Felix Dörmann

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Felix Dörmann

Felix Dörmann as Felix Biedermann (born May 29, 1870 in Vienna , Austria-Hungary ; † October 26, 1928 there ) was an Austrian writer , librettist and film producer .

Life

Dörmann was a colorful personality in the cultural life of Vienna at the turn of the 19th and 20th centuries. He worked as a writer and operetta librettist . Between 1912 and 1914 he tried his hand at various positions in the still young Austrian film . Little is known about his family background. From 1900 to 1904 he was married to the actress Mareia / Maria Bubna-Littitz (1877–1924), and from 1909 to Klara Schauer (* 1885).

As a writer and librettist

His literary work was influenced by Nikolaus Lenau and Hermann Bahr , to whose dinner party he belonged for a while. His poetry, which was shaped by Charles Baudelaire , was initially confiscated, but later enjoyed reading, especially in Vienna. His so-called 'culinary-erotic' dramas were also very well received. For the three-act play Der Herr von Abadessa he received the Bauernfeld Prize in 1902 . After the turn of the century he began to work as an operetta librettist. The operetta A Waltz Dream with Music by Oscar Straus , which is still performed today, was his greatest success. He later also worked as a screenwriter, eventually even as a film producer and director.

In 1925 Dörmann published his “Viennese novel” Jazz , an exciting look at Vienna after the collapse of the Austro-Hungarian monarchy. In 1928 the novel Make me your lover! . His last novel, Herbst in Europa , wasn't published posthumously until 1937. The novel Jazz was reissued in 2012, the other two novels have not yet been reprinted.

As a filmmaker

In 1912 Felix Dörmann founded " Vindobona-Film " together with the architect Tropp , for which he worked as an author and producer. Tropp resigned from the company in the same year and the company was renamed "Helios Film". In 1913 the company was then called “Austria Film” and finally in 1914 “Duca Film”. The cameraman and later director and producer Eduard Hoesch began his film career at Felix Dörmann's first film company .

The company's recording studio was located at Kandlgasse 35 in Vienna's seventh district, Neubau . His first productions included Die Musikantenlene and Die Zirkusgräfin . The popular Austrian actress Eugenie "Jenny" Bernay played in both films ; Dörmann himself appeared in Die Zirkusgräfin as Count Veckenhüller. Since Dörmann's productions did not bring the hoped-for success, he speculated with the visitors' need for nude scenes. It appeared such films as A Day in the Life of a beautiful woman , the goddess of love and infidelity , thereby stood out that the major performing women were often shown in the bathroom when stocking exchange and even in the toilet. The bathing scenes in particular were the reason for the police to censor these films. The film company ended its activities in 1914, not least because of the lack of success.

In 1955, Dörmanngasse in Vienna- Donaustadt (22nd district) was named after him.

Grave of Felix Dörmann in the Vienna Central Cemetery

Works (selection)

  • Neurotica , poems, Vienna, 1891
  • Sensations , poems, Vienna, 1892
  • Laughter , poems, Vienna, 1896
  • Single people , play, Vienna, 1897
  • Carpenters , play, Vienna, 1900
  • Why the beautiful Fritz was upset , play, Vienna 1900
  • The Lord of Abadessa play, Vienna, 1902
  • All good things , novellas, Vienna 1906
  • Spring sacrifice play, Vienna 1919
  • The Baroness! Theater play, Vienna 1919
  • Jazz , Roman, Vienna 1925
  • Sentimental novels , novellas, Vienna 1926
  • Make me your lover! , Roman, Vienna 1928
  • Autumn in Europe , Roman, Vienna 1937 (posthumous)

Libretti (selection)

Films (selection)

As a director and producer:

  • Die Musikantenlene , comedy, 1912, with Eugenie Bernay
  • The great Teresina , comedy, 1912, with Mela Mars
  • The Circus Countess , Comedy, 1912, with Eugenie Bernay and Felix Dörmann himself
  • A Day in the Life of a Beautiful Woman , 1914
  • The goddess of love , 1914
  • Affair , 1914
  • The governess , 1914 (script only)

literature

Web links

Commons : Felix Dörmann  - Collection of images, videos and audio files
Wikisource: Felix Dörmann  - Sources and full texts
personal data
SURNAME Dörmann, Felix
ALTERNATIVE NAMES Biedermann, Felix (maiden name)
BRIEF DESCRIPTION Austrian writer, librettist and film producer
DATE OF BIRTH May 29, 1870
PLACE OF BIRTH Vienna
DATE OF DEATH October 26, 1928
Place of death Vienna