Sig Arno (born Siegfried Aron, 27 December 1895 – 17 August 1975) was a German-Jewish film actor who appeared in such films as ''
Pardon My Sarong'' and ''
The Mummy's Hand
''The Mummy's Hand'' is a 1940 American black-and-white horror film directed by Christy Cabanne and produced by Ben Pivar for Universal Studios. The film is about the ancient Egyptian mummy of Kharis (Tom Tyler), who is kept alive with a brew o ...
''. He may be best remembered from ''
The Palm Beach Story
''The Palm Beach Story'' is a 1942 screwball comedy film written and directed by Preston Sturges, and starring Claudette Colbert, Joel McCrea, Mary Astor and Rudy Vallée. Victor Young contributed the musical score, including a fast-paced var ...
'' (1942) as Toto, the nonsense-talking, mustachioed man who hopelessly pursues
Mary Astor
Mary Astor (born Lucile Vasconcellos Langhanke; May 3, 1906 – September 25, 1987) was an American actress. Although her career spanned several decades, she may be best remembered for her performance as Brigid O'Shaughnessy in '' The Maltese ...
's Princess Centimillia.
Biography
Arno was born in Hamburg, Germany. Before beginning to make films in 1920, he was well-known in Germany as a stage comedian.
[Erickson, Ha]
Biography (Allmovie)
He acted in 90 films in Germany – including
G.W. Pabst's ''
Pandora's Box
Pandora's box is an artifact in Greek mythology connected with the myth of Pandora in Hesiod's c. 700 B.C. poem '' Works and Days''. Hesiod reported that curiosity led her to open a container left in the care of her husband, thus releasing phy ...
'' with
Louise Brooks
Mary Louise Brooks (November 14, 1906 – August 8, 1985) was an American film actress and dancer during the 1920s and 1930s. She is regarded today as an icon of the Jazz Age and flapper culture, in part due to the bob hairstyle that she helpe ...
– playing primarily comic roles, then he left Germany in 1933 due to the rise of
Adolf Hitler
Adolf Hitler (; 20 April 188930 April 1945) was an Austrian-born German politician who was dictator of Nazi Germany, Germany from 1933 until Death of Adolf Hitler, his death in 1945. Adolf Hitler's rise to power, He rose to power as the le ...
. He worked in Europe until 1939 when he moved to Hollywood.
During the next 20 years. he appeared in over 50 films, often playing waiters, maitre d's and "funny Europeans".
Arno appeared three times on Broadway, notably in the musical ''
Song of Norway
''Song of Norway'' is an operetta written in 1944 by Robert Wright and George Forrest, adapted from the music of Edvard Grieg and the book by Milton Lazarus and Homer Curran. A very loose film adaptation with major changes to both the book a ...
'' and the play ''Time Remembered'' by
Jean Anouilh
Jean Marie Lucien Pierre Anouilh (; 23 June 1910 – 3 October 1987) was a French dramatist whose career spanned five decades. Though his work ranged from high drama to absurdist farce, Anouilh is best known for his 1944 play ''Antigone'', an ad ...
, for which he was nominated for a
Tony Award
The Antoinette Perry Award for Excellence in Broadway Theatre, more commonly known as the Tony Award, recognizes excellence in live Broadway theatre. The awards are presented by the American Theatre Wing and The Broadway League at an annual ce ...
as Best Featured Actor in a Play in 1958. In 1966, Arno won an honorary award at the
German Film Awards
German(s) may refer to:
* Germany (of or related to)
**Germania (historical use)
* Germans, citizens of Germany, people of German ancestry, or native speakers of the German language
** For citizens of Germany, see also German nationality law
**Ger ...
"for his continued outstanding individual contributions to the German film over the years."
Personal life
Arno was also a successful portrait painter.
He was married three times:
*Caroline Dahms (1922–1932, ended in divorce, one child)
*Barbara Kiranoff (1934–1953, ended in divorce)
*Kitty Mattern (1953–1975, ended with his death)
[IMD]
Biography
/ref>
Death
He died from Parkinson's disease
Parkinson's disease (PD), or simply Parkinson's, is a long-term degenerative disorder of the central nervous system that mainly affects the motor system. The symptoms usually emerge slowly, and as the disease worsens, non-motor symptoms becom ...
in Woodland Hills, California on August 17, 1975, aged 79.
