Käthe Dorsch was a German actress who is best known for her roles in “Frau Lenes Scheidung,” “Fräulein Julie,” and “Trenck, der Pandur.” She had a distinguished career in theater and film, becoming renowned for her portrayals of powerful women in classic plays.
Personal and Family Life
Käthe Dorsch was born on December 29, 1890, in Neumarkt, Oberpfalz, Germany. Her family moved to Nuremberg when she was three. She was the daughter of a bakery helper and attended a commercial school before starting her acting career. At 15, she made her stage debut as a choir singer, which led her to a successful theater career.
Career
Dorsch began acting on stage in 1919 and later moved to Vienna in 1927. She joined the Volkstheater from 1936 to 1939 and was a member of the Burgtheater ensemble, where she became famous for her powerful performances. After her role in the movie “Sklaven des 20. Jahrhunderts” in 1922, she decided to focus solely on theater. She sparked controversy when she publicly slapped theatre critics in two incidents, which gained her notoriety.
Death and Legacy
Käthe Dorsch passed away on December 25, 1957, in Vienna, Austria, due to a liver infection. Despite her death, she is remembered as one of Germany’s great actresses, known for her intensity and range in both theater and film.
Filmography
| Title | Release Date | Character |
|---|---|---|
| Komödianten | 1941-09-05 | Caroline Neuber |
| Yvette. Die Tochter einer Kurtisane | 1938-03-25 | Oktavia Obardi |
| Singende Engel | 1947-12-19 | Kaiserin |
| Das Kuckucksei | 1950-11-03 | Marie Müller |
| Mutterliebe | 1939-12-19 | Marthe Pirlinger |
| Trenck, der Pandur | 1940-08-23 | Kaiserin Maria Theresia |
| Irrtum des Herzens | 1939-08-28 | Oberin |
| Drei Tage Liebe | 1931-02-18 | Lena |
| Savoy-Hotel 217 | 1936-04-06 | Anna Fedorovna Orlowa |
| Morgen werde ich verhaftet | 1939-06-06 | Maria Burger |
| Der Bagnosträfling | 1949-08-26 | Eugenie – Marquise de Troissaules |
| Eine Frau ohne Bedeutung | 1936-10-26 | Sylvia Kelvil |
| Die Lindenwirtin | 1930-08-27 | Annemarie Babinger, Landwirtin |
| Fahrt ins Glück | 1948-08-06 | Celia Loevengaard |
| Der Sekretär der Königin | 1916-01-01 | |
| Der Blusenkönig | 1917-11-02 | Konfektioneuse |
| Das fidele Gefängnis | 1917-11-30 | |
| Es leuchten die Sterne | 1938-03-17 | Gast |
| Regine | 1956-02-23 | Frau Geheimrat Therese Lundt |
| Maria Stuart | 1957-01-06 | Königin Elizabeth I. von England |
| Können Gedanken töten? | 1920-03-31 | Ragna |
| Dornröschen | 1917-12-20 | The queen |
| Vendetta | 1919-08-22 | Miss Ruth Alcott |
| Die Memoiren des Satans. 1. Teil – Doktor Mors | 1917-11-14 | |
| John Riew | 1917-01-01 | |
| Ein Jagdausflug nach Berlin | 1917-01-01 | |
| Die blaue Mauritius | 1918-10-01 | |
| Moral und Sinnlichkeit | 1919-06-06 | |
| Der Fluchbeladene. Die Memoiren des Satans. 3. Teil | 1918-01-01 |