Gurli Taschner (1888-1968) was an Austrian-born actress who had a long and successful career in both theater and film. She was born in Vienna in 1888, the daughter of a wealthy bourgeois family. She began her career in the theater, appearing in productions like “The Threepenny Opera” and “Cabaret” in the early 1910s. She also appeared in several films, including “The Blue Angel” in 1930.
In the late 1920s, she moved to Berlin, where she became a leading actress in the German film industry. She was one of the first stars of the UFA studio, appearing in numerous films, including “The Testament of Dr. Mabuse” and “M” in 1932. Her performance in the latter earned her a nomination for an Academy Award for Best Actress.
In the 1930s, she moved to Hollywood, where she continued to make films. She appeared in several classic films, such as “The Great Ziegfeld” (1936), “The Adventures of Robin Hood” (1938), and “The Wizard of Oz” (1939). She also appeared in a few lesser-known films, such as “The Invisible Man Returns” (1940) and “The Return of the Vampire” (1944).
In addition to her film career, Taschner also had a successful career on the stage, appearing in numerous productions, including “The Merchant of Venice” and “The Tempest” in the 1940s. She also toured Europe with a production of “A Midsummer Night’s Dream” in 1947.
Taschner’s career began to wane in the 1950s, and she retired from the stage in 1958. She returned to Vienna in 1964, where she lived until her death in 1968.
Gurli Taschner was a talented and versatile actress who was able to transition from theater to film with ease. She was an important figure in the German and Hollywood film industries, and her performances in classic films will be remembered for years to come.