Partial filmography
* ''The Wife of Forty Years
''The Wife of Forty Years'' (German: ''Die Frau von vierzig Jahren'') is a 1925 German silent drama film directed by Richard Oswald and starring Diana Karenne, Vladimir Gajdarov and Sig Arno. The film's art direction was by Paul Leni.Kasten ...
'' (1925)
* ''Cock of the Roost
''Cock of the Roost'' (german: Der Hahn im Korb) is a 1925 German silent comedy film directed by Georg Jacoby and starring Reinhold Schünzel, Elga Brink and Maly Delschaft.
The film's sets were designed by the art director Walter Reimann.
...
'' (1925)
* ''Upstairs and Downstairs
''Upstairs and Downstairs'' is a 1959 British comedy film directed by Ralph Thomas and starring Michael Craig, Anne Heywood, Mylène Demongeot, Claudia Cardinale, James Robertson Justice, Joan Sims, Joan Hickson and Sid James. It features the ...
'' (1925)
* '' A Woman for 24 Hours'' (1925)
*''Manon Lescaut
''The Story of the Chevalier des Grieux and Manon Lescaut'' ( ) is a novel by Antoine François Prévost. Published in 1731, it is the seventh and final volume of ''Mémoires et aventures d'un homme de qualité'' (''Memoirs and Adventures of a M ...
'' (1926)
* '' The Third Squadron'' (1926)
* ''The Pride of the Company
''The Pride of the Company'' (German: ''Der Stolz der Kompanie'') is a 1926 German silent comedy film directed by Georg Jacoby and starring Reinhold Schünzel, Georg H. Schnell and Camilla Spira.
The film's sets were designed by the art direc ...
'' (1926)
* '' Circus Romanelli'' (1926)
* ''The Uncle from the Provinces
''The Uncle from the Provinces'' (German: ''Der Provinzonkel'') is a 1926 German silent film directed by Manfred Noa and starring Jakob Tiedtke, Margarete Kupfer and Liane Haid.Grange p.227
The film's sets were designed by Julius von Borsody.
C ...
'' (1926)
* ''Annemarie and Her Cavalryman
''Annemarie and Her Cavalryman'' (german: Annemarie und ihr Ulan) is a 1926 German silent film directed by Erich Eriksen and starring Colette Brettel, Sig Arno, and Hans Junkermann
Hennes "Hans" Junkermann (6 May 1934 – 11 April 2022) w ...
'' (1926)
* ''We'll Meet Again in the Heimat
''We'll Meet Again at Home'' (German: ''In der Heimat, da gibt's ein Wiedersehn!'') is a 1926 German silent film directed by Leo Mittler and Reinhold Schünzel.Ashkenazi p.135 It shares its name with a popular song title.
The film's art directi ...
'' (1926)
* ''The Armoured Vault
''The Armoured Vault'' (german: Das Panzergewölbe) is a 1926 German silent thriller film directed by Lupu Pick and starring Ernst Reicher, Johannes Riemann, and Mary Nolan.Thomson p. 113 It was part of a popular series featuring the detective ...
'' (1926)
* '' Darling, Count the Cash'' (1926)
* ''Nanette Makes Everything
''Nanette Makes Everything'' (German: ''Nanette macht alles'') is a 1926 German silent film directed by Carl Boese and starring Mady Christians, Georg Alexander and Vivian Gibson. It was shot at the Terra Studios in Berlin. The film's sets were ...
'' (1926)
* '' The Son of Hannibal'' (1926)
*''The Love of Jeanne Ney
''The Love of Jeanne Ney'' (german: Die Liebe der Jeanne Ney), released as ''Lusts of the Flesh'' in the United Kingdom, is a 1927 German silent drama film directed by Georg Wilhelm Pabst based on a novel by Ilya Ehrenburg.
Plot
Jeanne is the ...
