USC Specialized Libraries and Archival Collections
Collection 211

GRETE MOSHEIM COLLECTION

   Processed by Claude Zachary, Rachelle Balinas, Clair Fedoruk
Date Completed: 7/25/2001
 © 2001 University of Southern California. All Rights Reserved

Descriptive Summary

Title: Grete Mosheim Collection.

Creator:  Unknown.

Extent:  3 cubic ft.

Repository:  University of Southern California.

        Specialized Libraries and Archival Collections.

                    Los Angeles, California 90089-0182 

Administrative Information

Acquisition: No information available.

Access: COLLECTION STORED OFF-SITE: Advance notice required for access. Consult finding aid for additional information.

Publication Rights: All requests for permission to publish or quote from manuscripts must be submitted in writing to the Manuscripts Librarian. Permission for publication is given on behalf of Special Collections as the owner of the physical material and is not intended to include or imply permission of the copyright holder, which must also be obtained.

Preferred Citation: [Identification of item], Grete Mosheim Collection. (Collection 211). Specialized Libraries and Archival Collections, Information Services Division, University of Southern California. 

Access Points

Subjects:

• Mosheim, Grete.
• Theater--Germany--20th century.
• Theater--England--20th century.
• Theater--Austria--20th century.
• Motion pictures--Germany--20th century.

(Above headings are LCSH)

Scope/Contents

Collection includes personal and business correspondence of the German-born actress, and articles and interviews covering Mosheim's career from the American and German press.

Biography

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 lanuage 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 dramatist 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) 5/

See Inventory.