Maria Margarethe Anna Schell (15 January 1926 – 26 April 2005) was an Austrian-Swiss actress. She was one of the leading stars of German cinema in the 1950s and 1960s. In 1954, she was awarded the Cannes Best Actress Award for her performance in

Helmut Käutner Helmut Käutner (25 March 1908 – 20 April 1980) was a German film director active mainly in the 1940s and 1950s. He entered the film industry at the end of the Weimar Republic and released his first films as a director in Nazi Germany. Käu ...

's war drama '' The Last Bridge'', and in 1956, she won the Volpi Cup for Best Actress at the Venice Film Festival for '' Gervaise''.

Early life

Schell was born in the Austrian capital Vienna, the daughter of actress Margarethe (née Noé von Nordberg; 1905–1995), who ran an acting school, and Hermann Ferdinand Schell (1900–1972), a Swiss poet, novelist, playwright, and owner of a pharmacy.Ross, Lillian and Helen
''The Player: A Profile of an Art
Simon & Schuster (1961) pp. 231-239 Her parents were Roman Catholics. She was the older sister of actor

Maximilian Schell Maximilian Schell (8 December 1930 – 1 February 2014) was a Swiss actor. Born in First Austrian Republic, Austria, his parents were involved in the arts and he grew up surrounded by performance and literature. While he was still a child, his fa ...

and lesser-known actors Carl Schell (1927–2019) and Immaculata "Immy" Schell (1935–1992). After the ''

Anschluss The (, or , ), also known as the (, ), was the annexation of the Federal State of Austria into Nazi Germany on 12 March 1938. The idea of an (a united Austria and Germany that would form a "German Question, Greater Germany") arose after t ...

'' in 1938, her family moved to

Zürich Zurich (; ) is the list of cities in Switzerland, largest city in Switzerland and the capital of the canton of Zurich. It is in north-central Switzerland, at the northwestern tip of Lake Zurich. , the municipality had 448,664 inhabitants. The ...

in Switzerland. Maria Schell began commercial training, but soon entered the film business when she met the Swiss actor and director Sigfrit Steiner.

Career

Schell premiered in Steiner's 1942 film ''Steibruch'', side by side with the well-known Swiss actor Heinrich Gretler, and took acting lessons for several theatre engagements. After World War II, she was cast in her first leading role in the 1948 film '' The Angel with the Trumpet'', directed by Karl Hartl. She starred in such films as ''

The Magic Box ''The Magic Box'' is a 1951 British Technicolor biographical drama film directed by John Boulting. The film stars Robert Donat as William Friese-Greene, with numerous cameo appearances by performers such as Peter Ustinov and Laurence Olivie ...

'', '' Dr. Holl'' (1951), '' So Little Time'' (1952), '' The Heart of the Matter'' (1953). Her emotional acting earned her the nickname ''Seelchen'' ("little soul"), coined by her colleague

Oskar Werner Oskar Werner (; born Oskar Josef Bschließmayer; 13 November 1922 – 23 October 1984) was an Austrian stage and cinema actor who reached international fame. His most prominent roles include two 1965 films, '' The Spy Who Came In from the Cold' ...

. The 1956 film '' Gervaise'' directed by

René Clément René Clément (; 18 March 1913 – 17 March 1996) was a French film director and screenwriter. He is known for directing the films ''The Battle of the Rails'' (1946), ''Forbidden Games'' (1952), ''Gervaise (film), Gervaise'' (1956), ''Purple No ...

was also a nominee for the

Academy Award for Best Foreign Language Film The Academy Award for Best International Feature Film (known as Best Foreign Language Film prior to 2020) is one of the Academy Awards handed out annually by the U.S.-based Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences (AMPAS). It is given to a ...

; while in Hollywood, Schell met

Yul Brynner Yuliy Borisovich Briner (; July 11, 1920 – October 10, 1985), known professionally as Yul Brynner (), was a Russian-born actor. He was known for his portrayal of King Mongkut in the Rodgers and Hammerstein stage musical ''The King and I'' (19 ...

