Fritz Bauer Institut · Cinematography of the Holocaust


Strange Death of Adolf Hitler. D: Hogan [US, 1943]

ID

FBW000321      Fiction

Country / Year

USA, 1943

Original Title

The Strange Death of Adolf Hitler

Directed by

James Hogan, Joe May (ohne credit)

Produced by

Universal Pictures Company, Inc., Universal City, CA / New York, NY

Staff

Associate producer: Ben Pivar; Production manager: Joseph Gershenson; Assistent director: Joseph A. McDonough; Script: Fritz Kortner; Based on: Fritz Kortner (Originalgeschichte), Joe May (Originalgeschichte); Camera: Jerome Ash; Editing: Milton Carruth; Sound: William Hedgcock, Ed Wetzel; Sound supervision: Bernard B. Brown; Art direction: John B. Goodman, Ralph DeLacy; Technical consultant: Ernest Richter; Set decoration: Russell A. Gausman, Edward R. Robinson; Costumes: Vera West; Music: Hans J. Salter

Cast

Ludwig Donath (Franz Huber/Adolf Hitler); Gale Sondergaard (Anna Huber); George Dolenz (Hermann Marbach); Fritz Kortner (Bauer); Ludwig Stoessel (Graub); Willy Trenk-Trebitsch (als: William Trenk) (Colonel von Zechwitz); Joan Blair (Duchess Eugenie); Ivan Triesault (Hohenberg); Rudolf Amendt-Anders (als: Rodolf Anders) (Mampe); Ernö Verebes (Godeck); Merrill Rodin (Hansl Huber); Charles Bates (Viki Huber); Kurt Katch (Karl); Hans Schumm (Professor); Fred Giermann (Heinrich Himmler); Richard Ryen (Palzer); John Mylong-Münz (als: John Mylong) (General Halder); Kurt Kreuger (Nazi Youth Leader); Lester Sharpe (Dr. Kaltenbruch); Trude Berliner (Frau Reitler); Hans Heinrich von Twardowski (Judge); Wolfgang Zilzer (Attorney); Ilka Grüning (als: Ilka Gruning) (Middle Class Woman); Lotte Stein (Katie); Elisabeth Neumann-Viertel (Mizzi); Lutz Altschul (als: Louis V. Arco) (Gestapo Officer); George Sorel (Dr. Luke); Fritz Brunn (als: Frederick Brunn) (Gestapo Man); Hans von Morhart (Gestap Man); Otto Reichow (Soldier); Bob Stephenson (Gestapo Officer); Frank Alten (Waiter); Christine Gordon (1st Woman); Irene Seidner (2nd Woman); Martin Berliner ( Janitor); Sven-Hugo Borg (Soldier); Lynne Sharland (Woman); Gene Stutenroth (Diebold); Frank A. Lyon (General); Walter Palm (General); George Sherwood (High Gestapo Officer); Mildred Hudson (Woman); George Eldredge (Gestapo Colonel); Art Fowler (Gestapo Colonel); Lois Parker (Flower Girl)

Length

2024,5 m / 74'

Format

35mm/sw/1:1,37

Dates

- 00 Jun 1943-12 Jul 1943: Shooting period
- 25 Aug 1943: Preview, Universal City, CA (Studio)
- 03 Sep 1943: Copyright
- 08 Oct 1943: Premiere, New York, NY (Rialto)
- 08 Oct 1943: Release date, New York, NY (Rialto)

Remarks

1. Joe May, von Drehbeginn an Regisseur des Films, wird nach ca. zwei Wochen Drehzeit vom Produzenten Ben Pivar gefeuert und durch James Hogan ersetzt.

Further Remarks

- Studioaufnahmen: Universal City

Abstract

Franz Huber, an insignificant official/civil servant from Wien is made into a Hitler double by the Gestapo and finally dies at the assassination attempt made upon his wife who considers him dead in place of the Führer. The film intrudes on the rumour in the USA during the war that Hitler used a doppelgänger for public appearances, especially when he wanted to mix with the people.

Subject Terms

Anti-Nazi films (US); Exile films; Secret State Police

Materials

- Akademie der Künste, Berlin; Drehbuch

Bibliography

- N.N.: "Sure Box Office For Fuehrer's Double. 'The Strange Death of Adolf Hitle'", in: The Hollywood Reporter, 26.08.1943
- , in: Motion Picture Herald (New York, NY), 04.09.1943
- Crowther, Bosley: "Unreasonable Facsimile. The Strange Death of Adolf Hitler", in: The New York Times, 09.10.1943
- , in: Variety, 13.10.1943
- , in: Today's Cinema, Vol. 61, Nr. 4955, 12.11.1943
- , in: Kinematograph Weekly (London), Nr. 1909, 18.11.1943
- Schwab, Lothar (Red.): Exil. Sechs Schauspieler aus Deutschland. Wolgang Zilzer (Paul Andor), Bd. 6, Berlin/West: Stiftung Deutsche Kinemathek, 1983
- Horak, Jan-Christopher: Anti-Nazi-Filme der deutschsprachigen Emigration von Hollywood 1939-1945. Münster: Maks, 1984
- Nash, Ray R. / Ross, Stanley R. / Conelly, Robert B. (Ed.): Motion Picture Guide. Chicago, IL: Cinebooks, 1987
- Loewy, Ronny: "Die Fallhöhe des Exils. Joe Mays Arbeit in den Filmstudios von Los Angeles", Joe May. Regisseur und Produzent, Bock, Hans Michael / Lenssen, Claudia (Hg.), München: Text + Kritik, 1991