Erich Ponto
| Erich Ponto | |
|---|---|
 Ponto in July 1945 | |
| Born |
Erich Johannes Bruno Ponto December 14, 1884 Free City of Lübeck, German Empire |
| Died |
February 14, 1957 (aged 72) Stuttgart, Baden-Württemberg, West Germany |
Resting place | Tolkewitz cemetery, Dresden |
| Occupation | Actor |
| Years active | 1908–1957 |
| Spouse(s) | Tony Kresse |
| Children | Eva Doering (born 1918), Klaus Ponto (born 1927), Manoel Ponto (born 1950) |
| Awards |
Baden-Württemberg State actor (1952) Federal Cross of Merir (1954) Deutscher Filmpreis (1956) |
Erich Johannes Bruno Ponto (14 December 1884 – 14 February 1957) was a German film and stage actor.
Life
Ponto was born in the North German city of Lübeck, the son of a merchant. After his family had moved to Hamburg-Eimsbüttel, he attended the gymnasium secondary school in Altona and upon his Abitur exam began a study of pharmacy at the University of Munich, where he went to lectures delivered by Wilhelm Conrad Röntgen. Passionate about acting already during his studying, he took drama lessons from 1906.
Ponto gave his debut on stage at the Stadttheater Passau in 1908, followed by engagements in Nordhausen, Reichenberg (Liberec), and Düsseldorf. From 1914 to 1947 he was a member of the Hoftheater Dresden ensemble (Staatstheater Dresden from 1918), in 1946/47 also as intendant. In 1916 he married Tony Kresse, they had two children. On stage his best known role was that of J.J. Peachum in the original production of The Threepenny Opera in 1928.
Ponto's film career only took off when he was already over 50 years old. He starred as Professor Crey in the German film classic Die Feuerzangenbowle with Heinz Rühmann and after World War II was featured in the legendary Thriller The Third Man in a supporting role as the physician of Orson Welles' character Harry Lime. In 1955 he won a "Film Award in Silver" as the best male actor in a supporting role. He worked until his death.
Ponto was the acting coach of actor Gert Fröbe of Goldfinger fame. His final film was Der Stern von Afrika, released in the year of his death. He died at the age of 72 after a long cancer illness.
Erich Ponto was the uncle of Deutsche Bank general director Jürgen Ponto, who was murdered in 1977.
Selected filmography
- 1921: Der Geiger von Meissen
- 1934: Liebe, Tod und Teufel
- 1939: Hallo Janine
- 1939: Schneider Wibbel
- 1940: Das Herz der Königin
- 1940: Achtung! Feind hört mit!
- 1940: Kleider machen Leute
- 1940: Die Rothschilds
- 1941: Blutsbrüderschaft
- 1941: Ich klage an
- 1942: Der große Schatten
- 1942: Attack on Baku
- 1944: Philharmoniker
- 1944: Die Feuerzangenbowle
- 1944: Der Engel mit dem Saitenspiel
- 1947/48: Film ohne Titel
- 1949: The Third Man (his only international production)
- 1949: Liebe 47
- 1950: Frauenarzt Dr. Prätorius
- 1951: Was das Herz befiehlt
- 1951: Primannerinnen
- 1952: Liebe im Finanzamt
- 1952: Die große Versuchung
- 1953: Hokuspokus
- 1954: Das fliegende Klassenzimmer
- 1954: Sauerbruch - Das war mein Leben
- 1955: Lola Montez
- 1955: Himmel ohne Sterne
- 1956: Wenn wir alle Englein wären
- 1957: Robinson soll nicht sterben
- 1958: Der Stern von Afrika
Erich Ponto in the Web
Erich Ponto at the Internet Movie Database
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