford. In his last marriage, he was married to actress Hanna Hertelendy from July 1949 until his death. In 1951, he died in Los Angeles from an allergic reaction to a tranquilliser after drinking alcohol. He died one month after the premiere of his now best-known film The Stranger on the Train (1951) by Alfred Hitchcock. In this classic thriller, he offered a memorable portrayal of a psychopathic mother's son from a wealthy home who tries to persuade another train passenger (Farley Granger) to commit murder. In the same year, Walker also played another villainous role in the Western Vengeance Valley (Richard Thorpe, 1951) alongside Burt Lancaster. Walker died at the age of 32 while filming his last film, My Son John (1951), directed by Leo McCarey.

Sources: Wikipedia (Dutch and German), and IMDb.

And, please check out our blog European Film Star Postcards.

French postcard by A.N., Paris, no. 445. Photo: R. Tomatis. Publicity still for La Possession/Ownership (Léonce Perret, 1929), based on a play by Henry Bataille.

André Nox (1869-1946) was a French actor who worked in the cinema from 1916 till 1940. During the silent era he starred in French and German films. After the sound film was introduced he mainly played supporting parts.

André Nox was born as Abraham André Nonnes-Lopes in 1869 in Paris, France. He was sometimes credited as André Nonnez. He came from a family of Jewish notables, and was the nephew of dramaturge and author Georges de Porto-Riche. After his studies, he worked in finance before joining the army at the very beginning of the First World War. Demobilised in 1916, when he was about fifty, he abandoned his business to try a career in cinema which was booming at the time. He made his cinema debut for Les Films Succès in the short silent film Sous les phares/Under the lights (1916), directed by André Hugon. He next starred in the silent Western Les chacals/The Jackals (André Hugon, 1917), also starring Louis Paglieri and Musidora. For Huron, he also appeared in Vertige/Vertigo (André Hugon, 1917) starring Régine Marco, the crime film Requins/Sharks (André Hugon, 1917) starring Charles Krauss, Johannes, fils de Johannes/Johannes, son of Johannes (André Huron, Louis Paglieri, 1918) with Musidora, and La Fugitive/The Fugitive (André Hugon, 1920) starring Marie-Louise Derval. He signed a contract with Gaumont and acted in Léon Poirier's Âme de Orient/Soul of the Orient (1919) filmed in Nice, with Madeleine Sève, Charles Dullin and the very young Josette Day. Then he played in Poirier’s Le Penseur/The thinker (Leon Poirier, 1920), a philosophical drama on an idea of Edmond Fleg, with Marguerite Madys and Armand Tallier. Pascal Donald at CinéArtistes calls it “certainly his best role (…) With his pepper and salt hair often shaggy, his face with powerful features and his dark eyes, he is the perfect interpreter of poignant dramas.” For Germaine Dulac, Nox appeared in her La mort du soleil/The Death of the Sun (1922). He played a musician in Le quinzième prélude de Chopin/The fifteenth prelude of Chopin (Victor Tourjanski, 1922). In 1925, he appeared opposite Conrad Veidt in the French silent historical film Le comte Kostia/Count Kostia (Jacques Rober, 1925), set in Tsarist Russia. He had a supporting part in the drama La femme nue/The Nude Woman (Léonce Perret, 1926) starring Iván Petrovich, Louise Lagrange and Nita Naldi, and based on a play by Henry Bataille. In Germany, he appeared with Carmen Boni, Werner Krauss and S.Z. Sakall in the silent film Der fidele Bauer/The Merry Farmer (Franz Seitz, 1927), based on the 1907 operetta of the same title, and in Die Hölle der Jungfrauen/The hell of virgins (Robert Dinesen, 1928) with Werner Krauss and Elizza LaPorta. Back in France, he appeared with Betty Balfour and Jaque Catelain in the drama Le diable au Coeur/Little Devil May Care (Marcel L'Herbier, 1928). One of his best films is Verdun, visions d'histoire/Verdun, historical visions (Léon Poirier, 1928), a dramatic re-enactment of the battle of Verdun during World War I, as seen by both French and German sides. In Germany he also made the silent drama S.O.S. Schiff in Not/Ship in Distress (Carmine Gallone, 1929) starring Liane Haid, Alphons Fryland and Gina Manès.

André Nox could make the step to sound films. He played Hedy Lamarr’s father in Extase/Ecstasy (Gustav Machatý, 1933), which became a sensation because of a daring sex scene. In 1933 he had a part in the French-German Science Fiction film Le tunnel/The Tunnel (Kurt (Curtis) Bernhardt, 1933), starring Jean Gabin, Madeleine Renaud and Robert Le Vigan. It was the French language version of the German film Der Tunnel, with a different cast and some changes to the plot. Both were followed in 1935 by an English version. Such Multiple-language versions were common in the years immediately following the introduction of sound, before the practice of dubbing had come to dominate international releases. Germany and France made a significant number of films together at this time. The film is an adaptation of Bernhard Kellermann's 1913 novel Der Tunnel about the construction of a vast tunnel under the Atlantic Ocean connecting Europe and America. The film's Jewish director Bernhardt had fled Germany following the Nazi takeover, but returned briefly to shoot exterior scenes after being granted special permission by the German government. Nox also appeared in the drama L'Appel du Silence/The Call of Silence (Léon Poirier, 1936), with Jean Yonnel as the Catholic missionary Charles de Foucauld, who traveled the Sahara and was killed by local bandits. A success was Un grand amour de Beethoven/The Life and Loves of Beethoven (Abel Gance, 1936) a lyrical biography of the classical composer played by Harry Baur. Nox reunited with director-writer Marcel L’Herbier for the dramas Nuits de feu/Nights of Fire (Marcel L'Herbier, 1937), starring Gaby Morlay and La citadelle du silence/The Citadel of Silence (Marcel L'Herbier, 1937), starring Annabella. He also had a supporting part in the war foilm J'accuse! (Abel Gance, 1938) starring Victor Francen. It is a remake of the 1919 film of the same name, which was also directed by Gance. He also appeared with Dita Parlo and Erich von Stroheim in the French historical drama Ultimatum (Robert Wiene, Robert Siodmak, 1938). With his friend Léon Poirier, André Nox made in Equatorial Africa what turned out to be his final film, Brazza ou l'épopée du Congo/Brazza or the epic of Congo (Léon Poirier, 1940). On his return from Africa, France was at war. The defeat in June 1940 and the rise of anti-Semitism forced Nox to withdraw to Brittany. He died on 25 February 1946, a few months after the liberation. He did not get the time to return to the cinema. André Nox was 76. His son was the actor Pierre Nonnez-Lopès (1898-1978), known as Pierre Nay.

Sources: Pascal Donald (CinéArtistes – French), Wikipedia (French and English) and IMDb.

French postcard by Editions Cinémagazine, no. 551. Photo: André Nox as L'aumonier (The chaplain) in Léon Poirier's silent film Verdun, visions d'histoire/Verdun, historical visions (1928).

André Nox (1869-1946) was a French actor who worked in the cinema from 1916 till 1940. During the silent era he starred in French and German films. After the sound film was introduced he mainly played supporting parts.

