Ucicky, Gustav

DIRECTOR, CAMERAMAN (AUSTRIA)
BORN 6 Jul 1899, Wien - DIED 26 Apr 1961, Hamburg
CAUSE OF DEATH stroke
GRAVE LOCATION Wien: Friedhof Hietzing, Maxingstraße 15, Hietzing (Gruppe 57, Nummer 124)

Gustav Ucicky's father is officially unknown. His mother Maria Ucicky (d.1928) was housekeeper as well as model for Gustav Klimt, and Ucicky claimed that Klimt was his father. It seems that he presented no clear evidence for this, but it became known that Klimt made payments to his mother and it is assumed that Klimt was really his father. During his youth he befriended Karl Hartl. In 1916 he started to work as camera man for Joseph Graf Kolowrat-Krakowský. In 1923 he married the actress Betty Bird. In 1927 he directed his first movie, "Tingel-Tangel".

After the death of both Graf Koloweat (1927) and his mother (1928), he left Vienna together with Hartl. In 1929 he was contracted by UFA in Berlin. After starting with several lightweight drama productions he turned to historical drama's and in 1930 "Das Flötenkonzert von Sanssouci" was released. In 1936 he divorced Betty and also in 1936 his contract with UFA ended. After he made "Der zerbrochene Krug" with Emil Jannings he returned to Vienna in 1939. His movie "Am ende der Welt" was banned by the nazis. In 1941 he directed the anti-Polish propaganda movie "Heimkehr" with Paula Wessely as Maria Thomas. After the war he was not allowed to work until 1947. From then on he made mostly Heimatfilms.

Ucicky died in 1961 in Hamburg and was buried in the grave of his mother at Hietzing Cemetery in Vienna.

Family
• Father: Klimt, Gustav

Related persons
• cooperated with Borsody, Eduard von
• was a friend of Hartl, Karl
• has a connection with Klimt, Gustav

Events
10/10/1941The propaganda movie "Heimkehr" is released in Austria. The premiere in Berlin followed on 23 October 1941. It was an anti-Polish propaganda movie written by Gerhard Menzel based on a novel by Karl Hans and directed by Gustav Ucicky. The cast included Paula Wessely, Attilla Hörbiger, Peter Petersen (whose real name was Max Paulsen), Ruth Hellberg, Carl Raddatz, Otto Wernicke, Eduard Köck, Franz Pfaudler, Elsa Wagner, Hermann Erhardt, Werner Fuetterer and Berta Drews. Igo Sys casted the minor parts played by Jewish and Polish actors. He was shot in his appartment during the filming by members of the Polish resistance. [Hellberg, Ruth][Hörbiger, Attila][Paulsen, Max][Raddatz, Carl][Wagner, Elsa][Wessely, Paula]

Images

The grave of Gustav Ucicky at the Hietzing Cemetery in Vienna.
Picture by androom (15 Aug 2006)

 

Sources
• Gustav Ucicky - Wikipedia (DE)
• Homecoming (1941 film) - Wikipedia (EN)


Udet, Ernst

Published: 05 Jun 2011
Last update: 26 Sep 2026