Géza von Cziffra

Directing
Born Dec 19, 1900
From Arad, Austria-Hungary (now Romania)
Died Apr 28, 1989

Géza von Cziffra (19 December 1900 – 28 April 1989) was a Hungarian and Austrian film director and screenwriter. Cziffra was a Banat German in origin, born in 1900 in Arad in the Banat region, at that date in the Kingdom of Hungary, now in Romania. Cziffra made films from the 1930s onwards, at first in Hungary, and from 1936 in Germany as well, where he was initially more active as a screenwriter. In 1945, in Prague, then occupied by the Germans, he made the film Leuchtende Schatten ("Glowing Shadows"). As adviser for the criminal police, he was assigned SS-Sturmbannführer Eweler, a member of the SD and brother of the actress Ruth Eweler. After some time, Cziffra banned Eweler from the studios for excessive and obstructive criticism. Shortly afterwards, he was arrested and taken to the Prague Gestapo Headquarters in the Pecec Palace, where he was accused of having eaten several times in the Czech restaurant "Neumann" without using ration stamps. He was eventually dispatched to Pankrác Prison, the remand and interrogation prison of Prague, and sentenced to six months' imprisonment, beginning on 12 February. He was released from detention on 19 April, shortly before the end of the war. In 1945, in Vienna, Cziffra founded the first post-war Austrian film production company: Cziffra-Film. Principally, and for preference, he made light entertainment and musical films, with well-known German and Austrian actors such as Peter Alexander, Rudolf Platte, Senta Berger and Hubert von Meyerinck. Through the input of musicians like Bill Ramsey or Bully Buhlan, the films mostly progressed to being musical revues with a local Austrian slant and flavour (Heimatfilme). Cziffra also worked as an actor himself, and later in his life published a number of books. He was married to the actress Ursula Justin, who starred in six of his films in the 1950s. He died on 28 April 1989 in Diessen am Ammersee in Bavaria. His remains are interred in the crematorium in the Ostfriedhof, Munich.

Known For

Filmography — Acting

Filmography — Crew

Die Fledermaus

Die Fledermaus

Director

Paradies der flotten Sünder

Paradies der flotten Sünder

Director

The Sweet Life of Count Bobby

The Sweet Life of Count Bobby

Director

A Tale of Five Cities

A Tale of Five Cities

Director

Salem Aleikum

Salem Aleikum

Director

Lana: Queen of the Amazons

Lana: Queen of the Amazons

Director

Tanz mit dem Kaiser

Tanz mit dem Kaiser

Writer

Wehe, wenn sie losgelassen

Wehe, wenn sie losgelassen

Director

Junge Leute brauchen Liebe

Junge Leute brauchen Liebe

Director

Should a Schoolgirl Tell?

Should a Schoolgirl Tell?

Director

Where the Lark Sings

Where the Lark Sings

Writer

The Three Superguys

The Three Superguys

Screenplay

Ball at the Savoy

Ball at the Savoy

Writer

So ein Millionär hat's schwer

So ein Millionär hat's schwer

Director

Hundstage

Hundstage

Director

Peter schießt den Vogel ab

Peter schießt den Vogel ab

Director

It Was a Gay Ballnight

It Was a Gay Ballnight

Writer

Mädchen mit schwachem Gedächtnis

Mädchen mit schwachem Gedächtnis

Director

Women Are No Angels

Women Are No Angels

Writer

Gabriela

Gabriela

Director

Lambert fühlt sich bedroht

Director

Die Abenteuer des Grafen Bobby

Die Abenteuer des Grafen Bobby

Director

Kriminaltango

Kriminaltango

Director

Bandits of the Highway

Bandits of the Highway

Director

Musikparade

Musikparade

Director

Ich bin kein Casanova

Ich bin kein Casanova

Director

Die verschleierte Maja

Die verschleierte Maja

Director

Der bunte Traum

Der bunte Traum

Director

Das Go-Go-Girl vom Blow-Up

Das Go-Go-Girl vom Blow-Up

Screenplay

Leuchtende Schatten

Director

Villa for Sale

Villa for Sale

Director

Wetterleuchten über dem Zillertal

Wetterleuchten über dem Zillertal

Screenplay

Three Days in the Guardhouse

Three Days in the Guardhouse

Writer

Kauf Dir einen bunten Luftballon

Kauf Dir einen bunten Luftballon

Director

Bobby Dodd intervenes

Bobby Dodd intervenes

Director

A Night in Venice

A Night in Venice

Director

Gefährliche Gäste

Gefährliche Gäste

Director

Der Mann, der sich selber sucht

Director

Frauen sind keine Engel

Director

Tanzende Sterne

Tanzende Sterne

Director

Tanz in der Sonne

Tanz in der Sonne

Director

Die Blume von Hawaii

Director

Schlag auf Schlag

Schlag auf Schlag

Director

Der Weg zu Isabel

Der Weg zu Isabel

Writer

Der himmlische Walzer

Der himmlische Walzer

Director

Ein Stern fällt vom Himmel

Ein Stern fällt vom Himmel

Director

Die Beine von Dolores

Die Beine von Dolores

Director

Der Vogelhändler

Der Vogelhändler

Director

Geld aus der Luft

Geld aus der Luft

Director

Höllische Liebe

Höllische Liebe

Director

An der Donau, wenn der Wein blüht

An der Donau, wenn der Wein blüht

Director

Crazy Otto

Crazy Otto

Director

Als geheilt entlassen

Als geheilt entlassen

Director

Melody of a Great City

Melody of a Great City

Writer

Nachtschwester Ingeborg

Nachtschwester Ingeborg

Director

Charley's Aunt

Charley's Aunt

Director

Die Dritte von rechts

Die Dritte von rechts

Director

Glaube an mich

Director

Der weiße Traum

Der weiße Traum

Director

Die gestohlene Hose

Die gestohlene Hose

Director

Das Hochzeitshotel

Das Hochzeitshotel

Writer

Szent Péter esernyője

Szent Péter esernyője

Director

Der falsche Adam

Der falsche Adam

Director

Das singende Hotel

Das singende Hotel

Director

Das haut hin

Das haut hin

Director

The Copper

The Copper

Screenplay

Hauptmann - deine Sterne

Hauptmann - deine Sterne

Director

Der müde Theodor

Der müde Theodor

Director

Tante Wanda aus Uganda

Tante Wanda aus Uganda

Director

Das unsterbliche Antlitz

Das unsterbliche Antlitz

Director

Nachts ging das Telefon

Director

Liebe nach Noten

Liebe nach Noten

Director

Königin der Landstraße

Königin der Landstraße

Director