Conrad Veidt

January 22, 1893 - April 3, 1943
Born Hans Walter Conrad Veidt in Berlin, Germany

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A Lot (but by no means all) of the Remarkable Film Performances of Conrad Veidt

This list was primarily put together from three major sources which attempt to be comprehensive and definite (as this page does not): Conrad Veidt's Internet Movie Database filmography, the Incompleat Complete Films of Conrad Veidt list maintained on the Conrad Veidt Society Web site, and J. C. Allen's fine biography of the actor, "Conrad Veidt: From Caligari to Casablanca," available from the author. When these sources disagreed about information which can no longer be verified (dates, details), I sorted things out as well as I could. If you have corrections or additional information to offer, please send me e-mail — and better yet, please share your data with the excellent resources I credited.

So here's my working list of Veidt performances I think will be of interest to classic horror movie fans:

• As "As the Indian priest" in Furcht (Fear) (1917), directed by Robert Wiene (pre-Caligari).
  
  
• As Count Dinja, a maniacal Hindu in a melodrama about India, Das Rätsel von Bangalor (The Mystery of Bangalor) (1918). written by Paul Leni, and directed by Paul Leni and Alexander Antalffy. With Harry Liedtke and Gilda Langer.
  
  
• As Richard Armstrong, a sex fiend whose obsession leads to his death in a film about the perils of narcotics addiction, Opium (1919), directed by Robert Dinesen. With Werner Krauss (as Nung-Tschang), Sybill Morel (as Sin), Eduard von Winterstein (as Professor Gesellius), Friedrich Kühne and Hanna Ralph.
  
  
• As "Philieas Fogg," the circumnavigating adventurer in the lost film Die Reise um die Erde in 80 Tagen (Around the World in 80 Days) (1919), based on the adventure novel by Jules Verne, and directed by Richard Oswald. With Anita Berber as Aouda, Eugen Rex as Passepartout, Max Gülstorff as Detektiv Fix, Reinhold Schünzel, Kate Oswald and Paul Morgan.
  
  
• As "Ein fremder Passagier" in Peer Gynt (1919), a lost film based on Henrik Ibsen's satirical fantasy play about a Norwegian folk hero's travels around the world, and directed by Victor Barnowsky. Starring Heinz Salfner as Peer Gynt, with Ilka Grüning, Lina Lossen, Hans Sternberg, Georg John, John Gottowt, Irmgard von Hansen, Maria Forescu, Hanna Lierke , Richard Senius, Gertrud von Hoschek and Anita Berber.
  
  
• Playing a different part in all six segments of the fantasy film Unheimliche Geschichten (1919), produced and directed by Richard Oswald. (English translations: Eerie Tales, Five Sinister Stories, Tales of Horror, Tales of the Uncanny, Weird Tales.) Veidt's co-stars Anita Berber and Reinhold Schünzel also played a part in all segments, with a supporting cast including Hugo Döblin, Paul Morgan, Georg John and Richard Oswald. The segments of the film, and the parts the principals played in them, are:
  
  
  • Framing story: Veidt as "Der Tod" (Death), Berber as "Die Dirne" (The Prostitute), Schünzel as "Der Teufel" (The Devil).
    
    
  • Episode 1: Anselma Heine's "Die Erscheinung" ("The Apparition") — Veidt as "The stranger," Berber as "Woman," Schünzel as "Former husband."
    
    
  • Episode 2, Robert Liebmann's "Die Hand" ("The Hand") — Veidt as "The assassin," Berber as "Girlfriend," Schünzel as "Murderer."
    
    
  • Episode 3, Edgar Allan Poe's "Die schwarze Katze" ("The Black Cat") — Veidt as ":Traveller,": Berber as "Wife of drunk," Schünzel as "Drunk."
    
    
  • Episode 4, Robert Louis Stevenson's "Der Selbstmörderklub" ("The Suicide Club") — Veidt as "Club president," Berber as "Sister of club president," Schünzel as "Artur Silas, detective."
    
    
  • Episode 5, Richard Oswald's "Der Spuk" ("The Spook") — Veidt as "Husband." Berber as "Wife," Schünzel as "Travelling Baron."
  
