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0211
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Title: Grete Mosheim papers
Collection number: 0211
Contributing Institution:
USC Libraries Special Collections
Language of Material:
German
Physical Description:
5.0 Linear feet
5 boxes
Date (inclusive): 1929-1986
Abstract: This collection includes personal and business correspondence of the German-born actress Grete Mosheim(1905-1986), and articles
and interviews covering Mosheim's acting career from the American and German press.
creator:
Mosheim, Grete, 1905-1986
[Box/folder# or item name], Grete Mosheim papers, Collection no. 0211, Feuchtwanger Memorial Library, Special Collections,
USC Libraries, University of Southern California
COLLECTION STORED OFF-SITE. Advance notice required for access.
Grete Mosheim was born on 8 January 1905 in Berlin, Germany. She was educated at the Viktoria Lyzeum, and in the school of
the Deutschen Theaters from 1922 to 1931. Although her first attempts on the stage were not very well received, she established
a connection with Max Reinhardt. In 1922 Reinhardt gave Mosheim -- who at that time was seventeen - the chance to substitute
in the American play "The speaking ape" when the female lead became ill. Within twenty-four hours Mosheim learned the difficult
role from Albert Bassermann and became literally over night a superstar -- "die Mosheim". Until 1933 she ruled the Berlin
theatre scene appearing in widely varied roles; she was equally at home in drama and comedy. She married her costar Oscar
Homolka; they divorced in 1933. In 1924 Mosheim for the first time played in a film - "Michael". The next nine years brought
her interesting roles in important films like "Dreyfus" (1930) and "Yorck" (1931).
Mosheim emigrated to London in 1933. After overcoming the language barrier with intensive study of English, she found a role
in London in 1934 in "Two Share a Dwelling" with Alice Campbell. It became a special success for Mosheim, because she met
the American railroad king Howard Gould, who had financed the performance, and who became in 1937 her second husband. Mosheim
accompanied Gould to New York in 1938. Acceding to Gould's desire she spend more time with him, she retired from acting for
a few years, but in 1941 she returned to the stage and was one of the founders of the German-speaking ensemble "The Players
from Abroad". Mosheim and Gould divorced in 1947. She appeared in Germany for the first time after the war in 1952, and visited
many cities playing leading roles in pieces by modern American dramatists such as Eugene O'Neill, Thornton Wilder, Tennessee
Williams, and John van Druten. She did not appear in films, however, other than a few individual television appearances.
Grete Mosheim died on 29 December 1986.
Filmography
1. Moritz, lieber Moritz (1978) .... Grossmutter ... aka Moritz, Dear Moritz (1978) (USA) 2. Car of Dreams (1935) .... Vera
Hart 3. Moral und Liebe (1933) 4. Arm wie eine Kirchenmaus (1931) 5. Arme, kleine Eva (1931) 6. Yorck (1931) 7. Cyankali (1930)
.... Hete Fent 8. Dreyfus (1930) .... Lucie Dreyfus ... aka Dreyfus Case, The (1940) (USA) ... aka Fall Dreyfus, Der (1930)
9. Frau Sorge (1928) 10. Flammen lügen, Die (1926) 11. Mikaël (1924) .... Alice Adelsskjold ... aka Chained (1924) (USA) ...
aka Chained: The Story of the Third Sex (1924) (USA) ... aka Heart's Desire (1924) (UK) 12. Notable TV guest appearances 1."Kommissar,
Der" (1969) in episode: "...wie die Wölfe" (episode # 2.7)
All requests for permission to publish or quote from manuscripts must be submitted in writing to the Exile Studies Librarian
(specoll@usc.edu). Permission for publication is given on behalf of Special Collections as the owner of the physical items
and is not intended to include or imply permission of the copyright holder, which must also be obtained.
The Grete Mosheim Papers includes personal and business correspondence of the German-born actress Grete Mosheim (1905-1986),
and articles and interviews covering Mosheim's acting career from the American and German press.
Subjects and Indexing Terms
Homolka, Oscar, 1898-1978 -- Archives
Mosheim, Grete, 1905-1986 -- Archives
Reinhardt, Max -- Archives
Clippings
Correspondence
Exiles--Germany--History--20th century--Archival resources
Exiles--United States--History--20th century--Archival resources
Germany--Emigration and immigration--History--1933-1945--Archival resources
Motion pictures--Germany--20th century--Archival resources
Photographs
Printed ephemera
Programs (documents)
Theater--Austria--20th century--Archival resources
Theater--England--20th century--Archival resources
Theater--Germany--20th century--Archival resources