# Georg John

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German actor (1879–1941)

For those of a similar name, see [George John (disambiguation)](/source/George_John_(disambiguation)).

Georg John Born Georg Jacobsohn (1879-07-23)23 July 1879 Schmiegel, Province of Posen, German Empire Died 18 November 1941(1941-11-18) (aged 62) Łódź Ghetto, Reichsgau Wartheland, Nazi Germany Occupation Actor Years active 1917–1933

**Georg John** (born **Georg Jacobsohn**; 23 July 1879 – 18 November 1941) was a German stage and film actor.

## Early life

Georg Jacobsohn was born into a [Jewish](/source/Judaism) household in [Schmiegel](/source/%C5%9Amigiel), [Province of Posen](/source/Province_of_Posen), [Imperial Germany](/source/Imperial_Germany).

## Career

John began his career around 1900 in smaller stages and traveling theatres. In 1904, he was engaged at the Theater of [Wilhelmshaven](/source/Wilhelmshaven), followed by appearances at [Stolp](/source/Stolp) in 1905, [Altona](/source/Hamburg-Altona), [Mülheim an der Ruhr](/source/M%C3%BClheim_an_der_Ruhr), [Bochum](/source/Bochum) and [Göttingen](/source/G%C3%B6ttingen). In 1914, John worked as an actor and producer for Vaterländische Schauspiele in [Vienna](/source/Vienna).

In 1917, John first appeared in [silent movies](/source/Silent_movies), playing a Tibetan monk in *Die Fremde* (*The Stranger*), and Death in *Hilde Warren und der Tod* (*Hilde Warren and Death*). These roles were typical of the kinds of parts he would become known for, even if, at first, he was more often seen as a father, husband or dignitary. Beginning in the 1920s, John appeared in the films of notable German filmmakers, where he often played bizarre, gnome-like figures, such as the beggar in [Fritz Lang](/source/Fritz_Lang)'s *Der müde Tod* (*Tired Death*, 1921, released in English as *[Destiny](/source/Destiny_(1921_film))*), and the blind balloon-seller who recognizes the murderer due to a whistled song in 1931's *[M](/source/M_(1931_film))*. For [F. W. Murnau](/source/Friedrich_Wilhelm_Murnau) he played a night-watchman in *Der Letzte Mann* (*The Last Man*, 1924, released in English as *[The Last Laugh](/source/The_Last_Laugh_(1924_film))*).[1]

Being a Jew, John was deported in autumn 1941 to the [Łódź Ghetto](/source/%C5%81%C3%B3d%C5%BA_Ghetto) where he died on 18 November 1941 at the age of 62.[2]

## Selected filmography

- *Ramara* (1916)

- *[Hilde Warren und der Tod](/source/Hilde_Warren_und_der_Tod)* (1917) – Tod

- *[Die Fremde](https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Die_Fremde_(film)&action=edit&redlink=1)* (1917)

- *Das Buch des Lasters* (1917) – Bildhauer

- *[Waves of Fate](/source/Waves_of_Fate)* (1918)

- *Mr. Wu* (1918) – Tschang-Ta

- *Verlorene Töchter* (1918) – Manager Pichler

- *[Veritas Vincit](/source/Veritas_Vincit_(film))* (1919) – Blinder Senator

- *[Peer Gynt](/source/Peer_Gynt_(1919_film))* (1919, part 1, 2) – Prof. Dr. Begriffenfeldt

- *[The Boy in Blue](/source/The_Boy_in_Blue_(1919_film))* (1919) – Zigeunerhauptmann / Gypsy commander

- *[The Spiders](/source/The_Spiders_(film))* (1919–1920, part 1, 2) – Dr. Telphas

- *[Unheimliche Geschichten](/source/Unheimliche_Geschichten_(1919_film))* (1919)

- *[Harakiri](/source/Harakiri_(1919_film))* (1919) – Buddhist Monk

- *Phantome des Lebens* (1919)

