The Lost One

by Stephen D. Youngkin

  Die Stunde des Absterbens (The Hour of Dying Off). Director: Herbert Waniek; written by Franz Theodor Csokor; Theater in the Josefstadt, Vienna; Feb. 27, 1927. Cast: Carl Goetz, Paula Janower, Aurel Nowotny, Grete Witzmann, Lina Woiwode, Peter Lorre (the son of the Hauptmanns), Frau Wurm, Herbert Dirmoser, Herr Hilbert, Wilhelm Voelcker.

  Nr. 17. Director: Robert Wiene; written by Jefferson Farjeon; Kammerspiele, Vienna; March 25, 1927. Cast: Hans Moser, Hans Zesch-Ballot, Heinz Leo Fischer, Peter Lorre (Smith, a man with a humpback), Max Wittmann, Olga Diora, Theodor Grieg, Eva Fiebig, Paul Verhoeven.

  Ein Abend der Überraschungen (An Evening of Surprises). Director: Rudolf Beer; written by Max Brody; Theater in the Josefstadt, Vienna; April 9, 1927. Cast: Gisela Werbezirk, Karl Ehmann, Egon Friedell, Victor Kutschera, Peter Lorre, Fritz Strehlen, Hans Ziegler, Alma Seidler, Lily Darvas, Hans Thimig, Hansi Niese. In this revue, Lorre appeared in the sketch “Die Ohrfeige” (“Box on the Ear”).

  Alles verkehrt! (Everything Upside Down!). Director: Leo Strassberg; written by Wilhelm Sterk and Fritz Liebstoeckl; Kammerspiele, Vienna; April 20, 1927. Cast: Heinz Leo Fischer, Hans Peppler, Peter Lorre, Therese Bellau, Hans Lackner, Sigi Hofer, Paul Verhoeven, Max Wittmann, Olga Diora, Eva Fiebig, Eddie Peppler, Hanne Dorian, Margarete Hopf. In this revue, Lorre appeared in the following sketches: Generalprobe (Dress Rehearsal), as the librettist; Jugendliche haben Zutritt (Young People Allowed Admission), as Max; Endlich ein bisschen Geist (Finally a Little Wit), as a spirit voice; Fussballmatch (Soccer Match), as a referee; Weltgeschichte (World History), as Ivan Bolschevikow; Das Klavier (The Piano), as an unnamed character.

  Lissy, die Kokotte (Lissy, the Coquette). Director: Erika Glaessner; written by Erika Glaessner; Kammerspiele, Vienna; April 28, 1927. Cast: Erika Glaessner, Heinz Leo Fischer, Paul Verhoeven, Hanne Dorian, Max Wittmann, Olga Diora, Peter Lorre (sheriff).

  Die Nackten kleiden (To Dress the Naked Ones). Director: Ernst Ludwig Matthy; written by Luigi Pirandello; Kammerspiele, Vienna; June 4, 1927. Cast: Maria Orska, Heinz Leo Fischer, Robert Valberg, Jakob Feldhammer, Peter Lorre (Alfredo Cantavalle, journalist), Therese Bellau.

  Sie darf keinen Sohn haben: Mademoiselle Flûte (She Shouldn’t Have a Son: Miss Flûte). Director: Robert Blum; written by Louis Verneuil; Kammerspiele, Vienna; Aug. 16, 1927. Cast: Poldi Müller, Hans Lackner, Käthe Franck-Witt, Hertha Pauli, Peter Lorre (Mignottet, the brother of the court president), Therese Bellau.

  Bitte, wer war zuerst da? (Please, Who Was Here First?). Director: Ernst Ludwig Matthy; written by Yvês Mirande and Monézy-Éon; German by Julius Elias; Kammerspiele, Vienna; Sept. 3, 1927. Cast: Theodor Grieg, Ilde Overhoff, Willy Hendrichs, Peter Lorre (Renard de Leuclume), Grete Wagner, Harald Paulsen, Käthe Franck-Witt, Martin Berliner.

