Karl Valentin

Karl Valentin is the greatest Bavarian comedian... but: maybe it's all just a misunderstanding? In any case, Valentin only saw himself as a folk singer, but he also produced Dadaist works of art and wrote futuristic songs. Today, he has a reputation as a comedian who has somewhat fallen out of time. In this film essay, Andreas Ammers asks contemporary comedians such as Luise Kinseher, Willy Astor, Helmut Schleich and Christian Springer about their relationship to their great ancestor. Above all, however, he examines how Karl Valentin would come across if he were played in High German today.

The spindly Karl Valentin is roped into marriage with an Amazon.

A photographer goes on a business trip for three days. His helper (Karl Valentin) and the apprentice (Liesl Karlstadt) would prefer it to close the store during the absence of the boss. They only photograph customers reluctantly and cause all kinds of mayhem. When the boss returns, he faints after taking a look at the chaos.

During the train journey to Munich, the matchmaker Frau von Gobelinski discusses a matter of great importance to her with her agent Schwalbe. She wants to marry off the supposedly ancient Miss Mable, but upon arrival at the hotel, Schwalbe receives a devastating telegram: Prince Hochheim, the lion hunter he had chosen as her groom, has just married himself.

Short Film from 1936. Banned by the Nazis. First shown 1976. Karl Meier and his wife are some really poor folks. They don't have much to eat and they cannot pay for their flat. Even the bailiff does not know what to take from them anymore. One day they are told that they made an inheritance, because some relatives died recently. Their financial problems seem to be solved now.

A film starring Karl Valentin

Karl is an avid stamp collector and journeyman in the employ of the tailor Kuhn. Having taken a fancy to the journeyman, the tailor’s wife Paula means to woo him by adding a priceless stamp to his collection. When a client is robbed, the value of the stamp makes Karl a suspect, and he is wrongly imprisoned until the embarrassing particulars come to light.

A customer (Karl Valentin) tries to buy a record in a record store but can not decide what he actually wants. The saleswoman (Liesl Karlstadt) tries to help him – which is in vain, as the customer eventually damages various records and even a complete cabinet during his visit.

No synopsis available yet.

No synopsis available yet.

No synopsis available yet.

A father and son celebrate the son's Confirmation in a fancy restaurant.

A girl from the city falls for a country lad, but his aunt has other plans for him.

A musician and his conductor clash in this Bavarian film classic; Mixed-up music sheets and mismanaged minutes. Miscommunication is brought to extremes by expert comedians.

No synopsis available yet.

The two clowns, Valentin and Karlstadt, present their act during an audition at a cabaret. They intend to perform a song. Since they are a bit out of practice, things do not go according to plan, and the music stands seem to take on a life of their own: at times they are set too low or too high, while at others they bend or extend of their own accord. Despite—or perhaps because of—this, they are initially hired, only to be passed over in favor of another act. The hapless duo sits dejectedly in a restaurant. Valentin attempts to fish a fly out of a neighboring diner's meal so he can complain about the order and avoid paying the bill.

Bohemia in the 19th century, stage-coach driver Hans loves the mayor's daughter Marie, but she is promised Wenzel, the son of another wealthy farmer. Marie refuses to marry Wenzel because of Hans, but the marriage arranger tries to "buy" Marie from Hans. But when Wenzel tells Hans that he doesn't want to marry Marie either because he loves circus director Brummel's daughter, Hans decides to accept the offer of money for not interfering in the relations of Hans and Marie. But when Marie hears about this, she doesn't want to see Hans again.

The absurd goings-on of a by no means ordinary hair salon, where men with great beards wait in vain for a shave while the barber takes a nap.

Short comedy written by Karl Valentin

No synopsis available yet.

Karl Valentin and Liesl Karlstadt at the Oktoberfest.

No synopsis available yet.

Karl Valentin gets a new desk which absolutely does not fit his needs. He tries to solve the problem in some really strange ways.

In a theater, a young dancer is performing a pirouette when the left spotlight suddenly fails. The right one still works, but it seems to be of no use to her. The director (O. E. Hasse) has no choice but to cancel the performance. Since a longer interruption would be costly, he quickly summons two experts – a journeyman and an apprentice (Karl Valentin and Liesl Karlstadt). He gives them the task of repairing the spotlight in five minutes. While the two don't appear to be the sharpest tools in the shed, they are the only people in the theater who know anything about spotlights.

A photographer goes on a business trip for three days. His helper (Karl Valentin) and the apprentice (Liesl Karlstadt) would prefer it to close the store during the absence of the boss. They only photograph customers reluctantly and cause all kinds of mayhem. When the boss returns, he faints after taking a look at the chaos.

Short Film from 1936. Banned by the Nazis. First shown 1976. Karl Meier and his wife are some really poor folks. They don't have much to eat and they cannot pay for their flat. Even the bailiff does not know what to take from them anymore. One day they are told that they made an inheritance, because some relatives died recently. Their financial problems seem to be solved now.

Karl is an avid stamp collector and journeyman in the employ of the tailor Kuhn. Having taken a fancy to the journeyman, the tailor’s wife Paula means to woo him by adding a priceless stamp to his collection. When a client is robbed, the value of the stamp makes Karl a suspect, and he is wrongly imprisoned until the embarrassing particulars come to light.

A father and son celebrate the son's Confirmation in a fancy restaurant.

A musician and his conductor clash in this Bavarian film classic; Mixed-up music sheets and mismanaged minutes. Miscommunication is brought to extremes by expert comedians.

Based on the life story of Karl Valentin, one of the few theater artists who was not banned in Germany during World War II, this play written by Ferhan Şensoy satirizes Germany from 1914 until Hitler's rise to power and Özal's Turkey during that period.

The absurd goings-on of a by no means ordinary hair salon, where men with great beards wait in vain for a shave while the barber takes a nap.

Short comedy written by Karl Valentin

No synopsis available yet.

Karl Valentin gets a new desk which absolutely does not fit his needs. He tries to solve the problem in some really strange ways.

Karl Valentin gets a new desk which absolutely does not fit his needs. He tries to solve the problem in some really strange ways.

In a theater, a young dancer is performing a pirouette when the left spotlight suddenly fails. The right one still works, but it seems to be of no use to her. The director (O. E. Hasse) has no choice but to cancel the performance. Since a longer interruption would be costly, he quickly summons two experts – a journeyman and an apprentice (Karl Valentin and Liesl Karlstadt). He gives them the task of repairing the spotlight in five minutes. While the two don't appear to be the sharpest tools in the shed, they are the only people in the theater who know anything about spotlights.

A nice short from the early Karl Valentin.

A nice short from the early Karl Valentin.

This reel shows us the "Clown" Valentin in his film studio, in rehearsal, at home, his dog Bobsi.

The film of a performance of a selection of cabaret comedy sketches by Karl Valentin, with Jorge Silva Melo as stage director. The show was a complete success and has become almost legendary. Solveig Nordlund shot it, adding some more sketches that weren’t included on the show.

Karl Valentin and Liesl Karlstadt have actually prepared themselves for a relaxing evening at home, but then the housekeeper enters and gives them two theater tickets for a performance of "Faust". As time is of the essence, a hectic rush ensues: At dinner, the couple get their cutlery tangled up, the cuffs can't be found, nor can a fresh shirt, and to make matters worse, oil ends up on the good dress. The couple reproach each other and bicker until the husband sits around offended and the wife cries. A glance at the theater tickets finally provides relief: the tickets are only valid for tomorrow's performance.