Ossip Runitsch
Osip Ivanovich Runitsch (Russian Осип Иванович Рунич, also Osip Runich and Giuseppe Runitsch; born Fradkin (Russian: Фрадкин ) * 1889 in the Russian Empire; † 6 April 1947, Johannesburg, South Africa) was a Russian actor and theater director.
Life and work
Runitsch began his stage career in the last years of Tsarism in Russia and earned at the Moscow Art Theatre and at St. Petersburg's Hermitage Theatre considerable popularity rapidly. He was then brought to the film during the First World War, where he took leading roles, especially in literary adaptations. In one of his first and most important performances in front of the camera, the film adaptation of Tolstoy's War and Peace, embodied Runitsch the Nikolai Rostov. Shortly after the October Revolution, his film career was ended for the time being, and Runitsch joined the entourage of many Belarusian -minded artists who left the Bolshevik become the country towards Western Europe.
First, he found employment at the Theater of Russian Drama in Riga, Latvia. 1919 he moved to Italy. Once there, sat Runitsch, the given name is now Italianised in Giuseppe, 1920 short film his activities continued. In the same year he decided to emigration to Germany. In Berlin he was until the end of the decade, a sought-after performer great supporting roles. Several times he was cast as Director and noble, but he also played a revolutionary ( in the film version of Danton 1921). In some productions exiled Russian directors like Dimitri Buchowetzki, Nikolai Malikoff, Georg Asagaroff and Vladimir Strijewski he also played leading roles. In addition to his film work took Runitsch in Berlin also has the function of President of the Union of Russian performing artists.
In 1921 he came to Paris, but where he participated in performances of Russian exile plays well at ballet and opera for the first time. In his filmless period ( 1925-1928 ) devoted himself Runitsch other artistic activities in Paris. He taught at the first Russian Academy of Paris and was on the board of the Art Society of Russian Literature. Runitsch gave readings in Russian and provided for the organization of such events ( concerts ).
Runitschs German film career came with the dawn of the talkie era to a definitive halt, probably because he did not speak enough German. 1933 followed he and his wife, a ballet dancer, an invitation Jewish artist friends and settled in South Africa. There, founded Runitsch own venue, the Johannesburg studio. His specialty was now the classic Russian theater and musical performances. Multiple presented the Russian exile there operas on the legs and directed. In addition, there Runitsch closed at the Society of Friends of the Soviet Union.