Elisabeth Bergner

A blonde German leading lady, her stage career began in Zurich in 1919, then she put in appearances all over Europe and on Broadway, gaining an international reputation as one of the finest actresses of her time; she became a favorite of celebrated German stage director Max Reinhardt. Bergner’s film career began in Germany in 1923, leading to great success there in fey gamine roles until Hitler’s rise to power in 1933; then she and her husband, German film director Dr. Paul Czinner (who directed most of her films to that point), moved to England, where she continued her stage and screen work. After the war she took up an international stage career again and occasionally appeared in German films. Bergner was nominated for a Best Actress Oscar for her work in Escape Me Never (1935), which was also a stage vehicle of hers. She appeared in only one Hollywood production, the unsuccessful Paris Calling (1941) with Randolph Scott; her last film was the German The Pentecost Outing (1979). —allmovie guide