André Nox was born as Abraham André Nonnes-Lopes in 1869 in Paris, France. He was sometimes credited as André Nonnez. He came from a family of Jewish notables, and was the nephew of dramaturge and author Georges de Porto-Riche. After his studies, he worked in finance before joining the army at the very beginning of the First World War. Demobilised in 1916, when he was about fifty, he abandoned his business to try a career in cinema which was booming at the time. He made his cinema debut for Les Films Succès in the short silent film Sous les phares/Under the lights (1916), directed by André Hugon. He next starred in the silent Western Les chacals/The Jackals (André Hugon, 1917), also starring Louis Paglieri and Musidora. For Huron, he also appeared in Vertige/Vertigo (André Hugon, 1917) starring Régine Marco, the crime film Requins/Sharks (André Hugon, 1917) starring Charles Krauss, Johannes, fils de Johannes/Johannes, son of Johannes (André Huron, Louis Paglieri, 1918) with Musidora, and La Fugitive/The Fugitive (André Hugon, 1920) starring Marie-Louise Derval. He signed a contract with Gaumont and acted in Léon Poirier's Âme de Orient/Soul of the Orien" (1919) filmed in Nice, with Madeleine Sève, Charles Dullin and the very young Josette Day. Then he played in Poirier’s Le Penseur/The thinker (Leon Poirier, 1920), a philosophical drama on an idea of Edmond Fleg, with Marguerite Madys and Armand Tallier. Pascal Donald at CinéArtistes calls it “certainly his best role (…) With his pepper and salt hair often shaggy, his face with powerful features and his dark eyes, he is the perfect interpreter of poignant dramas.” For Germaine Dulac, Nox appeared in her La mort du soleil/The Death of the Sun (1922). He played a musician in Le quinzième prélude de Chopin/The fifteenth prelude of Chopin (Victor Tourjanski, 1922). In 1925, he appeared opposite Conrad Veidt in the French silent historical film Le comte Kostia/Count Kostia (Jacques Rober, 1925), set in Tsarist Russia. He had a supporting part in the drama La femme nue/The Nude Woman (Léonce Perret, 1926) starring Iván Petrovich, Louise Lagrange and Nita Naldi, and based on a play by Henry Bataille. In Germany, he appeared with Carmen Boni, Werner Krauss and S.Z. Sakall in the silent film Der fidele Bauer/The Merry Farmer (Franz Seitz, 1927), based on the 1907 operetta of the same title, and in Die Hölle der Jungfrauen/The hell of virgins (Robert Dinesen, 1928) with Werner Krauss and Elizza LaPorta. Back in France, he appeared with Betty Balfour and Jaque Catelain in the drama Le diable au Coeur/Little Devil May Care (Marcel L'Herbier, 1928). One of his best films is Verdun, visions d'histoire/Verdun, historical visions (Léon Poirier, 1928), a dramatic re-enactment of the battle of Verdun during World War I, as seen by both French and German sides. In Germany he also made the silent drama S.O.S. Schiff in Not/Ship in Distress (Carmine Gallone, 1929) starring Liane Haid, Alphons Fryland and Gina Manès.

André Nox could make the step to sound films. He played Hedy Lamarr’s father in Extase/Ecstasy (Gustav Machatý, 1933), which became a sensation because of a daring sex scene. In 1933 he had a part in the French-German Science Fiction film Le tunnel/The Tunnel (Kurt (Curtis) Bernhardt, 1933), starring Jean Gabin, Madeleine Renaud and Robert Le Vigan. It was the French language version of the German film Der Tunnel, with a different cast and some changes to the plot. Both were followed in 1935 by an English version. Such Multiple-language versions were common in the years immediately following the introduction of sound, before the practice of dubbing had come to dominate international releases. Germany and France made a significant number of films together at this time. The film is an adaptation of Bernhard Kellermann's 1913 novel Der Tunnel about the construction of a vast tunnel under the Atlantic Ocean connecting Europe and America. The film's Jewish director Bernhardt had fled Germany following the Nazi takeover, but returned briefly to shoot exterior scenes after being granted special permission by the German government. Nox also appeared in the drama L'Appel du Silence/The Call of Silence (Léon Poirier, 1936), with Jean Yonnel as the Catholic missionary Charles de Foucauld, who traveled the Sahara and was killed by local bandits. A success was Un grand amour de Beethoven/The Life and Loves of Beethoven (Abel Gance, 1936) a lyrical biography of the classical composer played by Harry Baur. Nox reunited with director-writer Marcel L’Herbier for the dramas Nuits de feu/Nights of Fire (Marcel L'Herbier, 1937), starring Gaby Morlay and La citadelle du silence/The Citadel of Silence (Marcel L'Herbier, 1937), starring Annabella. He also had a supporting part in the war foilm J'accuse! (Abel Gance, 1938) starring Victor Francen. It is a remake of the 1919 film of the same name, which was also directed by Gance. He also appeared with Dita Parlo and Erich von Stroheim in the French historical drama Ultimatum (Robert Wiene, Robert Siodmak, 1938). With his friend Léon Poirier, André Nox made in Equatorial Africa what turned out to be his final film, Brazza ou l'épopée du Congo/Brazza or the epic of Congo (Léon Poirier, 1940). On his return from Africa, France was at war. The defeat in June 1940 and the rise of anti-Semitism forced Nox to withdraw to Brittany. He died on 25 February 1946, a few months after the liberation. He did not get the time to return to the cinema. André Nox was 76. His son was the actor Pierre Nonnez-Lopès (1898-1978), known as Pierre Nay.

Sources: Pascal Donald (CinéArtistes – French), Wikipedia (French and English) and IMDb.

French postcard. Photo: V. Henry.

André Nox (1869-1946) was a French actor who worked in the cinema from 1916 till 1940. During the silent era he starred in French and German films. After the sound film was introduced he mainly played supporting parts.

André Nox was born as Abraham André Nonnes-Lopes in 1869 in Paris, France. He was sometimes credited as André Nonnez. He came from a family of Jewish notables, and was the nephew of dramaturge and author Georges de Porto-Riche. After his studies, he worked in finance before joining the army at the very beginning of the First World War. Demobilised in 1916, when he was about fifty, he abandoned his business to try a career in cinema which was booming at the time. He made his cinema debut for Les Films Succès in the short silent film Sous les phares/Under the lights (1916), directed by André Hugon. He next starred in the silent Western Les chacals/The Jackals (André Hugon, 1917), also starring Louis Paglieri and Musidora. For Huron, he also appeared in Vertige/Vertigo (André Hugon, 1917) starring Régine Marco, the crime film Requins/Sharks (André Hugon, 1917) starring Charles Krauss, Johannes, fils de Johannes/Johannes, son of Johannes (André Huron, Louis Paglieri, 1918) with Musidora, and La Fugitive/The Fugitive (André Hugon, 1920) starring Marie-Louise Derval. He signed a contract with Gaumont and acted in Léon Poirier's Âme de Orient/Soul of the Orien" (1919) filmed in Nice, with Madeleine Sève, Charles Dullin and the very young Josette Day. Then he played in Poirier’s Le Penseur/The thinker (Leon Poirier, 1920), a philosophical drama on an idea of Edmond Fleg, with Marguerite Madys and Armand Tallier. Pascal Donald at CinéArtistes calls it “certainly his best role (…) With his pepper and salt hair often shaggy, his face with powerful features and his dark eyes, he is the perfect interpreter of poignant dramas.” For Germaine Dulac, Nox appeared in her La mort du soleil/The Death of the Sun (1922). He played a musician in Le quinzième prélude de Chopin/The fifteenth prelude of Chopin (Victor Tourjanski, 1922). In 1925, he appeared opposite Conrad Veidt in the French silent historical film Le comte Kostia/Count Kostia (Jacques Rober, 1925), set in Tsarist Russia. He had a supporting part in the drama La femme nue/The Nude Woman (Léonce Perret, 1926) starring Iván Petrovich, Louise Lagrange and Nita Naldi, and based on a play by Henry Bataille. In Germany, he appeared with Carmen Boni, Werner Krauss and S.Z. Sakall in the silent film Der fidele Bauer/The Merry Farmer (Franz Seitz, 1927), based on the 1907 operetta of the same title, and in Die Hölle der Jungfrauen/The hell of virgins (Robert Dinesen, 1928) with Werner Krauss and Elizza LaPorta. Back in France, he appeared with Betty Balfour and Jaque Catelain in the drama Le diable au Coeur/Little Devil May Care (Marcel L'Herbier, 1928). One of his best films is Verdun, visions d'histoire/Verdun, historical visions (Léon Poirier, 1928), a dramatic re-enactment of the battle of Verdun during World War I, as seen by both French and German sides. In Germany he also made the silent drama S.O.S. Schiff in Not/Ship in Distress (Carmine Gallone, 1929) starring Liane Haid, Alphons Fryland and Gina Manès.

