Mischa Auer

Biography

Born in St. Petersburg and brought to the United States in 1920, Mischa Auer was a Russian-American actor who began on stage in the 1920s at Bertha Kalich's Thalia Yiddish Theater. He moved to Hollywood and made his film debut in 1928 in Something Always Happens. Early roles were small and often uncredited, including Viva Villa! (1934) and The Lives of a Bengal Lancer (1935), and he was mostly cast as a villain. His breakthrough came with My Man Godfrey (1936), playing Alice Brady's protégé, which earned him an Academy Award nomination for Best Supporting Actor and led to a career in zany comedies. He appeared in You Can't Take It with You (1938), Destry Rides Again (1939), Hold That Ghost (1941), Hellzapoppin' (1941), and And Then There Were None (1945). In the 1950s he worked in television and appeared in Orson Welles's Mr. Arkadin (1955), and in the 1960s he acted in films in France and Italy.

61years old at death

Born November 17, 1905Saint Petersburg
Died March 5, 1967Rome
Star sign: ScorpioThe sign runs October 23 to November 21
Michail Semënovič Unskovskij (birth name)Also credited as Mikhail Semyonovich Unskovsky and Mischa Ounskowsky

Movie Career

Films: 24
Career span: 36 years1930 to 1966

Genres

Comedy67%, 16 films
Romance38%, 9 films
Drama33%, 8 films
Crime21%, 5 films
Adventure13%, 3 films

First and latest

Did you know?!

First role
In the 1920s Auer acted on stage at Bertha Kalich's Thalia Yiddish Theater. He then went to Hollywood, where his first film role came in 1928 in Something Always Happens.
Big break
Auer was cast as Alice Brady's protege in the 1936 comedy My Man Godfrey, a role that earned him an Academy Award nomination and, as he said, made a comic out of him.

Mischa Auer movies on Netflix

Arrivederci, Baby!1966IMDb rating 5.5as Romeo
Mr. Arkadin1955IMDb rating 7.1as The Professor
Bachelor in Paris1952IMDb rating 5.2as Comte Marcel de Sarliac
And Then There Were None1945IMDb rating 7.3as Prince Nikita Starloff
Brewster's Millions1945IMDb rating 6.6as Mikhail Mikhailovich
Hellzapoppin'1941IMDb rating 7.4as Pepi
Hold That Ghost1941IMDb rating 7.2as Gregory
The Flame of New Orleans1941IMDb rating 6.5as Zolotov
Seven Sinners1940IMDb rating 6.5as Sasha
Destry Rides Again1939IMDb rating 7.6as Boris
The Rage of Paris1938IMDb rating 6.9as Mike, Head Waiter
You Can't Take It with You1938IMDb rating 7.8as Kolenkhov
Pick a Star1937IMDb rating 5.4as Rinaldo Lopez
My Man Godfrey1936IMDb rating 7.9as Carlo
One Rainy Afternoon1936IMDb rating 5.9as Leading Man
Three Smart Girls1936IMDb rating 6.5as Count Arisztid
Condemned to Live1935IMDb rating 4.8as Zan, the Hunchback
The Lives of a Bengal Lancer1935IMDb rating 7.0as Captured Afridi
Viva Villa!1934IMDb rating 6.3as Military Attaché
Tarzan the Fearless1933IMDb rating 4.8as High Priest
The Monster Walks1932IMDb rating 4.1as Hanns Krug
Mata Hari1931IMDb rating 6.5as Firing Squad Victim
The Royal Bed1931IMDb rating 5.9as Grecian Ambassador
Just Imagine1930IMDb rating 5.3as B-36

Best known for

The films on Netflix they are best known for, with the part played in each.

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You Can't Take It with You1938 Comedy, Drama, Romanceas Kolenkhov
IMDb rating 7.831K votes
Destry Rides Again1939 Comedy, Westernas Boris
IMDb rating 7.614K votes
My Man Godfrey1936as Carlo
IMDb rating 7.929K votes
And Then There Were None1945as Prince Nikita Starloff
IMDb rating 7.319K votes
Mr. Arkadin1955as The Professor
IMDb rating 7.110K votes
Hold That Ghost1941as Gregory
IMDb rating 7.24.7K votes
Hellzapoppin'1941as Pepi
IMDb rating 7.44.0K votes
The Monster Walks1932as Hanns Krug
IMDb rating 4.11.2K votes

Most often with

René Clair directed two of these films, Henry Koster two and Frank R. Strayer two. Samuel S. Hinds appears in four of them, more than any other actor. Pick a number on the chart or a name in the list to see the films they share.

