Trude Berliner
Encyclopedia
Trude Berliner was a German actress. She was one of many Jewish actors and actresses that were forced to flee Europe when the Nazis came to power in 1933.
Berliner was born Gertrude Berliner in Berlin
, Germany
. She became a famous cabaret
performer in Berlin. In 1925, she appeared in her first movie, a silent film
called Krieg im Frieden. Berliner would wait four years before her second movie, but her film career would then take off. In 1929, she appeared in Dich hab ich geliebt, which would become the first German talkie released in the United States. Berliner appeared in a number of well known movies in Germany during the 1930s; Masken, Ich heirate meinen Mann, Der Hochtourist, Die unsichtbare Front, Grossstadtnacht and Kaiserwalzer. Es war einmal ein Musikus was her last movie in Germany. Released in 1933, it also featured S.Z. Sakall
. This was the fourth German movie that Berliner and Sakall appeared together in.
Being Jewish, she left Germany when Hitler and the Nazi Party came to power in 1933 and went to France. In 1939, she immigrated to the United States. However, in Hollywood Berliner was not able to continue her promising movie career, receiving only bit roles in four movies, and it would be three years before she received any part in any movie.
In 1942, Berliner received her first part in an American movie, Casablanca
. She portrayed a woman playing baccarat
with a Dutch banker (played by Torben Meyer
). In her one line in movie, she says to the waiter Carl (played S.Z. Sakall), "Will you ask Rick if he will have a drink with us?", to which Carl responds, "Madame, he never drinks with customers. Never. I have never seen it."
Later that year, she had another bit part in the World War II romance Reunion in France
starring John Wayne
and Joan Crawford
. The following year, Berliner played Frau Reitler in The Strange Death of Adolf Hitler. Her last movie was a small uncredited role as a German actress in the musical The Dolly Sisters
in 1945 starring Betty Grable
, June Haver
and C.Z. Sakall.
Berliner lived quietly in California
until she died on February 26, 1977 in San Diego just two days shy of her 74th birthday.
Berliner was born Gertrude Berliner in Berlin
Berlin
Berlin is the capital city of Germany and is one of the 16 states of Germany. With a population of 3.45 million people, Berlin is Germany's largest city. It is the second most populous city proper and the seventh most populous urban area in the European Union...
, Germany
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
. She became a famous cabaret
Cabaret
Cabaret is a form, or place, of entertainment featuring comedy, song, dance, and theatre, distinguished mainly by the performance venue: a restaurant or nightclub with a stage for performances and the audience sitting at tables watching the performance, as introduced by a master of ceremonies or...
performer in Berlin. In 1925, she appeared in her first movie, a silent film
Silent film
A silent film is a film with no synchronized recorded sound, especially with no spoken dialogue. In silent films for entertainment the dialogue is transmitted through muted gestures, pantomime and title cards...
called Krieg im Frieden. Berliner would wait four years before her second movie, but her film career would then take off. In 1929, she appeared in Dich hab ich geliebt, which would become the first German talkie released in the United States. Berliner appeared in a number of well known movies in Germany during the 1930s; Masken, Ich heirate meinen Mann, Der Hochtourist, Die unsichtbare Front, Grossstadtnacht and Kaiserwalzer. Es war einmal ein Musikus was her last movie in Germany. Released in 1933, it also featured S.Z. Sakall
S.Z. Sakall
Szőke Szakáll , known as S.Z. Sakall, was a Hungarian film character actor. He was in many films including In the Good Old Summertime, Lullaby of Broadway, Christmas in Connecticut and Casablanca in which he played Carl, the head waiter.Chubby-jowled Sakall played numerous supporting roles in...
. This was the fourth German movie that Berliner and Sakall appeared together in.
Being Jewish, she left Germany when Hitler and the Nazi Party came to power in 1933 and went to France. In 1939, she immigrated to the United States. However, in Hollywood Berliner was not able to continue her promising movie career, receiving only bit roles in four movies, and it would be three years before she received any part in any movie.
In 1942, Berliner received her first part in an American movie, Casablanca
Casablanca (film)
Casablanca is a 1942 American romantic drama film directed by Michael Curtiz, starring Humphrey Bogart, Ingrid Bergman and Paul Henreid, and featuring Claude Rains, Conrad Veidt, Sydney Greenstreet, Peter Lorre and Dooley Wilson. Set during World War II, it focuses on a man torn between, in...
. She portrayed a woman playing baccarat
Baccarat
Baccarat is a card game, played at casinos and by gamblers. It is believed to have been introduced into France from Italy during the reign of King Charles VIII , and it is similar to Faro and Basset...
with a Dutch banker (played by Torben Meyer
Torben Meyer
Torben Emil Meyer was a Danish character actor who appeared in over 190 films in a 55-year career.-Early career:...
). In her one line in movie, she says to the waiter Carl (played S.Z. Sakall), "Will you ask Rick if he will have a drink with us?", to which Carl responds, "Madame, he never drinks with customers. Never. I have never seen it."
Later that year, she had another bit part in the World War II romance Reunion in France
Reunion in France
Reunion in France is a Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer feature film starring Joan Crawford, Phillip Dorn, and John Wayne in a story about a woman who, suspecting her well-heeled lover has Nazi connections, aids a downed American flyer. The screenplay by Jan Lustig, Marvin Borowsky and Marc Connelly was based...
starring John Wayne
John Wayne
Marion Mitchell Morrison , better known by his stage name John Wayne, was an American film actor, director and producer. He epitomized rugged masculinity and became an enduring American icon. He is famous for his distinctive calm voice, walk, and height...
and Joan Crawford
Joan Crawford
Joan Crawford , born Lucille Fay LeSueur, was an American actress in film, television and theatre....
