Brigitte Helm
Biography
Brigitte Helm was a German film actress born as Brigitte Gisela Eva Schittenhelm on 17 March 1906 according to TMDB (Wikipedia lists the year as 1908). She was born in Berlin, Germany, and died on 11 June 1996 in Ascona, Switzerland, at the age of ninety. Helm is best remembered for playing both Maria and the Maschinenmensch in Fritz Lang’s 1927 silent masterpiece Metropolis. Her career, documented with forty credited performances, began with that film, which also served as her debut. Throughout her life she was identified as female and worked primarily in acting, achieving lasting recognition for her iconic dual role in Metropolis.
Career overview
Brigitte Helm was a German actress whose career began with the landmark silent film Metropolis (1927). In that production she performed the dual role of Maria and the Maschinenmensch, a performance that has remained her most widely recognized work. The film marked her screen debut and established her as a notable figure in German cinema of the late 1920s.
Throughout her career Helm accumulated a substantial body of work, with the TMDB database listing forty acting credits across film and television. Her filmography extended beyond the science‑fiction classic, encompassing a range of German productions during the interwar period and into the early sound era. Although specific titles beyond Metropolis are not detailed in the provided sources, the breadth of her credited roles indicates a sustained presence in the industry for several years.
Helm was born in Berlin, Germany, on 17 March (sources give the year as 1906 in TMDB and 1908 in Wikipedia). She passed away on 11 June 1996; German‑language references note her death occurred in Ascona. At the time of her death she was ninety years old according to the TMDB calculation. Her legacy endures primarily through her iconic performance in Metropolis, which continues to be celebrated as a seminal work of early cinema.
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Frequent co-stars
Career timeline
Full Filmography
40 titles- Hitler's Hollywood (2017) as Self - Actress (archive footage)
- German Film Award (1951) as Self
- Le secret des Woronzeff (1935) as Diane
- An Ideal Husband (1935) as Lady Gertrud Chiltern
- Vers l'abîme (1934) as Karine
- The Island (1934) as Karin
- Gold (1934) as Florence Wills
- Prince Woronzeff (1934) as Diane Morell
- L’Or (1934) as Florence Wills
- Die schönen Tage von Aranjuez (1933) as Olga
- Inge and the Millions (1933) as Inge
- Goodbye Beautiful Days (1933) as Olga
- L'Étoile de Valencia (1933) as Marion Savedra
- Honeymoon Trip (1933) as Anita Paglione
- Spione am Werk (1933) as Marchesa Marcella Galdi
- Der Läufer von Marathon (1933) as Lore Steinkopf
- Hochzeitsreise zu dritt (1933) as Anita Berndt
- The Countess of Monte Cristo (1932) as Jeanette Heider, Filmkomparsin
- Queen of Atlantis (1932) as Antinea
- The Mistress of Atlantis (1932) as Antinea
- The Blue Danube (1932) as Countess Gabrielle
- Gilgi: One of Us (1932) as Gisela Kron, Gilgi
- The Mistress of Atlantis (1932) as Antinéa
- Gloria (1931) as Véra Latour
- In the Employ of the Secret Service (1931) as Vera Lanskaja
- Gloria (1931) as Maria, seine Frau
- The Singing City (1930) as Claire Landshoff - junge Witwe
- Alraune (1930) as Alraune ten Brinken
- The Wonderful Lies of Nina Petrovna (1929) as Nina Petrowna
- Skandal in Baden-Baden (1929) as Vera Kersten
- Manolescu, the Prince of Swindlers (1929) as Cleo
- Autour de l'argent (1929) as Herself
- L'Argent (1928) as Baronin Sandorf
- A Daughter Of Destiny (1928) as Alraune ten Brinken
- The Devious Path (1928) as Irene Beck
- Secrets of the Orient (1928)
- Yacht of the Seven Sins (1928) as Marfa Petrowna
- Metropolis (1927) as Maria / The Machine Man
- The Love of Jeanne Ney (1927) as Gabrielle
- At the Edge of the World (1927) as Magda
Frequently Asked Questions
What movies or TV shows is Brigitte Helm best known for?
Brigitte Helm is widely recognized for notable roles and projects including German Film Award (1951), Danger Mouse (1981), Metropolis (1927).
When and where was Brigitte Helm born?
Brigitte Helm was born on March 17, 1906 in Berlin, Germany. They passed away on June 11, 1996.
How many credits does Brigitte Helm have?
Brigitte Helm has accumulated over 40 film and television credits across a career spanning from 1927 to 2017.
What is Brigitte Helm's background in cinema and television?
Brigitte Helm was a German film actress born as Brigitte Gisela Eva Schittenhelm on 17 March 1906 according to TMDB (Wikipedia lists the year as 1908). She was born in Berlin, Germany, and died on 11 June 1996 in Ascona, Switzerland, at the age of ninety. Helm is best remembered for playing both Maria and the Maschinen...