Who is Emil Jannings?

Emil Jannings (July 23, 1884–January 2, 1950) was a German actor. He is considered one of the greatest actors of the silent film era. Jannings won the first ever Academy Award for Best Actor in 1929 for his performances in both The Last Command and The Way of All Flesh. He is the first actor to win an Academy Award. He was also nominated for Academy Awards for The Last Laugh, The Patriot and The Blue Angel. He starred in over 100 films during his career.

Jannings was born in Rorschach, Switzerland to German parents. He began acting on stage in 1902. He made his film debut in 1914. Jannings quickly rose to fame in Germany and became one of the most popular actors in the world. He starred in a number of critically acclaimed films, including The Last Laugh, Variété and Metropolis.

In the 1930s, Jannings moved to Hollywood. He starred in a number of successful films, including The Patriot and The Blue Angel. However, his career declined in the late 1930s and he returned to Germany. He continued to act in German films until his death in 1950.