Gustav Althoff (1885 1948) was a German

film producer A film producer is a person who oversees film production. Either employed by a production company or working independently, producers plan and coordinate various aspects of film production, such as selecting the script, coordinating writing, di ...

.Prawer p.126 He was a leading

independent Independent or Independents may refer to: Arts, entertainment, and media Artist groups * Independents (artist group), a group of modernist painters based in the New Hope, Pennsylvania, area of the United States during the early 1930s * Independ ...

producer during the

Weimar Weimar is a city in the state of Thuringia, Germany. It is located in Central Germany between Erfurt in the west and Jena in the east, approximately southwest of Leipzig, north of Nuremberg and west of Dresden. Together with the neighbouri ...

and

Nazi era Nazi Germany (lit. "National Socialist State"), ' (lit. "Nazi State") for short; also ' (lit. "National Socialist Germany") (officially known as the German Reich from 1933 until 1943, and the Greater German Reich from 1943 to 1945) was ...

s, establishing his own

Althoff Studios The Althoff Studios (german: Althoff-Atelier) were film studios located in Potsdam outside the German capital Berlin. The studios were constructed in 1939 by the film producer Gustav Althoff who controlled the independent company Aco-Film. The or ...

Berlin Berlin ( , ) is the capital and largest city of Germany by both area and population. Its 3.7 million inhabitants make it the European Union's most populous city, according to population within city limits. One of Germany's sixteen constitue ...

in 1939. Originally a

cinema Cinema may refer to: Film * Cinematography, the art of motion-picture photography * Film or movie, a series of still images that create the illusion of a moving image ** Film industry, the technological and commercial institutions of filmmaking * ...

-owner in

Dortmund Dortmund (; Westphalian nds, Düörpm ; la, Tremonia) is the third-largest city in North Rhine-Westphalia after Cologne and Düsseldorf, and the eighth-largest city of Germany, with a population of 588,250 inhabitants as of 2021. It is the la ...

before expanding into

film distribution Film distribution (also known as Film exhibition or Film distribution and exhibition) is the process of making a movie available for viewing by an audience. This is normally the task of a professional film distributor, who would determine the marke ...

, he moved to Berlin in 1920. He founded both his own Aco-Film company, and also co-founded

Aafa-Film Aafa Film or Aafa-Film was a German film production and distribution company which operated during the 1920s and 1930s. Established in 1920 as Radio-Film the company was controlled by the producer Gabriel Levy and the director Rudolf Dworsky. The ...

. He continued producing until the Nazi Party centralised all film production in the early 1940s.

Selected filmography

* ''

Wallenstein Albrecht Wenzel Eusebius von Wallenstein () (24 September 1583 – 25 February 1634), also von Waldstein ( cs, Albrecht Václav Eusebius z Valdštejna), was a Bohemian military leader and statesman who fought on the Catholic side during the Th ...

'' (1925) * ''

The Old Ballroom ''The Old Ballroom'' (german: Das alte Ballhaus) is a 1925 German silent drama film directed by Wolfgang Neff and starring Carl Auen, Olga Tschechowa, and Sybill Morel. It was released in two parts, both of which premiered on the same day in Be ...

'' (1925) * ''

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 Rom ...

'' (1925) * ''

The Lorelei ''The Lorelei'' (german: Die Lorelei) is a 1927 German silent film, silent drama film directed by Wolfgang Neff and starring Renate Brausewetter, Trude Hesterberg, and Lotte Lorring. The film's sets were designed by Willi Herrmann. Cast In alph ...

'' (1927) * ''

Autumn on the Rhine ''Autumn on the Rhine'' (german: Herbstzeit am Rhein) is a 1928 German silent film directed by Siegfried Philippi and starring Albert Steinrück, Otto Reinwald and Julius Brandt.Knop p. 20 The film's sets were designed by the art director Botho ...

'' (1928) * ''

Today I Was With Frieda ''Today I Was With Frieda'' (German: ''Heut' war ich bei der Frieda'') is a 1928 German silent film directed by Siegfried Philippi and starring Hans Albers, Mary Parker and Evi Eva.Bock & Bergfelder p.8 The film's sets were designed by the art ...

'' (1928) * ''

The Lady from Argentina ''The Lady from Argentina'' (German: ''Das Fräulein aus Argentinien'') is a 1928 German silent film directed by Siegfried Philippi and starring Hans Albers.Parish p.4 The film's sets were designed by the art directors Gustav A. Knauer and Willy ...

'' (1928) * ''

I Once Had a Beautiful Homeland ''I Once Had a Beautiful Homeland'' (german: Ich hatte einst ein schönes Vaterland) is a 1928 German silent film directed by Max Mack and starring Leo Peukert, Grete Reinwald, and Ernst Rückert. The film's art direction was by August Rinaldi ...

'' (1928) * ''

Beware of Loose Women ''Beware of Loose Women'' (german: Hütet euch vor leichten Frauen) is a 1929 German silent film directed by Siegfried Philippi and starring Rudolf Lettinger, André Mattoni, and Margarete Schön.Gerhard Lamprecht. ''Deutsche Stummfilme, Volume ...

'' (1929) * ''

The Customs Judge ''The Customs Judge'' (German: ''Der Sittenrichter'') is a 1929 German silent film directed by Carl Heinz Wolff and starring Margarete Schlegel, Gerd Briese and Margarete Kupfer.Krautz p.199 The film's sets were designed by Gustav A. Knauer. Ca ...

