Photo: Unknown authorUnknown author / Public domain (source: Wikimedia Commons)
My Take
Emil Jannings stands at the very origin of film history as the first Best Actor Oscar winner, and that alone fascinates me. Swiss-born and German-made, he could pour thunderous emotion through a single face in the silent era, then add a Volpi Cup and a Walk of Fame star. Yet I can't discuss him without the shadow of his later proximity to the Nazi regime, and I prefer not to separate the two. His career holds both glory and disgrace in one frame, a sobering reminder of how great talent can be swallowed by its era. He carries the whole turbulent story of cinema with him.
1. Profile
- Name (English)
- Emil Jannings
- Name (Japanese)
- エミール・ヤニングス
- Reading
- えみーる・やにんぐす
- Born
- July 23, 1884 – January 2, 1950
- Zodiac / Chinese zodiac
- Leo / Monkey
- Origin
- Rorschach, Canton of St. Gallen, Switzerland
- Blood type
- Private
- Height
- Private
- Agency
- Private
- Occupation
- actor / film director / theatre manager / film producer / director
2. Background
- Elementary school
- Private
- Junior high
- Private
- High school
- Private
- University
- Private
Awards & achievements
- 1929 Academy Award for Best Actor
- 1937 Volpi Cup for Best Actor
- 1936 Staatsschauspieler
- star on Hollywood Walk of Fame
- 1939 Goethe Medal for Art and Science
3. Relationships
- Spouse
- Private
- Children
- Private
- Parents
- Private
- Siblings
- Private
4. Personality
Motto
Private
6. Links
Frequently asked questions
When was Emil Jannings born?
July 23, 1884 – January 2, 1950.
Where is Emil Jannings from?
Emil Jannings is from Rorschach, Canton of St. Gallen, Switzerland.
What does Emil Jannings do?
Emil Jannings works as actor, film director, theatre manager, film producer, director.
Actor — see all → · Film director — see all → · More people from Switzerland →
7. About this entry
Tags
- Last updated
- 2026-06-21
Facts are limited to publicly available information up to 2024; non-public items are marked "Private / Unknown". English text is machine-assisted (facts translated by Sonnet, "My Take" written by Opus 4.8). The Japanese page is the source of record.