Otto Gebühr

Otto Gebühr was born on May 29, 1877 in Kettwig, Essen, Rhine Province, Prussia [now Northrhine-Westphalia], Germany.

The actor Otto Gebühr finished a commercial teaching. When he took over a job as a correspondent in 1896 he took acting lessons at the same time. He gathered first experiences at a touring company in the same year, one year later he already got his first engagement at the Stadttheater Görlitz.

German painter guitarist and character actor. On stage at the Berlin Lessingtheater from 1909, later with Max Reinhardt's company. In films from 1913, initially in supporting roles until mentored by leading actor Paul Wegener and cast as Friedrich II. (Frederick The Great) in Die Tänzerin Barberina (1920). Due to his uncanny resemblance to the famous monarch, Gebuehr went on to impersonate him in 16 films and numerous stage performances.

He was married from 1910 with Cornelia Bertha Julius. They had a daughter Hilde Gebühr (1910-1945). She became an actress as well.

His second marriage was with the actress Doris Krüger (1913 - 1950). They were married from 1942 till her death in 1950. Together they had a son Michael Gebühr ( born 1942) who became a famous archaeologist.

Gebühr continued his performances in the Nazi period from 1933 onwards, last performing in The Great King (German: Der Große König), a 1942 German wartime propaganda film directed by Veit Harlan referring to the historic Miracle of the House of Brandenburg, which received the rare "Film of the Nation" distinction.

He was an actor and producer, known for Der große König (1942), Fridericus (1937) and Die Mühle von Sanssouci (1926). He was married to Doris Krüger and Cornelia Bertha Julius.