Editing Paul Lukas

{{Short description|Hungarian-American actor (1894–1971)}}
{{about||the American journalist|Paul Lukas (journalist)|those of a similar name|Paul Lucas (disambiguation)}}
{{eastern name order|Lukács Pál}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=January 2022}}
{{Infobox person
| name               = Paul Lukas
| image              = Paul Lukas - 1950.jpg
| caption            = Lukas in 1950
| birth_name         = Pál Lukács
| birth_date         = {{Birth date|1894|05|26|df=y}}
| birth_place        = [[Budapest]], [[Austria-Hungary]]
| death_date         = {{Death date and age|1971|08|15|1894|05|26|df=y}}
| death_place        = [[Tangier]], Morocco
| resting_place      = Cementerio de [[Benalmádena]], [[Andalusia, Spain]]
| occupation         = Actor
| years_active       = 1916–1970
| spouse             = {{plainlist|
* {{marriage|Gizella "Daisy" Benes|1927|1962|reason=d.}}
* {{marriage|Annette M. Driesens<br>|1963}}
}}
}}

'''Paul Lukas''' (born '''Pál Lukács'''; 26 May 1894&nbsp;– 15 August 1971) was a Hungarian actor. He won the [[Academy Award for Best Actor]], and the first [[Golden Globe Award for Best Actor – Motion Picture Drama]], for his performance in the film ''[[Watch on the Rhine]]'' (1943), reprising the role he created on the Broadway stage.

==Biography==
Lukas was born Pál Lukács in [[Budapest]] into a Hungarian-[[Judaism|Jewish]] family,<ref name="google">{{cite book|title=Multiculturalism and the Mouse: Race and Sex in Disney Entertainment|author=Brode, D.|date=2009|publisher=University of Texas Press|isbn=978-0292783300|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=E8Pj3FtAoAQC&pg=PA103|page=103|access-date=3 February 2017}}</ref><ref name="google2">{{cite journal|title=Journal of Reform Judaism|author=Central Conference of American Rabbis|journal=CCAR Journal|date=1988|volume=35|publisher=Central Conference of American Rabbis|issn=0149-712X|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=9lxPAQAAIAAJ|access-date=3 February 2017}}</ref> the son of Adolf Munkácsi and Mária Schneckendorf. He was later adopted by Mária (née Zilahy) and János Lukács, an advertising executive.<ref name="google3">{{cite journal|title=Current Biography Yearbook|author=H.W. Wilson Company|journal=Current Biography Yearbook: Annual Cumulation|date=1942|publisher=H. W. Wilson Company|issn=0084-9499|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=1vwZAAAAYAAJ|access-date=3 February 2017}}</ref><ref name="familysearch">{{cite web|url=https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:S3HT-682Q-C1Q?mode=g&i=124&cc=1452460|publisher=familysearch.org|title=Marriage entry, Budapest 7th district, 26 March 1918 |access-date=3 February 2017}}</ref>

Lukas made his stage debut in Budapest in 1916, and his film debut in 1917. At first, he played elegant, smooth womanizers, but increasingly, he became typecast as a villain. He had a successful stage and film career in Hungary, Germany, and Austria, where he worked with [[Max Reinhardt]]. He arrived in Hollywood in 1927, and became a [[naturalized citizen]] of the United States in 1937. In 1935, he built a home near the new [[Racquet Club of Palm Springs]], California.<ref>{{cite book|last1=Meeks|first1=Eric G.|title=The Best Guide Ever to Palm Springs Celebrity Homes|date=2014|orig-year=2012|publisher=Horatio Limburger Oglethorpe|isbn=978-1479328598|pages=29–30, 34}}</ref>

