Harald Paulsen
Harald Paulsen was a German stage and film actor and director. He appeared in 125 films between 1920 and 1954.
Career
Paulsen first appeared on stage at age sixteen. He then studied under Leopold Jessner, who was then senior director at Hamburg's Thalia Theater. He made his debut at the Hamburg Stadttheater in 1913. From 1915 until 1917, he served in the German Army during World War I. in 1917–18 he played at the Fronttheater in Mitau. In 1919 he was brought to the Deutsches Theater in Berlin by Max Reinhardt.
From his extensive theatrical work, his role as "Mackie Messer" in the world premiere of Bertolt Brecht's The Threepenny Opera is particularly noteworthy. This performance took place on 31 August 1928 at the Theater am Schiffbauerdamm. At that time, Paulsen was considered a Brecht admirer. In 1938 Harald Paulsen became director of the Theater am Nollendorfplatz in Berlin, where mainly operettas were performed at that time. He also directed and performed in singing roles. He was forced to resign his position in 1945, following the End of World War II in Europe. Paulsen also appeared as an actor in over twenty silent films. His acting career continued into the sound film era and he appeared in approximately ninety sound films.
Shortly after Adolf Hitler seized power, he became a fervent National Socialist and carried the Flag of Nazi Germany for the student representatives at the May Day rally in Tempelhof. He also participated as an actor in several Nazi propaganda films, such as Ohm Krüger and the pro-euthanasia film Ich klage an, both released in 1941. The Viennese actor Rolf Kutschera reported in his memoirs that Paulsen was notorious among his colleagues as an informant to Nazi authorities.
Death
Harald Paulsen died on 4 August 1954, aged 58, in the general hospital in the Hamburg borough of Altona after suffering from a stroke. He was buried in the Catholic cemetery in Elmshorn. His son Uwe Paulsen was a stage and film actor, cabaret artist, and prolific voice actor, who dubbed foreign language film and television into German.
The Night of Queen Isabeau The Clan Ilona as ImreThe House of Torment The Fateful Day The Men of Sybill The Girl from Hell Man Against Man The Humble Man and the Chanteuse Shadows of the Metropolis as Boxer KarlThe Adventures of Sybil Brent as Commissioner KrenkeHoneymoon Alraune as Frank BraunThe Tender Relatives as Mr.LinsemannTwice Married as Wilhelm MeyerMy Leopold as LeopoldStorm in a Water Glass as BurdachOne Hour of Happiness as TommyThe Trunks of Mr. O.F. as Stark the architectUnheimliche Geschichten The Importance of Being Earnest The Big Bluff as Harry NeuhoffA Thousand for One Night as Frank WellnerThe Daring Swimmer as Fritz NeubauerThe Valiant Navigator as Otto JebsFresh Wind from Canada as JonnyArtist Love as Count HohensteinStradivari Make Me Happy as Henry DavenportShe and the Three as Peter HüsingAve Maria The Dreamer as FritzIf We All Were Angels as Enrico FalottiThe Hour of Temptation Escapade Signal in the Night The Ruler Shadows Over St. Pauli The Marriage Swindler The Secret Lie We Danced Around the World Renate in the Quartet Bismarck as BenedettiThe Three Codonas What Does Brigitte Want? Ohm Krüger as the French foreign ministerThe Thing About Styx as Dr. BonnettBeloved Darling The Golden Spider as Smirnoff / Agent PetersenThe Court Concert as Councillor ZunderSearch for Majora as HarryThe Appeal to Conscience as KorfizMy Niece Susanne as JeanThe Rabanser Case Professor Nachtfalter The Deadly Dreams as Magier / Rodriguez / OlivierSensation in San Remo The Lady in Black Desires Oh, You Dear Fridolin Three Days of Fear Weekend in Paradise Once on the Rhine Klettermaxe A Very Big Child The Bogeyman The Little Town Will Go to Sleep The Faithful Hussar The Gypsy Baron