Georg John
Georg John was a German stage and film actor.
Early life
Georg Jacobsohn was born into a Jewish household in Schmiegel, Province of Posen, Imperial Germany.
Career
John began his career around 1900 in smaller stages and traveling theatres. In 1904, he was engaged at the Theater of Wilhelmshaven, followed by appearances at Stolp in 1905, Altona, Mülheim an der Ruhr, Bochum and Göttingen. In 1914, John worked as an actor and producer for Vaterländische Schauspiele in Vienna.
In 1917, John first appeared in silent movies, playing a Tibetan monk in Die Fremde, and Death in Hilde Warren und der Tod. These roles were typical of the kinds of parts he would become known for, even if, at first, he was more often seen as a father, husband or dignitary. Beginning in the 1920s, John appeared in the films of notable German filmmakers, where he often played bizarre, gnome-like figures, such as the beggar in Fritz Lang's Der müde Tod, and the blind balloon-seller who recognizes the murderer due to a whistled song in 1931's M. For F. W. Murnau he played a night-watchman in Der Letzte Mann.
Being a Jew, John was deported in autumn 1941 to the Łódź Ghetto where he died on 18 November 1941 at the age of 62.
Selected filmography
Ramara Hilde Warren und der Tod – TodDie Fremde Das Buch des Lasters – BildhauerWaves of Fate Mr. Wu – Tschang-TaVerlorene Töchter – Manager PichlerVeritas Vincit – Blinder SenatorPeer Gynt – Prof. Dr. BegriffenfeldtThe Boy in Blue – Zigeunerhauptmann / Gypsy commanderThe Spiders – Dr. TelphasUnheimliche Geschichten Harakiri – Buddhist MonkPhantome des Lebens Der Weg der Grete Lessen Dämon der Welt – Fred OsringDer Menschheit Anwalt – Hexenrichter Abdonatus / Hexenrichter LucinderJohann Baptiste Lingg – Gutsverwalter WolleckThe Legend of Holy Simplicity – Blinder BettlerDer König von Paris Humanity Unleashed – Fritz BreeseSchatten einer Stunde Napoleon and the Little Washerwoman Hearts are Trumps – Dunkler mannPlanetenschieber Tobias Buntschuh – Das Drama eines Einsamen – Abgesandte des StahltrustsThe Stranger from Alster Street Die Geschichte von Barak Johnson Der Silberkönig Der müde Tod – Beggar / BettlerThe Riddle of the Sphinx – MummyLady Hamilton – zwei JacobinerThe Indian Tomb – Büßer / a PenitentDas Geheimnis der Santa Maria Das Geheimnis der sechs Spielkarten Die Geschichte des grauen Hauses 1 – Episode: Der Mord aus verschmähter Liebe The Adventurer – der rote JohnnyDie Beute der Erinnyen – Tom SprangDer brennende Acker – Großknecht / Head farmhandDr. Mabuse, der Spieler – PeschShe and the Three – Ehrenmann hinter schwedischen GardinenPrashna's Secret – Praschna, indischer FakirThe Fall of Jerusalem – Egyptian EmissaryMarie Antoinette, the Love of a King – RobespierreThe Fire Ship The Stone Rider – PförtnerA Woman, an Animal, a Diamond – ZirkusdirektorThe Lost Shoe – JonI Had a Comrade – MarodeurThe Good Comrade – MarodeurGold and Luck – WuchererFrauenschicksal Die Nibelungen – Mime the blacksmith / Alberich the Nibelung / Slaodel, his brotherDecameron Nights – AstologerMy Leopold – NibischDas Wachsfigurenkabinett – PrisonerThe Last Laugh – Nachtwächter Peter the Pirate – BeppoHarry Hill's Deadly Hunt Guillotine Express Train of Love Slums of Berlin – Laundress's HusbandThe Gentleman Without a Residence – FürstVarieté – SeemanBismarck The Hanseatics Adventure on the Night Express – Theewens Diener RaoulThe Fallen – SchampuspusorjeThe Mill at Sanssouci – General ZietenDes Königs Befehl Eyes Open, Harry! – Nathan MillerDas graue Haus – Der HenkerHell of Love – Heinicke, ProkuristThe Flight in the Night – BediensteterWenn Menschen irren. Frauen auf Irrwegen Metropolis – Arbeiter / Working Man Who Causes Explosion of M-Machine Erinnerungen einer Nonne The Bordellos of Algiers – PortierThe Weavers – AnsorgeFrühere Verhältnisse Gehetzte Frauen The Curse of Vererbung – PortierAt the Edge of the World Der Mann ohne Kopf – Der SchrecklichePetronella – Das Geheimnis der Berge – Der alte AmrosOnly a Viennese Woman Kisses Like That – Der ManagerAlraune – Der MörderLuther – Ein KrüppelPanic Spione – Locomotive Engineer Man Against Man – ZamokThe Hangman Volga Volga Anastasia, die falsche Zarentochter Somnambul – Der WirtTaxi at Midnight – Dritter WachtmeisterMen Without Work – Odysseus – der 'KünstlerAndreas Hofer – Franz Raffl – ein BauerAtlantik – Wendt, Thomas' servantThe Woman Without Nerves – SekretärFundvogel – PoacherRag Ball The Land of Smiles – Tschang in der OperetteThe Flute Concert of Sanssouci – ZietenDanton – AnklägerStürmisch die Nacht M – Blind PanhandlerThe First Right of the Child Death Over Shanghai – Lutsin – Praxas DienerF.P.1 antwortet nicht – MaschinistThe Flower of Hawaii – Oberpriester von HawaiiJumping Into the Abyss – FotografThe Testament of Dr. Mabuse – Baums Diener / Baum's Servant