Conrad Veidt a lost actor in Universal's History of Horror.

[Forkboy]

Just about every film buff knows the stars of the classic line of horror films produced by Universal in the 1920s', 30s' and 40s'. Bela Lugosi, Boris Karloff and Lon Cheney, three names that will forever be remembered in the hearts of movie fans around the world. Yet, one name always seems to omitted from the list. True this mystery actor never played Dracula or Frankenstein's Monster, yet his part in the history of horror is just as important as any actor who ever wore a cape or endured hours wrapped in bandages.

I am of course talking about Conrad Veidt. Still don't know who I'm talking about? Well, I'm certain that you have heard of some of the films he starred in. Veidt would become known for his roles in such films as "The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari" (1920), "The Thief of Bagdad" (1940), and "Casablanca" (1942). His likeness as Gwynplaine in "The Man Who Laughs" would serve as the inspiration for the comic book supervillain "The Joker."



Stills of Veidt were used as inspiration by the Joker's creators, artist Bob Kane, writer Bill Finger and artist Jerry Robinson,the creators have long disputed who actually came up with the character. Veidt also appeared in Magnus Hirschfeld's pioneering gay rights film Anders als die Andern ("Different from the Others", 1919), in which he played what is likely the first gay character written for the cinema, and in Das Land ohne Frauen (1929), Germany's first talking picture.

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More here - excellent piece.
http://robojapan.blogspot.com/2008/10/conrad-veidt-lost-actor-in-universals.html

[mitchum]

1. Every goth kid who walks the face of the earth owes a debt to Veidt

[Howardx]

2. gwynplaine!

thats a great movie

[AllieB]

3. He played Nazis, but had to leave Nazi Germany.

Hollywood in the 30s and 40s owes a lot to the European ex-pats who fled because they were Jewish, gay, or 'politically undesirable'.

[Forkboy]

5. Yes indeed.

If there's such a thing as a silver lining in all that time this would be one of them.

[JuniperLea]

4. We recently watched "The Man Who Laughs"

Poor Gwynplaine... so misunderstood. It's one of my all-time favorites! That, and "Mr. Sardonicus" which is another favorite in keeping with the "smile" theme. From IMDB: "A search for a winning lottery ticket in his dead father's grave causes Sardonicus' face to freeze in a horrible grimace..." http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0055200/

The "grimace" was actually caused by seeing his dead father's face, by then contorted by rigor mortis.



And Sardonicus with his mask:





Somehow this smilie seems weak:)

[Forkboy]

6. I loved Mr Sardonicus.

I haven't seen that in well over 20 years. I'll have to try to find that. Thanks for the reminder.

I love all the old obscure horror/sci-fi stuff, and the history and players behind them.

[JuniperLea]

8. Reptilicus is another monster movie we've watched recently...

Off the beaten path for sure, and off topic, but, well, you know how one flick leads to the next:)



A non-Japanese reptilian monster movie! Rare. The monster's "rebirth" as well as the ending, which denotes yet another "rebirth" are great, imho. I also like the main "monster destroys the city" scene, especially when a building's spire bounces off the monster's nose. I'm not sure why I like that:) I think I must have been four or five the first time I saw this film, way before I ever saw any of the Godzilla movies.

[Forkboy]

9. Dutch horror!

So bad it's good!

I thought I was the only one who actually liked it. And how many times does Copenhagen get stomped in movie history? That's right...this is it. :)

This is widely considered to be one of the worst movies of the genre, second only to The Giant Claw....



...which I also like. :rofl:

[JuniperLea]

10. So bad it's good... yep!

American International was big on that genre:) Howardx briefly worked for a guy who produced really bad movies for them.

Good God... now I have to put The Giant Claw on our Netflix list!

:rofl:

Happy to see I'm not alone in my weird taste in bad cinema:)

[Howardx]

12. added to list

its a double feature

The Giant Claw / The Creature from the Atom Brain

[JuniperLea]

14. Killer!

Thanks;)

[Howardx]

11. i on the other hand

thought it sucked.

[JuniperLea]

13. You're a hard audience, Howard

Admit it... you liked the throbbing claw beneath the water in the end!


But think of the flicks I've made you sit through that you really liked!

Like this one:



Christopher Walken at his creepiest!

[Forkboy]

15. LOL...well it does. That's half the fun.

;)

[RaleighNCDUer]

7. The animated Jaffar in Disney's "Aladdin", known to millions of

children world wide, was based on his character in the 1940 "Thief of Bagdhad".