André Nox could make the step to sound films. He played Hedy Lamarr’s father in Extase/Ecstasy (Gustav Machatý, 1933), which became a sensation because of a daring sex scene. In 1933 he had a part in the French-German Science Fiction film Le tunnel/The Tunnel (Kurt (Curtis) Bernhardt, 1933), starring Jean Gabin, Madeleine Renaud and Robert Le Vigan. It was the French language version of the German film Der Tunnel, with a different cast and some changes to the plot. Both were followed in 1935 by an English version. Such Multiple-language versions were common in the years immediately following the introduction of sound, before the practice of dubbing had come to dominate international releases. Germany and France made a significant number of films together at this time. The film is an adaptation of Bernhard Kellermann's 1913 novel Der Tunnel about the construction of a vast tunnel under the Atlantic Ocean connecting Europe and America. The film's Jewish director Bernhardt had fled Germany following the Nazi takeover, but returned briefly to shoot exterior scenes after being granted special permission by the German government. Nox also appeared in the drama L'Appel du Silence/The Call of Silence (Léon Poirier, 1936), with Jean Yonnel as the Catholic missionary Charles de Foucauld, who traveled the Sahara and was killed by local bandits. A success was Un grand amour de Beethoven/The Life and Loves of Beethoven (Abel Gance, 1936) a lyrical biography of the classical composer played by Harry Baur. Nox reunited with director-writer Marcel L’Herbier for the dramas Nuits de feu/Nights of Fire (Marcel L'Herbier, 1937), starring Gaby Morlay and La citadelle du silence/The Citadel of Silence (Marcel L'Herbier, 1937), starring Annabella. He also had a supporting part in the war foilm J'accuse! (Abel Gance, 1938) starring Victor Francen. It is a remake of the 1919 film of the same name, which was also directed by Gance. He also appeared with Dita Parlo and Erich von Stroheim in the French historical drama Ultimatum (Robert Wiene, Robert Siodmak, 1938). With his friend Léon Poirier, André Nox made in Equatorial Africa what turned out to be his final film, Brazza ou l'épopée du Congo/Brazza or the epic of Congo (Léon Poirier, 1940). On his return from Africa, France was at war. The defeat in June 1940 and the rise of anti-Semitism forced Nox to withdraw to Brittany. He died on 25 February 1946, a few months after the liberation. He did not get the time to return to the cinema. André Nox was 76. His son was the actor Pierre Nonnez-Lopès (1898-1978), known as Pierre Nay.

Sources: Pascal Donald (CinéArtistes – French), Wikipedia (French and English) and IMDb.

French postcard. Photo: Gaumont.

André Nox (1869-1946) was a French actor who worked in the cinema from 1916 till 1940. During the silent era he starred in French and German films. After the sound film was introduced he mainly played supporting parts.

André Nox was born as Abraham André Nonnes-Lopes in 1869 in Paris, France. He was sometimes credited as André Nonnez. He came from a family of Jewish notables, and was the nephew of dramaturge and author Georges de Porto-Riche. After his studies, he worked in finance before joining the army at the very beginning of the First World War. Demobilised in 1916, when he was about fifty, he abandoned his business to try a career in cinema which was booming at the time. He made his cinema debut for Les Films Succès in the short silent film Sous les phares/Under the lights (1916), directed by André Hugon. He next starred in the silent Western Les chacals/The Jackals (André Hugon, 1917), also starring Louis Paglieri and Musidora. For Huron, he also appeared in Vertige/Vertigo (André Hugon, 1917) starring Régine Marco, the crime film Requins/Sharks (André Hugon, 1917) starring Charles Krauss, Johannes, fils de Johannes/Johannes, son of Johannes (André Huron, Louis Paglieri, 1918) with Musidora, and La Fugitive/The Fugitive (André Hugon, 1920) starring Marie-Louise Derval. He signed a contract with Gaumont and acted in Léon Poirier's Âme de Orient/Soul of the Orien" (1919) filmed in Nice, with Madeleine Sève, Charles Dullin and the very young Josette Day. Then he played in Poirier’s Le Penseur/The thinker (Leon Poirier, 1920), a philosophical drama on an idea of Edmond Fleg, with Marguerite Madys and Armand Tallier. Pascal Donald at CinéArtistes calls it “certainly his best role (…) With his pepper and salt hair often shaggy, his face with powerful features and his dark eyes, he is the perfect interpreter of poignant dramas.” For Germaine Dulac, Nox appeared in her La mort du soleil/The Death of the Sun (1922). He played a musician in Le quinzième prélude de Chopin/The fifteenth prelude of Chopin (Victor Tourjanski, 1922). In 1925, he appeared opposite Conrad Veidt in the French silent historical film Le comte Kostia/Count Kostia (Jacques Rober, 1925), set in Tsarist Russia. He had a supporting part in the drama La femme nue/The Nude Woman (Léonce Perret, 1926) starring Iván Petrovich, Louise Lagrange and Nita Naldi, and based on a play by Henry Bataille. In Germany, he appeared with Carmen Boni, Werner Krauss and S.Z. Sakall in the silent film Der fidele Bauer/The Merry Farmer (Franz Seitz, 1927), based on the 1907 operetta of the same title, and in Die Hölle der Jungfrauen/The hell of virgins (Robert Dinesen, 1928) with Werner Krauss and Elizza LaPorta. Back in France, he appeared with Betty Balfour and Jaque Catelain in the drama Le diable au Coeur/Little Devil May Care (Marcel L'Herbier, 1928). One of his best films is Verdun, visions d'histoire/Verdun, historical visions (Léon Poirier, 1928), a dramatic re-enactment of the battle of Verdun during World War I, as seen by both French and German sides. In Germany he also made the silent drama S.O.S. Schiff in Not/Ship in Distress (Carmine Gallone, 1929) starring Liane Haid, Alphons Fryland and Gina Manès.

