Frederic Zelnik

Frederic Zelnik was born on May 17, 1885 in Czernowitz, Bukovina, Austria-Hungary as Friedrich Zelcnik.

Before he was successful as a director he made his debut for the film in 1910 as an actor in "Des Sängers Fluch" (1910).

From 1915 Friedrich Zelnik appeared also as a producer and worked in this position for the "Berliner Film-Manufaktur" first, before he founded his own company in 1920.

In 1918 he married a young Polish ballet dancer turned film actress named Lya Mara and promoted her to stardom by producing and directing movies for her.

Influential producer-director, a former actor, who came to prominence in the German cinema of the 1920's (as Friedrich Zelnik). He was the mentor of his actress-wife 'Lya Mara', whose films he promoted through their joint production company Zelnik-Mara Film GmbH. Of Jewish background, he was forced to flee from Germany in 1933 and later continued making films in Britain.

Friedrich Zelnik only got artistic appreciation in 1927 with his movie "Die Weber", after that followed "Mary Lou" (1928) and the Edgar Wallace adaption "Der rote Kreis" (1928).

Upon the introduction of sound film, Friedrich Zelnik became the first director in Europe to post-synchronize a movie, The Crimson Circle (1929), using the DeForest Phonofilm sound-on-film process.

In 1930, Zelnik travelled to Hollywood, California and upon his return directed his first full sound film, a new version of his silent success The Bohemian Dancer.

He was a producer and director, known for The Gala Performance (1932), Kaiserwalzer (1933) and Der Zigeunerbaron (1927). He was married to Lya Mara.

In 1933 he went with his wife and actress Lya Mara to London where he wasn't much in evidence as a director. He shot "Happy" (1933), "Mister Cinders" (1934), "The Lilac Domino" (1937) and "Give Me the Stars" (1944).