Foto: Alexander Binder (1888-1929)

1901 - 1973

Wilhelm (Willy) Fritsch took acting lessons from the actor Gustav Sczimek and got first small roles with support from director Richard Gerner. Subsequently he got his first contract which assured him the modest sum of DM 65.-- per month.

Willy Fritsch appeared for the first time in some silent movies from 1921 and he played in "Miss Venus" (21), "Razzia" (21) and "Schande" (22).
One year later he got his first leading role in "Seine Frau, die Unbekannte" (23) and with it his career took shape.

The producer Erich Pommer signed Willy Fritsch on. In the following years he especially monpolized the female audience with his sunny mind and youthful wag. He appeared in movies like "Mutter und Kind" (24), "Der Farmer aus Texas" (25) which meant his final breakthrough, "Blitzzug der Liebe" (25), "Ein Walzertraum" (25), "Das Mädchen mit der Protektion" (25) and "Die keusche Susanne" (26) in which he played together with Lilian Harvey for the first time. They became the German couple of dream as such in the 30's.

With the movies "Spione" (28) and "Frau im Mond" (29), directed by Fritz Lang, Willy Fritsch was able to impersonate roles which varied from the usual cliché.

With the sound film "Liebewalzer" (30), again at Lilian Harvey's side, he had a great success, the new dream team of the German movie was born (the two were also engaged privately).
The following movies were completely tailored to this couple, it followed "Hokuspokus" (30), "Die Drei von der Tankstelle" (30), "Einbrecher" (30), "Der Kongress tanzt" (31) and "Ein blonder Traum" (32), which always were embroidered with several songs. These songs were successful sold as records.

In the 30's - his fee went up to 40'000 RM per month - you could she the ladykiller in the movies "Ich bei Tag und Du bei Nacht" (32), "Walzerkrieg" (33), "Die Töchter Ihrer Exzellenz" (34), "Amphitryon" (35), "Glückskinder" (36), "Sieben Ohrfeigen" (37) and "Frau am Steuer" (39) - in which he appeared for the twelfth and last time together with Lilian Harvey.

Till the end of war he appeared in other successful entertainment movies like "Frauen sind doch bessere Diplomaten" (40), "Die keusche Geliebte" (40), "Wiener Blut" (42) and "Der kleine Grenzverkehr" (43).

Willy Fritsch returned to Hamburg after the where he without a permanent abode he found an accomodation by Martha Keippert which is documented with the indicated dedication by Willy Fritsch. Fritsch wrote: 
"Dear Mrs. Martha Keippert, I say thank you again for the nice accomodation by my return to Hamburg as a fugitive." (24.08.1945).

The post-war years offered Willy Fritsch many other roles but non of these roles could go on from the earlier successesie. 
The now turned grey at the temples Willy Fritsch acted among others in the movies "Film ohne Titel" (47), "Schatten der Nacht" (49), "Die verschleierte Maja" (51), "Grün ist die Heide" (51), "Wenn der weisse Flieder wieder blüht" (53), "Stern von Rio" (55), in the failed remake of "Die Drei von der Tankstelle" (55), "Hubertusjagd" (59), "Liebling der Götter" (60) and "Das hab' ich von Papa gelernt" (64), in which he acted at his son Thomas Fritsch's side.

Willy Fritsch was married with the actress Dinah Grace (1918-1963). After her death he retired from the film business. 
 

Other movies with Willy Fritsch:
Die kleine Midinette (21) Gelbstern (21) Die Fahrt ins Glück (23) Guillotine (24) Der Tänzer meiner Frau (25) Die Fahrt ins Abenteuer (26) Der Prinz und die Tänzerin (26) Die Boxerbraut (26) Die sieben Töchter der Frau Gyurkovics (26) Die selige Exzellenz (27) Der letzte Walzer (27) Die Frau im Schrank (27) Schuldig (27) Der Tanzstudent (28) Die Carmen von St. Pauli (28) Ungarische Rhapsodie (28) Ihr dunkler Punkt (28) Liebeswalzer (29) Ihre Hoheit befiehlt (31) Im Geheimdienst (31) Ronny (31) Der Frechdachs (32) Ein toller Einfall (32) Saison in Kairo (33) Des jungen Dessauers grosse Liebe (33) Die Insel (34)  Prinzessin Turandot (34) Schwarze Rosen (35) Boccaccio (36) Menschen ohne Vaterland (37) Streit um den Knaben Jo (37) Gewitterflug zu Claudia (37) Zwischen den Eltern (38) Das Mädchen von gestern Nacht (38) Am seidenen Faden (38) Preussische Liebesgeschichte (38) Die Geliebte (39) Frauen sind doch bessere Diplomaten (40) Die unvollkommene Liebe (40) Das leichte Mädchen (40) Die keusche Geliebte (40) Anschlag auf Baku (41) Dreimal Hochzeit (41) Leichte Muse (41) Wiener Blut (42) Geliebte Welt (42) Die Gattin (43) Liebesgeschichten (43) Der kleine Grenzverkehr (43) Junge Adler (44) Die Fledermaus (46) Finale (48) Hallo - Sie haben Ihre Frau vergessen (48) 12 Herzen für Charly (49) Derby (49) Kätchen für alles (49) Die wunderschöne Galathee (50) Mädchen mit Beziehungen (50) König für eine Nacht (50) Schön muss man sein (51) Die Dubarry (51) Zwei in einem Auto/Du bist die Schönste für mich (51) Mikosch rückt ein (52) Ferien vom Ich (52) Am Brunnen vor dem Tore (52) Von Liebe reden wir später (53) Damenwahl (53) Ungarische Rhapsodie (54) Maxie (54) Weg in die Vergangenheit (54) Drei Tage Mittelarrest (55) Der fröhliche Wanderer (55) Liebe ist ja nur ein Märchen (55) Schwarzwaldmelodie (56) Wo die alten Wälder rauschen (56) Das Donkosakenlied (56) Solange noch die Rosen blüh'n (56) Der schräge Otto (56) Die Beine von Dolores (57) Zwei Herzen im Mai (57) Mit Eva fing die Sünde an (58) Schwarzwälder Kirsch (58) Was macht Papa denn in Italien? (61) Jazz und Jux in Heidelberg/Verliebt in Heidelberg (63) Der Himmel kann warten (64)