, who urged for her casting in '' The Brothers Karamazov'' (1958) in the role of Grushenka. Schell also starred with

Gary Cooper Gary Cooper (born Frank James Cooper; May 7, 1901May 13, 1961) was an American actor known for his strong, silent screen persona and understated acting style. He won the Academy Award for Best Actor twice and had a further three nominations, ...

in '' The Hanging Tree'' (1959), and with

Glenn Ford Gwyllyn Samuel Newton Ford (May 1, 1916 – August 30, 2006), known as Glenn Ford, was a Canadian-born American actor. He was most prominent during Classical Hollywood cinema, Hollywood's Golden Age as one of the biggest box-office draws of th ...

in '' Cimarron'' (1960). Other famous movie parts included '' Le notti bianche'' (1957), '' Rose Bernd'' (1957), and ''

Superman Superman is a superhero created by writer Jerry Siegel and artist Joe Shuster, which first appeared in the comic book ''Action Comics'' Action Comics 1, #1, published in the United States on April 18, 1938.The copyright date of ''Action Comics ...

'' (1978). Schell played Mother Maria in the sequel to '' Lilies of the Field'' titled '' Christmas Lilies of the Field''. In 1959 she appeared on ''

What's My Line? ''What's My Line?'' is a Panel show, panel game show that originally ran in the United States, between 1950 and 1967, on CBS, originally in black and white and later in color, with subsequent American revivals. The game uses celebrity panelists ...

'' as the mystery guest. In 1970, Schell starred opposite Christopher Lee in '' The Bloody Judge'' by

Jesús Franco Jesús Franco Manera (12 May 1930 – 2 April 2013), also commonly known as Jess Franco, was a Spanish filmmaker, composer, and actor, known as a highly prolific director of low-budget exploitation and B-movies. He worked in many different gen ...

In 1976, she starred in a ''

Kojak ''Kojak'' is an American Action film, action Crime film, crime Drama (film and television), drama television series starring Telly Savalas as the title character, New York City Police Department Detective Lieutenant Theophilus "Theo" Kojak. Tak ...

'' episode, and also had three guest appearances in the German television series '' Der Kommissar'' and two in ''

Derrick A derrick is a lifting device composed at minimum of one guyed mast, as in a gin pole, which may be articulated over a load by adjusting its Guy-wire, guys. Most derricks have at least two components, either a guyed mast or self-supporting tower ...

'', in the episodes "Yellow He" (1977) and "Klavierkonzert" (1978). Schell appeared on stage, including an acclaimed performance in the 1976 Broadway play '' Poor Murderer'' by Pavel Kohout and the leading role in

Friedrich Dürrenmatt Friedrich Dürrenmatt (; 5 January 1921 – 14 December 1990) was a Swiss author and dramatist. He was a proponent of epic theatre whose plays reflected the recent experiences of World War II. The politically active author's work included avant- ...

's play '' The Visit'' with the Schauspielhaus Zürich ensemble.

Personal life

Schell was married twice – first to film director Horst Hächler (divorced in 1965), and second to director Veit Relin (divorced in 1986). Her daughter by her second marriage, actress Marie Theres Relin (born 1966), was married to

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 ...

n playwright Franz Xaver Kroetz, and has three children; she made a media and internet appearance as a spokeswoman for

housewives A housewife (also known as a homemaker or a stay-at-home mother/mom/mum) is a woman whose role is running or managing her family's home—housekeeping, which may include Parenting, caring for her children; cleaning and maintaining the home; Sew ...

(''If Pigs Could Fly. Die Hausfrauenrevolution'', 2004).

Affair with Glenn Ford

Schell admitted to carrying on a passionate love affair with

in 1960 on location of their film '' Cimarron''. Ford's son Peter confirmed her story in his 2011 biography ''Glenn Ford: A Life''. In 1981, Schell gave Ford a dachshund puppy which he named Bismarck. The dog became his favorite and a constant source of comfort for him in his later years when he became ill and bedridden. After the dog's death, he had it cremated and requested that its ashes be buried with him upon his death, which they were when Ford died in 2006.

