Will Dohm

Biography

Portly, genial Will Dohm was born in the city of Cologne, the son of a postal worker. He survived the cataclysm of World War I as a lieutenant in the infantry and was fortunate to find employment in the economically depressed early Weimar Republic as a teller in a credit union. At the same time, he took acting lessons under Georg Kiesau, the chief director of the Cologne Schauspielhaus. In 1921, Dohm made his theatrical debut and then went on tour with provincial repertory companies until making a more or less permanent home in Munich. For the remaining decade, he honed his acting skills in classical plays. Dohm's film career began in 1927 with a part as a Russian naval officer, but did not rise to any particular heights until the arrival of sound. By the time he made his final picture (Die Fledermaus (1946)), he had became celebrated as one of Germany's most splendid character comedians. A master at playing affable (be they likeable rogues, or pompously ingratiating buffoons) middle-aged, middle-class figures, ranging from theatre directors, to barons, diplomats and consuls. Notable career highlights include Barcarole (1935) (as Motta), So You Don't Know Korff Yet? (1938) (as private detective Van Gaalen), Bel Ami (1939) (newspaper editor Forestier), Frau Luna (1941) (Direktor Koppe), and, best of all, as the wily Flemish town mayor Hendrick in Das Bad auf der Tenne (1943). Though offered a lucrative dual role in Helmut Käutner's satire The Original Sin (1948), Dohm was forced to turn down the part because of a serious heart ailment. If not for his early death at the age of 51, his screen popularity would have endured well into the succeeding decades. A street in Munich (Will Dohm-Weg in Ramersdorf-Perlach) is named in his memory.