Trivia

A favorite leading lady of Emil Jannings (with whom she had starred in "Der letzte Mann" and "Varieté") and of the director F.W. Murnau, Delschaft was at one time slated for the role of Lola-Lola in The Blue Angel (1930). However, with Murnau's departure to the U.S., Josef von Sternberg ended up taking over the reigns and installed his own protégé, Marlene Dietrich, in the part. Delschaft was actually considered by many to bear similarities to Dietrich in both appearance and manner.

Because Maly Delschaft lived in the West German part of Berlin her film career came to a abrupt end in 1961 when the construction of the wall began. After that she appeared only rarely in single TV productions.

The actress Maly Delschaft belongs to the today forgotten stars, but in 1930 she was actually designated for the role of "Lola Lola" in the movie "Der blaue Engel" (1930). Emil Jannings as well as director F.W. Murnau wanted her for this part. But things had changed. Murnau went to the USA and the moved up director Josef von Sternberg had an other protégé in his sight - Marlene Dietrich. Today Marlene Dietrich is cult, the name Maly Delschaft has only a meaning for a small circle of people interested in film.

After great success followed only unsatisfactory casting offers which weren't useful for a jump to a world star. But then the opportunity was emerging to play the leading role in the movie "Der blaue Engel". If the destiny were more merciful, Maly Delschaft would have gone down in history as a star like Marlene Dietrich.

Delschaft's voice was considered more than adequate to survive the transition to sound. However, by the early 30's, a number of contemporary reviews argued that her performances in silent films had been more effectively suggestive.

German silent film star, the daughter of a plasterer. Delschaft first acted on stage in the role of Anna Karenina's son at Hamburg's Thalia Theater, in 1907. She was 'discovered' during a performance by Leopold Jessner, who persuaded her to take on acting as a career. After taking drama classes, she made regular stage appearances from 1917 in Bremen, Breslau and Berlin. Her breakthrough in films did not come about until 1924, with The Last Laugh (1924), followed by further critical acclaim in Variety (1925) and Im weißen Rößl (1926). The quality of her roles declined in the 1930's, though she made a comeback of sorts in East German Defa productions after the war, often in proletarian roles of which her selfless Annemarie in Familie Benthin (1950) was the most critically acclaimed.

After the war she acted in movies for the GDR production company DEFA.

After an acting education she played regularly from 1917 at stages in Germany and after some successful years at the theater she made her debut with the short movie "Die Berliner Range" (1921), thereafter she shot her first feature film "Der Liebling der Frauen". Already in her next movie "Danton" (1921) she acted at Emil Janning's side which became an admirer of her acting skill. But before Maly Delschaft was able to took part in this movie, director Richard Oswald had to pay to set her free from her contract with the Breslauer theater first.

Maly Delschaft was spotted at the age of eight by Leopold Jessner during a performance at the Thalia theater. He suggested to take the profession of an actress.

With the movie "Zwei unter Millionen" (1961) she concluded her film career.