[[File:Lukas-Watch-on-the-Rhine-1941.jpg|thumb|left|Paul Lukas starring as Kurt Mueller in the original Broadway production of [[Lillian Hellman]]'s ''[[Watch on the Rhine (play)|Watch on the Rhine]]'' (1941)]]
Lukas was busy in the 1930s, appearing in such films as the [[melodrama]] ''[[Rockabye (1932 film)|Rockabye]]'', the crime caper ''[[Grumpy (1930 film)|Grumpy]]'', [[Alfred Hitchcock]]'s ''[[The Lady Vanishes (1938 film)|The Lady Vanishes]]'', the comedy ''[[Ladies in Love]]'', and the drama ''[[Dodsworth (film)|Dodsworth]]''. He followed [[William Powell]] and [[Basil Rathbone]], portraying the series detective [[Philo Vance]], a cosmopolitan New Yorker, once in ''[[The Casino Murder Case (film)|The Casino Murder Case]]'' (1935).

His major film success was ''[[Watch on the Rhine]]'' (1943), where he played a man working against the [[Nazism|Nazis]], a role he originated in the [[Broadway theatre|Broadway]] premiere of the [[Watch on the Rhine (play)|play of the same name]] in 1941.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.ibdb.com/broadway-production/watch-on-the-rhine-1091 |title=''Watch on the Rhine'' |website=IBDB.com |publisher=[[Internet Broadway Database]] }}</ref> His portrayal of Kurt Mueller, a German émigré with an American wife, played by [[Bette Davis]], was universally lauded by critics. [[Brooks Atkinson]] of the ''New York Times'', wrote: "As the enemy of fascism, Mr. Lukas' haggard, loving, resourceful determination becomes heroic by virtue of his sincerity and his superior abilities as an actor."<ref name=Bowers>Bower, Ronald; Unterburger, Amy L. ed. ''International Dictionary of Films and Filmmakers: Actors and Actresses'', St. James Press (1997) p. 740</ref> He won the [[Academy Award for Best Actor]] for the role. He also received the [[New York Film Critics Award]] for his performance.<ref name=Bowers/>

In 1943, Lukas guest-starred as the lead character in an episode of the radio program ''[[Suspense (radio drama)|Suspense]]'', "Mr. Markham, Antique Dealer",<ref>{{cite web|title=Internet Archive|url=https://archive.org/details/SUSPENSE}}</ref> as well as the character of a blind composer in the episode "A World of Darkness".<ref>Blackstone Audio "Suspense" Vol.2 issued 2015</ref> On 2 April 1944, he starred in "The Steadfast Heart" on ''[[Silver Theater (radio program)|Silver Theater]]''.<ref>{{cite news|title=Sunday Highlights|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/2108436/st_paul_lukas/|agency=The Nebraska State Journal|date=April 2, 1944|page=28|via = [[Newspapers.com]]|access-date = 31 March 2015}} {{Open access}}</ref>
In the 1940s, Lukas was a charter member of the [[Motion Picture Alliance for the Preservation of American Ideals]], a conservative lobbying group opposed to possible [[The Hollywood blacklist|Communist influence in Hollywood]].

Lukas also starred as Professor Aronnax in [[Walt Disney]]'s film version of [[Jules Verne]]'s ''[[20,000 Leagues Under the Sea (1954 film)|20,000 Leagues Under the Sea]]'' (1954).

Lukas' film career continued into the 1960s, with nine films, including ''[[Fun in Acapulco]]'' with [[Elvis Presley]] in 1963 and ''[[Lord Jim (1965 film)|Lord Jim]]'' with [[Peter O'Toole]] in 1965. His final film, ''[[The Challenge (1970 film)|The Challenge]]'', was released in 1970.

The remainder of his career moved from Hollywood to the stage, and to television. His only singing role was as Cosmo Constantine in the original 1950 Broadway stage version of [[Irving Berlin]]'s ''[[Call Me Madam]]'', opposite [[Ethel Merman]] for over 600 performances (although he is heard singing a song in the 1933 film ''[[Little Women (1933 film)|Little Women]]'').<ref>{{Citation|title=None but the Lonely Hearts by Paul Lukas|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dFQpipT_5eE|url-status=dead|language=en|access-date=2019-12-04|archive-date=14 April 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200414053332/https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dFQpipT_5eE&gl=US&hl=en}}</ref>

Lukas died 15 August 1971, in [[Tangier]], Morocco,<ref name="WVobit">Obituary ''[[Variety Obituaries|Variety]]'', August 18, 1971, p. 55.</ref> reportedly while searching for a place to spend his retirement years. He is buried in Spain.

