Felix Basch (1885–1944) was an Austrian actor, screenwriter and film director. Following the Nazi takover of power in Germany in 1933, the Jewish Basch was forced into exile and moved to the United States where he appeared in a large number of films acting in character roles. He was married to Gretl Basch and was the father of Peter Basch.
May 17, 1944, Los Angeles, California, United States
Place Of Birth
Vienna, Austria-Hungary, now Austria
Profession
Actor, Director, Writer
Spouse
Gretl Basch (m. 1911–1944)
Children
Peter Basch
Star Sign
Virgo
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Fact
1
Felix Basch made his film debut as an actor in 1913.
2
Also in 1915 he shot his first movie as a director called "Der Herr Herr Baron" (15) and he soon became an experienced expert of his line. In the next years he concentrated on his work as a director, only sometimes he also appeared as an actor in his own movies or took part as an actor in movies of other directors.
3
The actor and director Felix Basch took acting lessons at the Burgtheater and got his first theater engagement in the play "Wilhelm Tell" in 1904. After a tour through Russia in 1912 followed engagements at the Theater des Westens and at the Metropol-Theater.
4
In the 20's he founded the film company "Kronen-Film GmbH" and together with his wife and actress Grete Freund the "Basch-Freund-Film, Berlin".
5
He emigrated together with Grete Freund to the USA in 1933.
6
After a transfusion with contaminated blood (hepatitis B) he died at the age of 58.
7
His cousin was the famous tenor Richard Tauber.
8
When the war broke out in Europe he went back to the USA again and inaugurated the restaurant "Grete's Viennese" in New York in 1940. When his plan to inaugurate a restaurant in Hollywood too failed he turned to the film business again. But the working system for American movies gave him problems - like for most of the film working emigrants. In the following years he impersonated many support roles in B movies.
9
The Jewish Basch was forced into exile.
10
When he didn't find the the working circumstances he was used to, he went to Paris via England and wrote scripts which weren't realized.
$13 Million