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Hermann Kosterlitz
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Henry Koster (May 1, 1905 – September 21, 1988), born Hermann Kosterlitz, was a German-born film director, who worked in Europe as well as in Hollywood. Although he never won an Oscar, Koster directed six different actors in Oscar-nominated performances. In 1932, Koster directed his first film in Berlin, the comedy Thea Roland. In the midst of directing his second film Das häßliche Mädchen, Jewish Koster had been the subject of antisemitism, and knew he had to leave the country. He left Germany for France, where he was rehired by director Curtis Bernhardt, who had also fled. Eventually Koster went to Budapest, where he met and married Kató Király in 1934. There he also met Joe Pasternak, who represented Universal in Europe, and directed three films for him. Through his friend Gabriel Levy he ended up directing Dutch sound film De Kribbebijter, released internationally as The Cross-Patch, which proved a success both in the Netherlands - where it played in cinemas for no less than seven years - and in the UK. Soon after, Koster signed a deal with Universal Pictures in Hollywood and moved to the United States. Although Koster did not speak English, he convinced the studio to let him make Three Smart Girls, for which he personally coached to-be star Deanna Durbin. This picture, a big success, pulled Universal out of bankruptcy. Koster's second Universal film, One Hundred Men and a Girl, also was successful. After this, Koster discovered Abbott and Costello at a nightclub in New York. He returned to Hollywood and convinced Universal to hire them. Their first picture was One Night in the Tropics; the female lead, Peggy Moran, became Koster's second wife in 1942. Ironically, despite Koster's escape from Nazi Germany, when the United States entered World War II Koster was considered an enemy alien and had to stay in his house in the evening. Actor Charles Laughton would visit Koster and play chess with him. Nonetheless, Koster's postwar career proved equally successful. He was nominated for an Academy Award for The Bishop's Wife (1947). In 1950, he directed his biggest success: the James Stewart comedy Harvey. He directed Richard Burton's first U.S. film, My Cousin Rachel, and then in 1953, he was given The Robe, the first CinemaScope film. His last picture was The Singing Nun in 1965. Koster retired to Leisure Village in Camarillo, California, where he painted a series of portraits of the movie stars with whom he worked.
Info
- wc Gender: Male
- calendar_month Birth Date: 1905-05-01
- event Death Date 1988-09-21
- school Known for: Directing
- star Popularity: 3.7
- info Birth Place Berlin, Germany
- visibility Views: 7 views
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star User Ratings:
image Images
smart_display Movies and TV shows by Henry Koster
movie_edit Directing
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Liebfraumilch
1929-02-05
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Good Morning, Miss Dove
1955-11-23
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Der Tunnel
1933-10-26
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O. Henry's Full House
1952-08-07
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Harvey
1950-12-04
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Flower Drum Song
1961-11-09
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It Started with Eve
1941-09-26
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The Inspector General
1949-12-31
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Mr. Hobbs Takes a Vacation
1962-06-15
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The Robe
1953-09-16
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The Story of Ruth
1960-06-17
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Dear Brigitte
1965-01-08
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The Virgin Queen
1955-07-22
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Désirée
1954-11-16
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Stars and Stripes Forever
1952-12-22
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First Love
1939-11-10
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One Hundred Men and a Girl
1937-09-05
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A Man Called Peter
1955-03-31
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The Rage of Paris
1938-06-09
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Take Her, She's Mine
1963-11-13
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No Highway in the Sky
1951-06-28
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Three Smart Girls
1936-12-20
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D-Day the Sixth of June
1956-05-29
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Three Smart Girls Grow Up
1939-03-24
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Mr. Belvedere Rings the Bell
1951-08-01
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The Singing Nun
1966-03-17
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My Man Godfrey
1957-10-11
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The Bishop's Wife
1947-12-25
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The Crosspatch
1935-08-07
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My Cousin Rachel
1952-12-25
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The Naked Maja
1958-12-20
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The Unfinished Dance
1947-09-19
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Come to the Stable
1949-07-27
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Wabash Avenue
1950-03-31
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The Luck of the Irish
1948-09-15
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Catherine the Last
1936-01-20
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Peter
1934-12-19
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The Power and the Prize
1956-09-26
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Music for Millions
1944-12-18
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Elopement
1951-11-23
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Spring Parade
1940-09-27
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Le sexe faible
1933-01-01
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Fraulein
1958-06-08
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Two Sisters from Boston
1946-06-06
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Little Mother
1935-02-04
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Married by the Stork
1932-12-17
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Marilyn
1963-04-18
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Frivolous youth
1931-07-18
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There Goes the Bride
1932-10-25
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First Love
1939-11-10
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Der Doppelgänger
1934-02-01
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Die vertauschte Braut
1934-04-16
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Between Us Girls
1942-09-04
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Farewell Again
1937-01-05
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My Blue Heaven
1950-09-15
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Eine Handvoll Helden
1967-11-16
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Children's Souls Accuse You
1927-03-24
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Children's Souls Accuse You
1927-03-24
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Toto
1933-09-21
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The Private Secretary Gets Married
1933-03-17
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Five from the Jazzband
1932-03-19
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The Rage of Paris
1938-06-09
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Take Her, She's Mine
1963-11-13
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Stamboul
1931-10-20
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Dear Brigitte
1965-01-08
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Affairs of Maupassant
1935-10-03
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The Rebel
1932-12-22
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Affairs of Maupassant
1935-10-03
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Between Us Girls
1942-09-04
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Ball at the Savoy
1935-04-11
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The Man Who Killed
1931-01-16
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The Man Who Committed the Murder
1931-01-23
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Orphan of Lowood
1926-12-05
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Das letzte Fort
1929-07-08
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Prinz Louis Ferdinand
1927-03-21
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Sündig und süß
1929-07-01
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Woman in the Jungle
1931-01-08
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Sündenfall
1929-01-04
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Happy Hearts
1932-12-02
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The indictment
1931-02-20
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The Ugly Girl
1935-09-27
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The Private Secretary Gets Married
1933-03-17
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His girlfriend Annette
1931-04-20
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Eins + Eins = Drei
1927-12-09
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The Last Company
1930-03-14
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Une femme a menti
1930-07-04