~Erich von Stroheim~

Born: September 22, 1885 in Vienna, Austria-Hungry
Died: May 12, 1957 in Maurpas, Seine-et-Oise
~Erich von Stroheim with
Tully Marshall on the set of
THE MERRY WIDOW,
1925~
~Los Angeles Times, 2005~
European filmmakers, he was admired by the likes of France’s Jean Renoir and the Soviet Union’s
Sergei Eisenstein. During the silent era, he was a contemporary of such directors as Cecil B. DeMille
and D.W. Griffith.

However, Erich von Stroheim is known less today for the films he directed — including his 1924
masterwork, “Greed” — than for his Oscar-nominated performance as Max, the bald, stern and stoic
butler to Gloria Swanson’s Norma Desmond in Billy Wilder’s 1950 Hollywood classic, “Sunset
Boulevard.”

As the story unfolds, it is learned that Max not only had been Norma’s husband but a famous
Hollywood director who fell out of favor with the studios. And in the ultimate irony, the silent film
clip used in “Sunset Boulevard” is from the unfinished 1929 Swanson film “Queen Kelly,” which Von
Stroheim directed.

Though biographies have been written and documentaries produced about the actor-director, few
have been able to truly crack the well-crafted myth surrounding his very public persona. Born in
Vienna, Von Stroheim came to New York in 1909 and quickly created an elaborate back story for
himself, saying he was the son of Prussian nobility. Actually, he was the son of a lower-middle-class
Jewish hat maker.

— Susan King in the Los Angeles Times Jan. 9, 2005
~Silent Filmography~
~Cast~

The Wedding March (1928) .... Nicki/Prince Nickolas von Wildeliebe-Rauffenburg
The Honeymoon (1928) .... Nikki
1925 Studio Tour (1925) .... Himself - a Director
Greed (1924) (uncredited) .... Balloon Vendor
Souls for Sale (1923) .... Himself - Celebrity Director
C-V News: Filming Greed (1923) (uncredited) .... Himself
Foolish Wives (1922) .... Their Cousin, Count Wladislaw Sergius Karamzin (Capt. 3rd Hussars Imper.
Russian Army)

Blind Husbands (1919) .... Lt. Erich von Steuben
The Heart of Humanity (1918) .... Eric von Eberhard
... aka "Hearts of Humanity" - USA (review title)
The Hun Within (1918) .... Von Bickel
Hearts of the World (1918) (uncredited) .... Von Strohm's Adjutant
The Unbeliever (1918) .... Lt. Kurt von Schnieditz
Who Goes There? (1917)
Sylvia of the Secret Service (1917) .... Undetermined Role
Reaching for the Moon (1917) (uncredited) .... Prince Badinoff's Aide
Draft 258 (1917)
For France (1917) .... Undetermined Role
In Again, Out Again (1917/II) (uncredited) .... Officer
Panthea (1917) .... Lieutenant
The Social Secretary (1916) .... The Buzzard
Intolerance: Love's Struggle Throughout the Ages (1916) (uncredited) .... Second Pharisee (Judean
Story)
... aka "Intolerance" - USA (short title)
... aka "Intolerance: A Sun-Play of the Ages" - USA (copyright title)
Macbeth (1916) (uncredited)
The Flying Torpedo (1916) .... Accomplice
His Picture in the Papers (1916) (uncredited) .... One of the Weazels
Old Heidelberg (1915) .... Lutz
Farewell to Thee (1915) .... Jackson - Louise's Partner
Ghosts (1915/I) (uncredited) .... Bit Part
... aka "The Curse" - USA (reissue title)
The Failure (1915/I) (uncredited) .... Minor Role
Captain Macklin (1915) (uncredited) .... Officer on Horseback
The Country Boy (1915) (uncredited) .... Diner in Restaurant

~Writer~

The Wedding March (1928) (writer)
Tempest (1928) (uncredited)
The Honeymoon (1928) (writer)
The Merry Widow (1925) (screenplay)
Greed (1924) (screen adaptation and dialogue)
Merry-Go-Round (1923) (uncredited)
Foolish Wives (1922) (screenplay) (story) (titles)
The Devil's Passkey (1920) (screenplay) (story)

Blind Husbands (1919) (screenplay) (story "The Pinnacle")

~Director~

The Wedding March (1928)
The Honeymoon (1928)
The Merry Widow (1925)
Greed (1924)
Merry-Go-Round (1923) (uncredited)
Foolish Wives (1922)
The Devil's Passkey (1920)

Blind Husbands (1919)

~Second Unit Director or Assistant Director~

Reaching for the Moon (1917) (technical assistant director) (uncredited)
In Again, Out Again (1917/II) (assistant director)
Panthea (1917) (assistant director)
Less Than the Dust (1916) (assistant director)
The Social Secretary (1916) (assistant director) (uncredited)
Macbeth (1916) (assistant director)
His Picture in the Papers (1916) (assistant director) (uncredited)
Old Heidelberg (1915) (assistant director) (uncredited)
Captain Macklin (1915) (assistant director) (uncredited)

~Miscellaneous Crew~

The Heart of Humanity (1918) (technical advisor)
... aka "Hearts of Humanity" - USA (review title)
Hearts of the World (1918) (technical supervisor) (uncredited)
Sylvia of the Secret Service (1917) (technical advisor)
Blind Man's Luck (1917) (technical director)
Intolerance: Love's Struggle Throughout the Ages (1916) (production assistant: Babylon sequence)
(uncredited)
... aka "Intolerance" - USA (short title)
... aka "Intolerance: A Sun-Play of the Ages" - USA (copyright title)
Old Heidelberg (1915) (technical director: military detail)
Ghosts (1915/I) (technical advisor)
... aka "The Curse" - USA (reissue title)

~Art Director~

The Wedding March (1928) (uncredited)
Greed (1924) (uncredited)
The Devil's Passkey (1920)

Blind Husbands (1919) (uncredited)
In Again, Out Again (1917/II)

~Producer~

The Wedding March (1928) (producer)
The Merry Widow (1925) (producer)

Blind Husbands (1919) (producer)

~Costume Designer~

The Wedding March (1928) (uncredited)
The Merry Widow (1925) (uncredited)
Merry-Go-Round (1923) (uncredited)

Ghosts (1915/I)
... aka "The Curse" - USA (reissue title)

~Editor~

The Wedding March (1928) (uncredited)
Greed (1924) (42-reel version) (uncredited)

Blind Husbands (1919) (uncredited)

~Production Designer~

Greed (1924) (uncredited)

~Costume and Wardrobe Department~

Ghosts (1915/I) (wardrobe assistant)
... aka "The Curse" - USA (reissue title)