Josef von Báky (23 March 1902, Zombor,

Austria-Hungary Austria-Hungary, also referred to as the Austro-Hungarian Empire, the Dual Monarchy or the Habsburg Monarchy, was a multi-national constitutional monarchy in Central Europe#Before World War I, Central Europe between 1867 and 1918. A military ...

– 28 July 1966,

Munich Munich is the capital and most populous city of Bavaria, Germany. As of 30 November 2024, its population was 1,604,384, making it the third-largest city in Germany after Berlin and Hamburg. Munich is the largest city in Germany that is no ...

West Germany West Germany was the common English name for the Federal Republic of Germany (FRG) from its formation on 23 May 1949 until German reunification, its reunification with East Germany on 3 October 1990. It is sometimes known as the Bonn Republi ...

) was a Hungarian filmmaker. He was also known as ''Josef v. Baky'' and ''József Báky''. He was born in the village of Zobor in the

Kingdom of Hungary The Kingdom of Hungary was a monarchy in Central Europe that existed for nearly a millennium, from 1000 to 1946 and was a key part of the Habsburg monarchy from 1526-1918. The Principality of Hungary emerged as a Christian kingdom upon the Coro ...

(today Zombor,

Slovakia Slovakia, officially the Slovak Republic, is a landlocked country in Central Europe. It is bordered by Poland to the north, Ukraine to the east, Hungary to the south, Austria to the west, and the Czech Republic to the northwest. Slovakia's m ...

). He worked as an assistant to

Géza von Bolváry Géza von Bolváry (born Géza Gyula Mária Bolváry Zahn, ; 26 December 1897 – 10 August 1961) was a Hungarian actor, screenwriter, and film director, who worked principally in Germany and Austria. Biography Géza von Bolváry was born i ...

. He worked as

director Director may refer to: Literature * ''Director'' (magazine), a British magazine * ''The Director'' (novel), a 1971 novel by Henry Denker * ''The Director'' (play), a 2000 play by Nancy Hasty Music * Director (band), an Irish rock band * ''D ...

or producer on no less than 48 films. He died in

Bavaria Bavaria, officially the Free State of Bavaria, is a States of Germany, state in the southeast of Germany. With an area of , it is the list of German states by area, largest German state by land area, comprising approximately 1/5 of the total l ...

. Báky's best known film is '' Münchhausen'', which was released in 1943.Josef von Baky: Overview, in Allmovie
It is a fantasy-comedy and is noted for how it avoids politics of its time. The film was ordered by Nazi propaganda minister Goebbels to celebrate the 25th anniversary of

UFA Ufa is a city in Russia and the capital of the republic of Bashkortostan. UFA or Ufa may also refer to: Places * Ufa (river), a river in Russia; a tributary of the Belaya * Ufa International Airport, near the Russian city * Ufa railway statio ...

and to compete with Hollywood productions.

Selected filmography

* ' (1936) * '' The Great and the Little Love'' (1938) * '' The Woman at the Crossroads'' (1938) * ''

Stars of Variety ''Stars of Variety'' (German: ''Menschen vom Varieté'', Hungarian: ''A varieté csillagai'') is a 1939 German-Hungarian drama film directed by Josef von Báky and starring La Jana, Christl Mardayn and Karin Hardt. It was shot at the Hunnia Stu ...

'' (German-language version, 1939) ** '' A varieté csillagai'' (Hungarian-language version, 1939) * ''

Her First Experience ''Her First Experience'' () is a 1939 German romance film directed by Josef von Báky and starring Ilse Werner, Johannes Riemann and Charlott Daudert. The film's sets were designed by the art director Willy Schiller. Location filming took place ...

'' (1939) * ' (1940) * ''

Annelie Annelie is a female given name. Notable people with the name include: * Annelie Botes (1957–2024), South African writer * Annelie Ehrhardt (born 1950), German athlete who competed in hurdling * Annelie Enochson (born 1953), Swedish Christian Dem ...

'' (1941) * '' Münchhausen'' (1943) * ''

Via Mala Viamala or Via Mala ( Romansh: literally, "bad path") is a narrow gorge along the river Hinterrhein between Zillis-Reischen and Thusis in the Canton of Graubünden, Switzerland, as well as the ancient and notorious pathway which traverses ...

'' (1945) * ''

And the Heavens Above Us ''And the Heavens Above Us'' () is a 1947 German drama film directed by Josef von Báky and starring Hans Albers, Paul Edwin Roth and Lotte Koch. It was part of the post-war series of rubble films.Bergfelder, Tim. ''International Adventures: Ger ...

'' (1947) * ''

The Last Illusion ''The Last Illusion'' () is a 1949 German drama film directed by Josef von Báky and starring Fritz Kortner, Johanna Hofer and Lina Carstens.Hake p. 103 It was entered into the 1949 Cannes Film Festival. It was shot at the Bavaria Studios in Mun ...

'' (1949) * ' (1949) * '' Two Times Lotte'' (1950) * '' Dreaming Lips'' (1953) * ''

Diary of a Married Woman ''Diary of a Married Woman'' () is a 1953 West German comedy film directed by Josef von Báky and starring Maria Schell, O. W. Fischer and Margarete Haagen. The film's sets were designed by Hans Jürgen Kiebach and Gabriel Pellon. It was shot at ...

'' (1953) * ' (co-director:

Erich Engel Erich Gustav Otto Engel (14 February 1891 – 10 May 1966) was a German film and theatre director.He is often confused with another German film director called Erich Engels (with an s), who specialised in comedy, and crime films. Biography ...

, 1955) * ''

Hotel Adlon The Hotel Adlon Kempinski Berlin is a luxury hotel in Berlin, Germany. It is on Unter den Linden, the main boulevard in the central Mitte district, at the corner with Pariser Platz, directly opposite the Brandenburg Gate. The original Hotel Adlon ...

'' (1955) * '' Dunja'' (1955) * ' (1956) * '' The Girl and the Legend'' (1957) * ''

Precocious Youth ''Precocious Youth'' () is a 1957 West German drama film directed by Josef von Báky and starring Heidi Brühl, Christian Doermer and Christian Wolff (actor), Christian Wolff.Hake p. 115 The film's sets were designed by Emil Hasler and Paul Markw ...

'' (1957) * ''

Confess, Doctor Corda ''Confess, Doctor Corda'' () is a 1958 West German crime film directed by Josef von Báky and starring Hardy Krüger, Elisabeth Müller and Lucie Mannheim. It is considered to be a film noir, one of a number made in Germany during the decade.Spic ...

'' (1958) * '' Stefanie'' (1958) * '' The Man Who Sold Himself'' (1959) * ''

The Ideal Woman ''The Ideal Woman'' (German: ''Die ideale Frau'') is a 1959 West German comedy film directed by Josef von Báky and starring Ruth Leuwerik, Martin Benrath and Boy Gobert.Bock & Berfgelder p.24 It was made at the Bavaria Studios in Munich. The fil ...

'' (1959) * '' Marili'' (1959) * '' Storm in a Water Glass'' (1960) * ''

The Strange Countess ''The Strange Countess'' () is a 1961 West German crime film directed by Josef von Báky and starring Lil Dagover, Joachim Fuchsberger and Marianne Hoppe. It is based on Edgar Wallace's 1925 novel of the same title, and is part of a long-runni ...

'' (1961)

References

External links

* 1902 births 1966 deaths People from Sombor Hungarians in Vojvodina Hungarian film directors Hungarian fantasy film directors Hungarian comedy film directors Hungarian film producers Film people from Bavaria Best Director German Film Award winners {{Hungary-film-director-stub