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Paul Hörbiger
Paul Hörbiger
	Publicity photo, 1939
Born	29 April 1894; Budapest, Austria-Hungary
Died	5 March 1981 (aged 86); Vienna, Austria
Occupation	Actor
Years active	1928–1974
Spouse	Josefa Gettke (m. 1921; div. 1939)
Children	4

Paul Hörbiger (29 April 1894 – 5 March 1981) was an Austrian theatre and film actor.^[1]

Life and work

Paul Hörbiger was born in the Hungarian capital Budapest, then part of Austria-Hungary, the son of engineer Hanns Hörbiger, founder of the Welteislehre cosmological concept, and elder brother of actor Attila Hörbiger. In 1902, the family returned to Vienna, while Paul attended the gymnasium (high school) at St. Paul's Abbey in Carinthia. Having obtained his Matura degree, he served in a mountain artillery regiment of the Austro-Hungarian Army in World War I, discharged in 1918 with the rank of an Oberleutnant.

After the war, Hörbiger took drama lessons and began his acting career in 1919 at the city theatre of Reichenberg (Liberec). From 1920, he performed at the New German Theatre in Prague. His fame grew when in 1926 he was employed by director Max Reinhardt at the ensemble of the Deutsches Theater in Berlin, reaching a high point with his appointment at the Vienna Burgtheater in 1940. He also appeared at the 1943 Salzburg Festival, performing in the role as Papageno in Mozart's opera The Magic Flute.

From 1928 he appeared in more than 250 films, mostly lightweight comedies of the Wiener Film genre popular among German and Austrian audiences during the 1930s and 40s. In 1936, he established his own filming company Algefa jointly with director E. W. Emo. In 1938, like many other celebrities, he openly acclaimed the Austrian Anschluss to Nazi Germany and continued his career, appearing also in propaganda films like Wunschkonzert ("Request concert") or Die grosse Liebe ("The great love"), which earned him an entry on Goebbels' Gottbegnadeten list ("God-blessed list"). On the other hand, Hörbiger inconspicuously met with opposition circles around Theo Lingen and Oskar Sima. In the latter days of World War II, he was arrested for treason by the Nazi authorities.

After the war, he resumed his career playing the porter who "talks too much" in Carol Reed's British film classic The Third Man (1949). Hörbiger, not speaking English at the time, learned his lines phonetically.^[2]

In the period 1947–49, he was chairman of the First Vienna FC football club.

Hörbiger remained one of the most popular German-speaking film actors of the 1950s and 1960s, starring in numerous Heimatfilm and Wiener Film productions. He again performed as the warm-hearted Viennese type and Heurigen singer, often together with Hans Moser and director Franz Antel. In his later years he again concentrated on theatre acting at the Burgtheater, where he last premiered in 1979 with Elias Canetti's Komödie der Eitelkeit ("Comedy of vanity").

Personal life

In 1921 he married the actress Josepha Gettke with whom he had four children. Hörbiger died in Vienna aged 86 and is buried in an Ehrengrab at the Vienna Zentralfriedhof. The actress Christiane Hörbiger, daughter from his brother Attila's marriage with Paula Wessely, is his niece. The actors Christian Tramitz and Mavie Hörbiger are grandchildren of Paul Hörbiger.

