Contents
Luise Rainer
Becoming the first performer to win consecutive acting Oscars.
The Great Ziegfeld · The Good Earth
- Born
- 12 January 1910
- Birthplace
- Düsseldorf
- Died
- 30 December 2014
More people
Luise Rainer
German-born actress whose Hollywood breakthrough brought two Best Actress awards in rapid succession. Her brief MGM career was followed by theatre work and a much quieter life away from the studio system.
Early life
European upbringing
Born in Düsseldorf and raised in Hamburg and Vienna, she began acting as a teenager and developed her craft in Max Reinhardt’s theatrical circle.
Career
- 1935
Hollywood debut
Appeared in Escapade after moving from European theatre and films.
- 1937
First Oscar
Won Best Actress for The Great Ziegfeld.
- 1938
Second Oscar
Won again for The Good Earth before leaving MGM.
Selected work
The Great Ziegfeld
Played Anna Held in the musical biography.
The Good Earth
Portrayed O-Lan in the adaptation of Pearl S. Buck’s novel.
Beyond work
Life outside Hollywood
Married publisher Robert Knittel and spent much of her later life in Europe. She also returned to stage performance.
Sources & photo credit
Biography and career ↗Biographical references ↗Additional biographical or achievement source ↗Original photograph. Cropped and displayed in monochrome.
Photo: Vandamm Studio. Public domain · Original image. Cropped and displayed in monochrome.