• Österreichische Schauspielerin und Sängerin.
• Am 18. Oktober 1898 als Karoline Blamauer in Wien-Penzing geboren.
• Von 1916 bis 1920 Mitglied des Ensembles des Zürcher Stadttheaters, wo Regisseur Richard Revy ihr den Künstlernamen Lotte Lenya gab.
• Durch Georg Kaiser lernte Lenya 1923 den Komponisten Kurt Weill kennen.
• 1926 heirateten Lenya und Weill.
• 1928 wurde sie die bekannteste Interpretin Weills Songs in der «Dreigroschenoper» in Berlin.
• 1931 spielte sie in der G.W. Pabst-Verfimung der «Dreigroschenoper»
• 1933 verliessen Lenya und Weill Deutschland. Zuerst gingen sie nach Paris und dann nach New York, wohin Max Reinhardt sie eingeladen hatte.
• Von 1933 bis 1950 komponierte Weill Musik zu Broadway-Musicals. Lenya war nur selten auf der Bühne zu sehen (und hören).
• 1950 starb Kurt Weill, Lenya ging wieder auf die Bühne.
• 1961 erhielt Lenya eine Oscar-Nominierung als die Contessa in der Verfilmung von Tennesse Williams «The Roman Spring of Mrs. Stone».
• Lenya heiratete Russell Detweiller 1962. Er starb nur sieben Jahre später mit 44 Jahren.
• 1963 spielte Lenya eine sehr böse russische Spionin in «From Russia With Love».
• 1965 spielte Lenya «Mutter Courage» bei den Ruhrfestspielen in Recklinghausen.
• 1966 bekam sie eine Tony-Nominierung für ihre Rolle als Fräulein Schneider in dem Musical «Cabaret».
• 1977 hatte sie eine kleine Rolle in dem Film «Semi-Tough», ihrem letzten Film.
• Lenya starb an Krebs am 27. November 1981 in New York.
• For more about Lenya, also see the Web links below.

For the names of the Top 20 entrants who sent in the correct answer to Ratespiel 9 before the deadline, click here: Top-20-Liste (9)

Although many people think I'm a Berliner and a German, I was actually born in Vienna in 1898. I was only eight years old when I appeared in a travelling circus. When I was a dancer in Zurich I got my stage name. In the 1920s I was a kind of "superstar" on the Berlin stage. I was especially successful as Jenny in the "Threepenny Opera" („Die Dreigroschenoper“), for which my husband [Kurt Weill] had composed the music. Later in the USA I was better known as a movie actress and less as a singer/chanteuse, although I also acted on Broadway. In the 1960s I played supporting roles in Films such as "The Roman Spring of Mrs. Stone" (1961) and the British James Bond film "From Russia with Love" (1963). I died on the 27th of November 1981 in New York. - Who am I?

Copyright © 2001 Hyde Flippo

Grave of Lotte Lenya Weill Detweiller
A photo of Lenya's grave in Haverstraw, New York, USA. From Find A Grave.

Lotte Lenya - AEIOU
A very brief German bio with a photo of Lenya from the AEIOU online Encyclopedia.

Lotte Lenya - Klassik Online
A German bio, discography and more from Klassik Online.

Lotte Lenya - Notable Women
A very short bio from the About "Women's History" Guide site.

The Kurt Weill Foundation for Music
Click on "About Lenya" for information and audio files of her songs. Offers an excellent Lenya biography in English.

Die Dreigroschenoper - Weill und Brecht
Text, sound and pictures. Hear the famous song "Seeräuber Jenny" - the character and song made famous by Lotte Lenya. An historical look at the famous production from the Deutsches Historisches Museum.

Kurt Weill (1900-1950)
A biographical look at the composer who was married to Lotte Lenya. From the Deutsches Historisches Museum.

Theater in der Weimarer Republik
An illustrated history of theater in Germany in the years 1918-1933. From the Deutsches Historisches Museum.

Lotte Lenya Picture
A black-and-white photo of Lotte Lenya as the evil Russian spy Rosa Kleb in "From Russia With Love."

Back to Ratespiel 9

Wer bin ich? Ratespiel - Einleitung
Unser biographisches Ratespiel. Introduction to our biographical guessing game series. Links to all of our Ratespiele.

Chronik der Geschichte
Eine deutsch-englische Zeittafel der deutschen Geschichte und Weltgeschichte.

Famous Germans
A reference list with brief biographies of famous Germans, Austrians and German Swiss throughout history. In English. From the German Way and More.

Find A Grave
Find the graves of the dead and famous – many with photos! Search by name or location.

The German-Hollywood Connection
Biographies and references related to famous German, Austrian and German Swiss film people and their movies. In English.

German for Beginners
Our free online course adds new lessons on a regular basis.