Selected filmography

Sechs Mädchen suchen Nachtquartier (1928)
Spione (1928, directed by Fritz Lang), as Chauffeur Franz
The Great Adventuress (1928), as Detective
Song (1928), as Sam
The Gallant Hussar (1928), as Baron von Korporetzky
Strauss Is Playing Today (1928), as Lamperlhirsch
The Lady with the Mask (1928), as Michael - ein russischer Bauernknecht
Dyckerpotts' Heirs (1928)
Tales from the Vienna Woods (1928), as Alois Guschlbauer
Hungarian Rhapsody (1928), as Kellner
Das Letzte Souper (1928), as Balletmeister
Die Räuberbande (1928)
The Weekend Bride (1928), as Sekretær
The Crazy Countess (1928), as Friseur Kose
Asphalt (1929), as Ein Dieb
The Woman Everyone Loves Is You (1929), as Dörsterlein
Möblierte Zimmer (1929), as Kalinowski
Ein kleiner Vorschuß auf die Seligkeit (1929), as Theobald Nuddlich, Fabrikant
Why Cry at Parting? (1929), as Tortoni, ein Illusionist
The Convict from Istanbul (1929), as Vlastos
The Green Monocle (1929), as Snyder
Women on the Edge (1929), as Siegfried Nürnberger, sein Impresario
Three Around Edith (1929), as Nick
Never Trust a Woman (1930), as Joachim
The Immortal Vagabond (1930)
Delicatessen (1930), as Josef, Diener bei Wallis
Zwei Herzen im Dreivierteltakt (1930), as Ferdinand - ein Kutscher
Nur Du (1930), as Graf Belmont, his stepfather
Wie werde ich reich und glücklich? (1930), as Geheimrat Regen
Das alte Lied (1930), as Xandel
Two Hearts in Waltz Time (1930)
Three Days Confined to Barracks (1930), as Zippert, secretary
A Gentleman for Hire (1930), as Prof. Amanuel Wielander
The Forester's Daughter (1931), as Der alte Baron
Grock (1931), as Ein ungeschickter Geldsucher
Her Grace Commands (1931), as Hofdetektiv Pipac
The Merry Wives of Vienna (1931), as Anselm Leitner - Hofrat
Walzerparadies (1931), as Dr. Pospischill
Der Stumme von Portici (1931)
The Squeaker (1931), as Josuah Harras, Reporter
Errant Husbands (1931), as Otto Rux, Weinhändler
My Heart Longs for Love (1931), as Gehring
The Unfaithful Eckehart (1931), as Karl Moor
Der Kongreß tanzt (1931), as Heurigen Singer
Sein Scheidungsgrund (1931), as Rasmussen, Hellseher
Der verjüngte Adolar (1931), as Prof. Haselhuhn, Privatgelehrter
Peace of Mind (1931), as Dr. Egon Breitner
Poor as a Church Mouse (1931), as Count Friedrich Thalheim
Distorting at the Resort (1932), as Fritz Garreis
You Don't Forget Such a Girl (1932), as Direktor Leopold Schrader
A Tremendously Rich Man (1932), as Linkerton
Peter Voss, Thief of Millions (1932), as Bobby Dodd
Once There Was a Waltz (1932), as Franz Pirzinger
A Mad Idea (1932), as Emil
Quick (1932), as Lademann, Quick's manager
Viennese Waltz (1932), as Verleger Haslinger
Zwei glückliche Tage (1932), as Pepi Freisinger
Drei von der Kavallerie (1932), as Peter, ein Ulan
A Blonde Dream (1932), as Vogelscheuche
Scampolo (1932), as Gabriel
Annemarie, die Braut der Kompanie (1932), as Musketier Karl Lehmann
Trenck (1932), as Löwenwalde, Präsident des österr. Gerichtshofes
Frederica (1932), as Pfarrer Brion
Paprika (1932), as Dr. Paul Schröder
The Secret of Johann Orth (1932), as Lanik
The Invisible Front (1932), as Kommisssar Borgmann
The Emperor's Waltz (1933), as Graf Eggersdorf
The Big Bluff (1933), as Arthur Richman
Two Good Comrades (1933), as Fritz Lehmann
No Day Without You (1933), as Bonifazius, der Maler
Liebelei (1933, directed by Max Ophüls), as Der alte Weyring - Kammermusiker
A Song for You (1933), as Schindler
Greetings and Kisses, Veronika (1933), as Paul Rainer
Homecoming to Happiness (1933), as Karl Gruber
Waltz War (1933), as Joseph Lanner
Romance in Budapest (1933), as Murray Pál zongoramûvész
Scandal in Budapest (1933), as Paul Murray
Des jungen Dessauers große Liebe (1933), as Der Kaiser
Miss Madame (1934), as Peter Valentin, Prokurist
My Heart Calls You (1934), as Director Arvelle
...heute abend bei mir (1934), as Baron Denhoff
The Csardas Princess (1934), as Feri von Kerekes
Roses from the South (1934), as Johann Strauß
Playing with Fire (1934), as Dr. Alfred Kramer
Spring Parade (1934), as Kaiser Franz Joseph
I Marry My Wife [de] (1934), as Hubertus Behmer