  
• Veidt's biographer J. C. Allen ("Conrad Veidt From Caligari to Casablanca") claims that the actor played Satan and appears in other roles in the lost film Satanas (1919), scripted by Robert Wiene and directed by F.W. Murnau (pre-Nosferatu). Though Veidt's Internet Movie Database Filmography doesn't include this film, the Incompleat Complete Films of Conrad Veidt list maintained on the Conrad Veidt Society Web site also lists it. The following details about the film derive from Allen's description:
  
  
  • Framing story: Veidt as "Satan," opening and closing a curtain at the beginning of each story.
    
    
  • Episode 1, set in ancient Egypt: Veidt in two parts: "Satan" and "the Hermit from Elu".
    
    
  • Episode 2, about the Borgia family in medieval Italy: Veidt in two parts: "Satan" and "Gubetta the Spaniard".
    
    
  • Episode 3, set in modern Germany (c. 1917): Veidt in two parts: "Satan" and "Ivan Grodski".
  
  
• As "Cesare" the murderous nightstalking somnabulist, controlled by a sinister carnival showman in the nightmarish archetypal horror film Das Kabinett des Doktor Caligari (The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari) (1919), written by Hans Janowitz and Carl Mayer, and directed by Robert Wiene. With Werner Krauss (as Caligari), Lil Dagover, Friedrich Feher, Hans Heinrich von Twardowski, Rudolf Lettinger, Rudolf Klein-Rogge, Hans Lanser-Rudolf, Henri Peters-Arnolds, Ludwig Rex and Elsa Wagner. Fabulous expressionist set design by Hermann Warn.
  
  
• As "Clown" in Nachtgestalten (1919), ("Figures of the Night."), directed by Richard Oswald. With Paul Wegener, Reinhold Schünzel, Erna Morena, Erik Charell, Anita Berber, Paul Bildt and Theodor Loos.
  
  
• As "Dr. Warren" and "Mr. O'Connor" in the lost horror film Der Januskopf - Eine Tragödie am Rande der Wirklichkeit (1920), aka The Janus Head: a Tragedy on the Border of Reality, The Head of Janus, Schrecken, Love's Mockery, The Two-Faced Man. An unauthorized adaptation of Robert Louis Stevenson's "Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde" scripted by Hans Janowitz, and directed by F.W. Murnau. With Bela Lugosi (as Dr. Warren's butler), Magnus Stifter, Margarete Schlegel, Willy Kaiser-Heyl, Margarete Kupfer, Danny Guertler, Gustav Botz, Jaro Fürth, Hans Lanser-Rudolf, Marga Reuter and Lanja Rudolph. Cinematography by Karl Freund and Carl Hoffmann.
  
  
• As "Teufel" (the Devil) in Kurfürstendamm (1920), written and directed by Richard Oswald. NOTE: The Kurfürstendamm is the most popular boulevard in Berlin, a shopping area and pleasure district. With Asta Nielsen, Erna Morena, Henry Sze, Rosa Valetti , Paul Morgan, Rudolf Forster and Theodor Loos.
  
  
• As a hypnotist (the title role?) in the lost film Der Graf von Cagliostro, aka The Count of Cagliostro (1921), directed by Reinhold Schünzel. With Anita Berber, Carl Goetz, Walter Huber, Heinrich Jensen, Reinhold Schünzel, Armin Seydelmann, Ferry Sikla, Hanni Weisse, Hugo Werner-Kahle and Hilde Woerner NOTE: The 18th Century rogue-adventurer Giuseppe Balsamo, known to history as the alchemist-magician Cagliostro, has figured in many films. "Cagliostro" was an early title for the script that became Karloff's The Mummy (1932), and Orson Welles starred as "Charlatan Cagliostro" in Gregory Ratoff's Black Magic (1949).
  
  
• As "Der Maler" (The Painter) in Der Gang in die Nacht, aka Journey Into the Night, The Walk in the Night, The Dark Road (1921), a romantic melodrama about an eye surgeon, a dancer and a blind painter, directed by F. W. Murnau. According to a review posted at the IMDb, Veidt's performance as the blindman is similar to Cesare in Caligari. With Olaf Fønss, Erna Morena, Gudrun Bruun-Stefenssen and Clementine Plessner.
  
