Evelyn Holt (born Edith Toni Elsbeth Wenckens; 3 October 1908 – 22 February 2001) was a German actress.

Biography

The daughter of a journalist, she began her film career at

UFA Ufa ( ba, Өфө , Öfö; russian: Уфа́, r=Ufá, p=ʊˈfa) is the largest city and capital city, capital of Bashkortostan, Russia. The city lies at the confluence of the Belaya River (Kama), Belaya and Ufa River, Ufa rivers, in the centre-n ...

. She quickly advanced to starring roles alongside

Gustav Fröhlich Gustav Fröhlich (21 March 1902 – 22 December 1987) was a German actor and film director. He landed secondary roles in a number of films and plays before landing his breakthrough role of Freder Fredersen in Fritz Lang's 1927 film ''Metropoli ...

and

Hans Albers Hans Philipp August Albers (22 September 1891 – 24 July 1960) was a German actor and singer. He was the biggest male movie star in Germany between 1930 and 1960 and one of the most popular German actors of the twentieth century. Early life ...

. After singing lessons, she was committed in 1931 as a

soubrette A soubrette is a type of operatic soprano voice ''fach'', often cast as a female stock character in opera and theatre. The term arrived in English from Provençal via French, and means "conceited" or "coy". Theatre In theatre, a soubrette is ...

at the Grosses Schauspielhaus in Berlin. However, the Nazi takeover ended her film career after six successful years, since she was allegedly half-Jewish. Holt was prohibited from appearing in films. She still enjoyed engagements as a soubrette at the Komische Oper in Berlin. When Jewish publisher Felix Guggenheim (1904-1976) married her in 1936, it was no longer possible. In 1938 the couple emigrated first to Switzerland, then in 1940 to England, and later to the United States. There Guggenheim was exile publisher of authors such as

Thomas Mann Paul Thomas Mann ( , ; ; 6 June 1875 – 12 August 1955) was a German novelist, short story writer, social critic, philanthropist, essayist, and the 1929 Nobel Prize in Literature laureate. His highly symbolic and ironic epic novels and novell ...

Franz Werfel Franz Viktor Werfel (; 10 September 1890 – 26 August 1945) was an Austrian- Bohemian novelist, playwright, and poet whose career spanned World War I, the Interwar period, and World War II. He is primarily known as the author of ''The For ...

Lion Feuchtwanger Lion Feuchtwanger (; 7 July 1884 – 21 December 1958) was a German Jewish novelist and playwright. A prominent figure in the literary world of Weimar Germany, he influenced contemporaries including playwright Bertolt Brecht. Feuchtwanger's Ju ...

, and Alfred Doblin. Evelyn Holt remained until the end of her life in the U.S. and never returned to movies.

Selected filmography

* ''

Lace Lace is a delicate fabric made of yarn or thread in an open weblike pattern, made by machine or by hand. Generally, lace is divided into two main categories, needlelace and bobbin lace, although there are other types of lace, such as knitted o ...

'' (1926) * ''

Orphan of Lowood ''Orphan of Lowood'' (German: ''Die Waise von Lowood'') is a 1926 German silent drama film directed by Curtis Bernhardt and starring Evelyn Holt, Olaf Fønss and Dina Diercks. It is based on the 1847 British novel ''Jane Eyre'' by Charlotte B ...

'' (1926) * ''

Flirtation Flirting or coquetry is a Social behavior, social and Human sexual activity, sexual behavior involving spoken or written communication, as well as body language. It is either to suggest interest in a deeper relationship with the other person o ...

'' (1927) * '' Die elf Teufel'' (1927) * ''

The Eighteen Year Old ''The Eighteen Year Old'' (german: Die Achtzehnjährigen) is a 1927 German silent drama film directed by Manfred Noa and starring Andrée Lafayette, Ernő Verebes, and Frida Richard. It was made at the Staaken Studios in Berlin. The film's sets ...

'' (1927) * ''

The Gallant Hussar ''The Gallant Hussar'' (german: Der fesche Husar) is a 1928 German-British romance film directed by Géza von Bolváry and starring Ivor Novello, Evelyn Holt, and Paul Hörbiger. It was based on a story by the Hungarian writer Arthur Bárdos an ...

'' (1928) * '' Fair Game'' (1928) * ''

Marriage in Trouble ''Marriage in Trouble'' (German: ''Ehe in Not'') is a 1929 German silent drama film directed by Richard Oswald and starring Elga Brink, Walter Rilla and Evelyn Holt. It was shot at the EFA Studios in Berlin. The film's art direction was by Fr ...

'' (1929) * ''

Crucified Girl ''Crucified Girl'' (German: ''Mädchen am Kreuz'') is a 1929 German silent drama film directed by Jacob Fleck and Luise FleckPrawer p.85 and starring Valerie Boothby, Gertrud de Lalsky and Evelyn Holt. It was shot at the Johannisthal Studios ...

'' (1929) * '' The Three Kings'' (1929) * ''

The Man with the Frog ''The Man with the Frog'' (German: ''Der Mann mit dem Laubfrosch'') is a 1929 German silent crime film directed by Gerhard Lamprecht and starring Heinrich George, Hans Junkermann and Evelyn Holt.Caneppele p.53 The film's art direction was by ...

'' (1929) * ''

The Veil Dancer ''The Veil Dancer'' (french: Le meneur de joies, german: Die Schleiertänzerin) is a 1929 French-German silent film directed by Charles Burguet and starring René Navarre, Hertha von Walther, and Hans Albers. The film's sets were designed by the ...

'' (1929) * '' Marriage in Name Only'' (1930) * '' The Right to Love'' (1930) * ''

Ash Wednesday Ash Wednesday is a holy day of prayer and fasting in many Western Christian denominations. It is preceded by Shrove Tuesday and falls on the first day of Lent (the six weeks of penitence before Easter). It is observed by Catholics in the ...

'' (1931) * ''

One Hour of Happiness ''One Hour of Happiness'' (german: Eine Stunde Glück) is a 1931 German drama film directed by William Dieterle and starring Dieterle, Evelyn Holt, and Harald Paulsen.Bock & Bergfelder p. 178 It was released by the German branch of Universal P ...

'' (1931) * '' The Scoundrel'' (1931) * ''

Three from the Unemployment Office ''Three from the Unemployment Office'' (German: ''Drei von der Stempelstelle'') is a 1932 German comedy film directed by Eugen Thiele and starring Fritz Kampers, Paul Kemp and Anton Walbrook. The film was shot at the Staaken Studios in Berlin. ...

'' (1932) * ''

Contest Contest may refer to: * Competition * Will contest * Contesting, amateur radio contesting (radiosport) Film and television * ''Contest'' (2013 film), an American film * Contest (1932 film), a German sports film * " The Contest", a 1992 season ...

'' (1932)

Bibliography

* Prawer, S.S. ''Between Two Worlds: The Jewish Presence in German and Austrian Film, 1910-1933''. Berghahn Books, 2007.

External links

* 1908 births 2001 deaths German film actresses German silent film actresses Actresses from Berlin 20th-century German actresses Jewish emigrants from Nazi Germany to the United States {{Germany-film-actor-stub