An Evening Visit (1934), as Karl Maria Fernebeck, Prokurist
The Gentleman Without a Residence (1934), as Professor Mangold
Hearts are Trumps (1934), as Paulsen
Petersburger Nächte [de] (1935), as Johann Strauß
Fresh Wind from Canada (1935), as Meinkel, Angestellter Modehaus Granitz
Last Stop (1935), as Karl Vierthaler, Straßenbahnschaffner
Das Einmaleins der Liebe (1935), as Alois Weinberl
The Royal Waltz (1935), as König Max II. von Bayern
If It Were Not for Music (1935), as Florian Mayr, genannt 'Kraft-Mayr'
Liebeslied (1935), as Pierre
E lucean le stelle (1935)
The Fairy Doll (1936), as Anton Freiherr von Kautzenbichl
Three Girls for Schubert (1936), as Franz Schubert
A Hoax (1936), as Peter Burgstaller, Oberkellner
His Daughter is Called Peter (1936), as Dr. Felix Sandhofer
The Cabbie's Song (1936), as Ferdinand Strödl, Fiakerkutscher
Lumpaci the Vagabond (1936), as Lumpazivagabundus, Knieriem
Kinderarzt Dr. Engel (1936), as Dr. Engel
Duvod k rozvodu (1937)
Peter im Schnee (1937), as Dr.Sonthofer
Cause for Divorce (1937), as Toni Bernhof
The Vagabonds (1937), as Haselhof
Florentine (1937), as Peter Russel - Kapitän der 'Florentine'
Immer wenn ich glücklich bin..! (1938), as Josef 'Pepi' Reinhold, Theaterdirektor
Einmal werd' ich Dir gefallen (1938), as Der Baron
Heiraten – aber wen? (1938), as Dr. Kramer - Chirurg
Heimat (1938), as Franz Heffterdingk
Liebelei und Liebe (1938), as Alexander Settegast - Koch
The Blue Fox (1938), as Stephan Paulus
The Stars Shine (1938), as Himself
Drunter und drüber (1939)
Men Are That Way (1939), as Dody, Musik-Clown
Salonwagen E 417 (1939), as Friedrich Christian Lautenschläger
I Am Sebastian Ott (1939), as Kriminalrat Baumann
Immortal Waltz (1939), as Johann Strauß Vater
Kitty and the World Conference (1939), as Huber
Hochzeitsreise zu dritt (1939)
Maria Ilona (1939), as Ferdinand V., Kaiser von Österreich
A Mother's Love (1939), as Notar Dr. Koblmüller
Opera Ball (1939), as Georg Dannhauser
Vienna Tales (1940), as Ferdinand
Falstaff in Vienna (1940), as Hofschneider Josef Sturm
Beloved Augustin (1940), as Der liebe Augustin - ein Bänkelsänger
Operetta (1940), as Alexander Girardi
Herzensfreud - Herzensleid (1940), as Josef Radl - Weinbauer
Wunschkonzert (1940), as Himself
Oh, diese Männer (1940), as Eberhard Reitinger
Wir bitten zum Tanz (1941), as Roublée
Brüderlein fein (1942), as Franz Grillparzer
The Great Love (1942), as Alexander Rudnitzky, Komponist
So ein Früchtchen (1942), as Kurt Ruppert
Die heimliche Gräfin (1942), as Erzherzog Johann Sylvester
Whom the Gods Love (1942), as Von Strack
Laugh, Pagliacci (1943), as Canio
Laugh Bajazzo (1943), as Canio
Black on White (1943), as Prof. Klaus
Romantische Brautfahrt (1944), as Baron Dagobert Schatzberghe
Schrammeln (1944), as Hans Schrammel
Die Zaubergeige (1944), as Violinist Georg Helmesberger
Der Hofrat Geiger (1947), as Hofrat Franz Geiger
The Angel with the Trumpet (1948), as Otto Eberhard Alt
Kleine Melodie aus Wien (1948), as Professor Griebichler
The Mozart Story (1948), as Strack (the court chamberlain)
The Prisoner (1949), as Dr. Bianchon - Armenarzt von Paris
The Third Man (1949), as Karl - Harry's Porter
Die seltsame Geschichte des Brandner Kaspar [de] (1949), as der Tod
One Night Apart (1950), as Ferdinand Graf Lilienstein
Der Seelenbräu [de] (1950), as Dechant von Köstendorf
The Black Forest Girl (1950), as Domkapellmeister
The Orplid Mystery (1950), as Musik-Clown 'The Great Teatch'
Glück muß man haben [de] (1950), as Carl Millöcker
Der Teufel führt Regie (1951), as Pierre Darcy
Der alte Sünder (1951), as Ferdinand Bauer
Die Frauen des Herrn S. (1951), as Sokrates
Verklungenes Wien [de] (1951), as Franz Jungwirt
Veronika the Maid (1951), as Jansen sen.
Der fidele Bauer (1951), as Matthias Scheichelroither
When the Evening Bells Ring (1951), as Lehrer Storm
Hello Porter (1952), as Professor Ferdinand Godai
Voices of Spring (1952), as Lukas, Hausmeister
My Name is Niki (1952), as Hieronymus Spitz
Mein Herz darfst du nicht fragen (1952), as Geheimrat Hollbach