  Wenn Man zu Dritt … (If You Go as a Trio …). Director: Max Brod; written by Pierre and Serge Veber; Kammerspiele, Vienna; Sept. 16, 1927. Cast: Harald Paulsen, Eugen Günther, Max Brod, Marlene Dietrich, Clara Karry, Käthe Franck-Witt, Peter Lorre (Felix Kellner).

  Broadway. Director: Franz Wenzler; written by George Dunning and Philip Abbott; Kammerspiele, Vienna; Sept. 20, Dec. 6, 1927; Jan. 4, 1928. Cast: Arthur Peiser, Harald Paulsen, Emmy Schleinitz, Peter Lorre (Joe, the waiter), Marlene Dietrich, Friedl Haerlin, Theodor Grieg.

  Die Kleine vom Varieté (The Little One from the Varieté). Director: Theodor Grieg; written by Alfred Möller; Kammerpiele, Vienna; Dec. 4, 1927. Cast: Camillo Triembacher, Kitty Rösler, Wilhelm Voelcker, Theodor Grieg, Peter Lorre (Paul Semmelmann, hairdresser).

  Pst! Madame Republik. Written by Fritz Löhner-Beda and Florian; Kammerspiele, Vienna; Dec. 23, 1927. Cast: Gisela Werbezirk, Elsie Altman, Willi Forst, Theodor Grieg, Peter Lorre, Fritz Heller, Hertha Hansen. In this revue, Lorre appeared in the following sketches: Schule der Zukunft (School of the Future), as the teacher; Das Phantom der Oper (Phantom of the Opera), as the flutist; Das Fenster des Kaisers (The Window of the Emperor), as Director Neger; Girl-Dämmerung (Twilight of the Girl), as the director; Protest! as someone who takes complaints; Koalition! (Coalition!), as a Socialist.

  Maya. Director: Franz Wenzler; written by Simon Gantillon; German by Robert Blum; Kammerspiele, Vienna; Jan. 1, 1928. Cast: Theodor Grieg, Annemarie Seidel, Trude Brionne, Grete Keller, Otto Hartmann, Therese Bellau, Theodor Grieg, Peter Lorre (a young steward), Oskar Beregi.

  Schloss Wetterstein (Castle Wetterstein). Director: Franz Wenzler; written by Frank Wedekind; Kammerspiele, Vienna; Feb. 7, 1928. Cast: Maria Orska, Theodor Grieg, Else Schilling, Franz Kammauf, Walter Doerry, Peter Lorre (Schigabek).

  Die Schwester (The Sister). Director: Franz Wenzler; written by Hans Kaltneker; Kammerspiele, Vienna; Feb. 14, 1928. Cast: Maria Orska, Friedl Haerlin, Edwin Jürgensen, Willy Hendrichs, Theodor Grieg, Walter Doerry, Peter Lorre (2 roles: the sexual researcher and a street-ghost).

  König der Diebe (King of Thieves). Director: Franz Wenzler; written by Jean Guitton; Kammerspiele, Vienna; March 10, 1928. Cast: Hans Moser, Theodor Grieg, Oskar Hugelmann, Gusta Karma, Käthe Franck-Witt, Peter Lorre (2 roles: Levy and the gentleman in the black frock coat), Wilhelm Voelcker, Fritz Heller.

  Der Abenteurer von dem Tor (The Adventurer at the Gate). Director: Ernst Ludwig Matthy; written by Milan Begovič; from the Croatian by Peter vom Preradovic; Kammerspiele, Vienna; April 24, 1928. Cast: Friedl Haerlin, Käthe Franck-Witt, Julius Haller, Willy Hendrichs, Hans Spallart, Trude Brionne, Peter Lorre (the well-bred young man), Theodor Grieg.

  Schnucki. Director: Adolf Glinger; written by Adolf Glinger and Otto Taussig; Kammerspiele, Vienna; April 27, 1928. Cast: Hans Moser, Anny Evera, Theodor Grieg, Hans Spallart, Grete Keller, Peter Lorre (Dr. Katz, lawyer), Fritz Heller.

  Der Brief (The Letter). Director: Franz Wenzler; written by W. Somerset Maugham; Kammerspiele, Vienna; May 16, 1928. Cast: Tilla Durieux, Theodor Grieg, Edwin Jürgensen, Willy Hendrichs, Peter Lorre (Ong Chi Seng), Wilhelm Voelcker, Hans Spallart.

