1894 - 1975

After a study in compositon by Simon Breu and Max Meyer-Olbersleben and a study at the conservatory Würzburg he began his professional career as a bandmaster at the theater in 1914. Beside it he already composed first own pieces. From 1916 to 1917 he served in World War I, afterwards he became an assistant of the composer Jean Gilbert.

Marc Roland already got in touch with the film business in 1915 but not as a composer so far but as an operator when his father bought a small cinema in Bremen.

Finally Marc Roland also became a film composer during the silent movie era and he wrote the music for movies like "Fridericus Rex" (22), "Vater und Sohn" (22), "Sanssouci" (23), "Zopf und Schwert" (26) and for the documentary "Der Weltkrieg" (27/28).
His military march "Parademarsch der langen Kerls" for the movie "Fridericus Rex" became very popular and which will be played till today by marching bands.

Marc Roland founded an academy for film music in 1928 which educated cinema bandmasters, in addition he was the conductor of the German Filmmusik-Union. 

During this time he also composed operettas, among them the successful "Liebe und Trompetenblasen" and "Karussell der Liebe" (30).

He continued his career as a film composer in the 30s and he wrote the music to numerous movies and documentaries.
After his works for "Der weisse Teufel" (30), "Gassenhauer" (31) - among them the song "Marie, Marie", which was sung by the Comedian Harmonists - "Hurra - ein Junge!" (31), "Eine Nacht im Paradies" (32) and "Die Tänzerin von Sans Souci" (32) he also wrote the music for the racing movie "Kampf" (32) with the race driver Manfred von Brauchitsch in the leading role.  Other actors in this productions were Evelyn Holt, Kurt Vespermann, Georg H. Schnell, Lucie Höflich, Alfred Abel and Lia Eibenschütz.

Marc Roland had other contacts to the motorsports when he also wrote the music for documentaries like "Deutscher Kraftfahrsport" (37) or "Deutsche Rennwagen in Front" (38).

Other film compositions of the 30s were "Der Choral von Leuthen" (33), "Ein Mädchen mit Prokura" (34), "Ferien vom Ich" (34), "Der Klosterjäger" (35), "Fridericus" (37) and "Musketier Meier III" (38).

When Marc Roland refused to become an NSDAP member he did not get any engagements for movies during World War II and he concentrated to his stage music. In 1944 he had to go to the front as a soldier.

Only after the war he was able to continue his career as a film composer and he wrote the music for productions like "Ferien vom Ich" (52), "The Sergeant and the Spy" (54), "Wo die alten Wälder rauschen" (56) and "Traum in rot und gold" (60).

In 1952 his composition "Der lange Pfeffer" was the first work of a West German which was performed in the GDR. 

As a member of the Masonic Lodge "Friedrich zu den drei Quellen" he wrote a ritual music which was finished after his death.

Marc Roland was married with the stage actress Lieselotte Ebel.
 

Other movies from Marc Roland:
Sturm und Drang (22) Schicksalswende (23) Weil Du es bist (25) Verzeih mir (29) Und Nelson spielt (29) Die süsse Yvonne (29) Das Lied der Nationen (31) Les quatre vagabonds (31) Schön ist die Manöverzeit (31) Lügen auf Rügen (32) Nördlingen, Anno 1634 (33) Konjunkturritter (34) Schützenkönig wird der Felix (34) Schönheit der Arbeit (34) Arena Humsti Bumsti (35) Nur nicht weich werden, Susanne! (35) Der stählerne Strahl (35) Das Hemd des Glücks (36) Der Etappenhase (37) Heer im Werden (37) Jugend am Motor (38) Liebe und Trompetenblasen (54) Die Geburt des Lichts (57) Kamerad Pferd (57) Der erste Schultag (60) Ankerschmiede (62) 

Writer:
Schützenkönig wird der Felix (34) Das Gewehr über! (39) 

Director:
Hans und Heidi (61)