==Recognition==
Lukas was honored with a star on the [[Hollywood Walk of Fame]], at 6821 Hollywood Boulevard, on February 8, 1960.<ref>{{cite web|title=Paul Lukas|url=http://www.walkoffame.com/paul-lukas|website=Hollywood Walk of Fame|access-date=3 October 2015}}</ref>

==Filmography==
{| class="wikitable sortable"
|-
! Year
! Title
! Role
! Notes
|-
| 1920
| ''[[Boccaccio (1920 film)|Boccaccio]]''
| Boccaccio
|
|-
| 1922
| ''[[Samson and Delilah (1922 film)|Samson and Delilah]]''
| Ettore Ricco, tenor
|
|-
| rowspan="2"|1923
| ''[[Triumphant Life]]''
| Lord Harry Arwood
|
|-
| ''[[The Unknown Tomorrow]]''
|
|
|-
| rowspan="8"| 1928
| ''[[Three Sinners]]''
| Count Dietrich Wallentin
| '''Lost''' film
|-
| ''[[Manhattan Cocktail (film)|Manhattan Cocktail]]''
| Boris Renov
| '''Lost''' film
|-
| ''[[The Woman from Moscow]]''
| Vladimir
| '''Incomplete''' film
|-
| ''[[Loves of an Actress]]''
| Doctor Durande
| '''Lost''' film
|-
| ''[[Two Lovers (1928 film)|Two Lovers]]''
| Don Ramon de Linea
| '''Incomplete''' film
|-
| ''[[Hot News]]''
| James Clayton
| '''Lost''' film
|-
| ''[[Night Watch (1928 film)|Night Watch]]''
| Captain Corlaix
|
|-
| ''[[The Shopworn Angel (1928 film)|The Shopworn Angel]]''
| Bailey
| '''Incomplete''' film
|-
| rowspan="3"| 1929
| ''[[The Wolf of Wall Street (1929 film)|The Wolf of Wall Street]]''
| David Tyler
| '''Lost''' film
|-
| ''[[Illusion (1929 film)|Illusion]]''
| Count Fortuny
|
|-
| ''[[Half Way to Heaven (1929 film)|Half Way to Heaven]]''
| Nick Pogli
|
|-
| rowspan="8"| 1930
| ''[[Behind the Make-Up]]''
| Boris
|
|-
| ''[[Slightly Scarlet (1930 film)|Slightly Scarlet]]''
| Malatroff
|
|-
| ''[[Young Eagles (film)|Young Eagles]]''
| Von Baden
|
|-
| ''[[The Benson Murder Case (film)|The Benson Murder Case]]''
| Adolph Mohler
|
|-
| ''[[The Devil's Holiday]]''
| Dr Reynolds
|
|-
| ''[[Grumpy (1930 film)|Grumpy]]''
| Berci
|
|-
| ''[[Anybody's Woman]]''
| Gustave Saxon
|
|-
| ''[[The Right to Love (1930 US Film)|The Right to Love]]''
| Eric
|
|-
| rowspan="7"| 1931
| ''[[City Streets (1931 film)|City Streets]]''
| Big Fellow Mashal
|
|-
| ''[[Unfaithful (1931 film)|Unfaithful]]''
| Colin Graham
|
|-
| ''[[Working Girls (1931 film)|Working Girls]]''
| Doctor Joseph Von Schrader
|
|-
| ''[[Women Love Once]]''
| Julien Fields
|
|-
| ''[[The Beloved Bachelor]]''
| Michael Morda
|
|-
| ''[[Strictly Dishonorable (1931 film)|Strictly Dishonorable]]''
| Gus
|
|-
| ''[[The Vice Squad]]''
| Stephen Lucarno
|
|-
| rowspan="6"| 1932
| ''[[No One Man]]''
| Dr Karl Bemis
|
|-
| ''[[Tomorrow and Tomorrow (film)|Tomorrow and Tomorrow]]''
| Doctor Nicholas Faber
|
|-
| ''[[Thunder Below]]''
| Ken
|
|-
| ''[[Downstairs (film)|Downstairs]]''
| Albert, the Baron's Butler
|
|-
| ''[[A Passport to Hell]]''
| Lt. Kurt Kurtoff
|
|-
| ''[[Rockabye (1932 film)|Rockabye]]''
| Antonie de Sola
|
|-
| rowspan="7"| 1933
| ''[[Grand Slam (1933 film)|Grand Slam]]''
| Peter Stanislavsky
|
|-
| ''[[The Kiss Before the Mirror]]''
| Walter Bernsdorf
|
|-
| ''[[Sing Sinner Sing]]''
| Phil Carida
|
|-
| ''[[Secret of the Blue Room]]''
| Captain Walter Brink
|
|-
| ''[[Captured!]]''
| Colonel Carl Ehrlich
|
|-
| ''[[Little Women (1933 film)|Little Women]]''
| Professor Bhaer
|
|-
| ''[[By Candlelight]]''
| Josef
|
|-
| rowspan="7"|1934
| ''[[The Countess of Monte Cristo (1934 film)|The Countess of Monte Cristo]]''
| Rumowski
|
|-