  Lenin. Director: Hans Abrell; written by Ernst Fischer; Carltheater, Vienna; Sept. 26, 1928. Cast: Eduard Rothauser, Hans Schultze-Wendel, Arthur Fischer-Streitmann, Peter Lorre (Kamenew, one of the Soviet commissars), Paul Camill Tyndall, Max Wittmann, Eduard Spiess, Eddie Peppler.

  Scherz, Satire, Ironie und tiefere Bedeutung (Comedy, Satire, Irony, and Deeper Meaning). Director: Carl Behr; written by Christian Dietrich Grabbe; Carltheater, Vienna; Oct. 26, 1928. Cast: Eduard Rothauser, Hertha Pauli, Josef Schaper, Hans Schulze-Wendel, Max Wittmann, Franz Berisch, Peter Lorre (the village schoolmaster), Eddie Peppler, Arthur Fischer-Streitmann.

  Pioniere in Ingolstadt (Engineers in Ingolstadt). Director: Jacob Geis; written by Marieluise Fleisser; Theater am Schiffbauerdamm, Berlin; March 30, 1929. Cast: Albert Hoerrmann, Marcel Mermino, Henrich Mathies, Heinrich Gretler, Franz Weilhammer, Peter Lorre (Fabian), Ludwig Stössel, Hilde Körber, Lotte Lenja, Leo Reuss, Fritz Ritter, Kurt Gerron.

  Happy End. Directors: Erich Engel and Bertolt Brecht; written by Elisabeth Hauptmann; Theater am Schiffbauerdamm, Berlin; Aug. 31, 1929. Cast: Carola Neher, Oskar Homolka, Helene Weigel, Peter Lorre (Dr. Nakamura, called the “Governor”), Kurt Gerron, Theo Lingen, Albert Hoerrmann, Karlheinz Carell, Paul Günther, Marianne Oswald, Karl Huszar-Puffy, Erna Schöller.

  Dantons Tod (Danton’s Death). Director: Karl Heinz Martin; written by Georg Büchner; Volksbühne, Theater am Bülowplatz, Berlin; Aug. 31, 1929. Cast: Hans Rehmann, Peter Lorre (Saint-Just), Walter Franck, Ernst Karchow, Hans Peppler, Helene Sieburg, Lotte Lenja.

  Frühlings Erwachen (Spring’s Awakening). Director: Karl Heinz Martin; written by Frank Wedekind; Volksbühne, Theater am Bülowplatz, Berlin; Oct. 14, 1929. Cast: Helene Eisenstaedt, Helene Sieburg, Hans Peppler, Grete Bäck, Carl Balhaus, Josef Almas, Peter Lorre (Moritz Stiefel), Gerda Schaefer, Ellen Schwanneke, Lotte Lenja, Ernst Ginsberg.

  Die Unüberwindlichen (The Unconquerable). Director: Heinz Dietrich Kenter; written by Karl Kraus; Volksbühne, Theater am Bülowplatz, Berlin; Oct. 20, 1929. Cast: Peter Lorre (Barkassy, publisher o
f The Whistle), Hans Peppler, Leonard Steckel, Josef Almas, Kurt Gerron, Cäcilie Lvovsky, Heinrich Gretler, Ernst Ginsberg, Armin Schweizer.

  Der Kandidat (The Candidate). Director: Hans Hinrich; written by Carl Sternheim; from the play by Gustave Flaubert; Deutsches Theater, Kammerspiele, Berlin; Jan. 27, 1930. Cast: Otto Wallburg, Maria Fein, Toni van Eyck, Peter Lorre (Bach, editor of The People’s Voice), Cäcilie Lvovsky, Paul Hörbiger, Willi Forst, Victor de Kowa, Hans Deppe.

  Voruntersuchung (Preliminary Investigation). Director: Hans Hinrich; written by Max Alsberg and Otto Ernst Hesse; Renaissance Theater, Berlin; Oct. 14, 1930. Cast: Max Paulsen, Mathias Wiemann, Ludwig Stössel, Annemarie Steinsieck, Hans Brausewetter, Karin Evans, Peter Lorre (Bruno Klatte, reciter), Sylvia von Rodenberg, Erwin Faber, Julius Falkenstein, Trude Brionne.