André Nox could make the step to sound films. He played Hedy Lamarr’s father in Extase/Ecstasy (Gustav Machatý, 1933), which became a sensation because of a daring sex scene. In 1933 he had a part in the French-German Science Fiction film Le tunnel/The Tunnel (Kurt (Curtis) Bernhardt, 1933), starring Jean Gabin, Madeleine Renaud and Robert Le Vigan. It was the French language version of the German film Der Tunnel, with a different cast and some changes to the plot. Both were followed in 1935 by an English version. Such Multiple-language versions were common in the years immediately following the introduction of sound, before the practice of dubbing had come to dominate international releases. Germany and France made a significant number of films together at this time. The film is an adaptation of Bernhard Kellermann's 1913 novel Der Tunnel about the construction of a vast tunnel under the Atlantic Ocean connecting Europe and America. The film's Jewish director Bernhardt had fled Germany following the Nazi takeover, but returned briefly to shoot exterior scenes after being granted special permission by the German government. Nox also appeared in the drama L'Appel du Silence/The Call of Silence (Léon Poirier, 1936), with Jean Yonnel as the Catholic missionary Charles de Foucauld, who traveled the Sahara and was killed by local bandits. A success was Un grand amour de Beethoven/The Life and Loves of Beethoven (Abel Gance, 1936) a lyrical biography of the classical composer played by Harry Baur. Nox reunited with director-writer Marcel L’Herbier for the dramas Nuits de feu/Nights of Fire (Marcel L'Herbier, 1937), starring Gaby Morlay and La citadelle du silence/The Citadel of Silence (Marcel L'Herbier, 1937), starring Annabella. He also had a supporting part in the war foilm J'accuse! (Abel Gance, 1938) starring Victor Francen. It is a remake of the 1919 film of the same name, which was also directed by Gance. He also appeared with Dita Parlo and Erich von Stroheim in the French historical drama Ultimatum (Robert Wiene, Robert Siodmak, 1938). With his friend Léon Poirier, André Nox made in Equatorial Africa what turned out to be his final film, Brazza ou l'épopée du Congo/Brazza or the epic of Congo (Léon Poirier, 1940). On his return from Africa, France was at war. The defeat in June 1940 and the rise of anti-Semitism forced Nox to withdraw to Brittany. He died on 25 February 1946, a few months after the liberation. He did not get the time to return to the cinema. André Nox was 76. His son was the actor Pierre Nonnez-Lopès (1898-1978), known as Pierre Nay.

Sources: Pascal Donald (CinéArtistes – French), Wikipedia (French and English) and IMDb.

French postcard by Editions Cinémagazine, no. 20.

André Nox (1869-1946) was a French actor who worked in the cinema from 1916 till 1940. During the silent era he starred in French and German films. After the sound film was introduced he mainly played supporting parts.

André Nox was born as Abraham André Nonnes-Lopes in 1869 in Paris, France. He was sometimes credited as André Nonnez. He came from a family of Jewish notables, and was the nephew of dramaturge and author Georges de Porto-Riche. After his studies, he worked in finance before joining the army at the very beginning of the First World War. Demobilised in 1916, when he was about fifty, he abandoned his business to try a career in cinema which was booming at the time. He made his cinema debut for Les Films Succès in the short silent film Sous les phares/Under the lights (1916), directed by André Hugon. He next starred in the silent Western Les chacals/The Jackals (André Hugon, 1917), also starring Louis Paglieri and Musidora. For Huron, he also appeared in Vertige/Vertigo (André Hugon, 1917) starring Régine Marco, the crime film Requins/Sharks (André Hugon, 1917) starring Charles Krauss, Johannes, fils de Johannes/Johannes, son of Johannes (André Huron, Louis Paglieri, 1918) with Musidora, and La Fugitive/The Fugitive (André Hugon, 1920) starring Marie-Louise Derval. He signed a contract with Gaumont and acted in Léon Poirier's Âme de Orient/Soul of the Orien" (1919) filmed in Nice, with Madeleine Sève, Charles Dullin and the very young Josette Day. Then he played in Poirier’s Le Penseur/The thinker (Leon Poirier, 1920), a philosophical drama on an idea of Edmond Fleg, with Marguerite Madys and Armand Tallier. Pascal Donald at CinéArtistes calls it “certainly his best role (…) With his pepper and salt hair often shaggy, his face with powerful features and his dark eyes, he is the perfect interpreter of poignant dramas.” For Germaine Dulac, Nox appeared in her La mort du soleil/The Death of the Sun (1922). He played a musician in Le quinzième prélude de Chopin/The fifteenth prelude of Chopin (Victor Tourjanski, 1922). In 1925, he appeared opposite Conrad Veidt in the French silent historical film Le comte Kostia/Count Kostia (Jacques Rober, 1925), set in Tsarist Russia. He had a supporting part in the drama La femme nue/The Nude Woman (Léonce Perret, 1926) starring Iván Petrovich, Louise Lagrange and Nita Naldi, and based on a play by Henry Bataille. In Germany, he appeared with Carmen Boni, Werner Krauss and S.Z. Sakall in the silent film Der fidele Bauer/The Merry Farmer (Franz Seitz, 1927), based on the 1907 operetta of the same title, and in Die Hölle der Jungfrauen/The hell of virgins (Robert Dinesen, 1928) with Werner Krauss and Elizza LaPorta. Back in France, he appeared with Betty Balfour and Jaque Catelain in the drama Le diable au Coeur/Little Devil May Care (Marcel L'Herbier, 1928). One of his best films is Verdun, visions d'histoire/Verdun, historical visions (Léon Poirier, 1928), a dramatic re-enactment of the battle of Verdun during World War I, as seen by both French and German sides. In Germany he also made the silent drama S.O.S. Schiff in Not/Ship in Distress (Carmine Gallone, 1929) starring Liane Haid, Alphons Fryland and Gina Manès.

André Nox could make the step to sound films. He played Hedy Lamarr’s father in Extase/Ecstasy (Gustav Machatý, 1933), which became a sensation because of a daring sex scene. In 1933 he had a part in the French-German Science Fiction film Le tunnel/The Tunnel (Kurt (Curtis) Bernhardt, 1933), starring Jean Gabin, Madeleine Renaud and Robert Le Vigan. It was the French language version of the German film Der Tunnel, with a different cast and some changes to the plot. Both were followed in 1935 by an English version. Such Multiple-language versions were common in the years immediately following the introduction of sound, before the practice of dubbing had come to dominate international releases. Germany and France made a significant number of films together at this time. The film is an adaptation of Bernhard Kellermann's 1913 novel Der Tunnel about the construction of a vast tunnel under the Atlantic Ocean connecting Europe and America. The film's Jewish director Bernhardt had fled Germany following the Nazi takeover, but returned briefly to shoot exterior scenes after being granted special permission by the German government. Nox also appeared in the drama L'Appel du Silence/The Call of Silence (Léon Poirier, 1936), with Jean Yonnel as the Catholic missionary Charles de Foucauld, who traveled the Sahara and was killed by local bandits. A success was Un grand amour de Beethoven/The Life and Loves of Beethoven (Abel Gance, 1936) a lyrical biography of the classical composer played by Harry Baur. Nox reunited with director-writer Marcel L’Herbier for the dramas Nuits de feu/Nights of Fire (Marcel L'Herbier, 1937), starring Gaby Morlay and La citadelle du silence/The Citadel of Silence (Marcel L'Herbier, 1937), starring Annabella. He also had a supporting part in the war foilm J'accuse! (Abel Gance, 1938) starring Victor Francen. It is a remake of the 1919 film of the same name, which was also directed by Gance. He also appeared with Dita Parlo and Erich von Stroheim in the French historical drama Ultimatum (Robert Wiene, Robert Siodmak, 1938). With his friend Léon Poirier, André Nox made in Equatorial Africa what turned out to be his final film, Brazza ou l'épopée du Congo/Brazza or the epic of Congo (Léon Poirier, 1940). On his return from Africa, France was at war. The defeat in June 1940 and the rise of anti-Semitism forced Nox to withdraw to Brittany. He died on 25 February 1946, a few months after the liberation. He did not get the time to return to the cinema. André Nox was 76. His son was the actor Pierre Nonnez-Lopès (1898-1978), known as Pierre Nay.

Sources: Pascal Donald (CinéArtistes – French), Wikipedia (French and English) and IMDb.

East-German postcard by VEB Progress Film-Vertrieb, Berlin, no. 2927, 1967. Photo: Balinski.

Otto Mellies (1931) is a German actor and voice actor. For the DEFA, he appeared in several films during the 1950s and 1960s.

