# Maria Matray

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{{Short description|German actress (1907–1993)}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=November 2025}}
{{Infobox person
| image         = Maria Solveg Binder.jpg
| image_size    =
| caption       = Matray in the 1920s
| name          = Maria Matray
| birth_date    = 14 July 1907
| birth_place   = [Niederschönhausen](/source/Niedersch%C3%B6nhausen), Germany
| death_date    = 30 October 1993 (aged 86)
| death_place   = [Munich](/source/Munich), Germany
| birth_name    = Maria Charlotte Stern
| other_names   = Maria Solveg
| occupation    = Actress, writer, choreographer
| years_active  = 1923–1993
| relatives     = [Johanna Hofer](/source/Johanna_Hofer) (sister)<br />[Käthe Kollwitz](/source/K%C3%A4the_Kollwitz) (aunt)
| resting_place = [Munich Waldfriedhof](/source/Munich_Waldfriedhof) 
}}
'''Maria Matray''' (born '''Maria Charlotte Stern'''; 14 July 1907 – 30 October 1993) was a German screenwriter and film actress. She became a star of late [Weimar](/source/Weimar_Republic) cinema.

==Biography==
Following the [Nazi](/source/Nazi) takeover in 1933, Matray, who was [Jewish](/source/Jewish), went into exile – initially in France and Britain before moving to the United States. She developed a new career as a choreographer and writer. She later returned to Germany after the [Second World War](/source/Second_World_War), where she died in 1993.<ref>Weniger p.466-68</ref>

Maria Matray was born in [Niederschönhausen](/source/Niedersch%C3%B6nhausen). She was the daughter of engineer and later director of [AEG](/source/AEG_(German_company)) Georg Stern and his wife Lisbeth (''née'' Schmidt), who was the younger sister of artist [Käthe Kollwitz](/source/K%C3%A4the_Kollwitz). Matray's older sisters were actress [Johanna Hofer](/source/Johanna_Hofer) and dancer [Katta Sterna](/source/Katta_Sterna). Hofer's father was Jewish and her mother was [Lutheran](/source/Lutheranism).<ref>{{cite web|url=http://knerger.de/html/hoferjohschauspieler_45.html |title=Johanna Hofer, née Johanna Stern|work=knerger.de|accessdate=1 February 2022}}</ref>

==Selected filmography==

===Actress===
* ''[The Master of Nuremberg](/source/The_Master_of_Nuremberg)'' (1927)
* ''[Linden Lady on the Rhine](/source/Linden_Lady_on_the_Rhine)'' (1927)
* ''[Inherited Passions](/source/Inherited_Passions)'' (1929)
* ''[The Son of the White Mountain](/source/The_Son_of_the_White_Mountain)'' (1930)
* ''[Never Trust a Woman](/source/Never_Trust_a_Woman_(film))'' (1930)
* ''[Retreat on the Rhine](/source/Retreat_on_the_Rhine)'' (1930)
* ''[Elisabeth of Austria](/source/Elisabeth_of_Austria_(film))'' (1931)
* ''[Road to Rio](/source/Road_to_Rio_(1931_film))'' (1931)
* ''[The Ringer](/source/The_Ringer_(1932_film))'' (1932)
* ''[Secret Agent](/source/Secret_Agent_(1932_film))'' (1932)
* ''[Distorting at the Resort](/source/Distorting_at_the_Resort)'' (1932)
* ''[A Man with Heart](/source/A_Man_with_Heart)'' (1933)

