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Frank Wisbar


Bild: Helmuth Ellgaard (1913-1980)
Mit freundlicher Genehmigung von Holger Ellgaard

1899 - 1967

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The director and screenwriter Frank Wisbar finished an education at the military academy to start a career as a regular officer.

But finally he joined the film business where he made first experiences as a director assistant and production manager.

He got the chance in 1932 to realise his first movie as a director and he shot "Im Bann des Eulenspiegels" (32).
This was the beginning of a brief film career in Germany with some remarkable movies, especially "Fährmann Maria" (36) where he was responsible as a director and screenwriter.
He created other movies as a director with "Anna und Elisabeth" (33), "Hermine und die sieben Aufrechten" (35), "Die Unbekannte" (36) and "Petermann ist dagegen" (38). To all these movies he also wrote the screenplay.

Because of the more and more critical political situation in Germany he emigrated to the USA in 1938, especially because his wife was classified as Non-Aryan.

He was able to continue his work as a director and screenwriter in the USA.
To his directions belong "Strangler of the Swamp" (46), "Devil Bat's Daughter" (46), "The Prairie" (47) and over 200 TV productions which were broadcasted under the serial titel "Fireside Theatre" (50-55).
But he did not reach the same importance with these works as he did in Germany in the 30s.

But this changed when he returned to Germany after 1955.
He realised a number of very popular movies in the next years like "Haie und kleine Fische" (57), "Nasser Asphalt" (58), "Hunde wollt ihr ewig leben" (59), "Nacht fiel über Gotenhafen" (60) and "Fabrik der Offiziere" (60).

Afterwards followed movies which are less remembered today like "Barbara - Wild wie das Meer" (61), "Marcia o crepa" (62) and "Durchbruch Lok 234" (63).
He dedicated to television where he realised his last movies as a director with "Das Feuerzeichen" (65), "Onkel Phils Nachlass" (65) and "Flucht über die Ostsee" (67).


Other movies from Frank Wisbar (Director):
Rivalen der Luft (34) Die Werft zum Grauen Hecht (35) Ball im Metropol (37) The Tell-Tale Heart (39) Secrets of a Sorority Girl (45) Lighthouse (47) Serie "General Elextric Theater: You Are Young Only Once" (54) Serie "General Elextric Theater: The Crime of Daphne Rutledge" (54) Serie "General Elextric Theater: Desert Crossing" (54), Serie "General Elextric Theater: Pretending Makes It So" (54) Serie "General Elextric Theater: Too Old for the Girl" (54) Willkommen in Altamont (65) S.O.S. – Morro Castle (66)

Producer:
Anna und Elisabeth (33) Devil Bat's Daughter (46) Serie "General Electric Theater: Exit for Margo" (54) Serie "General Electric Theater: You Are Young Only Once" (54) Serie "General Electric Theater: The Crime of Daphne Rutledge" (54) Serie "General Electric Theater: Desert Crossing" (54) Serie "Fireside Theatre" (50-55)

Writer:
Die Werft zum Grauen Hecht (35) Ball im Metropol (37) Women in Bondage (43) Strangler of the Swamp (46) Madonna of the Desert (48) Rimfire (49) Hunde, wollt ihr ewig leben (59) Nacht fiel über Gotenhafen (60) Fabrik der Offiziere (60) Marcia o crepa (62) Flucht über die Ostsee (67) Johannes durch den Wald (68)

 
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