Celebrity Graveland

January 22, 1893 – April 03, 1943

Conrad “Conny” Veidt was a German-British actor whose largest impact on the film industry was arguably his performances in classic German Expressionism silent films like The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari (1920) and The Man Who Laughs (1928). He appeared in more than 70 early films in his native Germany, many of which have been lost. He learned to speak English and French and continued to work his way across the globe, eventually making it to Hollywood, where he played perhaps his most recognizable role: Major Strasser opposite Humphrey Bogart in the 1941 classic, Casablanca. It would be the last movie released in Veidt’s lifetime.

Conny Veidt served briefly for the German army during World War I. Bouts of chronic pneumonia ended his time as a soldier, but he was allowed to continue to pursue acting as long as he agreed to entertain the troops.

With the rise of the Nazi party in the lead up to the second World War, Veidt adamantly opposed the regime and when he was forced to declare his race on a film industry questionnaire, he wrote “Jewish.” He was not Jewish, but was married to a Jewish woman and he claimed he would never leave or betray her just to keep his career. The couple emigrated to England where he continued to work. Veidt immediately chose his projects and used his financial means to support the Allied forces and causes during the war.

Once in Hollywood, he knew he would be typecast in Nazi roles, but he demanded that the characters would always be seen as the villains. For these reasons, his time in the U.S. was frustrating for him…and brief. Veidt had discovered early on that he lived with a genetic heart condition. He managed it as best as the day’s medicine would allow, but he also smoked a lot.  In April of 1943 – at the age of just 50 – Veidt suffered a heart attack while playing golf and died.

Veidt’s ashes remained with family and friends for more than 55 years (longer than he was alive) before he and his wife were finally interred at Golder’s Green in London, not far from where the couple once lived.

Burial

Golders Green Crematorium – London, UK

Specific Location

Hall of Memory, Niche 5712; Enter the Hall of Memory and immediately head up the stairs to the first floor. Enter the hall to the right and turn right. Conrad’s niche is on the right, 4 rows up and about 6 spaces from the door.

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