===Screenwriter===
* ''[Murder in the Music Hall](/source/Murder_in_the_Music_Hall)'' (dir. [John English](/source/John_English_(film_director)), 1946)
* ''Invitation Playhouse: Mind Over Murder: The Last Act'' (dir. [William Asher](/source/William_Asher), 1952, TV series episode)
* ''Der König mit dem Regenschirm'' (dir. {{Ill|Ernst Matray|de}}, 1954, TV film) – based on an operetta by [Ralph Benatzky](/source/Ralph_Benatzky)
* ''Abschiedsvorstellung'' (dir. {{Ill|Ernst Matray|de}}, 1955, TV film)
* ''[My Father, the Actor](/source/My_Father%2C_the_Actor)'' (dir. [Robert Siodmak](/source/Robert_Siodmak), 1956)
* ''[The Night of the Storm](/source/The_Night_of_the_Storm)'' (dir. [Falk Harnack](/source/Falk_Harnack), 1957) – based on a novel by [Klaus Hellmer](/source/Eduard_Rhein)
* ''{{Ill|Und abends in die Scala|de}}'' (dir. [Erik Ode](/source/Erik_Ode), 1958)
* ''{{Ill|Frau im besten Mannesalter|de}}'' (dir. [Axel von Ambesser](/source/Axel_von_Ambesser), 1959)
* ''[The Night Before the Premiere](/source/The_Night_Before_the_Premiere)'' (dir. [Georg Jacoby](/source/Georg_Jacoby), 1959)
* ''{{Ill|Die schöne Lügnerin|de}}'' (dir. [Axel von Ambesser](/source/Axel_von_Ambesser), 1959) – based on a play by {{Ill|Ernst Nebhut|de}} and {{Ill|Just Scheu|de}}
* ''Waldhausstraße 20'' (dir. {{Ill|John Olden|de}}, 1960, TV film)
* ''[The Happy Years of the Thorwalds](/source/The_Happy_Years_of_the_Thorwalds)'' (dir. [Wolfgang Staudte](/source/Wolfgang_Staudte), {{Ill|John Olden|de}}, 1962) – based on ''[Time and the Conways](/source/Time_and_the_Conways)'' by [J. B. Priestley](/source/J._B._Priestley)
* ''[Das Kriminalmuseum](/source/Das_Kriminalmuseum)'' (1963–1968, TV series, 4 episodes)
* ''{{ill|Das Kriminalgericht|de}}: Der Fall Krantz'' (dir. [Georg Tressler](/source/Georg_Tressler), 1964, TV series episode)<!--16 January 1964-->
* ''{{Ill|Der Prozeß Carl von O.|de}}'' (dir. {{Ill|John Olden|de}}, 1964, TV film) – ([docudrama](/source/docudrama) about the [Weltbühne-Prozess](/source/Weltb%C3%BChne-Prozess))<!--12 February 1964-->
* ''{{ill|Die fünfte Kolonne|de|Die fünfte Kolonne (Fernsehserie)}}'' (1964–1965, TV series, 3 episodes)<!--27 February 1964-->
* ''Ein langer Tag'' (dir. Lothar Kompatzki, 1964, TV film)<!--4 August 1964-->
* ''Der Fall Harry Domela'' (dir. [Wolfgang Schleif](/source/Wolfgang_Schleif), 1965, TV film) – (docudrama about [Harry Domela](/source/Harry_Domela))
* ''{{Ill|Klaus Fuchs – Geschichte eines Atomverrats|de}}'' (dir. {{Ill|Ludwig Cremer|de}}, 1965, TV film) – (docudrama about [Klaus Fuchs](/source/Klaus_Fuchs))
* ''{{ill|Bernhard Lichtenberg (film)|de|3=Bernhard Lichtenberg (Film)|lt=Bernhard Lichtenberg}}'' (dir. [Peter Beauvais](/source/Peter_Beauvais), 1965, TV film) – (docudrama about [Bernhard Lichtenberg](/source/Bernhard_Lichtenberg))
* ''Oberst Wennerström'' (dir. [Helmut Ashley](/source/Helmut_Ashley), 1965, TV film) – (docudrama about [Stig Wennerström](/source/Stig_Wennerstr%C3%B6m_(colonel)))
* ''Der Mann, der sich Abel nannte'' (dir. {{Ill|Ludwig Cremer|de}}, 1966, TV film) – (docudrama about [Rudolf Abel](/source/Rudolf_Abel))
* ''Standgericht'' (dir. Rolf Busch, 1966, TV film)
* ''{{Ill|Der schwarze Freitag|de}}'' (dir. [August Everding](/source/August_Everding), 1966, TV film) – (docudrama about the [Wall Street crash of 1929](/source/Wall_Street_crash_of_1929))
* ''Der Fall Lothar Malskat'' (dir. Günter Meincke, 1966, TV film) – (docudrama about [Lothar Malskat](/source/Lothar_Malskat))
* ''Das Millionending'' (dir. [Helmut Ashley](/source/Helmut_Ashley), 1966, TV film) – based on a story by {{Ill|Henry Kolarz|de}}
* ''Der Panamaskandal'' (dir. [Paul Verhoeven](/source/Paul_Verhoeven_(German_director)), 1967, TV film) – (docudrama about the [Panama scandals](/source/Panama_scandals))
* ''Affäre Dreyfus'' (dir. {{Ill|Franz Josef Wild|de}}, 1968, TV film) – (docudrama about the [Dreyfus affair](/source/Dreyfus_affair))