  
• As the jealous and vindictive "Ayan III," Maharajah of Bengal and Prince of Eshnapur, maddened by the unfaithfulness of his wife and coldly plotting horrible, elaborate punishments for the adulterers, in the three and one-half hour spectacular Das Indische Grabmal 1921). Produced extravagantly with a budget of more than 20 million marks, based on a screenplay by Fritz Lang and Thea von Harbou, and directed by Gunnar Tollnes and Joe May. With Olaf Fønss, Mia May, Erna Morena, Bernhard Goetzke (as Ramigani, a Yogi), Lya de Putti, Paul Richter, Georg John, Max Adalbert, Lewis Brody, Wilhelm Diegelmann, Maria Forescu, Hermann Picha, Karl Platen and Wolfgang von Schwindt. Because of its length, the film was originally released in two parts:
  
  
  • Das Indische Grabmal: Die Sendung des Yoghi (The Indian Tomb: Part I, the Mission of the Yogi).
    
    
  • Das Indische Grabmal: Der Tiger von Eschnapur (The Indian Tomb: Part II, the Tiger of Bengal).
  
  
• As the cruel, treacherous "Cesare Borgia" in Lucrezia Borgia (Lucretia Borgia) (1922), directed by Richard Oswald. With Paul Wegener, Liane Haid, Albert Bassermann, future Hollywood director William Dieterle, Heinrich George, Adolf E. Licho, Lothar Müthel, Kathe Oswald, Alexander Granach, Anita Berber, Lyda Salmonova, Mary Douce, Max Pohl, Adele Sandrock, Wilhelm Diegelmann, Philipp Manning, Hugo Döblin, Ernst Pittschau, Clementine Plessner, Viktoria Strauß and Tibor Lubinszky. Cinematography by Karl Freund, Carl Drews and Karl Vash.
  
  
• As the wildly-popular and influential violin virtuoso "Nicolo Paganini" in the lost film Paganini (1923), directed by Heinz Goldberg. With Eva May, Greta Schröder, Harry Hardt, Hermine Sterler, Jean Nadolovitch (as Hector Berlioz), Gustav Fröhlich (as Franz von Liszt), Alexander Granach and Martin Herzberg. NOTE: The real-life Paganini became known as a "Hexensohn" (witch's brat) because his talent was so astonishing he was believed to be helped by the Devil.
  
  
• As "Gessler" the cruel tyrant opposed by the German equivalent of Robin Hood in the silent version of Wilhelm Tell (WIlliam Tell) (1923), directed by Rudolf Dworsky and Rudolf Walther-Fein. Starring Hans Marr as the hero, with Eduard von Winterstein, Otto Gebühr, Xenia Desni, Wilhelm Diegelmann, Käthe Haack, Erich Kaiser-Titz, Fritz Kampers, Erna Morena, Emil Rameau, Grete Reinwald and Agnes Straub.
  
  
• As "Ivan the Terrible" one of the monstrous wax figures brought to life in separate stories in Das Wachsfigurenkabinett (Waxworks, aka Three Wax Works, Three Wax Men) (1924), directed by Paul Leni. With Emil Jannings, Werner Krauss, Wilhelm Dieterle, Olga Belajeff , John Gottowt, Georg John and Ernst Legal. The stories told in the film are:
  
  
  • Framing story: a young poet (Dieterle) is hired to write publicity stories about three historical wax museum figures. He falls asleep and dreams that he and the daughter of the owner have different adventures with each of the figures, come to life.
    
    
  • First dream: Jannings as "Harun al Raschid," a lustful caliph caught in a comical compromising situation with the wife (Belajeff) of Assad the baker (Dieterle).
    
    
  • Second dream: Veidt as the cruel Russian Czar "Ivan the Terrible," victimizing two young lovers (Dieterle and Belajeff), but finally falling prey to his own cruelty.
    
    
  • Third dream: Krauss as the crazed killer "Jack the Ripper" pursueing Dieterle and Belajeff in a suspenceful but brief episode.
  