The Land of Smiles (1952), as Professor Ferdinand Licht
Mikosch Comes In (1952), as Dr. Paliwec
I Lost My Heart in Heidelberg (1952), as Josef Degener
You Only Live Once (1952), as Karl Heinemann
1. April 2000 (1952), as Augustin
Hannerl (1952), as Hermann Gerstinger
Die Fiakermilli (1953), as Honigberger, Pianist
We'll Talk About Love Later (1953), as Geschäftsführer der 'Fledermaus'
The Rose of Stamboul (1953), as Mehemed Pascha
Drei, von denen man spricht [de] (1953), as Präsident
Young Heart Full of Love (1953), as Landesstallmeister
Grandstand for General Staff (1953), as Oberst v. Leuckfeld
The Dancing Heart (1953), as Fürst (Prince)
Life Begins at Seventeen (1953), as Jacques Peronne
The Private Secretary (1953), as Portier Julius
Die Perle von Tokay (1954), as Ferencz Körös von Köröshazy, General a.D.
The Abduction of the Sabine Women (1954), as Professor Martin Gollwitz
The Faithful Hussar (1954), as Eberhard Wacker
My Sister and I (1954), as Christines Vater
The Gypsy Baron (1954), as Barinkay
The Beautiful Miller (1954), as Albert Krügler
Bruder Martin [de] (1954), as Bruder Martin
Schützenliesel (1954), as Kaspar
A Parisian in Rome (1954), as Professor Roth
Victoria in Dover (1954), as Prof. Landmann
Baron Tzigane (1954), as Barinkay
Secrets of the City (1955), as Herbert Klein
The Blue Danube (1955), as Schröder
Marriage Sanitarium (1955), as Professor Thomas Eschenburg
One Woman Is Not Enough? (1955), as Spielwaren-Ladenbesitzer Schratt
Die Deutschmeister (1955), as Kaiser Franz Joseph
Bandits of the Autobahn (1955), as Vater Heinze
The Happy Wanderer (1955), as Dr. Peters, Tonis Vater
My Leopold (1955), as Gottlieb Weigelt
Du mein stilles Tal (1955), as Herr Kramer
Die Försterbuben (1955), as Michael Schwarzaug, Gastwirt
Charley's Aunt (1956), as August Sallmann
Bademeister Spargel (1956), as Engelbert Spargel
And Who Is Kissing Me? (1956), as Bauer
Lügen haben hübsche Beine (1956)
Hilfe - sie liebt mich (1956), as Brösel, Angestellter bei "Tourist"
Lumpaci the Vagabond [de] (1956), as August Knieriem, Schuster
Her Corporal (1956), as Gottfried Lampl
Was die Schwalbe sang (1956), as Philipp Meyen
Das Donkosakenlied (1956), as Professor Hartmann
Manöverball (1956), as Erzherzog Roderich
Die Christel von der Post (1956), as Ferdinand Brenneis, Hotelbesitzer
Der schräge Otto (1957), as Vater Müller
The Winemaker of Langenlois (1957), as Korbinian Grammelshuber, Verwalter
… und die Liebe lacht dazu (1957), as Graf Ferdinand von Ausberg
Ober, zahlen! [de] (1957), as Gustav Prebichl
Lemke's Widow (1957), as Fürst Ludwig
Hoch droben auf dem Berg (1957), as Ferdinand Broneder
Der schönste Tag meines Lebens (1957), as Direktor
Heimweh … dort, wo die Blumen blühn (1957), as Abt
Vienna, City of My Dreams (1957), as Vater Lehnert
Candidates for Marriage (1958), as Ferdinand Haslinger
Hello Taxi (1958), as Franz Schwarzl
Hoch klingt der Radetzkymarsch [de] (1958), as Generalfeldmarschall Radetzky
Sebastian Kneipp (1958), as Erzherzog Joseph
Heimat – Deine Lieder (1959), as Heimleiter
Sabine und die 100 Männer [de] (1960), as Schulz
Kauf dir einen bunten Luftballon (1961), as Professor Engelbert
… und du mein Schatz bleibst hier [de] (1961), as Berger
Der Orgelbauer von St. Marien (1961), as Franz Burgmann und Josef Burgmann
Drei Liebesbriefe aus Tirol (1962), as Dr. Franz
Dance with Me Into the Morning (1962), as Johann Ebeseder
The Bandit and the Princess [de] (1962), as Der nasse Elias
Die lustigen Vagabunden (1962), as George
Don't Fool with Me (1963), as Raimund Valentin
Our Crazy Nieces (1963), as Franz Eierlein
Im singenden Rößl am Königssee (1963), as Amtsgerichtsrat Zwicker
Ferien vom Ich (1963), as Blümchen
Die ganze Welt ist himmelblau (1964), as Mr. Muckenhuber
I Learned It from Father (1964), as Julius Knackert
Die große Kür (1964), as Franz Haslinger
Happy-End am Attersee (1964), as Severin Petermann
Der Alpenkönig und der Menschenfeind (1965), as Astragalus
Call of the Forest (1965), as Gustl Wegrainer
Das ist mein Wien (1965)
Sie nannten ihn Krambambuli [de] (1972), as Xaver Doppler