Death

Maria Schell's last years were overshadowed by her ill health. She attempted suicide in 1991, and suffered repeated strokes. Her final public appearance was at the premiere of her brother Maximilian's documentary film ''My Sister Maria'' (2002); both were awarded the Bambi Award for their work. Schell lived reclusively in the remote village of Preitenegg,

Carinthia Carinthia ( ; ; ) is the southernmost and least densely populated States of Austria, Austrian state, in the Eastern Alps, and is noted for its mountains and lakes. The Lake Wolayer is a mountain lake on the Carinthian side of the Carnic Main ...

, in the Austrian Alps until her death from pneumonia on 26 April 2005, aged 79. Upon her death, her brother released a statement, stating in part: "Towards the end of her life, she suffered silently, and I never heard her complain. I admire her for that. Her death might have been for her a salvation. But not for me. She is irreplaceable."

Autobiographical works

*1985: ''Die Kostbarkeit des Augenblicks. Gedanken, Erinnerungen.'' Langen Müller, München, . *1998: ''"... und wenn's a Katz is!" Mein Weg durchs Leben.'' Lübbe, Bergisch Gladbach, .

Filmography

* ''Steibruch'' (1942), as Meiti / Gretl * '' The Angel with the Trumpet'' (1948), as Selma Rosner * '' Maresi'' (1948), as Blanka von Steinville - The Daughter * '' After the Storm'' (1948), as Gretel Aichinger * '' The Last Night'' (1949) * '' The Angel with the Trumpet'' (1950), as Anna Linden * '' A Day Will Come'' (1950), as Madeleine * '' Dr. Holl'' (1951), as Angelika Alberti * ''

'' (1951), as Helena Friese-Greene * '' So Little Time'' (1952), as Nicole de Malvines * '' Until We Meet Again'' (1952), as Pamela * '' Dreaming Lips'' (1953), as Elisabeth * '' As Long as You're Near Me'' (1953), as Eva Berger * '' Diary of a Married Woman'' (1953), as Barbara Holzmann * '' The Heart of the Matter'' (1953), as Helen Rolt * '' The Last Bridge'' (1954), as Dr. Helga Reinbeck * '' Master of Life and Death'' (1955), as Barbara Bertram, geb. Hansen * '' Napoléon'' (1955, by

Sacha Guitry Alexandre-Pierre Georges "Sacha" Guitry (; 21 February 188524 July 1957) was a French stage actor, film actor, director, screenwriter, and playwright of the boulevard theatre (aesthetic), boulevard theatre. He was the son of a leading French ac ...

), as Marie-Louise, Napoleon's Austrian wife * '' Die Ratten'' (1955), as Pauline Karka * '' Gervaise'' (1956, by Rene Clement, from Émile Zola's '' L'Assommoir''), as Gervaise Macquart Coupeau, une blanchisseuse douce et courageuse * ''

Love Love is a feeling of strong attraction and emotional attachment (psychology), attachment to a person, animal, or thing. It is expressed in many forms, encompassing a range of strong and positive emotional and mental states, from the most su ...

'' (1956), as Anna Ballard * '' Rose Bernd'' (1957), as Rose Bernd * '' Le notti bianche'' (1957), as Natalia * '' The Brothers Karamazov'' (1958), as Grushenka * '' One Life'', by

Alexandre Astruc Alexandre Astruc (; 13July 192319May 2016) was a French film critic and film director. Biography Before becoming a film director, he was a journalist, novelist and film critic. His contribution to the auteur theory centers on his notion of th ...

(1958, from an eponym novel by Guy de Maupassant), as Jeanne Dandieu épouse de Lamare * '' Der Schinderhannes'' (1958), as Julchen * '' The Hanging Tree'' (1959), as Elizabeth Mahler * '' As the Sea Rages'' (1959), as Mana * '' Cimarron'' (1960), as Sabra Cravat * '' The Mark'' (1961), as Ruth Leighton * '' Das Riesenrad'' (1961), as Elisabeth von Hill * '' Only a Woman'' (1962), as Lilli König * ' (1963), as Beate Dehn * ' (1963), as Agnès Duvillard *'' The Devil by the Tail'' (1969), as Countess Diane * '' 99 Women'' (1969), as Leonie Caroll * '' The Bloody Judge'' (1970), as Mother Rosa * '' La Provocation'' (1970), as Jeanne * ''Dans la poussière du soleil'' (1972), as Gertie Bradford * ''Chamsin'' (1972), as Miriam * ''Die Pfarrhauskomödie'' (1972), as Irma * ''

The Odessa File ''The Odessa File'' is a thriller by English writer Frederick Forsyth, first published in 1972, about the adventures of a young German reporter attempting to discover the location of a former SS concentration-camp commander. The name ODESSA ...

