Max Reinhardt

Max Reinhardt was an innovative and influential theatre and film director, producer, and intendant who was considered one of the most iconic german directors of the early 20th century. He was born Maximilian Goldmann near Vienna, Austria on September 9th, 1873 to Orthodox Jewish parents, and debuted on the stage under the name Max Reinhardt in 1890 and moved to Germany to continue acting. In 1901, he founded the Schall und Rauch Kabarett stage in Berlin with Friedrich Kayßler, which was the first of many stages that Reinhardt would eventually come to direct. In 1903, he took over the Neues Theatre and directed 42 plays within the year. 

He purchased the Deutsches Theatre and became a figurehead in his profession by the age of 32. Some of his famous works during this time were The Miracle, Oedipus Rex, the premiere of Richard Strauss’s Der Rosenkavalier, and Hofmannsthals’ Jedermann, while also aiding in the establishment of the Salzburg Festival. He continued to direct plays and eventually films during this time until the 1920s, when he retired and moved to a castle that he had purchased in Austria. He had originally bought the castle in the 1890s and was slowly restoring it throughout his career, and finally moved in when he retired, which was a decision that certainly added mystery and awe to the public’s perception of him.

Luckily, when Nazis gained control of Germany in 1933, Reinhardt was traveling and was able to avoid persecution by evading his home country, abandoning his castle, and bouncing around Europe for several years, and later immigrating to the United States in 1938. He opened a studio in Hollywood, where he directed and produced films such as A Midsummer Night’s Dream and Everyman. At the end of his life, he lived in a state of poor health and had relatively little success, and passed away quietly. He is remembered for his directorial ingenuity and innovation, opening up new possibilities for future filmmakers and stage directors for years to come.