  In addition to acting in this film, Wilhelm Dieterle was Paul Leni's assistant director on this film. He later moved to Hollywood, changed his name to William Dieterle, and directed great movies like The Hunchback of Notre Dame, The Devil and Daniel Webster and Portrait of Jennie.
  
  
• As "Orlac," a concert pianist whose hands are severed in an accident, but are replaced with the hands of a strangler by a brilliant surgeon with a sinister motive, in Orlacs Hände (The Hands of Orlac), aka Die Unheimlichen Hände des Doktor Orlac, (1925), based on the French novel by Maurice Renard, and directed by Robert Wiene. With Alexandra Sorina (as Yvonne Orlac), Fritz Kortner (as Nera), Carmen Cartellieri, Fritz Strassny and Paul Askonas. Brilliantly remade by Karl Freund in 1935 as Mad Love, with Colin Clive as Orlac and Peter Lorre as mad Dr. Gogol.
  
  
• As "Balduin" who sells his mirror-image soul for wealth and romance, and is haunted by his own murderous doppelganger, in the classic horror-fantasy Der Student von Prag (The Student of Prague, aka The Man Who Cheated Life) (1926). Directed by Henrik Galeen from a screenplay he co-wrote with Hanns Heinz Ewers, based on Ewers' own 1913 film and the story "William Wilson" by Edgar Allan Poe. With Werner Krauss as the diabolical Scapinelli, Fritz Alberti, Marian Alma, Agnes Esterhazy, Erich Kober, Elizza La Porta, Max Maximilian, Sylvia Torf and Ferdinand von Alten. Filmed under the same title in 1913 with Paul Wegener as Balduin and John Gottowt as Scapinelli, scripted and directed by Hanns Heinz Ewers (and Stellan Rye). Art Direction by Hermann Warm (Caligari).
  
  
• As the crafty 15th Century French "King Louis XI," befriended and aided by the swashbuckling peasant poet François Villon in The Beloved Rogue (1927), directed by Alan Crosland. Co-starring John Barrymore as Villon), with Marceline Day, Lawson Butt, Henry Victor, Slim Summerville, Mack Swain, Angelo Rossitto, Nigel De Brulier, Otto Matieson and Dickie Moore. Basil Rathbone was nominated for a Best Supporting Actor Oscar for the King Louis role in the sound version, If I Were King (19xx) with Ronald Colman.
  
  
• As "Gwynplaine," hideously disfigured with a permanent smile carved on his face, but loved by a blind girl, in the historical romantic adventure The Man Who Laughs (1928), based on Victor Hugo's novel, and directed by Paul Leni. With Mary Philbin, Julius Molnar Jr., Olga Baclanova, Brandon Hurst, Cesare Gravina, Stuart Holmes, Sam De Grasse, George Siegmann, Josephine Crowell, Charles Puffy, John George, Torben Meyer, Frank Puglia and Zimbo the dog (as Homo the Wolf). Incredible makeup by Jack P. Pierce, which Veidt's face was perfect for. NOTE: A photo of Veidt's toothy visage in this film, in a photoplay edition of the novel, was the inspiration for Batman's famous comic-book nemesis "The Joker".
  
  
• As "Erik the Great," an aging magician insanely jealous of his beautiful assistant who loves another man, taking very dramatic revenge in The Last Performance, aka The Last Call (1929), directed by Paul Fejös. With Mary Philbin, Leslie Fenton, Fred MacKaye, Gusztáv Pártos, William H. Turner, Anders Randolf , Sam De Grasse, George Irving, Eddie Boland and Walter Brennan.
  
  
• As the mesmerizing mad monk "Rasputin" in a drama about the wild carryings-on in Czarist Russia, Rasputin, Dämon der Frauen (Rasputin, Demon with Women) (1930), directed by Adolf Trotz. With Paul Otto, Hermine Sterler, Kenny Rive, Alexandra Sorina, Karl Ludwig Diehl, Ida Perry, Brigitte Horney, Bernhard Goetzke, Marian Chevalier, Heinrich Heilinger, Edith Meinhard, Magnus Stifter, Ernst Reicher, Paul Henkels, Alexander Murski and Theodor Loos.
  