'' (1974), as Frau Miller * ''Change'' (1975), as Mama * '' The Twist'' (1976), as Gretel * ''

Voyage of the Damned ''Voyage of the Damned'' is a 1976 drama (film and television), drama film directed by Stuart Rosenberg, with an Ensemble cast, all-star cast featuring Faye Dunaway, Oskar Werner, Lee Grant, Max von Sydow, James Mason, Lynne Frederick and Malco ...

'' (1976), as Mrs. Hauser * ''

'' - Season 4, Episode 11: "The Pride and the Princess" (1976), as Sister Lepar Angelica / Princess Viva Dushan * ''

'' (1977–1978), as Luisa van Doom / Erika Rabes * ''

'' (1978), as Vond-Ah * '' Christmas Lilies of the Field'' (1979), as Valeska Piontek * ''

The Martian Chronicles ''The Martian Chronicles'' is a science fiction fix-up novel, published in 1950, by American writer Ray Bradbury that chronicles the exploration and settlement of Mars, the home of indigenous Martians, by Americans leaving a troubled Earth tha ...

'' mini-series - Season 1 (1980), as Anna Lustig * '' Frau Jenny Treibel'' (1982, TV film), as Jenny Treibel * '' Inside the Third Reich'' (1983), as Mrs. Speer * ''Král Drozdia Brada'' (1984), as královna, Michalova matka * ''

1919 Events January * January 1 ** The Czechoslovak Legions occupy much of the self-proclaimed "free city" of Pressburg (later Bratislava), enforcing its incorporation into the new republic of Czechoslovakia. ** HMY ''Iolaire'' sinks off th ...

'' (1985), as Sophie Rubin * '' Die glückliche Familie'' (1987–1991, TV Series), as Maria Behringer

Decorations and awards

* 1951–1957, 1987, 2002: Bambi Award * 1954: Honorable Mention at the Cannes International Film Festival for ''The Last Bridge'' * 1956: Volpi Cup at the

Venice International Film Festival The Venice Film Festival or Venice International Film Festival (, "International Exhibition of Cinematographic Art of the Venice Biennale") is an annual film festival held in Venice, Italy. It is the world's oldest film festival and one of the ...

for ''Gervaise'' * 1957 and 1958: Golden and Silver Bravo Otto * 1974: Merit Cross of the Federal Republic of Germany * 1977: German Film Awards, Gold Award for many years of excellent work in the German film industry * 1980: Great Cross of Merit of the Federal Republic of Germany * 1983: Golden Camera * 2002:

Austrian Cross of Honour for Science and Art, 1st class The Austrian Decoration for Science and Art () is a state decoration of the Republic of Austria and forms part of the Austrian national honours system. History The "Austrian Decoration for Science and Art" was established by the National C ...

* 2008: Maria Schell street named in Landstrasse (Vienna's 3rd District, area Aspanggründe / Euro-gate)

References

External links

*
Obituary: Maria Schell (1926-2005)

Photographs and literature

Maria Schell Estate
at Deutsches Filminstitut, Frankfurt am Main {{DEFAULTSORT:Schell, Maria 1926 births 2005 deaths 20th-century Austrian actresses Actresses from Vienna Austrian film actresses Austrian television actresses Austrian people of Swiss descent Commanders Crosses of the Order of Merit of the Federal Republic of Germany Actresses from Carinthia Recipients of the Austrian Cross of Honour for Science and Art, 1st class Recipients of the Bambi (prize) Volpi Cup for Best Actress winners Austrian memoirists Swiss expatriates in Austria Swiss expatriates in West Germany Austrian expatriates in Switzerland Austrian expatriates in West Germany