Otto Ewald Ernst Mellies was born in 1931 in Stolp (some sources say Schlawe), Germany (now Slupsk, Poland). A large part of his family died just before the end of the war. He and his older brother, the later actor Eberhard Mellies, had to take care for themselves. The 14 years-old worked as a caretaker for horses of Russian soldiers. From 1947 to 1949, he attended the Staatliche Schauspielschule Schwerin (State Drama School in Schwerin). His first employer in 1949 was the Mecklenburgisches Staatstheater Schwerin. His debut role was that of the student in Goethe's Faust. He then played in Neustrelitz, Stralsund, Rostock and Erfurt. In Stralsund, Mellies debuted in 1951 in Gotthold Ephraim Lessing’s classic play Nathan der Weise (Nathan the Wise) in the role of the Temple Lord at the Stralsund Theater. In 1956 Wolfgang Langhoff brought him to the Deutsches Theater Berlin. He belonged to the ensemble of the Deutsches Theater for 50 years. There he appeared in Henrik Ibsen's Peer Gynt, Jean-Paul Sartre's The Flies and August Strindberg's The Ghost Sonata. He repeatedly played under the direction of Jürgen Gosch and Thomas Langhoff. From 1987 on, he appeared there 325 times as Nathan the Wise in the production of Friedo Solter.

Since 1955, Otto Mellies is also working for the cinema. His debut film was the DEFA production Sommerliebe/Summer Love (Franz Barrenstein, 1955). In 1960 he was awarded the Heinrich Greif Prize First Class for his role as Ferdinand in Kabale and Liebe/Intrigue and Love (Martin Hellberg, 1959). Other popular films are the Jacques Offenbach-Operette film Die schöne Lurette (Gottfried Kolditz, 1960) and the literature adaptation Minna von Barnhelm oder das Soldatenglück (Martin Hellberg, 1962). In addition, Mellies works as a voice actor. After the death of Gert Günther Hoffmann he became the German voice of Paul Newman. In addition, he dubbed such actors as Christopher Lee, Michael Gambon, Maximilian Schell, Omero Antonutti, Pierre Vaneck, James Cromwell and Raf Vallone and also participated in numerous radio plays. In 2012 he was awarded the German Film Prize for Best Supporting Actor for his role in the family drama Halt auf freier Strecke/Stopped on Track (Andreas Dresen, 2011) as the father of Milan Peschel. Since 2015, he moderates the radio show Abschied ist ein leises Wort (Farewell is a quiet word). Otto Mellies lives in Berlin-Bohnsdorf and is married and has two children.

Sources: Ines Walk (Film-zeit.de – German), Wikipedia, and IMDb.

French postcard by Cinémagazine-Edition, no. 57. Photo: Gibory.

André Nox (1869-1946) was a French actor who worked in the cinema from 1916 till 1940. During the silent era he starred in French and German films. After the sound film was introduced he mainly played supporting parts.

André Nox was born as Abraham André Nonnes-Lopes in 1869 in Paris, France. He was sometimes credited as André Nonnez. He came from a family of Jewish notables, and was the nephew of dramaturge and author Georges de Porto-Riche. After his studies, he worked in finance before joining the army at the very beginning of the First World War. Demobilised in 1916, when he was about fifty, he abandoned his business to try a career in cinema which was booming at the time. He made his cinema debut for Les Films Succès in the short silent film Sous les phares/Under the lights (1916), directed by André Hugon. He next starred in the silent Western Les chacals/The Jackals (André Hugon, 1917), also starring Louis Paglieri and Musidora. For Huron, he also appeared in Vertige/Vertigo (André Hugon, 1917) starring Régine Marco, the crime film Requins/Sharks (André Hugon, 1917) starring Charles Krauss, Johannes, fils de Johannes/Johannes, son of Johannes (André Huron, Louis Paglieri, 1918) with Musidora, and La Fugitive/The Fugitive (André Hugon, 1920) starring Marie-Louise Derval. He signed a contract with Gaumont and acted in Léon Poirier's Âme de Orient/Soul of the Orien" (1919) filmed in Nice, with Madeleine Sève, Charles Dullin and the very young Josette Day. Then he played in Poirier’s Le Penseur/The thinker (Leon Poirier, 1920), a philosophical drama on an idea of Edmond Fleg, with Marguerite Madys and Armand Tallier. Pascal Donald at CinéArtistes calls it “certainly his best role (…) With his pepper and salt hair often shaggy, his face with powerful features and his dark eyes, he is the perfect interpreter of poignant dramas.” For Germaine Dulac, Nox appeared in her La mort du soleil/The Death of the Sun (1922). He played a musician in Le quinzième prélude de Chopin/The fifteenth prelude of Chopin (Victor Tourjanski, 1922). In 1925, he appeared opposite Conrad Veidt in the French silent historical film Le comte Kostia/Count Kostia (Jacques Rober, 1925), set in Tsarist Russia. He had a supporting part in the drama La femme nue/The Nude Woman (Léonce Perret, 1926) starring Iván Petrovich, Louise Lagrange and Nita Naldi, and based on a play by Henry Bataille. In Germany, he appeared with Carmen Boni, Werner Krauss and S.Z. Sakall in the silent film Der fidele Bauer/The Merry Farmer (Franz Seitz, 1927), based on the 1907 operetta of the same title, and in Die Hölle der Jungfrauen/The hell of virgins (Robert Dinesen, 1928) with Werner Krauss and Elizza LaPorta. Back in France, he appeared with Betty Balfour and Jaque Catelain in the drama Le diable au Coeur/Little Devil May Care (Marcel L'Herbier, 1928). One of his best films is Verdun, visions d'histoire/Verdun, historical visions (Léon Poirier, 1928), a dramatic re-enactment of the battle of Verdun during World War I, as seen by both French and German sides. In Germany he also made the silent drama S.O.S. Schiff in Not/Ship in Distress (Carmine Gallone, 1929) starring Liane Haid, Alphons Fryland and Gina Manès.

André Nox could make the step to sound films. He played Hedy Lamarr’s father in Extase/Ecstasy (Gustav Machatý, 1933), which became a sensation because of a daring sex scene. In 1933 he had a part in the French-German Science Fiction film Le tunnel/The Tunnel (Kurt (Curtis) Bernhardt, 1933), starring Jean Gabin, Madeleine Renaud and Robert Le Vigan. It was the French language version of the German film Der Tunnel, with a different cast and some changes to the plot. Both were followed in 1935 by an English version. Such Multiple-language versions were common in the years immediately following the introduction of sound, before the practice of dubbing had come to dominate international releases. Germany and France made a significant number of films together at this time. The film is an adaptation of Bernhard Kellermann's 1913 novel Der Tunnel about the construction of a vast tunnel under the Atlantic Ocean connecting Europe and America. The film's Jewish director Bernhardt had fled Germany following the Nazi takeover, but returned briefly to shoot exterior scenes after being granted special permission by the German government. Nox also appeared in the drama L'Appel du Silence/The Call of Silence (Léon Poirier, 1936), with Jean Yonnel as the Catholic missionary Charles de Foucauld, who traveled the Sahara and was killed by local bandits. A success was Un grand amour de Beethoven/The Life and Loves of Beethoven (Abel Gance, 1936) a lyrical biography of the classical composer played by Harry Baur. Nox reunited with director-writer Marcel L’Herbier for the dramas Nuits de feu/Nights of Fire (Marcel L'Herbier, 1937), starring Gaby Morlay and La citadelle du silence/The Citadel of Silence (Marcel L'Herbier, 1937), starring Annabella. He also had a supporting part in the war foilm J'accuse! (Abel Gance, 1938) starring Victor Francen. It is a remake of the 1919 film of the same name, which was also directed by Gance. He also appeared with Dita Parlo and Erich von Stroheim in the French historical drama Ultimatum (Robert Wiene, Robert Siodmak, 1938). With his friend Léon Poirier, André Nox made in Equatorial Africa what turned out to be his final film, Brazza ou l'épopée du Congo/Brazza or the epic of Congo (Léon Poirier, 1940). On his return from Africa, France was at war. The defeat in June 1940 and the rise of anti-Semitism forced Nox to withdraw to Brittany. He died on 25 February 1946, a few months after the liberation. He did not get the time to return to the cinema. André Nox was 76. His son was the actor Pierre Nonnez-Lopès (1898-1978), known as Pierre Nay.