  
• As "Major Ellissen" in the British film about the engineering of a huge Floating Platform in the Atlantic to make long-distance flights viable, and a romance among the characters involved, F.P.1 aka F.P.1 Doesn't Answer, Secrets of F.P.1, Where the Lighthouse Shines Across the Bay (1933). This is one of the three versions of the story filmed at the same time in three different languages by director Karl Hartl, based a German science-fiction novel by Curt Siodmak.
  
  
  • The German version, F.P.1 Antwortet Nicht, starred Hans Albers (Ellissen), Sybille Schmitz (Claire Lennartz), Paul Hartmann (Droste) and Peter Lorre (Johnny the reporter).
    
    
  • The French version, F.P.1 ne répond plus, starred Charles Boyer (Ellissen), Danièle Parola (Claire), Jean Murat (Droste) and Pierre Brasseur.
    
    
  • Veidt's co-stars in the British version are Leslie Fenton (Droste), Jill Esmond (Claire Lennartz) and Donald Calthrop, with George Merritt, Nicholas Hannen, William Freshman, Warwick Ward, Alexander Field, Francis L. Sullivan, Dr. Phillip Manning, Will Van Allen and Madge Evans.
  
  
• As "Matathias," aka "Matteo," a legendary tragic figure doomed to live until the Second Coming because he cursed Christ, in The Wandering Jew (1933), based on a play by E. Temple Thurston, and directed by Maurice Elvey. With Marie Ney, Basil Gill, Cicely Oates, Anne Grey, Dennis Hoey, Bertram Wallis, Hector Abbas, Kenji Takase, Jack Livesey, Joan Maude, John Stuart, Arnold Lucy, Peggy Ashcroft, Francis L. Sullivan, Abraham Sofaer, Felix Aylmer, Ivor Barnard, Conway Dixon , Robert Gilbert, Stafford Hilliard and Hay Petrie.
  
  
• Reprising his classic silent villain "Gessler," the cruel oppressor resisted by a German national hero, in the sound remake of Wilhelm Tell (WIlliam Tell) (1934), directed by Heinz Paul. With Olaf Bach, Paul Bildt, Herma Clement, Maly Delschaft, Carl de Vogt, Friedrich Ettel and Theodor Loos.
  
  
• As "The Stranger," a saintly tenant in a rooming house who helps the other boarders and shows them how to live better lives, in The Passing of the Third Floor Back (1935), directed by Berthold Viertel. With Anna Lee, René Ray, Frank Cellier, John Turnbull, Cathleen Nesbitt, Ronald Ward, Beatrix Lehmann, Jack Livesey, Sara Allgood, Mary Clare, Barbara Everest, Alexander Sarner, James Knight and Philip Merivale.
  
  
• As one of the greatest cinema villains of all time, "Jaffar," the evil grand vizier in the classic "Arabian Nights"-type fantasy-adventure The Thief of Bagdad (1940), directed by Ludwig Berger, Michael Powell, Tim Whelan, Alexander and Zoltan Korda (uncredited) Zoltan Korda (uncredited) and William Cameron Menzies. Starring Sabu, June Duprez and John Justin, with fine support from Rex Ingram, Miles Malleson. Morton Selten. Mary Morris. Bruce Winston, Hay Petrie, Adelaide Hall, Roy Emerton, Allan Jeayes and Glynis Johns. Produced by Alexander and Zoltan Korda and William Cameron Menzies. Wonderful music by Miklós Rózsa.
  
  
• As "Torsten Barring," a suave and sinister plastic surgeon who gives a scarred, hateful blackmailer a beautiful new face, but expects to receive a terrible price for the service, in A Woman's Face (1941), directed by George Cukor. Starring Joan Crawford and Melvyn Douglas, with Osa Massen, Reginald Owen, Albert Bassermann, Marjorie Main, Donald Meek, Connie Gilchrist, Richard Nichols, Charles Quigley, Gwili Andre, Clifford Brooke, George Zucco, Henry Kolker, Robert Warwick, Gilbert Emery, Henry Daniell, Sarah Padden, William Farnum and Rex Evans.
  