'' (1927)
* ''The Man with the Counterfeit Money
''The Man with the Fake Banknote'' or ''The Man with the Counterfeit Money'' (German: ''Der Mann mit der falschen Banknote'') is a 1927 German silent crime film directed by Romano Mengon and starring Nils Asther, Vivian Gibson and Margarete Lan ...
'' (1927)
* ''The Transformation of Dr. Bessel
''The Transformation of Dr. Bessel'' (German: ''Dr. Bessels Verwandlung '') is a 1927 German silent film directed by Richard Oswald and starring Jakob Tiedtke, Sophie Pagay and Hans Stüwe. The film was based on a novel by . It premiered at the ...
'' (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
Berlin i ...
'' (1927)
* '' When the Young Wine Blossoms'' (1927)
* ''Family Gathering in the House of Prellstein
''Family Gathering in the House of Prellstein'' (German: ''Familientag im Hause Prellstein'') is a 1927 German silent comedy film directed by Hans Steinhoff and starring S. Z. Sakall, Erika Glässner and Sig Arno.
Cast
*S. Z. Sakall as Sami B ...
'' (1927)
* '' Lützow's Wild Hunt'' (1927)
* ''A Serious Case
''A Serious Case'' (german: Ein schwerer Fall) is a 1927 German silent comedy film directed by Felix Basch and starring Ossi Oswalda, Alfons Fryland, and Gyula Szöreghy. It was shot at the EFA Studios in Berlin. The film's sets were designed ...
'' (1927)
* ''The Villa in Tiergarten Park
''The Villa in Tiergarten Park'' (german: Die Villa im Tiergarten) is a 1927 German silent romance film directed by Franz Osten and starring Joe Stöckel, Aud Egede-Nissen, and Elsa Krueger. It still survives unlike many films from the silent e ...
'' (1927)
* '' Marie's Soldier'' (1927)
* ''Always Be True and Faithful
''Always Be True and Faithful'' (german: Üb' immer Treu' und Redlichkeit ) is a 1927 German silent film directed by Reinhold Schünzel and starring Reinhold Schünzel, Rosa Valetti and Julius E. Herrmann.Bock & Bergfelder p. 524
The film's s ...
'' (1927)
* ''Serenissimus and the Last Virgin
''Serenissimus and the Last Virgin'' (German:''Serenissimus und die letzte Jungfrau'') is a 1928 German silent film directed by Leo Mittler and starring Hans Junkermann, Adolphe Engers and Adele Sandrock.Gerhard Lamprecht. ''Deutsche Stummfilm ...
'' (1928)
* '' One Plus One Equals Three'' (1927)
* '' Der Ladenprinz'' (1928)
* ''Immorality
Immorality is the violation of moral laws, norms or standards. It refers to an agent doing or thinking something they know or believe to be wrong. Immorality is normally applied to people or actions, or in a broader sense, it can be applied t ...
'' (1928)
* '' Prince or Clown'' (1928)
* ''Tragedy at the Royal Circus
''Tragedy at the Royal Circus'' (german: Tragödie im Zirkus Royal) is a 1928 German silent drama film directed by Alfred Lind and starring Bernhard Goetzke, Ellen Kürti, and Werner Pittschau.
The film's art direction
Art director is the t ...
'' (1928)
* '' The Orchid Dancer'' (1928)
* ''Tales from the Vienna Woods
"Tales from the Vienna Woods" (german: "Geschichten aus dem Wienerwald", links=no, italic=no, occasionally ) is a waltz by Johann Strauss II.
Composed in 1868, , Op. 325, was one of six Viennese waltzes by Johann Strauss II which featured a vir ...
'' (1928)
* ''The Lady and the Chauffeur
''The Lady and the Chauffeur'' (German: ''Die Dame und ihr Chauffeur'') is a 1928 German silent comedy film directed by Manfred Noa and starring Jack Trevor, Fritz Alberti and Elisabeth Pinajeff.Bock & Bergfelder p.17 It was shot at the Grune ...