Sources: Pascal Donald (CinéArtistes – French), Wikipedia (French and English) and IMDb.

East-German postcard by VEB Progress Film-Vertrieb, Berlin, no. 1617, 1961. Photo: Paszkowiak.

Otto Mellies (1931) is a German actor and voice actor. For the DEFA, he appeared in several films during the 1950s and 1960s.

Otto Ewald Ernst Mellies was born in 1931 in Stolp (some sources say Schlawe), Germany (now Slupsk, Poland). A large part of his family died just before the end of the war. He and his older brother, the later actor Eberhard Mellies, had to take care for themselves. The 14 years-old worked as a caretaker for horses of Russian soldiers. From 1947 to 1949, he attended the Staatliche Schauspielschule Schwerin (State Drama School in Schwerin). His first employer in 1949 was the Mecklenburgisches Staatstheater Schwerin. His debut role was that of the student in Goethe's Faust. He then played in Neustrelitz, Stralsund, Rostock and Erfurt. In Stralsund, Mellies debuted in 1951 in Gotthold Ephraim Lessing’s classic play Nathan der Weise (Nathan the Wise) in the role of the Temple Lord at the Stralsund Theater. In 1956 Wolfgang Langhoff brought him to the Deutsches Theater Berlin. He belonged to the ensemble of the Deutsches Theater for 50 years. There he appeared in Henrik Ibsen's Peer Gynt, Jean-Paul Sartre's The Flies and August Strindberg's The Ghost Sonata. He repeatedly played under the direction of Jürgen Gosch and Thomas Langhoff. From 1987 on, he appeared there 325 times as Nathan the Wise in the production of Friedo Solter.

Since 1955, Otto Mellies is also working for the cinema. His debut film was the DEFA production Sommerliebe/Summer Love (Franz Barrenstein, 1955). In 1960 he was awarded the Heinrich Greif Prize First Class for his role as Ferdinand in Kabale and Liebe/Intrigue and Love (Martin Hellberg, 1959). Other popular films are the Jacques Offenbach-Operette film Die schöne Lurette (Gottfried Kolditz, 1960) and the literature adaptation Minna von Barnhelm oder das Soldatenglück (Martin Hellberg, 1962). In addition, Mellies works as a voice actor. After the death of Gert Günther Hoffmann he became the German voice of Paul Newman. In addition, he dubbed such actors as Christopher Lee, Michael Gambon, Maximilian Schell, Omero Antonutti, Pierre Vaneck, James Cromwell and Raf Vallone and also participated in numerous radio plays. In 2012 he was awarded the German Film Prize for Best Supporting Actor for his role in the family drama Halt auf freier Strecke/Stopped on Track (Andreas Dresen, 2011) as the father of Milan Peschel. Since 2015, he moderates the radio show Abschied ist ein leises Wort (Farewell is a quiet word). Otto Mellies lives in Berlin-Bohnsdorf and is married and has two children.

Sources: Ines Walk (Film-zeit.de – German), Wikipedia, and IMDb.

East-German postcard by VEB Progress Film-Vertrieb, Berlin, no. 64/69, 1969. Photo: Winkler.

Otto Mellies (1931) is a German actor and voice actor. For the DEFA, he appeared in several films during the 1950s and 1960s.

Otto Ewald Ernst Mellies was born in 1931 in Stolp (some sources say Schlawe), Germany (now Slupsk, Poland). A large part of his family died just before the end of the war. He and his older brother, the later actor Eberhard Mellies, had to take care for themselves. The 14 years-old worked as a caretaker for horses of Russian soldiers. From 1947 to 1949, he attended the Staatliche Schauspielschule Schwerin (State Drama School in Schwerin). His first employer in 1949 was the Mecklenburgisches Staatstheater Schwerin. His debut role was that of the student in Goethe's Faust. He then played in Neustrelitz, Stralsund, Rostock and Erfurt. In Stralsund, Mellies debuted in 1951 in Gotthold Ephraim Lessing’s classic play Nathan der Weise (Nathan the Wise) in the role of the Temple Lord at the Stralsund Theater. In 1956 Wolfgang Langhoff brought him to the Deutsches Theater Berlin. He belonged to the ensemble of the Deutsches Theater for 50 years. There he appeared in Henrik Ibsen's Peer Gynt, Jean-Paul Sartre's The Flies and August Strindberg's The Ghost Sonata. He repeatedly played under the direction of Jürgen Gosch and Thomas Langhoff. From 1987 on, he appeared there 325 times as Nathan the Wise in the production of Friedo Solter.

Since 1955, Otto Mellies is also working for the cinema. His debut film was the DEFA production Sommerliebe/Summer Love (Franz Barrenstein, 1955). In 1960 he was awarded the Heinrich Greif Prize First Class for his role as Ferdinand in Kabale and Liebe/Intrigue and Love (Martin Hellberg, 1959). Other popular films are the Jacques Offenbach-Operette film Die schöne Lurette (Gottfried Kolditz, 1960) and the literature adaptation Minna von Barnhelm oder das Soldatenglück (Martin Hellberg, 1962). In addition, Mellies works as a voice actor. After the death of Gert Günther Hoffmann he became the German voice of Paul Newman. In addition, he dubbed such actors as Christopher Lee, Michael Gambon, Maximilian Schell, Omero Antonutti, Pierre Vaneck, James Cromwell and Raf Vallone and also participated in numerous radio plays. In 2012 he was awarded the German Film Prize for Best Supporting Actor for his role in the family drama Halt auf freier Strecke/Stopped on Track (Andreas Dresen, 2011) as the father of Milan Peschel. Since 2015, he moderates the radio show Abschied ist ein leises Wort (Farewell is a quiet word). Otto Mellies lives in Berlin-Bohnsdorf and is married and has two children.

Sources: Ines Walk (Film-zeit.de – German), Wikipedia, and IMDb.

Italian postcard by TV Stelle.

Italian singer-songwriter Gianluca Grignani (1972) was a teen idol during the 1990s. He also starred in the film Branchie (1999).

Gianluca Grignani was born in in Milan, Italy in 1972. His musical career took off after meeting guitarist and producer Massimo Luca. After Grignani performed at the 1994 Festival de San Remo, he released the acoustic ballad La mia storia tra le dita. In 1995, the handsome Grignani had his breakthrough with the album Destinazione Paradiso, which sold two million copies within a year, and for which he was awarded the Telegatto award. La mia storia tra le dita became a hit in several Latin American and European countries. In 1999 he starred in the film Branchie (Francesco Ranieri Martinotti, 1999) with Valentina Cervi and Christoph Buchholz. His debut did not lead to more films, but from then on he focused on his career as a singer-songwriter. In 2003, he married Francesca Dall'Olio. They have four children.

Source: IMDb.

East-German postcard by VEB Progress Film-Vertrieb, Berlin, no. 202/70, 1970. Photo: Peters.

Otto Mellies (1931) is a German actor and voice actor. For the DEFA, he appeared in several films during the 1950s and 1960s.

