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Helmar Lerski alias Halmar Junge


1871 - 1956

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The cinematographer and director Helmar Lerski was born as Israel Schmuklerski in Strassburg. He grew up in Switzerland and in 1893 he emigrated to the USA where he worked as a stage actor for many years. From 1897 he used the pen name Helmar Lerski.

He began a second career as a photographer in Milwaukee in 1910 and he soon became established as a demanded portrait photographer. It followed engagements as a guest lecturer at the University of Texas in Austin for language and literature.

When he went to Germany in 1915 he soon became a demanded cinematographer and he was engaged for numerous movies. At this time he used the pen name Halmer Junge.
To his works as a cinematographer belongs the productions "Peter Lump" (16), "Entehrt" (16), "Erloschene Augen" (17), "Am Abgrund" (17), "Ahasver" (17), "Sei getreu bis in den Tod" (18), "Irrwege der Liebe" (18), "Der Herr der Welt" (18), "Rächende Liebe" (18), "Nerven" (19) and "Maria Pavlowna" (19).

He also worked for many silent movies of the 20s like "Opium" (20), "Kinder der Finsternis" (21), "Sterbende Völker" (22), "Der falsche Dimitri" (22), "Das Wachsfigurenkabinett" (24), "Die Abenteuer eines Zehnmarkscheines" (26), "Der heilige Berg" (26), "Dagfin" (26), "Die Brüder Schellenberg" (26) and "Sprengbagger 1010" (29).

Afterwards he concentrated to his career as a portrait photographer again. His works led him till to Palestine. During one of these stays the National Socialists came into power in Germany and Herman Lerski decided to stay in Palestine.

There he continued his career as a photographer and he also worked as a cinematographer for few movies like "Hebrew Melody" (35) and finally "Avodah" (35) where he was not only working behind the camera but also wrote the screenplay and where he was responsible as a cutter and director.
Beside it he also realised some documentaries and the marionette movie "Baalam's Story" (45-47).

He spent his last years of life in Zurich.


Other movies from Helmar Lerski (Cinematographer):
Rosa kann alles (16) Im Bewusstsein der Schuld (16) Die Gräfin Heyers (16) Memoiren der Tragödin Thamar (17) Wenn Tote sprechen (17) Der Knute entflohen (17) Das Spitzentuch der Fürstin Wolkowska (17) Weg der Erlösung (18) Kassenrevision (18) Der Taktstock Richard Wagners (18) Der Mann im Monde (18) Das grosse Opfer (18) Das Licht des Lebens (18) Durch alle Höllen (20) Sie und die Drei (22) Inge Larsen (24) Neuland (24) Die Perücke (25) Die Boxerbraut (26) Die Czardasfürstin (27) Avodah (35) Hebrew Melody (35)

Director:
Hebrew Melody (35) Adamah (47)

 
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