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The University of Southampton
Special Collections

MS 380 Papers relating to Conrad Veidt

Conrad Veidt

Hans Walter Conrad Veidt (1893-1943) was born in the Berlin suburb of Potsdam. While perhaps best known as Major Strasser in Casablanca and the evil vizier in The Thief of Bagdad, Veidt starred in more than 100 films. He began his acting career at the Reinhardt Theatre in Berlin, moving to films in 1917. Veidt enjoyed a successful career in Germany in the 1920s becoming one of the highest paid stars in German film. His first major role was that of Cesare in The Cabinet of Dr Caligari (1919). Others included Anders als die Anderen (Different from the Others), Das Wachsfigurenkabinett (Waxworks), Orlacs Hände (The Hands of Orlac). Veidt was invited by John Barrymore to Hollywood in 1926 and went on to star in 4 films during his time in the USA. He returned to Germany in 1929 where he continued his career. 

An anti-Nazi, Veidt left Germany in 1933 and settled in London. Here he enjoyed a successful film career in British films until he moved to the United States of America in 1940. The films that he made in the three years before his death at the age of 50 in April 1943, included Casablanca. His final film, Above Suspicion, cast Veidt in the role of Count Hassert Seidel who assists an American couple spying for the British secret service escape the clutches of the Gestapo.

About the collection

The collection is formed of material relating to Veidt collected by J.C.Allen. There are eleven volumes of photographs, articles and copies of correspondence, c.1890-1991, compiled by Allen in the 1980s-90s; publicity photographs for Veidt, including for The Cabinet of Dr Caligari, The Thief of Bagdad, Jew Süss and Casablanca; film journals, 1934-9; recordings.

Date range:

1890-1991

Former references:

A3064

Size:

10 boxes

 

 

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