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Samuel S. Hinds

Marlene Dietrich

Roland Young

Nella Walker

James Stewart

J. Carrol NaishRené ClairDirector, 2 films Henry KosterDirector, 2 films Frank R. StrayerDirector, 2 films

Films together

Samuel S. Hinds4 films together, 1938 to 1940
Samuel S. Hinds's page
- Seven Sinners1940IMDb rating 6.5Auer as SashaHinds as Governor
- Destry Rides Again1939IMDb rating 7.6Auer as BorisHinds as Judge Slade
- The Rage of Paris1938IMDb rating 6.9Auer as Mike, Head WaiterHinds as Mr. William Duncan Sr.
- You Can't Take It with You1938IMDb rating 7.8Auer as KolenkhovHinds as Paul Sycamore
Marlene Dietrich3 films together, 1939 to 1941
Marlene Dietrich's page
- The Flame of New Orleans1941IMDb rating 6.5Auer as ZolotovDietrich as Countess Claire Ledoux, aka Lili
- Seven Sinners1940IMDb rating 6.5Auer as SashaDietrich as Bijou
- Destry Rides Again1939IMDb rating 7.6Auer as BorisDietrich as Frenchy
Roland Young3 films together, 1936 to 1945
Roland Young's page
- And Then There Were None1945IMDb rating 7.3Auer as Prince Nikita StarloffYoung as Detective William Henry Blore
- The Flame of New Orleans1941IMDb rating 6.5Auer as ZolotovYoung as Charles Giraud
- One Rainy Afternoon1936IMDb rating 5.9Auer as Leading ManYoung as Maillot
Nella Walker3 films together, 1936 to 1941
Nella Walker's page
- Hellzapoppin'1941IMDb rating 7.4Auer as PepiWalker as Mrs. Rand
- The Rage of Paris1938IMDb rating 6.9Auer as Mike, Head WaiterWalker as Mrs. Duncan
- Three Smart Girls1936IMDb rating 6.5Auer as Count ArisztidWalker as Dorothy Craig
James Stewart2 films together, 1938 to 1939
James Stewart's page
- Destry Rides Again1939IMDb rating 7.6Auer as BorisStewart as Tom Destry Jr.
- You Can't Take It with You1938IMDb rating 7.8Auer as KolenkhovStewart as Tony Kirby
J. Carrol Naish2 films together, 1931 to 1935
J. Carrol Naish's page
- The Lives of a Bengal Lancer1935IMDb rating 7.0Auer as Captured AfridiNaish as Grand Vizier
- The Royal Bed1931IMDb rating 5.9Auer as Grecian AmbassadorNaish as Laker(Carrol Naish)
René ClairDirector, 2 films, 1941 to 1945
All films by René Clair
- And Then There Were None1945IMDb rating 7.3Auer as Prince Nikita Starloff
- The Flame of New Orleans1941IMDb rating 6.5Auer as Zolotov
Henry KosterDirector, 2 films, 1936 to 1938
All films by Henry Koster
- The Rage of Paris1938IMDb rating 6.9Auer as Mike, Head Waiter
- Three Smart Girls1936IMDb rating 6.5Auer as Count Arisztid
Frank R. StrayerDirector, 2 films, 1932 to 1935
All films by Frank R. Strayer
- Condemned to Live1935IMDb rating 4.8Auer as Zan, the Hunchback
- The Monster Walks1932IMDb rating 4.1Auer as Hanns Krug
Also two films together20 more actors
- C. Aubrey SmithAnd Then There Were None (1945) and The Lives of a Bengal Lancer (1935)
- Lionel BarrymoreYou Can't Take It with You (1938) and Mata Hari (1931)
- Russell HicksHold That Ghost (1941) and Pick a Star (1937)
- Akim TamiroffMr. Arkadin (1955) and The Lives of a Bengal Lancer (1935)
- George IrvingViva Villa! (1934) and Just Imagine (1930)
- Spencer ChartersHold That Ghost (1941) and Pick a Star (1937)
- Donald MeekYou Can't Take It with You (1938) and One Rainy Afternoon (1936)
- Charles ColemanThe Rage of Paris (1938) and Three Smart Girls (1936)
- Hugh HerbertHellzapoppin' (1941) and One Rainy Afternoon (1936)
- Charles WinningerDestry Rides Again (1939) and Three Smart Girls (1936)
- Billy GilbertSeven Sinners (1940) and Destry Rides Again (1939)
- Louis HaywardAnd Then There Were None (1945) and The Rage of Paris (1938)
- Richard CarleSeven Sinners (1940) and One Rainy Afternoon (1936)
- Joyce ComptonPick a Star (1937) and Three Smart Girls (1936)
- Eddie 'Rochester' AndersonBrewster's Millions (1945) and You Can't Take It with You (1938)
- Francis X. Bushman Jr.Viva Villa! (1934) and The Royal Bed (1931)
- Shemp HowardHellzapoppin' (1941) and Hold That Ghost (1941)
- Alice BradyMy Man Godfrey (1936) and Three Smart Girls (1936)
- Gail PatrickBrewster's Millions (1945) and My Man Godfrey (1936)
- Lillian YarboDestry Rides Again (1939) and You Can't Take It with You (1938)
When several people share the same number of films, the ones with the most films on Netflix are in the chart.

Box office

What Mischa Auer's films earned in cinemas worldwide.

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Combined worldwide box office

$16.0 million

6 of the 24 films have a worldwide figure.

6Worldwide figure
1US gross only
17Figure not found

Top grosser

You Can't Take It with You1938Kolenkhov$7.4 million

Highest grossing

The six biggest films earned 100% of the total. The bars are drawn to scale.

1
You Can't Take It with You1938as Kolenkhov
$7.4M46.3% of the total
2
The Lives of a Bengal Lancer1935as Captured Afridi
$3.0M18.7% of the total
3
Mata Hari1931as Firing Squad Victim
$2.2M13.9% of the total
4
Hellzapoppin'1941as Pepi
$1.7M10.6% of the total
5
And Then There Were None1945as Prince Nikita Starloff
$1.0M6.2% of the total
6
My Man Godfrey1936as Carlo
$684K4.3% of the total