Werner Krauss

Infobox actor
bgcolour = silver
name = Werner Krauss


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caption = Krauss as Dr. Caligari in The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari (1920)
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birthdate = birth date|1884|6|23|mf=y
location = Gestungshausen, Germany
deathdate = death date and age|1959|10|20|1884|6|23|mf=y
deathplace = Vienna, Austria
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homepage =
notable role = Dr.Caligari in "The Cabinet of Dr.Caligari"
academyawards =
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Werner Johannes Krauss ("Krauß" in German) (June 23, 1884 – October 20, 1959) was a German film actor.

Krauss was born in Gestungshausen, Germany, the son of a clergyman. He ran away from home and joined a travelling theatre company. There, he met the noted theatre director Max Reinhardt. Reinhardt took Krauss to Berlin where he became a film actor in 1916.

Krauss became a worldwide sensation for his demonic portrayal of the titular character in Robert Wiene's "The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari". He also played the title role of William Shakespeare's Othello in a 1920 adaption, and played Iago in a 1922 adaptation. He was prominently featured in Paul Leni's "Waxworks" (1924), Ewald Andre Dupont's "Variété" (1925), F.W. Murnau's "Herr Tartüff," and "The Student of Prague" (1926).

When Adolf Hitler came to power, Krauss developed a Nazi ideology. He was made an Actor of the State by Joseph Goebbels, and took roles such as a sinister rabbi in the anti-Semitic epic "Jud Süß" (1940). After World War II, Krauss was "forgiven" to the extent of being invited to German film festivals.

Krauss died in Vienna, Austria in 1959.

External links

* [http://www.allmovie.com/cg/avg.dll?p=avg&sql=2:39338 Werner Krauss] at Allmovie
* [http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0470328/ Werner Kruass] at the IMDb
* [http://film.virtual-history.com/person.php?personid=665 various pictures of Werner Krauss]