1900 - 1973

Robert Siodmak had first contacts to the theater as an actor in small parts at the "Stattliches Schauspielhaus" in Dresden. 
In 1925 he worked in the film business for the first time, at the beginning as translator of inserted captions,
later as editor. He assisted for the directors Alfred Lind and Kurt Bernhardt (also known as Curtis Bernhardt) and could realize his first direction job in 1929 for "Menschen am Sonntag". This brought him in a contract with the Ufa and he shot only few films, among them "Der Mann, der seinen Mörder sucht" (30) und "Quick" (31), before he became frequently confronted with obstacles. Finally Robert Siodmak emigrated to France, his brother Curt Siodmak - a successful author and screenwriter (Donovan's Brain) - emigrated to England, his second brother Rolf chose suicide at the age of 20. 

Robert Siodmak could shot several movies in Franci. In 1939 he went to the USA where he could realize B-Movies between 1940 and 1943. His mentor was director Preston Sturges. In 1943 his brother Curt initiated a seven-year for him by Universal. There were created the so-called "film noir". Robert Siodmak's popularity increased year to year and achieved the zenith in 1946 with "The Killers". Ava Gardner and Burt Lancaster became stars in one go. 
But the increasing popularity involved disadvantages. The studios fought over Siodmak, the budgets of his movies became constantly higher. However this led to the point that the production interfered more and more in the realization of the movies, after all it was a question of money. The creativity of Robert Siodmak was restricted through it. 

In 1951 came back to Europa and worked first in France and England then in Germany. With "The Crimson Pirate" he managed a splendid beginning. Again Burt Lancaster was the star of this film. Lancaster shone with impressive acrobatic interludes and led to movie to his great success. 
In the 50s and 60s some well-known German movies came into being. Siodmaks finished his artistic career with several Karl-may-Adaptions and with the monumental film "Kampf um Rom" (68). It turned out that this kind of movies didn't suit him not at all. 

The end of Siodmak's life was a drama. He was as good as destituted and nearly forgotten. He drowned his loneliness with alcohol. When he was dying his boozer fellows robbed his flat.
 

Other movies with Robert Siodmak:
Der Kampf mit dem Drachen oder: Die Tragödie des Untermieters (30) Abschied (30) Voruntersuchung (31) Stürme der Leidenschaft (31) Brennendes Geheimnis (33) Le sexe faible (33) La crise est finie! (34) La vie parisienne (35) Mister Flow (36) Cargaison blanche - Weisse Fracht für Rio (36) Mollenard (37) Ultimatum (38) Pièges - Der Fallensteller (39) West Point Widow (41) Fly by Night (41) The Night Before the Divorce (42) My Hearts Belongs to Daddy (42) Someone to Remember (43) Son of Dracula (43) Cobra Woman - Die Schlangenpriesterin (43) Phantom Lady - Zeuge gesucht (434) Christmas Holiday - Weihnachtsurlaub (44) The Suspect - Unter Verdacht (44) Uncle Harry - Onkel Harrys seltsame Affäre (45) The Spiral Staircase - Die Wendeltreppe (45) The Dark Mirror - Der schwarze Spiegel (46) Time Out of Mind (47) Cry of the City - Schrei der Grossstadt (48) Criss Cross - Gewagtes Alibi (48) The Great Sinner -
Der Spieler (49) Thelma Jordan - Strafsache Thelma Jordan (49) Deported (50) The Whistle at Eaton Falls (51) Le grand jeu - Die letzte Etappe (54) Die Ratten (55) Mein Vater, der Schauspieler (56) Nachts, wenn der Teufel kam (57) Dorothea Angermann (58) The Rough and the Smooth - Das Bittere und das Süsse (59) Katja, die ungekrönte Kaiserin (59) Mein Schulfreund (60) Affäre Nina B. (61) Tunnel 28 (62) Der Schut (64) Der Schatz der Azteken (65) Die Pyramide des Sonnengottes (65) L'homme de Marrakech - Der grosse Coup von Casablanca (66) Custer of the West/A Good Day for Fighting - Big Horn - Ein Tag zum Kämpfen (67) Serie "O.S.S.: Operation Foulball" (57) Serie "O.S.S.: Operation Flint Axe" (57) Serie "O.S.S.: Operation Powder Puff" (57) Serie "O.S.S.: Operation Eel" (57)