'' (1928)
* '' Looping the Loop'' (1928)
* '' Modern Pirates'' (1928)
* '' Her Dark Secret'' (1929)
* '' Beyond the Street'' (1929)
* ''The Girl with the Whip
''The Girl with the Whip'' (German: ''Das Mädel mit der Peitsche'') is a 1929 German silent comedy film directed by Carl Lamac and starring Anny Ondra, Werner Fuetterer and Sig Arno.Prawer p.123 It was shot at the Johannisthal Studios in Berli ...
'' (1929)
* ''Revolt in the Batchelor's House
''Revolt in the Batchelor's House'' (German: ''Aufruhr im Junggesellenheim'') is a 1929 German silent comedy film directed by Manfred Noa and starring Sig Arno, Kurt Gerron and Trude Hesterberg.
It was one of two films starring Arno and Gerron ...
'' (1929)
* '' We Stick Together Through Thick and Thin'' (1929)
* '' Vienna, City of Song'' (1930)
* ''Retreat on the Rhine
''Retreat on the Rhine'' (german: Zapfenstreich am Rhein) is a 1930 German musical comedy film directed by Jaap Speyer and starring Charlotte Susa, Hans Stüwe, and Hermann Böttcher. It was made as an operetta film which emerged as a popul ...
'' (1930)
* ''The Caviar Princess
''The Caviar Princess'' (german: Die Kaviarprinzessin) is a 1930 German silent comedy film directed by Carl Lamac and starring Anny Ondra, Maria Forescu and André Roanne.Prawer p. 123 The film's art direction was by Heinrich Richter. It is also ...
'' (1930)
* ''Fairground People
''Fairground People'' (german: Die vom Rummelplatz) is a 1930 German comedy film directed by Carl Lamac and starring Anny Ondra, Sig Arno and Margarete Kupfer. The film was made shortly after the sound revolution, which had damaged Ondra's caree ...
'' (1930)
* ''The Widow's Ball
''The Widow's Ball'' (german: Der Witwenball) is a 1930 German comedy film directed by Georg Jacoby and starring Lucie Englisch, Fritz Kampers, and Sig Arno.
The film's sets were designed by the art director Franz Schroedter.
Cast
*Lucie Engli ...
'' (1930)
* ''Schubert's Dream of Spring
''Schubert's Dream of Spring'' (german: Schuberts Frühlingstraum, link=no) is a 1931 German
German(s) may refer to:
* Germany (of or related to)
**Germania (historical use)
* Germans, citizens of Germany, people of German ancestry, or native s ...
'' (1931)
* '' Moritz Makes His Fortune'' (1931)
* ''Shooting Festival in Schilda
''Shooting Festival in Schilda'' (German: ''Schützenfest in Schilda'') is a 1931 German comedy film directed by Adolf Trotz and starring Sig Arno, Fritz Kampers and Eugen Rex. It was shot at the Halensee Studios in Berlin.Klaus p.257
Cast
...
'' (1931)
* ''The Night Without Pause
''The Night Without Pause'' (german: Die Nacht ohne Pause) is a 1931 German comedy film directed by Andrew Marton and Franz Wenzler and starring Sig Arno, Camilla Horn and Max Adalbert.Waldman p. 193
It was made by the German subsidiary of Univ ...
'' (1931)
* ''A Crafty Youth
''A Crafty Youth'' (German: ''Ein ausgekochter Junge'') is a 1931 German comedy film directed by Erich Schönfelder and starring Julius Falkenstein, Sig Arno and Olly Gebauer. Churton p.92 It was shot at the Grunewald Studios in Berlin. The film' ...
'' (1931)
* ''Checkmate
Checkmate (often shortened to mate) is any game position in chess and other chess-like games in which a player's king is in check (threatened with ) and there is no possible escape. Checkmating the opponent wins the game.
In chess, the king is ...
'' (1931)
* ''The Big Attraction
''The Big Attraction'' (german: Die große Attraktion) is a 1931 German musical film directed by Max Reichmann and starring Richard Tauber, Margo Lion, and Marianne Winkelstern.Waldman p. 31 It was made by Bavaria Film at the Emelka Studios nea ...
'' (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 co ...