- *[Der Weg der Grete Lessen](https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Der_Weg_der_Grete_Lessen&action=edit&redlink=1)* (1919, Short)

- *Dämon der Welt* (1920, part 2, 3) – Fred Osring

- *[Der Menschheit Anwalt](https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Der_Menschheit_Anwalt&action=edit&redlink=1)* (1920) – Hexenrichter Abdonatus / Hexenrichter Lucinder

- *[Johann Baptiste Lingg](/source/Johann_Baptiste_Lingg)* (1920) – Gutsverwalter Wolleck

- *[The Legend of Holy Simplicity](/source/The_Legend_of_Holy_Simplicity)* (1920) – Blinder Bettler

- *[Der König von Paris](/source/Der_K%C3%B6nig_von_Paris)* (1920, part 1, 2)

- *[Humanity Unleashed](/source/Humanity_Unleashed)* (1920) – Fritz Breese

- *Schatten einer Stunde* (1920)

- *[Napoleon and the Little Washerwoman](/source/Napoleon_and_the_Little_Washerwoman)* (1920)

- *[Hearts are Trumps](/source/Hearts_are_Trumps_(1920_German_film))* (1920) – Dunkler mann

- *Planetenschieber* (1921)

- *Tobias Buntschuh – Das Drama eines Einsamen* (1921) – Abgesandte des Stahltrusts

- *[The Stranger from Alster Street](/source/The_Stranger_from_Alster_Street)* (1921)

- *Die Geschichte von Barak Johnson* (1921)

- *Der Silberkönig* (1921, part 1-4)

- *[Der müde Tod](/source/Destiny_(1921_film))* (1921) – Beggar / Bettler

- *[The Riddle of the Sphinx](/source/The_Riddle_of_the_Sphinx_(film))* (1921) – Mummy

- *[Lady Hamilton](/source/Lady_Hamilton_(1921_film))* (1921) – zwei Jacobiner

- *[The Indian Tomb](/source/The_Indian_Tomb_(1921_film))* (1921, part 1, 2) – Büßer / a Penitent

- *[Das Geheimnis der Santa Maria](/source/Das_Geheimnis_der_Santa_Maria)* (1921)

- *Das Geheimnis der sechs Spielkarten* (1921, part 4)

- *Die Geschichte des grauen Hauses 1 – Episode: Der Mord aus verschmähter Liebe* (1921)

- *[The Adventurer](/source/The_Adventurer_(1922_film))* (1922) – der rote Johnny

- *[Die Beute der Erinnyen](/source/Die_Beute_der_Erinnyen)* (1922) – Tom Sprang

- *[Der brennende Acker](/source/Der_brennende_Acker)* (1922) – Großknecht / Head farmhand

- *[Dr. Mabuse, der Spieler](/source/Dr._Mabuse%2C_der_Spieler)* (1922) – Pesch

- *[She and the Three](/source/She_and_the_Three_(1922_film))* (1922) – Ehrenmann hinter schwedischen Gardinen

- *[Prashna's Secret](/source/Prashna's_Secret)* (1922) – Praschna, indischer Fakir

- *[The Fall of Jerusalem](/source/The_Fall_of_Jerusalem)* (1922) – Egyptian Emissary

- *[Marie Antoinette, the Love of a King](/source/Marie_Antoinette%2C_the_Love_of_a_King)* (1922) – Robespierre

- *[The Fire Ship](/source/The_Fire_Ship)* (1922)

- *[The Stone Rider](/source/The_Stone_Rider)* (1923) – Pförtner

- *[A Woman, an Animal, a Diamond](/source/A_Woman%2C_an_Animal%2C_a_Diamond)* (1923) – Zirkusdirektor