. The following year, Berliner played Frau Reitler in The Strange Death of Adolf Hitler. Her last movie was a small uncredited role as a German actress in the musical The Dolly Sisters
The Dolly Sisters
The Dolly Sisters is a 1945 American biographical film about the Dolly Sisters, identical twins who became famous as entertainers on Broadway and in Europe in the early years of the twentieth century. It starred Betty Grable as Jenny and June Haver as Rosie.-Cast:*Betty Grable as Yansci "Jenny"...
in 1945 starring Betty Grable
Betty Grable
Elizabeth Ruth "Betty" Grable was an American actress, dancer and singer.Her iconic bathing suit photo made her the number-one pin-up girl of the World War II era. It was later included in the LIFE magazine project "100 Photos that Changed the World"...
, June Haver
June Haver
June Haver , was an American film actress. She is most well known as a popular star of 20th Century-Fox musicals in the late 1940s, most notably The Dolly Sisters with Betty Grable and John Payne and also for playing the 1920s Broadway actress Marilyn Miller in Look for the Silver Lining...
and C.Z. Sakall.
Berliner lived quietly in California
California
California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
until she died on February 26, 1977 in San Diego just two days shy of her 74th birthday.
Selected filmography
- Adamants letztes Rennen (19161916 in filmThe year 1916 in film involved some significant events.-Events:* October 17 - release of A Daughter of the Gods, the first US production with a million dollar budget, with the first nude scene by a major star....
) - Der Geheime Agent (19241924 in film-Events:* Entertainment entrepreneur Marcus Loew gained control of Metro Pictures, Goldwyn Pictures Corporation and Louis B. Mayer Pictures to create Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer...
) - Krieg im Frieden (19251925 in film-Events:*November 5: The Big Parade holds its Grand Premier*December 30: premier of Ben-Hur the most expensive silent film ever made costing 4-6 million dollars -Top grossing films :...
) - Dich hab ich geliebt (19291929 in film-Events:The days of the silent film are numbered. A mad scramble to provide synchronized sound is on.*January 20 - The movie In Old Arizona is released. The film is the first full-length talking film to be filmed outdoors....
) - Rheinlandmädel (19301930 in film-Events:* November 1: The Big Trail featuring a young John Wayne in his first starring role is released in both 35mm, and a very early form of 70mm film and was the first large scale big-budget film of the sound era costing over $2 million. The film was praised for its aesthetic quality and realism...
) - Ein Mädel von der Reeperbahn (1930)
- Wochenend im Paradies (19311931 in film-Top grossing films:-Academy Awards:*Best Picture: Cimarron - MGM*Best Actor: Lionel Barrymore - A Free Soul*Best Actor: Wallace Beery - The Champ*Best Actor: Fredric March - Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde...
) - Drei Tage Liebe (1931)
- Schatten der Manege (1931)
- Der Stumme von Portici (1931)
- Der Hochtourist (1931)
- Moderne Mitgift (19321932 in film-Events:*Cary Grant's film career begins*Katharine Hepburn's film career begins*Shirley Temple's film career begins*Disney released Flowers and Trees, the first cartoon in three-strip Technicolor film.*Santa, first sound film made in Mexico released....
) - Durchlaucht amüsiert sich (1932)
- Der Stolz der 3. Kompanie (1932)
- Nachtkolonne (1932)
- Fräulein - Falsch verbunden (1932)
- Die Zwei vom Südexpress (19331933 in film-Events:* March 2 - King Kong premieres in New York City.* June 6 - The first drive-in theater opens, in Camden, New Jersey.* British Film Institute founded....
) - Tausend für eine Nacht (1933)
- Kaiserwalzer (1933)
- Großstadtnacht (1933)
- Es war einmal ein Musikus (1933)
- CasablancaCasablanca (film)Casablanca is a 1942 American romantic drama film directed by Michael Curtiz, starring Humphrey Bogart, Ingrid Bergman and Paul Henreid, and featuring Claude Rains, Conrad Veidt, Sydney Greenstreet, Peter Lorre and Dooley Wilson. Set during World War II, it focuses on a man torn between, in...
(19421942 in filmThe year 1942 in film involved some significant events, in particular the release of a film consistently rated as one of the greatest of all time, Casablanca.-Events:...
) - Reunion in FranceReunion in FranceReunion in France is a Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer feature film starring Joan Crawford, Phillip Dorn, and John Wayne in a story about a woman who, suspecting her well-heeled lover has Nazi connections, aids a downed American flyer. The screenplay by Jan Lustig, Marvin Borowsky and Marc Connelly was based...
(1942) - The Strange Death of Adolf Hitler (19431943 in filmThe year 1943 in film involved some significant events.-Events:* January 3 - 1st missing persons telecast * February 20 - American film studio executives agree to allow the Office of War Information to censor films....
) - The Dolly SistersThe Dolly SistersThe Dolly Sisters is a 1945 American biographical film about the Dolly Sisters, identical twins who became famous as entertainers on Broadway and in Europe in the early years of the twentieth century. It starred Betty Grable as Jenny and June Haver as Rosie.-Cast:*Betty Grable as Yansci "Jenny"...
(19451945 in filmThe year 1945 in film involved some significant events.-Events:* Paramount Studios releases theatrical short cartoon titled The Friendly Ghost, featuring a ghost named Casper.* With Rossellini's Roma Città aperta, Italian neorealist cinema begins....
)