Grete Mosheim

Margarete Emma Dorothea "Grete" Mosheim (8 January 1905 – 29 December 1986) was a German film, theatre, and television actress of Jewish ancestry (on her father's side).

Early life

Mosheim was born in Berlin, Germany on 8 January 1905, the daughter of Markus Mosheim (1868-1956) and his wife Clara Mosheim née Hilger (1875-1970). Her sister was actress Lore Mosheim, who appeared in at least nine movies.

Theatre

Mosheim started her acting career at the age of 17 and was a member of Deutsches Theater, Berlin from 1922 to 1931. She began studying at Max Reinhardt's School of Drama under Berthold Held in early 1922, alongside Marlene Dietrich.

Mosheim became established under Max Reinhardt, and in 1925 he gave her the chance to substitute in the play Der sprechende Affe by René Fauchois when the female lead became ill. Mosheim learned the difficult role from Albert Bassermann in just 24 hours and became a superstar almost overnight. Until 1933, when she went to London to escape Adolf Hitler's rise to power, she was pre-eminent in the Berlin theatre scene. She performed in a wide variety of roles, being equally at home in drama and comedy. She also appeared in musical revues and recorded songs by Friedrich Hollaender and others.