  Die Quadratur des Kreises (Squaring the Circle). Director: Francesco von Mendelssohn; written by Valentin Katayev; Theater am Schiffbauerdamm, Berlin; Dec. 4, 1930. Cast: Heinz Rühmann, Peter Lorre (Kosomol Wasja), Lotte Lenja, Hilde Körber, Theo Lingen.

  Mann ist Mann (Man Equals Man). Director: Bertolt Brecht; written by Bertolt Brecht; Staatstheater, Berlin; Feb. 6, 1931. Cast: Peter Lorre (Galy Gay, an Irish packer), Helene Weigel, Theo Lingen, Wolfgang Heinz, Alexander Granach, Leo Reuss, Paul Bildt.

  Der Dompteur (The Lion Tamer). Director: Günther Haenel; written by Alfred Savoir; Theater am Schiffbauerdamm, Berlin; March 6, 1931. Cast: Fritz Kampers, Carola Neher, Gustaf Gründgens, Peter Lorre (Pipi the Clown), Theo Lingen, Karlheinz Carell.

  Nebeneinander (Side by Side). Director: Karl Heinz Martin; written by Georg Kaiser; Volksbühne am Bülowplatz, Berlin; Sept. 16, 1931. Cast: Peter Lorre (the Pawnbroker), Ernst Busch, Luise Ullrich, Inge Konradi, Ernst Karchow, Josef Dahmen, Lotte Lievan.

  Geschichten aus dem Wiener Wald (Tales from the Vienna Woods). Director: Heinz Hilpert; written by Ödön von Horváth; Deutsches Theater, Berlin; Nov. 2, 1931. Cast: Lina Woiwode, Peter Lorre (Alfred), Frida Richard, Willy Trenk-Trebitsch, Lucie Höflich, Heinrich Heilinger, Josef Danegger, Paul Hörbiger, Carola Neher, Hans Moser, Paul Dahlke, Cäcilie Lvovsky, Grete Jacobsen, Karl Huszar-Puffy, Hermann Wlach, Elisabeth Neumann.

  Die Nemo Bank. Director: Louis Verneuil; written by Louis Verneuil; German translation by Alfred Polgar; Komödienhaus, Berlin; Dec. 23, 1931. Cast: Max Pallenberg, Edith Edwards, Peter Lorre (a crooked teller), Herbert Hübner, Else Bassermann, Hans Deppe, Herman Wlach, Ferdinand von Alten, Fritz Alberti, Carl Jönson, Hans Schirmeisen, Rudolf Amendt, Erhart Stettner, Walter Schramm-Dunckner, Wolfgang Frees, Erich Walter, Friedrich Ettel.

  Golgotha. Director: Aurel Nowotny; written by B.D. Ludwig; Zirkus-Renz, Vienna; April 16, 1933. Cast: Hans Schweikart, Ebba Johannsen, Peter Lorre (Judas), Dagny Servaes, Margarete Schell-Nöe, Nico Habel.

  Bertolt Brecht Evening. Director: Erwin Piscator; Studio Theater of the New School for Social Research, New York City; March 6, 1943. Guests: Peter Lorre, Lotte Lenya, Wieland Herzfelde, Elisabeth Neumann, Theo Goetz, Ludwig Roth, Ernst Roberts, Elisabeth Bergner, and others. Lorre read six poems from Deutschen Satiren (German Satires); four poems from Svendborger Gedichte (Svendborg Poems), including “Schwierigkeit des Regierens” (“Difficulties of Governing”), “Über die Bezeichnung Emigranten” (“On the Designation ‘Emigrants’”), “Legende von der Entstehung des Buches Taoteking auf dem Weg des Laotse in die Emigration” (“Legend of the Origin of the Book Taoteking on Lao-tse’s Journey into Emigration”), and “An die Nachgeborenen” (“To Posterity”); and “An die deutschen Soldaten im Osten” (“To the German Soldier in the East”).