- *[The Lost Shoe](/source/The_Lost_Shoe)* (1923) – Jon

- *[I Had a Comrade](/source/I_Had_a_Comrade_(1923_film))* (1923) – Marodeur

- *[The Good Comrade](/source/The_Good_Comrade)* (1923) – Marodeur

- *[Gold and Luck](/source/Gold_and_Luck)* (1923) – Wucherer

- *Frauenschicksal* (1924)

- *[Die Nibelungen](/source/Die_Nibelungen)* (1924) – Mime the blacksmith / Alberich the Nibelung / Slaodel, his brother

- *[Decameron Nights](/source/Decameron_Nights_(1924_film))* (1924) – Astologer

- *[My Leopold](/source/My_Leopold_(1924_film))* (1924) – Nibisch

- *[Das Wachsfigurenkabinett](/source/Waxworks_(film))* (*Waxworks*) (1924) – Prisoner

- *[The Last Laugh](/source/The_Last_Laugh_(1924_film))* (1924) – Nachtwächter [Night Watchman]

- *[Peter the Pirate](/source/Peter_the_Pirate)* (1925) – Beppo

- *[Harry Hill's Deadly Hunt](/source/Harry_Hill's_Deadly_Hunt)* (1925, part 1, 2)

- *[Guillotine](/source/Guillotine_(film))* (1925)

- *[Express Train of Love](/source/Express_Train_of_Love)* (1925)

- *[Slums of Berlin](/source/Slums_of_Berlin)* (1925) – Laundress's Husband

- *[The Gentleman Without a Residence](/source/The_Gentleman_Without_a_Residence_(1925_film))* (1925) – Fürst

- *[Varieté](/source/Variet%C3%A9)* (1925) – Seeman

- *[Bismarck](/source/Bismarck_(1925_film))* (1925, part 1)

- *[The Hanseatics](/source/The_Hanseatics)* (1925)

- *[Adventure on the Night Express](/source/Adventure_on_the_Night_Express)* (1925) – Theewens Diener Raoul

- *[The Fallen](/source/The_Fallen_(1926_film))* (1926) – Schampuspusorje

- *[The Mill at Sanssouci](/source/The_Mill_at_Sanssouci)* (1926) – General Zieten

- *[Des Königs Befehl](/source/Des_K%C3%B6nigs_Befehl)* (1926)

- *[Eyes Open, Harry!](/source/Eyes_Open%2C_Harry!)* (1926) – Nathan Miller

- *[Das graue Haus](/source/Das_graue_Haus)* (1926) – Der Henker

- *[Hell of Love](/source/Hell_of_Love)* (1926) – Heinicke, Prokurist

- *[The Flight in the Night](/source/The_Flight_in_the_Night)* (1926) – Bediensteter

- *Wenn Menschen irren. Frauen auf Irrwegen* (1926)

- *[Metropolis](/source/Metropolis_(1927_film))* (1927) – Arbeiter / Working Man Who Causes Explosion of M-Machine (uncredited)

- *Erinnerungen einer Nonne* (1927)

- *[The Bordellos of Algiers](/source/The_Bordellos_of_Algiers)* (1927) – Portier

- *[The Weavers](/source/The_Weavers_(1927_film))* (1927) – Ansorge

- *[Frühere Verhältnisse](https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Fr%C3%BChere_Verh%C3%A4ltnisse&action=edit&redlink=1)* (1927)

- *[Gehetzte Frauen](/source/Gehetzte_Frauen)* (1927)

- *[The Curse of Vererbung](/source/The_Curse_of_Vererbung)* (1927) – Portier

- *[At the Edge of the World](/source/At_the_Edge_of_the_World_(1927_film))* (1927)

- *[Der Mann ohne Kopf](https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Der_Mann_ohne_Kopf&action=edit&redlink=1)* (1927) – Der Schreckliche

- *[Petronella – Das Geheimnis der Berge](https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Petronella_%E2%80%93_Das_Geheimnis_der_Berge&action=edit&redlink=1)* (1927) – Der alte Amros