Otto Ewald Ernst Mellies was born in 1931 in Stolp (some sources say Schlawe), Germany (now Slupsk, Poland). A large part of his family died just before the end of the war. He and his older brother, the later actor Eberhard Mellies, had to take care for themselves. The 14 years-old worked as a caretaker for horses of Russian soldiers. From 1947 to 1949, he attended the Staatliche Schauspielschule Schwerin (State Drama School in Schwerin). His first employer in 1949 was the Mecklenburgisches Staatstheater Schwerin. His debut role was that of the student in Goethe's Faust. He then played in Neustrelitz, Stralsund, Rostock and Erfurt. In Stralsund, Mellies debuted in 1951 in Gotthold Ephraim Lessing’s classic play Nathan der Weise (Nathan the Wise) in the role of the Temple Lord at the Stralsund Theater. In 1956 Wolfgang Langhoff brought him to the Deutsches Theater Berlin. He belonged to the ensemble of the Deutsches Theater for 50 years. There he appeared in Henrik Ibsen's Peer Gynt, Jean-Paul Sartre's The Flies and August Strindberg's The Ghost Sonata. He repeatedly played under the direction of Jürgen Gosch and Thomas Langhoff. From 1987 on, he appeared there 325 times as Nathan the Wise in the production of Friedo Solter.

Since 1955, Otto Mellies is also working for the cinema. His debut film was the DEFA production Sommerliebe/Summer Love (Franz Barrenstein, 1955). In 1960 he was awarded the Heinrich Greif Prize First Class for his role as Ferdinand in Kabale and Liebe/Intrigue and Love (Martin Hellberg, 1959). Other popular films are the Jacques Offenbach-Operette film Die schöne Lurette (Gottfried Kolditz, 1960) and the literature adaptation Minna von Barnhelm oder das Soldatenglück (Martin Hellberg, 1962). In addition, Mellies works as a voice actor. After the death of Gert Günther Hoffmann he became the German voice of Paul Newman. In addition, he dubbed such actors as Christopher Lee, Michael Gambon, Maximilian Schell, Omero Antonutti, Pierre Vaneck, James Cromwell and Raf Vallone and also participated in numerous radio plays. In 2012 he was awarded the German Film Prize for Best Supporting Actor for his role in the family drama Halt auf freier Strecke/Stopped on Track (Andreas Dresen, 2011) as the father of Milan Peschel. Since 2015, he moderates the radio show Abschied ist ein leises Wort (Farewell is a quiet word). Otto Mellies lives in Berlin-Bohnsdorf and is married and has two children.

Sources: Ines Walk (Film-zeit.de – German), Wikipedia, and IMDb.

French postcard by PC, Paris, no. 78. Photo: G. Marant.

French artist Jacques Pills (1906-1970) was an agreeable light singer and crooner. Before the war, he formed a successful duo with Georges Tabet. In 1959, Pills was the Monegasque entrant at the Eurovision Song Contest 1959 with the song Mon ami Pierrot He also appeared in several films. but Pills's main claim to fame are his marriages to two illustrious singers, Lucienne Boyer and Édith Piaf.

In 1925, Georges Tabet (1905-1984) directed the orchestra of Mac-Mahon Palace, one of the most chic dancings of Paris which counted among its frequent customers Jacques Pills and Jean Rigaux. One summer day, when Tabet was playing at Sainte-Maxime, he received two telegrams, one from Ray Ventura inviting him to join his orchestra, the other of Jacques Pills proposing to form with him a vocal duo to go to the Casino de Paris. Georges Tabet accepted the Pilss's offer. They created at the Casino de Paris Couches dans la Hay, song by Mireille and Jean Nohain, extracted from their operetta Fouchtra, They also sang In the Hawaiian Islands, A cabanon near Toulon, It's an old castle of the Middle Ages and We do not need the moon. They toured in London, New York and Hollywood. The duo had to separate in 1939 because of the declaration of war. Jacques Pills became a prisoner of war.

Italian postcard by Cloè, no. 29, 1995.

Italian singer-songwriter Gianluca Grignani (1972) was a teen idol during the 1990s. He also starred in the film Branchie (1999).

Gianluca Grignani was born in in Milan, Italy in 1972. His musical career took off after meeting guitarist and producer Massimo Luca. After Grignani performed at the 1994 Festival de San Remo, he released the acoustic ballad La mia storia tra le dita. In 1995, the handsome Grignani had his breakthrough with the album Destinazione Paradiso, which sold two million copies within a year, and for which he was awarded the Telegatto award. La mia storia tra le dita became a hit in several Latin American and European countries. In 1999 he starred in the film Branchie (Francesco Ranieri Martinotti, 1999) with Valentina Cervi and Christoph Buchholz. His debut did not lead to more films, but from then on he focused on his career as a singer-songwriter. In 2003, he married Francesca Dall'Olio. They have four children.

Source: IMDb.

East-German postcard by VEB Progress Film-Vertrieb, Berlin, no. 2608, 1966. Photo: Gerbeth.

Otto Mellies (1931) is a German actor and voice actor. For the DEFA, he appeared in several films during the 1950s and 1960s.

Otto Ewald Ernst Mellies was born in 1931 in Stolp (some sources say Schlawe), Germany (now Slupsk, Poland). A large part of his family died just before the end of the war. He and his older brother, the later actor Eberhard Mellies, had to take care for themselves. The 14 years-old worked as a caretaker for horses of Russian soldiers. From 1947 to 1949, he attended the Staatliche Schauspielschule Schwerin (State Drama School in Schwerin). His first employer in 1949 was the Mecklenburgisches Staatstheater Schwerin. His debut role was that of the student in Goethe's Faust. He then played in Neustrelitz, Stralsund, Rostock and Erfurt. In Stralsund, Mellies debuted in 1951 in Gotthold Ephraim Lessing’s classic play Nathan der Weise (Nathan the Wise) in the role of the Temple Lord at the Stralsund Theater. In 1956 Wolfgang Langhoff brought him to the Deutsches Theater Berlin. He belonged to the ensemble of the Deutsches Theater for 50 years. There he appeared in Henrik Ibsen's Peer Gynt, Jean-Paul Sartre's The Flies and August Strindberg's The Ghost Sonata. He repeatedly played under the direction of Jürgen Gosch and Thomas Langhoff. From 1987 on, he appeared there 325 times as Nathan the Wise in the production of Friedo Solter.

Since 1955, Otto Mellies is also working for the cinema. His debut film was the DEFA production Sommerliebe/Summer Love (Franz Barrenstein, 1955). In 1960 he was awarded the Heinrich Greif Prize First Class for his role as Ferdinand in Kabale and Liebe/Intrigue and Love (Martin Hellberg, 1959). Other popular films are the Jacques Offenbach-Operette film Die schöne Lurette (Gottfried Kolditz, 1960) and the literature adaptation Minna von Barnhelm oder das Soldatenglück (Martin Hellberg, 1962). In addition, Mellies works as a voice actor. After the death of Gert Günther Hoffmann he became the German voice of Paul Newman. In addition, he dubbed such actors as Christopher Lee, Michael Gambon, Maximilian Schell, Omero Antonutti, Pierre Vaneck, James Cromwell and Raf Vallone and also participated in numerous radio plays. In 2012 he was awarded the German Film Prize for Best Supporting Actor for his role in the family drama Halt auf freier Strecke/Stopped on Track (Andreas Dresen, 2011) as the father of Milan Peschel. Since 2015, he moderates the radio show Abschied ist ein leises Wort (Farewell is a quiet word). Otto Mellies lives in Berlin-Bohnsdorf and is married and has two children.