  Alfred Döblin’s 65th birthday celebration. El Pablo Rey Playhouse, Santa Monica, CA; Aug. 14, 1943. Guests: Berthold Viertel, Heinrich Mann, Fritz Kortner, Peter Lorre, Alexander Granach, Ludwig Hardt, Eduard Steuermann, Ernst Toch. Lorre recited from Döblin’s works.

  The Man with the Head of Glass. Written by Frank Wilson. Lorre toured the following movie theaters, all in 1944: The Earle, Philadelphia, PA, Aug. 18; The Palace, Cleveland, OH, Aug. 25; Hamid’s Pier, Atlantic City, NJ, Sept. 2; The RKO, Boston, Sept. 7; The State, Hartford, CT, Sept. 22; The Palace, Columbus, OH, Sept. 26; The Oriental, Chicago, Sept. 29; St. Charles, New Orleans, Oct. 12; The National, Louisville, KY, Oct. 20. Cast: Peter Lorre.

  The Man with the Head of Glass. Written by Frank Wilson; 3 additional engagements, all in 1945: The Strand, New York City, March 2; Golden Gate Theater, San Francisco, May 16; The Adams, Newark, NJ, Oct. 10. Cast: Peter Lorre.

  The Tell-Tale Heart. Adapted by Frank Wilson from the story by Edgar Allan Poe; The Roxy, New York City; Feb. 11, 1947. Cast: Peter Lorre.

  Nacht der Prominenten (Night of Prominent People), Kabarett der Komiker. Town Hall, New York City; March 1, 1947. Cast: Peter Lorre, Oscar Karlweis, Señor Wences, The Barry Sisters, Hermann Leopoldi, Kurt Robitschek, Calgary Brothers, Kitty Mattern, John Kolischer, Cardini, Walter Joseph, and others. In this revue, Lorre appeared in the sketch Der letzte Österreicher (The Last Austrian), written by Kurt Robitschek.

  The Tell-Tale Heart. Adapted by Frank Wilson from the story by Edgar Allan Poe. Lorre toured the following movie theaters: The Chicago, Chicago, Nov. 5, 1948; The Albee, Cincinnati, OH, Dec. 23, 1948; The Palace, Columbus, OH, Jan. 10, 1949; The Olympia, Miami, FL, Jan. 19, 1949; The Hippodrome, Baltimore, March 3, 1949; The Earle, Philadelphia, April 22, 1949. Cast: Peter Lorre.

  The Tell-Tale Heart. Adapted by Frank Wilson from the story by Edgar Allan Poe; The Paramount, New York City; May 11, 1949. Cast: Peter Lorre.

  The Tell-Tale Heart, The Bells. Adapted by Frank Wilson from the stories by Edgar Allan Poe. Lorre toured the following movie theaters in England, all in 1949: The Grand, Derby, July 4; The Empire, Wood Green, July 18; The Hippodrome, Manchester, July 25; The Empire, Chiswick, Aug. 1; The Palace, Leicester, Aug. 8; The Empire, Hackney, Aug. 15; The Hippodrome, Bristol, Aug. 29; The Empire, Chatham, Sept. 5; The Empire, Shepherd’s Bush, Sept. 12. Cast: Peter Lorre.

  The Tell-Tale Heart. Adapted by Frank Wilson from the story by Edgar Allan Poe; Amerika-Haus, Hamburg; Aug. 10, 1950. Cast: Peter Lorre.

  The Tell-Tale Heart. Adapted by Frank Wilson from the story by Edgar Allan Poe. Lorre toured the following venues, all in 1952: The Armory, High Point, NC, May 22; The Armory, Greensboro, NC, May 23; Walter Williams High School, Burlington, NC, May 23; City Armory, Durham, NC, May 24; Danceland, Greensboro, NC, May 24. Cast: Peter Lorre.

