Rosa Valetti
Rosa Valetti was a German actress, cabaret performer, and singer.
Biography
Rosa Valetti was born in Berlin, the daughter of industrialist Felix Vallentin and sister of actor Hermann Vallentin. She played her first roles in the theatres of suburban Berlin. Inspired by the November Revolution and her meeting with political satirist Kurt Tucholsky, Valetti began performing in cabarets. In 1920, she founded the Café Grössenwahn, which has been recognized as one of the most important literary and political cabarets in 1920s Berlin. Café Megalomania was frequented by Expressionist writers, and the program of sketch comedy and political songs reflected Valetti's belief in the cabaret as an instrument of political and social criticism.
The inflation of 1919 to 1923 and the subsequent collapse of the German economy forced Valetti to close Cafe Megalomania. She directed the cabaret Rakete for a time, then launched another cafe of her own, the Rampe, which hosted the works of revolutionist poet and singer Erich Weinert. Valetti was among the founders of the floating cabaret Larifari during the late 1920s. In 1928, she performed as Mrs. Peachum in the original cast of Bertolt Brecht's Threepenny Opera, which was staged under the direction of Erich Engel at Berlin's Theater am Schiffbauerdamm.
Rosa Valetti acted in film roles from 1911. Her age and sturdy mien ensured that she acted mostly in motherly roles, as in the 1925 film Die Prinzessin und der Geiger, in which she played a 46-year-old grandmother. In Josef von Sternberg's 1930 film Der Blaue Engel, she plays the wife of the magician, Kiepert. Valetti also appears briefly in Fritz Lang's 1931 classic M as the proprietor of an underworld cafe.
In 1933, Valetti went into exile, performing first in Vienna and Prague, then in Palestine in 1936. She married actor Ludwig Roth and had a daughter, the actress Lisl Valetti, with him.
Rosa Valetti died in Vienna on 10 December 1937. She was buried at the Urnenhain. The grave existed until 2001.
A street in Berlin's Mahlsdorf district is named "Rosa-Valetti-Strasse" in her honour.
Selected filmography
Frau Potiphar Die Ballhaus-Anna Wollen sie meine Tochter heiraten? Kleine weiße Sklaven The Vice - MutterSpiel im Spiel Rosa kann alles Die Gräfin Heyers Nicht lange täuschte mich das Glück Die toten Augen Othello oder: Das Verhängnis eines Fürstenhauses Wanderratten Die lachende Maske Seelenverkäufer - Frau HouttonDie Geächteten - Maruschka Czapka, die Frau vom WirtMadeleine Hang Lu oder: Der verhängnisvolle Schmuck Verlorene Töchter, 3. Teil - Die Menschen nennen es Liebe The Yellow Death - AwdotjaThe Dancer Barberina - Frau CampaniniNarrentanz der Liebe - WirtinThe Girl from Acker Street - Mutter SchulzeKurfürstendamm - Frau LesserMoral Respectable Women Christian Wahnschaffe The Guilt of Lavinia Morland Helmsman Holk - Greta GrienDie entfesselte Menschheit Die rote Katze Der fliegende Tod Der Dummkopf - Madame SchirmarThe House on the Moon Hannerl and Her Lovers - WahrsagerinThe Three Aunts Das Mädchen aus der Ackerstraße - 3. Teil The Hotel of the Dead The Eternal Curse Die im Schatten gehen The Earl of Essex - Mrs. CuffThe Stream Carousel Die Schneiderkomtess Rudderless Zwischen Morgen und Morgen The Golden Calf - Frau HuberThe Marriage Swindler The Flower Girl of Potsdam Square - Rieke SchulzeDie Prinzessin und der Geiger - Michaels Grossmutter / GrandmotherThe Fire Dancer - PortiersfrauOh Those Glorious Old Student Days The Woman without Money The Morals of the Alley Tartüff - Seine Haushälterin / HousekeeperThe Ones Down There Accommodations for Marriage Tea Time in the Ackerstrasse The Captain from Koepenick Darling, Count the Cash - HeiratsvermittlerinOrphan of Lowood - Grace PooleHow Do I Marry the Boss? Always Be True and Faithful - Fedora Bratfisch, KarussellbesitzerinThe Transformation of Dr. Bessel - Die Wirtin des Hotel garniThe Story of a Little Parisian Herkules Maier - WirtinSpione - Kitty's Mother Gaunerliebchen - AlteThe Burning Heart Asphalt - Frau an der ThekeThe Hero of Every Girl's Dream The Blue Angel - Guste, His WifeTäter gesucht - NachbarinM – Eine Stadt sucht einen Mörder - BartenderThe Secret of the Red Cat - Laura JeffersonThe Scoundrel - Frau KochankeThe Theft of the Mona Lisa The Adventurer of Tunis - Madame RosaMarriage with Limited Liability - Frau Hollmann, seine WirtinEhe mit beschränkter Haftung Wiener Wald - HerselfTwo Hearts Beat as One Scandal on Park Street The Invisible Front The Dancer of Sanssouci - MotherDie unsichtbare Front - Tante JennyMoral und Liebe - Frau WronskajaLiliom - Minor Role