  
• As "Joseph Jones," the ethereal but homicidal leader of a phony religious sect, preying upon his wealthy elder followers for their money, in the comedy-mystery Whistling in the Dark (1941), one of the "Whistling" series starring Red Skelton, directed by S. Sylvan Simon. With Ann Rutherford, Virginia Grey, Rags Ragland, Henry O'Neill, Eve Arden, Paul Stanton, Donald Douglas, Don Costello, William Tannen, Reed Hadley, Lloyd Corrigan, Robert Homans and Billy Bletcher.
  
  
• As Nazi saboteur "Franz Ebbing," biting off more than he can chew among the elite of the New York City underworld in the very entertaining wartime gangster-comedy-action thriller All Through the Night (1942), directed by Vincent Sherman. With a great cast of Warner Bros. characters including Humphrey Bogart, Kaaren Verne, Jane Darwell, Frank McHugh, Peter Lorre, Judith Anderson, William Demarest, Jackie Gleason, Phil Silvers, Wallace Ford, Barton MacLane, Edward Brophy, Martin Kosleck, Ludwig Stössel, James Burke, Ben Welden, Hans Schumm, Charles Cane, Egon Brecher and Henry Victor.
  
  
• In the challenging dual role of belligerant twin brothers "Otto Becker" and "Baron Hugo von Detner," one a loyal American, the other a Nazi Agent, aka Saluter to Courage (1942), directed by Jules Dassin. With Anne Ayars, Frank Reicher, Dorothy Tree, Ivan F. Simpson, Martin Kosleck, Marc Lawrence, Sidney Blackmer, Moroni Olsen, Pierre Watkin, Roy Barcroft, Rudolph Anders, Christian Rub, Russell Simpson, Ray Teal, Roland Varno and Duke York.
  
  
• As another definitive screen villain, the ruthless Nazi "Major Heinrich Strasser," getting away with his New Order strongarm tactics until he runs afoul of Rick, in Warner Bros.' wartime adventure classic Casablanca (1942), directed by Michael Curtiz. The perfect cast: Humphrey Bogart, Ingrid Bergman, Paul Henreid, Claude Rains, Sydney Greenstreet, Peter Lorre, S.Z. Sakall, Madeleine LeBeau, Dooley Wilson, Joy Page, John Qualen, Leonid Kinskey, Curt Bois, Louis V. Arco, Leon Belasco, Trude Berliner, Oliver Blake, Monte Blue, Gino Corrado, Franco Corsaro, Marcel Dalio, Helmut Dantine, George Dee, Jean Del Val, William Edmunds, Martin Garralaga, Gregory Gaye, Ilka Grüning, Creighton Hale, Olaf Hytten, Charles La Torre, George J. Lewis, Lou Marcelle, Michael Mark, George Meeker, Louis Mercier, Torben Meyer, Alberto Morin, Leo Mostovoy, Corinna Mura, Lotte Palfi Andor, Paul Porcasi, Frank Puglia, Georges Renavent, Dewey Robinson, Henry Rowland, Richard Ryen, Dan Seymour, Gerald Oliver Smith, Geoffrey Steele, Ludwig Stössel, Norma Varden , Hans Heinrich von Twardowski, Leo White and Wolfgang Zilzer.
  
  
• As "Count Hassert Seidel," a Good German helping an American couple to escape from the Fatherland in Above Suspicion (1943), directed by Richard Thorpe. Starring Joan Crawford, Fred MacMurray, Veidt and Basil Rathbone (as a Bad German, Count Sig von Aschenhausen), with a fine supporting cast including from Reginald Owen, Richard Ainley, Cecil Cunningham, Ann Shoemaker, Sara Haden, Felix Bressart, Egon Brecher, Anthony Caruso, Ludwig Donath, Steven Geray, Frank Lackteen, Peter Lawford, Eily Malyon, Kurt Neumann, Frank Reicher, Otto Reichow, Lionel Royce, Ferdinand Schumann-Heink, Arthur Shields, Ivan F. Simpson, Ludwig Stössel, Heather Thatcher, Peter van Eyck, Philip Van Zandt, Ernö Verebes and Henry Victor.

Last revised May 9 2021 by George "E-gor" Chastain.

Maintained by George "E-gor" Chastain (e-mail: egorschamber@gmail.com)