'' (1929) * ''

The Lord of the Tax Office ''The Lord of the Tax Office'' (German: ''Der Herr vom Finanzamt'') is a 1929 German silent comedy film directed by Siegfried Philippi.Krautz p.123 The film's sets were designed by Gustav A. Knauer. Cast In alphabetical order * Corry Bell as ...

'' (1929) * ''

Distinguishing Features ''Distinguishing Features'' (german: Besondere Kennzeichen) is a German silent film, silent crime film directed by Edmund Heuberger. It was shot at the Staaken Studios in Berlin. The film's sets were designed by Gustav A. Knauer and Willy Schille ...

'' (1929) * ''

Yes, Yes, Women Are My Weakness ''Yes, Yes, Women Are My Weakness'' (german: Ja, ja, die Frauen sind meine schwache Seite) is a 1929 German silent comedy film directed by Edmund Heuberger and starring Georgia Lind, , and Hans Albers. The film's sets were designed by Gustav ...

'' (1929) * ''

Youthful Indiscretion ''Youthful Indiscretion'' (German: ''Jugendsünden'') is a 1929 German silent film directed by Carl Heinz Wolff and starring Martin Herzberg, Carola Höhn and Rina Marsa.Krautz p.123 The film's sets were designed by Gustav A. Knauer and Willy Sc ...

'' (1929) * ''

Lux, King of Criminals ''Lux, King of Criminals'' (German: ''Lux, der König der Verbrecher'') is a 1929 German silent film directed by Edmund Heuberger and starring Carl Auen, Paul Michelo Kramer and Fred Immler.Krautz p.72 The film's sets were designed by the art ...

'' (1929) * '' The Youths'' (1929) * ''

The Gypsy Chief ''The Gypsy Chief'' (German: ''Der Zigeunerprimas'') is a 1929 German silent drama film directed by Carl Wilhelm and starring Paul Heidemann, Margarete Schlegel and Fritz Schulz. It is an adaptation of the 1912 operetta '' Der Zigeunerprimas' ...

'' (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 in ...

'' (1929) * ''

Busy Girls ''Busy Girls'' (german: Gehetzte Mädchen) is a 1930 German silent drama film directed by Erich Schönfelder and starring Lien Deyers, Ivan Koval-Samborsky and Elza Temary.Lamprecht, Gerhard. ''Deutsche Stummfilme: 1927–1931''. p. 680. The fi ...

'' (1930) * ''

The Man in the Dark ''The Man in the Dark'' (german: Der Mann im Dunkel) is a 1930 German thriller film directed by Edmund Heuberger and starring Carl Auen, Edith Meinhard, and Siegfried Berisch. It was made as the sequel to the 1929 film ''Lux, King of Criminals''. ...

'' (1930) * ''

The Rhineland Girl ''The Rhineland Girl'' (german: Das Rheinlandmädel) is a 1930 German musical romance film directed by Johannes Meyer and starring Gretel Berndt, Lucie Englisch and Werner Fuetterer.Krautz p. 158 Cast * Gretel Berndt as Lore * Lucie Englisc ...

'' (1930) * ''

'' (1931) * ''

Without Meyer, No Celebration is Complete ''Without Meyer, No Celebration is Complete'' (German: ''Keine Feier ohne Meyer'') is a 1931 German comedy film directed by Carl Boese and starring Sig Arno, Ralph Arthur Roberts and Dina Gralla. Boese made a number of films featuring Jewish come ...

'' (1931) * '' Duty is Duty'' (1931) * ''

Annemarie, the Bride of the Company ''Annemarie, the Bride of the Company'' (german: Annemarie, die Braut der Kompanie) is a 1932 German comedy film directed by Carl Boese and starring Lucie Englisch, Paul Heidemann and Albert Paulig. It was shot at the Babelsberg Studios in Be ...

'' (1932) * ''

Gretel Wins First Prize ''Gretel Wins First Prize'' (german: Gretel zieht das große Los) is a 1933 German comedy film directed by Carl Boese and starring Lucie Englisch, Leopold von Ledebur and Jakob Tiedtke. It was shot at the Babelsberg Studios in Berlin. The film's ...

'' (1933) * ''

The Sandwich Girl ''The Sandwich Girl'' (german: Die kalte Mamsell) is a 1933 German comedy film directed by Carl Boese and starring Lucie Englisch, Jakob Tiedtke, and Else Reval. The film's sets were designed by the art directors Artur Gunther and Willi Herrman ...

'' (1933) * '' The Vagabonds'' (1937) * '' Monika'' (1938) * ''

Clarissa ''Clarissa; or, The History of a Young Lady: Comprehending the Most Important Concerns of Private Life. And Particularly Shewing, the Distresses that May Attend the Misconduct Both of Parents and Children, In Relation to Marriage'' is an epist ...

'' (1941) * ''

Alarm An alarm device is a mechanism that gives an audible, visual or other kind of alarm signal to alert someone to a problem or condition that requires urgent attention. Alphabetical musical instruments Etymology The word ''alarm'' comes from th ...

'' (1941) * ''

With the Eyes of a Woman ''With the Eyes of a Woman'' (German: ''Mit den Augen einer Frau'') is a 1942 German drama film directed by Karl Georg Külb and starring Ada Tschechowa, Olga Tschechowa and Gustav Fröhlich.Bock & Bergfelder p.485 The film's sets were designed b ...

'' (1942)

References

Bibliography

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

External links

* 1885 births 1948 deaths German film producers People from Minden Film people from North Rhine-Westphalia {{Germany-film-bio-stub