| ''[[Glamour (1934 film)|Glamour]]''
| Victor Banki
|
|-
| ''[[I Give My Love]]''
| Paul Vadja
|
|-
| ''[[Gift of Gab (film)|Gift of Gab]]''
| The Corpse
|
|-
| ''[[Father Brown, Detective]]''
| Flambeau
|
|-
| ''[[The Fountain (1934 film)|The Fountain]]''
| Rupert von Narwitz
|
|-
| ''[[Affairs of a Gentleman]]''
| Victor Gresham
|
|-
| rowspan="4"| 1935
| ''[[The Casino Murder Case (film)|The Casino Murder Case]]''
| Philo Vance
|
|-
| ''[[Age of Indiscretion]]''
| Robert Lenhart
|
|-
| ''[[The Three Musketeers (1935 film)|The Three Musketeers]]''
| Athos
|
|-
| ''[[I Found Stella Parish]]''
| Stephan Norman
|
|-
| rowspan="2"| 1936
| ''[[Dodsworth (film)|Dodsworth]]''
| Arnold Iselin
|
|-
| ''[[Ladies in Love]]''
| John Barta
|
|-
| rowspan="4"| 1937
| ''[[Brief Ecstasy]]''
| Professor Paul Bernardy
|
|-
| ''[[The Mutiny of the Elsinore (1937 film)|The Mutiny of the Elsinore]]''
| Jack Pethurst
|
|-
| ''[[Espionage (1937 film)|Espionage]]''
| Anton Kronsky
|
|-
| ''[[Dinner at the Ritz]]''
| Baron Philip de Beaufort
|
|-
| 1938
| ''[[The Lady Vanishes (1938 film)|The Lady Vanishes]]''
| Dr. Hartz
|
|-
| rowspan="2"| 1939
| ''[[Confessions of a Nazi Spy]]''
| Dr. Kassell
|
|-
| ''[[Captain Fury]]''
| Francois Dupre
|
|-
| rowspan="4"| 1940
| ''[[Strange Cargo (1940 film)|Strange Cargo]]''
| Hessler
|
|-
| ''[[The Chinese Bungalow (1940 film)|The Chinese Bungalow]]''
| Yuan Sing
|
|-
| ''[[The Ghost Breakers]]''
| Parada
|
|-
| ''[[A Window in London]]''
| Zoltini
| Released as ''Lady in Distress'' in the US
|-
| rowspan="2"| 1941
| ''[[The Monster and the Girl]]''
| W. S. Bruhl
|
|-
| ''[[They Dare Not Love]]''
| Baron von Helsing
|
|-
| rowspan="2"|1943
| ''[[Hostages (1943 film)|Hostages]]''
| Rheinhardt
|
|-
| ''[[Watch on the Rhine]]''
| Kurt Muller
|Won [[Academy Award for Best Actor]]
|-
| rowspan="3"| 1944
| ''[[Uncertain Glory (1944 film)|Uncertain Glory]]''
| Inspector Marcel Bonet
|
|-
| ''[[Address Unknown (1944 film)|Address Unknown]]''
| Martin Schulz
|
|-
| ''[[Experiment Perilous]]''
| Nick Bederaux
|
|-
| rowspan="2"| 1946
| ''[[Deadline at Dawn]]''
| Gus Hoffman
|
|-
| ''[[Temptation (1946 film)|Temptation]]''
| Sir Meyer Isaacson
|
|-
| rowspan="2"|1947
| ''[[Whispering City]]''
| Albert Frederic
|
|-
| ''[[Don't Be a Sucker]]''
| The Refugee
| Produced by the [[US War Department]]
|-
|-
| 1948
| ''[[Berlin Express]]''
| Dr Bernhardt
|
|-
| 1950
| ''[[Kim (1950 film)|Kim]]''
| Lama
|
|-
| 1954
| ''[[20,000 Leagues Under the Sea (1954 film)|20,000 Leagues Under the Sea]]''
| Prof. Pierre Aronnax
|
|-
| 1958
| ''[[The Roots of Heaven (film)|The Roots of Heaven]]''
| Saint Denis
|
|-
| 1959
| ''[[Judgment at Nuremberg (Playhouse 90)|Judgment at Nuremberg]]''
| Ernst Janning
|
|-
| 1960
| ''[[Scent of Mystery]]''
| Baron Saradin
| See [[Smell-O-Vision]]
|-
| rowspan="2"| 1962
| ''[[Tender Is the Night (film)|Tender Is the Night]]''
| Dr. Dohmler
|
|-
| ''[[Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse (film)|Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse]]''
| Karl von Hartrott
|
|-
| rowspan="2"| 1963
| ''[[55 Days at Peking]]''
| Dr. Steinfeldt
|
|-
| ''[[Fun in Acapulco]]''
| Maximillian Dauphin
|
|-
| 1965
| ''[[Lord Jim (1965 film)|Lord Jim]]''
| Stein
|
|-
| 1968
| ''[[Sol Madrid]]''
| Capo Riccione
|
|-
| 1970
| ''[[The Challenge (1970 film)|The Challenge]]''
| Dr Nagy
| TV movie
|-
|}