- *[Only a Viennese Woman Kisses Like That](/source/Only_a_Viennese_Woman_Kisses_Like_That)* (1928) – Der Manager

- *[Alraune](/source/Alraune_(1928_film))* (1928) – Der Mörder

- *[Luther](/source/Luther_(1928_film))* (1928) – Ein Krüppel

- *[Panic](/source/Panic_(1928_film))* (1928)

- *[Spione](/source/Spione)* (1928) – Locomotive Engineer (uncredited)

- *[Man Against Man](/source/Man_Against_Man_(1928_film))* (1928) – Zamok

- *[The Hangman](/source/The_Hangman_(1928_film))* (1928)

- *[Volga Volga](/source/Volga_Volga_(1928_film))* (1928)

- *[Anastasia, die falsche Zarentochter](/source/Anastasia%2C_die_falsche_Zarentochter)* (1928)

- *[Somnambul](/source/Somnambul)* (1929) – Der Wirt

- *[Taxi at Midnight](/source/Taxi_at_Midnight)* (1929) – Dritter Wachtmeister

- *[Men Without Work](/source/Men_Without_Work_(film))* (1929) – Odysseus – der 'Künstler

- *[Andreas Hofer](/source/Andreas_Hofer_(film))* (1929) – Franz Raffl – ein Bauer

- *[Atlantik](/source/Atlantik_(1929_film))* (1929) – Wendt, Thomas' servant

- *[The Woman Without Nerves](/source/The_Woman_Without_Nerves)* (1930) – Sekretär

- *Fundvogel* (1930) – Poacher

- *[Rag Ball](/source/Rag_Ball)* (1930)

- *[The Land of Smiles](/source/The_Land_of_Smiles_(1930_film))* (1930) – Tschang in der Operette

- *[The Flute Concert of Sanssouci](/source/The_Flute_Concert_of_Sanssouci)* (1930) – Zieten

- *[Danton](/source/Danton_(1931_film))* (1931) – Ankläger

- *[Stürmisch die Nacht](https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=St%C3%BCrmisch_die_Nacht&action=edit&redlink=1)* (1931)

- *[M](/source/M_(1931_film))* (1931) – Blind Panhandler

- *[The First Right of the Child](/source/The_First_Right_of_the_Child)* (1932)

- *[Death Over Shanghai](/source/Death_Over_Shanghai)* (1932) – Lutsin – Praxas Diener

- *[F.P.1 antwortet nicht](/source/F.P.1_antwortet_nicht)* (1932) – Maschinist

- *[The Flower of Hawaii](/source/The_Flower_of_Hawaii_(1933_film))* (1933) – Oberpriester von Hawaii

- *[Jumping Into the Abyss](/source/Jumping_Into_the_Abyss)* (1933) – Fotograf

- *[The Testament of Dr. Mabuse](/source/The_Testament_of_Dr._Mabuse)* (1933) – Baums Diener / Baum's Servant (final film role)

## References

1. **[^](#cite_ref-1)** ["Georg John" from German Wikipedia](https://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Georg_John), using machine translators (Google, Babelfish, Intertrans)

1. **[^](#cite_ref-2)** [Kay Weniger](/source/Kay_Weniger): *Zwischen Bühne und Baracke*, p. 194. Berlin 2008

## External links

- [Georg John](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0313308/) at [IMDb](/source/IMDb_(identifier))

- [Georg John](https://web.archive.org/web/*/https://www.tcm.com/tcmdb/person/95463%7C*) at the [TCM Movie Database](/source/Turner_Classic_Movies#TCMdb) (archived)

- [Photos](http://film.virtual-history.com/person.php?personid=1197)

Authority control databases International ISNI VIAF 2 GND WorldCat 2 National United States Czech Republic Spain Korea Israel People Deutsche Biographie Other Yale LUX

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Adapted from the Wikipedia article [Georg John](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Georg_John) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Georg_John?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.