  A Night at Madame Tussaud’s: A Shocker in the Grand Guignol Manner. Directed by Peter Lorre and Edwin Justus Mayer; written by Edwin Justus Mayer. Lorre, Hopkins, Clanton, Frayne, and Watson toured the following theaters, all in 1952: Summer Theatre, Norwich, CT, Aug. 18; Boston Summer Theater, New England Mutual Hall, Boston, Aug. 25; Grist Mill Playhouse, Andover, NJ, Sept. 1; Kenley Theater, Lakewood Park, Barnesville, PA, Sept. 8; Kenley Players, York, PA, Sept. 15. Cast: Miriam Hopkins, Peter Lorre (Brutus), Ralph Clanton, Viola Frayne, Rudulph Justice Watson; Additional Cast: Norwich—Barry Alan Grael, Joseph Warren, Geoffrey Brown, A. Serli Peary, Sidney Antebi, Harriet Tecot; Boston—Alan Tower, Paul Clarke, Joe Graham, Arthur Wenzel, George Birt, Matt Connolly Jr., Helen Dayton; Barnesville—Leslie Cutler, John Himes, Russ Anderson, Ted Atwood, Francis McMenamin, Janet Stanaland.

  FILM

  Die verschwundene Frau (The Missing Wife) (Österreichisches Filmindustrie, 1929). Director: Karl Leiter; screenplay: Franz Pollak, based on the novel by Max Dürr; cinematography: Eduard von Borsody; 2,500 meters. Cast: Harry Halm, Iris Arlan, Mary Kid, Peter C. Leska, Richard Waldemar, Reinhold Häussermann, Peter Lorre (dental patient).

  M (Nero-Films, 1931). Director: Fritz Lang; producer: Seymour Nebenzal; screenplay: Thea von Harbou, based on an article by Egon Jacobson; cinematography: Fritz Arno Wagner; murderer’s theme by Edward Grieg: extract from Peer Gynt; 110 min. Cast: Gerhard Bienert, Rudolf Blümmer, Fritz Gnass, Gustaf Gründgens, Peter Lorre (Hans Beckert), Fritz Odemar, Karl Platen, Ernst Stahl-Nachbaur, Georg John, Paul Kemp, Inge Landgut, Theo Lingen, Theodor Lo
os, Franz Stein, Hertha von Walther, Otto Wernicke, Rosa Valetti, Ellen Widmann.

  Bomben auf Monte Carlo (Bombs on Monte Carlo) (UFA, 1931). Director: Hanns Schwarz; executive producer: Erich Pommer; producer: Max Pfeiffer; screenplay: Hans Müller and Franz Schultz; based on the novel by Fritz Reck-Malleczewen and a story by Jeno Heltai; cinematography: Günther Rittau; music: Werner R. Heymann; lyrics: Robert Gilbert; 108 min. Cast: Hans Albers, Anna Sten, Heinz Rühmann, Ida Wüft, Rachel Devirys, Kurt Gerron, Karl Etlinger, Peter Lorre (Pawlitchek), Otto Wallburg, Charles Kuhlmann, Bruno Ziener, Lydia Potechina, Gertrud Wolle, Fritz Behmer, Paul Henkels, Comedian Harmonifts, Kapelle Carlo Minari.

  Die Koffer des Herrn O.F. (The Luggage of Mr. O.F.) (Tonbild-Syndikat AG, 1931). Director: Alexis Granowsky; producers: Hans Conradi and Mark Asarow; screenplay: Leo Lania and Alexis Granowsky; based on an idea by Hans Homberg; cinematography: Reimer Kuntze and Heinrich Balasch; music: Karol Bethaus; songs: Erich Kästner; 80 min. Cast: Alfred Abel, Harald Paulsen, Peter Lorre (Stix, the editor), Ludwig Stössel, G.W. von Nello, Margo Lion, Hedy Kiesler, Ilse Korsek, Liska March.

  Fünf von der Jazzband (The Jazz Band Five) (UFA, 1932). Director: Erich Engel; screenplay: Hermann Kosterlitz and Curt Alexander; cinematography: Reimer Kuntze; 88 min. Cast: Jenny Jugo, Rolf von Goth, Fritz Klippel, Karl Stepanck, Günther Vogdt, Theo Shall, Werner Pledath, Arthur Mainzer, Heinrich Gretler, Walter Steinbeck, E. Helmke-Dassel, Fritz Melchoir, Vera Spohr, Frida, Robert Klein-Lörk, Peter Lorre (car thief).