==See also==
* [[List of actors with Academy Award nominations]]

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
{{Commons category|Paul Lukas}}
* {{Internet Archive author |sname=Paul Lukas |sopt=t}}
* {{IMDb name|510134}}
* {{IBDB name}}
* [http://www.virtual-history.com/movie/person/913/paul-lukas Paul Lukas] at Virtual History

{{Navboxes
|title = Awards for Paul Lukas
|list =
{{AcademyAwardBestActor 1941-1960}}
{{Distinguished Performance Award}}
{{GoldenGlobeAwardBestActorMotionPictureDrama 1943-1960}}
{{New York Film Critics Circle Award for Best Actor}}
}}

{{Authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Lukas, Paul}}
[[Category:1894 births]]
[[Category:1971 deaths]]
[[Category:20th-century Hungarian male actors]]
[[Category:20th-century American male actors]]
[[Category:20th-century American Jews]]
[[Category:Actors from Palm Springs, California]]
[[Category:American people of Hungarian-Jewish descent]]
[[Category:Jews from Austria-Hungary]]
[[Category:Best Actor Academy Award winners]]
[[Category:Best Drama Actor Golden Globe (film) winners]]
[[Category:Hungarian emigrants to the United States]]
[[Category:Hungarian male silent film actors]]
[[Category:Jewish American male actors]]
[[Category:Jewish Hungarian actors]]
[[Category:Jewish anti-communists]]
[[Category:Male actors from Budapest]]
[[Category:MPAPAI members]]