Ralph Arthur Roberts
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Ralph Arthur Roberts (born Robert Arthur Schönherr; 2 October 1884 – 12 March 1940)ROBERTS, Ralph Arthur
British Film Institute The British Film Institute (BFI) is a film and television charitable organisation which promotes and preserves filmmaking and television in the United Kingdom. The BFI uses funds provided by the National Lottery to encourage film production, ...
Film & TV Database, retrieved 4 July 2013.
Ralph Arthur Roberts
Filmportal.de, retrieved 4 July 2013
was a German
film actor An actor (masculine/gender-neutral), or actress (feminine), is a person who portrays a character in a production. The actor performs "in the flesh" in the traditional medium of the theatre or in modern media such as film, radio, and television. ...
who also directed in the theatre and occasionally in film and wrote plays. From 1928 on, he headed the Berlin Theatre in Behrenstraße.


Life and career

He was born in Meerane as Robert Arthur Schönherr to Carl Robert Schönherr, a baker, and Berta Elisabeth ( König).Hansjoachim Schönherr
"Roberts, Ralph Arthur (eigentlich Robert Arthur Schönherr)"
''
Neue deutsche Biographie (''NDB''; Literal translation, literally ''New German Biography'') is a Biography, biographical reference work. It is the successor to the ''Allgemeine Deutsche Biographie'' (ADB, Universal German Biography). The 27 volumes published thus far co ...
'', Volume 21 ''Pütter – Rohlfs'', ed. Hans Günter Hockerts, Berlin: Duncker & Humblot, 2003, pg. 681
He grew up in
Dresden Dresden (; ; Upper Saxon German, Upper Saxon: ''Dräsdn''; , ) is the capital city of the States of Germany, German state of Saxony and its second most populous city after Leipzig. It is the List of cities in Germany by population, 12th most p ...
, where he was already performing as an extra at the '' Albert-Theater'' while still in '' gymnasium'' and then studied acting with Adolf Winds and composition at the
conservatoire A music school is an educational institution specialized in the study, training, and research of music. Such an institution can also be known as a school of music, music academy, music faculty, college of music, music department (of a larger in ...
. He made his professional début in 1903 at the ''Residenztheater'' in
Wiesbaden Wiesbaden (; ) is the capital of the German state of Hesse, and the second-largest Hessian city after Frankfurt am Main. With around 283,000 inhabitants, it is List of cities in Germany by population, Germany's 24th-largest city. Wiesbaden form ...
, and had temporary engagements at the Trianon Theatre in
Berlin Berlin ( ; ) is the Capital of Germany, capital and largest city of Germany, by both area and List of cities in Germany by population, population. With 3.7 million inhabitants, it has the List of cities in the European Union by population withi ...
and the ''Schauspielhaus'' in Breslau. In 1907 or earlier, he moved to
Hamburg Hamburg (, ; ), officially the Free and Hanseatic City of Hamburg,. is the List of cities in Germany by population, second-largest city in Germany after Berlin and List of cities in the European Union by population within city limits, 7th-lar ...
, where in 1909 he became a member of the company at the Thalia Theatre. After service as an officer in
World War I World War I or the First World War (28 July 1914 – 11 November 1918), also known as the Great War, was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War I, Allies (or Entente) and the Central Powers. Fighting to ...
, Roberts returned to the Thalia, where he directed plays in addition to acting. In 1921 he became head of the ''Komödienhaus'' in Berlin, and in 1928 he opened his own theatre in Behrenstraße, where he premiėred several comic works of his own. Initially he played tragicomic rôles, frequently in operettas; in 1922, he co-starred with Fritzi Massary in the première of Leo Fall's '' Madame Pompadour''. However, after that he concentrated on light comedy on the stage. In addition, he played several supporting rôles in films. Wearing a
monocle A monocle is a type of corrective lens used to correct or enhance the visual perception in only one eye. It consists of a circular lens placed in front of the eye and held in place by the eye socket itself. Often, to avoid losing the monoc ...
was part of his image, and in film he generally played men of substance: directors and industrialists. He is remembered especially for his tendency to portray characters as more or less eccentric, which rose to ironic self-commentary in rôles such as the public prosecutor in '' Der Maulkorb'' (in which according to his relative and biographer Hansjoachim Schönherr he proved himself "one of the best
character actor A character actor is an actor known for playing unusual, eccentric, or interesting character (arts), characters in supporting roles, rather than leading ones.28 April 2013, The New York Acting SchoolTen Best Character Actors of All Time Retrie ...
s of his generation") and King
Charles X of France Charles X (Charles Philippe; 9 October 1757 – 6 November 1836) was King of France from 16 September 1824 until 2 August 1830. An uncle of the uncrowned Louis XVII and younger brother of reigning kings Louis XVI and Louis XVIII, he supported th ...
in '. Roberts also wrote lyrics for songs, which were used for the 1954 film '' On the Reeperbahn at Half Past Midnight'' featuring
Hans Albers Hans Philipp August Albers (22 September 1891 – 24 July 1960), also known by his nickname “der blonde Hans” (The Blond Hans), was a German actor and singer. He was the biggest male movie star in Germany between 1930 and 1960 and one of the m ...
and
Heinz Rühmann Heinrich Wilhelm "Heinz" Rühmann (; 7 March 1902 – 3 October 1994) was a German film actor who appeared in over 100 films between 1926 and 1993. He is one of the most famous and popular German actors of the 20th century, and is considered a Ge ...
. In particular, he wrote both the lyrics and the music for the title waltz, originally for a 1912
revue A revue is a type of multi-act popular theatre, theatrical entertainment that combines music, dance, and sketch comedy, sketches. The revue has its roots in 19th century popular entertainment and melodrama but grew into a substantial cultural pre ...
of his at the Thalia, ''Bunt ist die Welt'', and also prominently featured in the film ''
Große Freiheit Nr. 7 ''Große Freiheit Nr. 7'' (English: ''Great Freedom No. 7'') is a 1944 German musical film, musical drama film directed by Helmut Käutner. It was named after Große Freiheit (grand freedom), a street next to Hamburg's Reeperbahn road in the St. ...
'' from 1944. He died in Berlin on 12 March 1940, before the première of his last film, ''Wie konntest Du, Veronika!'', from
oyster Oyster is the common name for a number of different families of salt-water bivalve molluscs that live in marine or brackish habitats. In some species, the valves are highly calcified, and many are somewhat irregular in shape. Many, but no ...
poisoning, and was buried at the Protestant Stahnsdorf South-Western Cemetery in Stahnsdorf.


Filmography


Actor


Direction and scriptwriting

*1934: '' Playing with Fire'' (Director, co-scripted) *1939: ''Meine Tante – Deine Tante'' (Co-scripted, also actor) *1949/50: ''Sie sind nicht mehr'' (Assistant director) *1957/58: ''Das gab's nur einmal'' (Assistant director)


Lyrics and music

*1954: '' Auf der Reeperbahn nachts um halb eins'' (Lyrics, music)


References


Further reading

* Hansjoachim Schönherr. ''Ralph Arthur Roberts, Lebensbild eines großen Schauspielers''. Studien zur Filmgeschichte 7. Hildesheim/New York: Olms, 1992.


External links

*
Ralph Arthur Roberts
at Virtual History {{DEFAULTSORT:Roberts, Ralph Arthur 1884 births 1940 deaths Burials at Stahnsdorf South-Western Cemetery People from Meerane Actors from the Kingdom of Saxony German male film actors German male silent film actors 20th-century German male actors Male actors from Saxony