Hanns Kräly

Hanns Kräly
Kräly at the 2nd Academy Awards in 1930
Born(1884-06-16)June 16, 1884
DiedNovember 10, 1950(1950-11-10) (aged 66)
Los Angeles, United States
OccupationsScreenwriter, Journalist
Years active1915–1945
SpouseElsie (1913–1931)[1]
Children1

Hanns Kräly (June 16, 1884[2] – November 10, 1950), credited in the United States as Hans Kraly, was a German actor and screenwriter. His main collaborations were with director Ernst Lubitsch, and they worked together on 30 films between 1915 and 1929.[3] Kräly is also notable for his comedy play Kohlhiesel's Daughters which has been turned into films on a number of occasions.

Kräly was nominated for three Academy Awards for writing. He won the award for Best Writing with The Patriot in 1930. He was also nominated for the adapted screenplay of The Last of Mrs. Cheyney, also in 1930, and for Original Screenplay of One Hundred Men and a Girl in 1937. Additional screenwriting credits include Private Lives and Just a Gigolo, both released in 1931. After a decline of screenwriting credits, Kräly dropped out of the Screen Writers Guild in 1945, ending his career as a screenwriter.[4]

Personal life

In 1930, Kräly's longstanding partnership with Ernst Lubitsch came to an end due to an affair he was having with Lubitsch's then-wife Helene Krauss.[3] At the same time, his wife, Elsie, filed for divorce.[5][6] During his marriage with Elsie, they had one child.[7]

Death

On November 10, 1950, Kräly died in Los Angeles, California at the Los Angeles General Medical Center.[4][7] He was buried at the Pierce Brothers Westwood Village Memorial Park and Mortuary on November 14, 1950.[8][9] An eulogy was delivered by actor Joseph Schildkraut, who also read Psalm 23.[10]

Selected filmography

Screenwriter

Year Title Director Notes
1915 Aufs Eis geführt Ernst Lubitsch Earliest known collaboration with Ernst Lubitsch[11]
1916 Shoe Palace Pinkus Ernst Lubitsch Also acted as a teacher[12]
1918 Carmen Ernst Lubitsch Released in the United States under the name Gypsy Blood in 1921
The Ballet Girl Ernst Lubitsch
1919 Intoxication Ernst Lubitsch
Meyer from Berlin Ernst Lubitsch
My Wife, the Movie Star Ernst Lubitsch Also acted as Dramaturg der Firma
A Drive into the Blue Rudolf Biebrach First collaboration with Rudolf Biebrach
Madame Dubarry Ernst Lubitsch
Countess Doddy Georg Jacoby First collaboration with Georg Jacoby
1920 Monika Vogelsang Rudolf Biebrach
The Grand Babylon Hotel E. A. Dupont
The Housing Shortage Ernst Lubitsch
Hundemamachen Rudolf Biebrach
Romeo and Juliet in the Snow Ernst Lubitsch
Sumurun Ernst Lubitsch
1923 The Flame Ernst Lubitsch
Paradise in the Snow Georg Jacoby
La Boheme Gennaro Righelli First collaboration with Gennaro Righelli, and a first collaboration with a non-German director
1924 Comedians of Life Georg Jacoby
Three Women Ernst Lubitsch
Her Night of Romance Sidney Franklin First English-language film; first collaboration with Sidney Franklin
1925 Her Sister from Paris Sidney Franklin
1929 Betrayal Lewis Milestone First work on a sound film
Eternal Love Ernst Lubitsch Last collaboration with Ernst Lubitsch
The Last of Mrs. Cheyney Sidney Franklin
The Last of Mrs. Cheyney Sidney Franklin
The Kiss Jacques Feyder
1930 Die Sehnsucht Jeder Frau Victor Sjöström German-language version of A Lady to Love
The Lady of Scandal Sidney Franklin
A Lady's Morals Sidney Franklin
1931 Private Lives (1930) Sidney Franklin
1932 Jenny Lind Arthur Robison
1933 My Lips Betray John G. Blystone
By Candlelight James Whale
1941 West Point Widow Robert Siodmak

Actor

References

Citations

  1. ^ Landesarchiv Berlin, Heiratsregister Standesamt Berlin-Steglitz, Nr. 457/1913
  2. ^ "Ernst Lubitsch's CARMEN" (PDF). August 25, 2021. Retrieved February 8, 2026.
  3. ^ a b Eyman 1993, p. 160-165.
  4. ^ a b "Hans Kraly, Film Writer for Three Decades, Dies". The Los Angeles Times. November 12, 1950. p. 24. Retrieved February 5, 2026 – via Newspapers.com.
  5. ^ "Mrs. Kraly Files to Divorce Film Chief". The San Francisco Call Bulletin. November 7, 1931. p. 3. Retrieved February 5, 2026 – via Newspapers.com.
  6. ^ "Scenario Writer Sued for Alimony". Daily News. November 7, 1931. p. 26. Retrieved February 5, 2026 – via Newspapers.com.
  7. ^ a b "Scripter Hans Kraly is Dead in Hollywood". Associated Press. November 12, 1950. p. 8. Retrieved February 5, 2026 – via Newspapers.com.
  8. ^ "Obituary for HANS Kraly (Hanns Kräly)". Daily News. November 14, 1950. p. 41. Retrieved February 5, 2026 – via Newspapers.com.
  9. ^ "Funeral Rites For Hans Kraly Set Tomorrow". Los Angeles Evening Citizen News. November 13, 1950. p. 9. Retrieved February 5, 2026 – via Newspapers.com.
  10. ^ "Simple Tribute Marks Funeral of Hans Kraly". The Los Angeles Times. November 15, 1950. p. 36. Retrieved February 5, 2026 – via Newspapers.com.
  11. ^ McCormick 2020, p. 335.
  12. ^ McCormick 2020, p. 70.

Sources