How an Austrian refugee became a cornerstone of British cinematic history
In short: Born Adolf Wohlbrück, this Viennese actor fled Nazi Germany to escape persecution. After surviving a POW camp in France during the First World War, he reinvented himself in the United Kingdom, eventually becoming a defining face of British cinema through iconic collaborations with Michael Powell and Emeric Pressburger.
The transformation from Adolf Wohlbrück to Anton Walbrook was born of necessity. Facing persecution due to his Jewish heritage and his homosexuality, the Austrian actor fled Germany in 1936. His transition to British cinema was not without friction; while in Hollywood reshooting dialogue for the 1937 film The Soldier and the Lady, some German emigres suspected him of being a Nazi spy. This led to threats of boycotts by Jewish-American groups, though RKO eventually cleared his name by confirming his actual ethnic heritage.
Once settled in London, Walbrook found a creative sanctuary, often working alongside director Emeric Pressburger. His British career was marked by a shift away from the 'dangerously sexy' persona he held in Germany toward roles that embodied pan-European liberalism. He became a staple of high-quality British productions, appearing in classics such as Gaslight (1940), The Life and Death of Colonel Blimp (1943), and the visually stunning The Red Shoes (1948).
Walbrook's influence extends into modern cinema through the works of Wes Anderson. Anderson, a noted admirer of The Red Shoes, famously had Ralph Fiennes study Walbrook's performance to prepare for the role of Gustave H. in The Grand Budapest Hotel. The character's distinctive mustache was even inspired by Walbrook's appearance. Despite his onscreen brilliance, Walbrook remained a private figure, known on set as a loner who often ate alone and wore dark glasses.
His life ended in 1967 in Bavaria, West Germany, following a heart attack suffered while performing on stage. Though he died in Germany, he requested to be buried in London at St. John's Church, Hampstead, alongside his partner, the Englishman Eugene Edwards.
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