Trivia

Today the name Oskar Karlweis nearly fell into oblivion.

Austrian stage and film actor, dancer and singer. Performing from 1912, he was at the peak of his popularity in operettas and comedies in Munich, Berlin and Vienna during the 1920's. Long with the Theater in der Josefstadt, also in occasional films (notably as one of Lillian Harvey's suitors in Three from the Filling Station (1930)). Due to the Nazi persecution of Jews, he was forced to leave Austria after the 1938 'Anschluss', eventually resettling in the U.S. where he appeared on Broadway and in occasional films and television productions.

The actor Oskar Karlweis became a very popular actor in entertainment movies at the beginning of the talkies.

He grew up in an artistic surrounding. His father was a successful writer in Austria under the pen name C. Karlweis and his older sister Marta Weiss was also a writer. So Oskar Karlweis also entered an artistic career.

The year 1930 was the year in which Oskar Karlweis took the big screen by storm.

Abandoning a career in law to pursue acting, Karlweis began acting with the City Theatre in Vienna, staying with the company for eight years before being interrupted by his service in World War I. He returned to theatre after the war.

He began as an actor at the theater and gave guest performances in Vienna, Munich and Berlin at different stages.

From 1951 he also took part in American movies where he normally impersonated support roles.

Especially with operettas by Johann Strauss Sohn he had great successes as an actor, singer and dancer (Die Fledermaus, Wiener Blut, 1001 Nacht).

In 1927 he went to Berlin, where he worked for the Deutschen Theater and was successful in Strauss operetta's like "Der Fledermaus" and "Wiener Blut".

His much promising career became abruptly ended in 1933 because of the National Socialists.

In the USA he wasn't able to continue his career for the time being because of his speech problem, instead he organized performances at the Carnegie Hall with other emigrants.

Karlweis was married to film producer Ninon Tallon (1908-1977).

With his first movie in 1930 he catapulted himself to the most popular stars of the early 30's. At Willy Fritsch's and Heinz Rühmann's side he impersonated the trio "Die Drei von der Tankstelle" .

With the assumption of power by the National Socialists the Jew Oskar Karlweis had to emigrate. He went to his home country Austria and was able to continue his career at the Kammerspielen and at the Theater in der Josefstadt.

In 1938 he went to Paris, where he performed with Karl Farkas. When France was occupied as well he went to the USA, where he played for immigrants together with Farkas.

Austria wasn't after 1935 any longer a protective haven for him and he had to emigrate via Switzerland and Czechoslovakia to Paris. Two years later he went to Portugal, Spain and finally to the USA.

Oskar grew up in Vienna and studied law, but he abandoned his studied because he was more interested in art.

Oskar Karlweis returned to Vienna in 1948 for the first time after war where he was welcomed be an enthusiastic audience. He had a successful comeback at the theater and commuted between Austria and the USA in the next years.

He was also a good singer and dancer which he proved in the successful movie "Zwei Herzen im Dreiviertel-Takt" (1930).

Oskar Karlweis had his first great success in English in 1942 with "Rosalinda", later followed triumphs on Broadway.