* ''Der Senator'' (dir. {{Ill|Günter Gräwert|de}}, 1968, TV film) – (docudrama about [Joseph McCarthy](/source/Joseph_McCarthy))
* ''[Hotel Royal](/source/Hotel_Royal_(film))'' (dir. [Wolfgang Becker](/source/Wolfgang_Becker_(director%2C_born_1910)), 1969, TV film)
* ''[Maximilian von Mexiko](/source/Maximilian_von_Mexiko)'' (dir. {{Ill|Günter Gräwert|de}}, 1970, TV film) – (docudrama about the [Second French intervention in Mexico](/source/Second_French_intervention_in_Mexico))
* ''Millionen nach Maß'' (dir. {{Ill|Erich Neureuther|de}}, 1970, TV film) – (crime comedy based on the [Portuguese Bank Note Crisis](/source/Portuguese_Bank_Note_Crisis))
* ''Der Hitler/Ludendorff-Prozeß'' (dir. [Paul Verhoeven](/source/Paul_Verhoeven_(German_director)), 1971, TV film) – (docudrama about the trial after the [Beer Hall Putsch](/source/Beer_Hall_Putsch) 1923)
* ''Manolescu – Die fast wahre Biographie eines Gauners'' (dir. [Hans Quest](/source/Hans_Quest), 1972, TV film) – (crime comedy about {{Ill|Georges Manolescu|de}})
* ''Doppelspiel in Paris'' (dir. [Wolfgang Glück](/source/Wolfgang_Gl%C3%BCck), 1972, TV film) – (docudrama about [Mathilde Carré](/source/Mathilde_Carr%C3%A9))
* ''[Sonderdezernat K1](/source/Sonderdezernat_K1)'' (1972–1975, TV series, 12 episodes)
* ''Agent aus der Retorte'' (dir. [Wolfgang Glück](/source/Wolfgang_Gl%C3%BCck), 1972, TV film) – (docudrama about [Operation Mincemeat](/source/Operation_Mincemeat))
* ''{{ill|Eine geschiedene Frau|de}}: Reise nach Stockholm'' (dir. {{Ill|Claus Peter Witt|de}}, 1974, TV series episode)
* ''Wie starb Dag Hammerskjöld?'' (dir. {{Ill|Oswald Döpke|de}}, 1975, TV film) – (docudrama about the [1961 Ndola United Nations DC-6 crash](/source/1961_Ndola_United_Nations_DC-6_crash))
* ''Als wär's ein Stück von mir'' (dir. [August Everding](/source/August_Everding), 1976, TV film) – based on the autobiography of [Carl Zuckmayer](/source/Carl_Zuckmayer)
* ''{{Ill|Diener und andere Herren|de}}'' (dir. [Wolfgang Glück](/source/Wolfgang_Gl%C3%BCck), 1978, anthology film, TV film) – based on short stories by [O. Henry](/source/O._Henry), [P. G. Wodehouse](/source/P._G._Wodehouse) and [W. Somerset Maugham](/source/W._Somerset_Maugham)
* ''[The Old Fox](/source/The_Old_Fox): Der schöne Alex'' (dir. {{Ill|Theodor Grädler|de}}, 1978, TV series episode)
* ''Auf Schusters Rappen'' (dir. Manfred Seide, 1981, TV film)
* ''[Sun, Wine and Hard Nuts](/source/Sun%2C_Wine_and_Hard_Nuts)'' (1981, TV series, 2 episodes)
* ''Ein Winter auf Mallorca'' (dir. {{Ill|Imo Moszkowicz|de}}, 1982, TV film)
* ''Crooks in Paradise'' (dir. [Thomas Fantl](/source/Thomas_Fantl), 1985, TV film)
* ''Im Schatten von Gestern'' (dir. {{Ill|Thomas Hartwig|de}}, 1985, TV film) – screenplay with [Nathaniel Gutman](/source/Nathaniel_Gutman)
* ''Wie das Leben so spielt'' (dir. [Hermann Leitner](/source/Hermann_Leitner), 1986, TV film)
* ''Jungbrunnen'' (dir. [Dušan Rapoš](/source/Du%C5%A1an_Rapo%C5%A1), 1992, TV film)

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==Bibliography==
* Weniger, Kay. '''Es wird im Leben dir mehr genommen als gegeben ...' Lexikon der aus Deutschland und Österreich emigrierten Filmschaffenden 1933 bis 1945: Eine Gesamtübersicht''. ACABUS Verlag, 2011.

== External links ==
*{{commons category-inline}}
*{{IMDb name|0559306}}

{{Authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Matray, Maria}}
Category:1907 births
Category:1993 deaths
Category:German people of Jewish descent
Category:Jewish emigrants from Nazi Germany to the United States
Category:Emigrants from Nazi Germany to the United States
Category:Mass media people from Berlin
Category:German film actresses
Category:German silent film actresses
Category:German women screenwriters
Category:German women choreographers
Category:German choreographers
Category:Actresses from Berlin
Category:20th-century German actresses
Category:Burials at Munich Waldfriedhof

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