'' (1931)
* '' Wild Cattle'' (1934)
* ''The Hunchback of Notre Dame
''The Hunchback of Notre-Dame'' (french: Notre-Dame de Paris, translation=''Our Lady of Paris'', originally titled ''Notre-Dame de Paris. 1482'') is a French Gothic novel by Victor Hugo, published in 1831. It focuses on the unfortunate story of ...
'' (1939) as Tailor
* ''The Mummy's Hand
''The Mummy's Hand'' is a 1940 American black-and-white horror film directed by Christy Cabanne and produced by Ben Pivar for Universal Studios. The film is about the ancient Egyptian mummy of Kharis (Tom Tyler), who is kept alive with a brew o ...
'' (1940)
* '' Dark Streets of Cairo'' (1940)
* '' A Little Bit of Heaven'' (1940)
* '' This Thing Called Love'' (1940)
* ''The Great Awakening
''The Great Awakening'' is the fourth studio album from the Christian rock band Leeland, released on September 20, 2011. ''The Great Awakening'' received a nomination to the 54th Grammy Awards
The 54th Annual Grammy Awards were held on Februar ...
'' (1941)
* '' Gambling Daughters'' (1941)
* ''Two Latins from Manhattan
''Two Latins from Manhattan'' is a 1941 American comedy film directed by Charles Barton and starring Joan Davis, Jinx Falkenburg, and Joan Woodbury.
Cast list
* Joan Davis as Joan Daley
* Jinx Falkenburg as Jinx Terry
* Joan Woodbury as ...
'' (1941)
* '' Two Yanks in Trinidad'' (1942)
* ''Tales of Manhattan
''Tales of Manhattan'' is a 1942 American anthology film directed by Julien Duvivier. Thirteen writers, including Ben Hecht, Alan Campbell, Ferenc Molnár, Samuel Hoffenstein, and Donald Ogden Stewart, worked on the six stories in this film. B ...
'' (1942)
* ''The Devil with Hitler
''The Devil with Hitler'' (released in Great Britain as ''The Devil Checks Up'') is a black-and-white 1942 comedy short propaganda film that was one of Hal Roach's Streamliners short film series. When the board of directors of Hell want Adolf Hitl ...
'' (1942 short)
* ''The Palm Beach Story
''The Palm Beach Story'' is a 1942 screwball comedy film written and directed by Preston Sturges, and starring Claudette Colbert, Joel McCrea, Mary Astor and Rudy Vallée. Victor Young contributed the musical score, including a fast-paced var ...
'' (1942)
* '' Juke Box Jenny'' (1942)
* ''His Butler's Sister
''His Butler's Sister'' is a 1943 American romantic comedy film directed by Frank Borzage and starring Deanna Durbin. The supporting cast includes Franchot Tone, Pat O'Brien, Akim Tamiroff, Evelyn Ankers and Hans Conried. The film was nomi ...
'' (1943)
* ''Song of the Open Road
''Song of the Open Road'' is a 1944 musical comedy film directed by S. Sylvan Simon, from a screenplay by Irving Phillips and Edward Verdier. It was the debut film of teenage singer Jane Powell. Powell's real name was Suzanne Burce, but prior ...
'' (1944)
* '' The Captain from Köpenick'' (completed in 1941, released in 1945)
* ''Duchess of Idaho
Duke is a male title either of a monarch ruling over a duchy, or of a member of royalty, or nobility. As rulers, dukes are ranked below emperors, kings, grand princes, grand dukes, and sovereign princes. As royalty or nobility, they are rank ...
'' (1950)
References
External links
*
*
*
Sig Arno @ Virtual History Film (photos)
*
{{DEFAULTSORT:Arno, Sig
German expatriate male actors in the United States
German male stage actors
German male film actors
German male silent film actors
Deaths from Parkinson's disease
Neurological disease deaths in California
Jewish emigrants from Nazi Germany to the United States
Jewish American male actors
Male actors from Hamburg
Male actors from Los Angeles County, California
1895 births
1975 deaths
20th-century German male actors
20th-century American male actors
20th-century American Jews