Sources: Ines Walk (Film-zeit.de – German), Wikipedia, and IMDb.

Italian postcard by Cloè, no. 29, 1995.

Italian singer-songwriter Gianluca Grignani (1972) was a teen idol during the 1990s. He also starred in the film Branchie (1999).

Gianluca Grignani was born in in Milan, Italy in 1972. His musical career took off after meeting guitarist and producer Massimo Luca. After Grignani performed at the 1994 Festival de San Remo, he released the acoustic ballad La mia storia tra le dita. In 1995, the handsome Grignani had his breakthrough with the album Destinazione Paradiso, which sold two million copies within a year, and for which he was awarded the Telegatto award. La mia storia tra le dita became a hit in several Latin American and European countries. In 1999 he starred in the film Branchie (Francesco Ranieri Martinotti, 1999) with Valentina Cervi and Christoph Buchholz. His debut did not lead to more films, but from then on he focused on his career as a singer-songwriter. In 2003, he married Francesca Dall'Olio. They have four children.

Source: IMDb.

East-German postcard by VEB Progress Film-Vertrieb, Berlin, no. 2247, 1965. Photo: Schwarzer.

Otto Mellies (1931) is a German actor and voice actor. For the DEFA, he appeared in several films during the 1950s and 1960s.

Otto Ewald Ernst Mellies was born in 1931 in Stolp (some sources say Schlawe), Germany (now Slupsk, Poland). A large part of his family died just before the end of the war. He and his older brother, the later actor Eberhard Mellies, had to take care for themselves. The 14 years-old worked as a caretaker for horses of Russian soldiers. From 1947 to 1949, he attended the Staatliche Schauspielschule Schwerin (State Drama School in Schwerin). His first employer in 1949 was the Mecklenburgisches Staatstheater Schwerin. His debut role was that of the student in Goethe's Faust. He then played in Neustrelitz, Stralsund, Rostock and Erfurt. In Stralsund, Mellies debuted in 1951 in Gotthold Ephraim Lessing’s classic play Nathan der Weise (Nathan the Wise) in the role of the Temple Lord at the Stralsund Theater. In 1956 Wolfgang Langhoff brought him to the Deutsches Theater Berlin. He belonged to the ensemble of the Deutsches Theater for 50 years. There he appeared in Henrik Ibsen's Peer Gynt, Jean-Paul Sartre's The Flies and August Strindberg's The Ghost Sonata. He repeatedly played under the direction of Jürgen Gosch and Thomas Langhoff. From 1987 on, he appeared there 325 times as Nathan the Wise in the production of Friedo Solter.

Since 1955, Otto Mellies is also working for the cinema. His debut film was the DEFA production Sommerliebe/Summer Love (Franz Barrenstein, 1955). In 1960 he was awarded the Heinrich Greif Prize First Class for his role as Ferdinand in Kabale and Liebe/Intrigue and Love (Martin Hellberg, 1959). Other popular films are the Jacques Offenbach-Operette film Die schöne Lurette (Gottfried Kolditz, 1960) and the literature adaptation Minna von Barnhelm oder das Soldatenglück (Martin Hellberg, 1962). In addition, Mellies works as a voice actor. After the death of Gert Günther Hoffmann he became the German voice of Paul Newman. In addition, he dubbed such actors as Christopher Lee, Michael Gambon, Maximilian Schell, Omero Antonutti, Pierre Vaneck, James Cromwell and Raf Vallone and also participated in numerous radio plays. In 2012 he was awarded the German Film Prize for Best Supporting Actor for his role in the family drama Halt auf freier Strecke/Stopped on Track (Andreas Dresen, 2011) as the father of Milan Peschel. Since 2015, he moderates the radio show Abschied ist ein leises Wort (Farewell is a quiet word). Otto Mellies lives in Berlin-Bohnsdorf and is married and has two children.

Sources: Ines Walk (Film-zeit.de – German), Wikipedia, and IMDb.

French postcard by Editions du Globe, Paris, no. 253. Photo: Harcourt, Paris.

French artist Jacques Pills (1906-1970) was an agreeable light singer and crooner. Before the war, he formed a successful duo with Georges Tabet. In 1959, Pills was the Monegasque entrant at the Eurovision Song Contest 1959 with the song Mon ami Pierrot He also appeared in several films. but Pills's main claim to fame are his marriages to two illustrious singers, Lucienne Boyer and Édith Piaf.

Jacques Pills was born René Jacques Ducos in 1906 in Tulle, France. After studying medicine, he turned to the music hall by participating in shows at the Casino de Paris, alongside Mistinguett. He starts a duo with the pianist Pierre Courmontagnes, under the name of Pills and Ward. When the latter leaves, Georges Tabet replaces him at the Casino de Paris. In 1931, they perform American jazz at Boeuf sur le Toit. In 1932, they reached success with the song Couchés dans le foin, written by Mireille and Jean Nohain. Several hits followed.. Pills and Tabet separated in 1939. That same year, Jacques Pills started a solo career while Tabet became a screenwriter for the cinema.. Like many other singing stars, Pills made films, including a few alongside Tabet, nearly always in the role of a singer. In 1932 he made his film debut in the sports film Chouchou poids plume/A Gentleman of the Ring (Robert Bibal, 1832), starring Geo Laby. These films like the comedy Toi, c'est moi (1936) were no masterpieces, mainly musicals designed to entertain undemanding fans. They cheered up enthusiastic crowds, but are forgotten today, Pills married French singer Lucienne Boyer in 1939. He recorded songs of Bruno Coquatrix, his impresario: Mon Ange (1940) and Dans un coin de mon pays (1940). He has a huge success with a song in Hawaiian style, Avec son ukulele.

Jacques Pills continued to appear in films. The only exception in this string of light comedies is an unexpected thriller, Seul dans la nuit/Alone in the Night (Christian Stengel, 1945) starring Bernard Blier. In the film a singer (Pills)'s hit "Seul dans la nuit" is heard whenever a woman is murdered by a lady-killer. Worse, this beloved singer might be the serial killer himself… Guy Bellinger at IMDb: “A welcome dark spot in too sunny an output.” Jacques Pills and Lucienne Boyer divorced in 1951. The following year, he married singer Édith Piaf. However, in 1957, this marriage also ended in divorce. In 1953 he played the lead in the film Boum sur Paris (Maurice de Canonge, 1953). The film was built around the popular radio program La Kermesse aux Étoiles, hosted by Jean Nohain, mixing lottery games and performances of various artists. In the film the show is disturbed by a man (Pills) and his bride (Danielle Godet) seeking to retrieve a dangerous perfume bottle (explosive) which was inadvertently mixed with prizes. Among the performing stars were Gary Cooper, Édith Piaf, Juliette Gréco, Gilbert Bécaud and Gregory Peck as themselves. In 1959, Pills was the Monegasque entrant at the Eurovision Song Contest 1959 with the song "Mon ami Pierrot". The song ended last, in eleventh place and got only one point. He was the father of Jacqueline Boyer, who won the 1960 Eurovision contest the year after her father's participation. Jacques Pills died in 1970 in Paris. He was 64. In La môme (2007), his character is interpreted by Laurent Olmedo.

Sources: Guy Bellinger (IMDb), Le Hall de la Chanson (French), Wikipedia, and IMDb.

German postcard by Film-Foto-Verlag, no. A 3271/1, 1941-1944. Photo: Haenchen / Tobis.

Austrian actress Heidemarie Hatheyer (1918-1990) appeared in 43 films between 1938 and 1988. After the war she was forbidden to act in films for some years, because of her work in the Nazi propaganda film Ich klage an/I accuse (Wolfgang Liebeneiner, 1941) .

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