Robert Siodmak

He married Bertha Odenheimer in 1933 and lived with her until her death on January 20, 1973. He had no children from this marriage.

Robert Siodmak died in Locarno, Switzerland on March 10, 1973.

The ‘British Film Institute’ conducted a retrospective on Robert Siodmak in April and May, 2015.

Robert Siodmak was born in Dresden, Germany on August 8, 1900. His father was Ignatz Siodmak and his mother was Rosa Phillipine Blum.

He had a younger brother named Curt.

He attended the ‘University of Marburg’ in mid-1920s and began working for the state run German film company, ‘Universum Film A.G.’ founded by General Erich Ludendorff and supported by the Third Reich.

Robert Siodmak made his debut in directing films with the ‘Menschen am Sonntag’ or ‘People on A Sunday’ in 1930.

While in Germany he made ‘Abschied’ or ‘Farewell’ in 1930, ‘Der Mann, der seinen Morder sucht’ or ‘Looking for his Murderer’ in 1931, ‘Voruntersuchung’ or ‘Inquest’ in 1931 based on his own writing, ‘Sturme der Leidenschaft’ or ‘Storms of Passion’ in 1932 and ‘Quick I and II’ in 1932.

His film ‘Brennendes Geheimnis’ or ‘Burning Secret’ made in 1933 was an adaptation of a Stefan Zweig novel and was banned because it was considered against the Nazi German society.

He fled to Paris in 1933 to avoid German persecution where he made ‘Le Sexe faible’ or ‘The Weaker Sex’ in 1933, ‘La Crise est finie’ or ‘The Depression is Over’ in 1935, La Vie parisienne or ‘The Parisian Life’ in 1935, ‘Mister Flow’ in 1936, ‘Symphonie D’Amour’ in 1936, ‘Cargaison Blanche’ or ‘Woman Racket’ in 1937, ‘Mollenard’ or ‘Hatred’ in 1938, ‘Ultimatum’ in 1938 and ‘Pieges’ or ‘Personal Column’ in 1939.

He moved to America in 1939 just one day before the start of the Second World War and signed up with ‘Paramount’ in 1941. He made three films ‘West Point Widow’ in 1941, ‘Fly-by-Night’ in 1942 and ‘My Heart Belongs to Doddy’ also in 1942.

Robert Siodmak received Oscar nomination for ‘The Spiral Staircase’ and ‘The Dark Mirror’ in 1946.

In 1946 he received Oscar nomination for ‘Best Director, ‘Best Screenplay’ and ‘Best Score and Editing’ for ‘The Killers’.

In 1947 he won the ‘Edgar Allan Poe Award’ for ‘Best Motion Picture’ and shared it with Anthony Veiller and Mark Hellinger for ‘The Killers’.

In 1954 he was nominated for the ‘Grand Prize of the Festival’ at the ‘Cannes Film Festival’ for ‘Le grand jeu’ or ‘Card of Fate’.

In 1955 he won the ‘Golden Berlin Bear’ award at the ‘Berlin International Film Festival’ for ‘Die Ratten’ or ‘The Rats’.