Oskar Werner Online

Elinora · Last edited by Elinora on Thu Oct 15, 2009 5:46 am; edited 1 time in total

OW & LETTERS

Oskar Werner said that he had received many beautiful fan letters:
When he played Hamlet he said..."A little maid had seen it, and wrote me a letter that I still remember: She said that although she didn't quite understand all of Hamlet.....she got something valuable out of it:
He continued "When she went to see me in Hamlet she was sad for a personal reason....and was melancholy about life...but after she saw Hamlet she realized that someone had suffered more in life..and that person was Hamlet: "So I sat down and wrote her a letter saying...I think
Shakespeare wrote the play because of this...and if she already understood that...his message would follow her all of her life:
"That is what gratifies me....when some performance enriches a person's life"

-----------------------------------------------------------

A woman in Germany, wrote OW a very unsentimental and directly worded letter...informing him that by the time he read it she would have passed away....because for her, life would not make any sense after the death of her partner:
She told OW not to worry....that she just wanted, to thank him on behalf of her late husband..who had spent his life in a wheelchair due to a chronic illness:
One of the few real pleasures he enjoyed were Oskar Werner's performances in the Theatre and Cinema:
OW...who always felt a responsibility as an artist to his audience..carried this letter with him always!!!

Elinora · Posted: Thu Oct 15, 2009 2:55 am Post subject:

This is a photo from the film 'Interlude' which does not appear on the DVD: It may have been cut from the finished production

Nici · Site Admin Joined: 19 Nov 2007 Posts: 184

Hey, Elinora that is a wonderful info about the letters! Thank you so much for these!!!

Elinora · Posted: Fri Oct 16, 2009 10:59 pm Post subject:

You are most welcome Nici:
Regarding letters...OW also said "I am constantly amazed when fans write
to me and want to know about my personal life...Why should they care about me as a person?

But if somebody sits down...and writes me a letter that concerns my work...I answer this letter: I have beautiful letters...sometimes I come from tour with a whole suitcase of fan letters...I take them VERY seriously
and answer them...even if it takes three days and nights!!!

Elinora · Posted: Tue Nov 03, 2009 10:42 am Post subject:

OW reflects....on the terrace of his house:

Elinora · Posted: Tue Nov 03, 2009 11:02 am Post subject:

tina · Junior Member Joined: 01 Dec 2007 Posts: 46

Dear Elinora, What a great photo, it's one I have never seen. Where did it come from. Thanks. All the best to you and all the forum members, Tina

Elinora · Posted: Thu Nov 05, 2009 9:13 am Post subject:

Dear Tina...I am glad that you liked the photo...It IS great isn't it:
I came across both those images completely by accident when I was browsing
online...If I remember correctly..It said that were unpublished, I also found this one....

and this is a photo of OW in an Antique Shop:

tina · Junior Member Joined: 01 Dec 2007 Posts: 46

Dear Elinora, Fabulous new photos, thanks, Tina. All the best to all.

ferran · Junior Member Joined: 28 Dec 2008 Posts: 100

I've seen that photo of Oskar sitting at his desk in one of his homes (or so I assume that's where he is), and I wondered why anyone would place stamps on a lampshade. Then I realized that this may be another clue to Oskar's sentimental nature. These stamps most likely were taken off the envelopes of fan mail he received through the years. Admirable sentiments by the great Oskar Werner.

Elinora · Posted: Mon Nov 09, 2009 11:33 pm Post subject:

@ Tina: I am glad that you like the photos...I'll keep looking for more...and I'll post what I can Very Happy

@ Ferran: This is just a theory...but postage stamps were/are a major industry in Liechtenstein....They are referred to as little works of art:
Perhaps..OW's lampshade is a locally made product Very Happy

Does anybody know who the gentleman is...in the photo on OW's desk:
He seems to be improtant as his picture is turned towards the camera:
I thought at first it was Carl Jung...but the ressemblance is only slight!!!!

ferran · Junior Member Joined: 28 Dec 2008 Posts: 100

Elinora -- Well, I must have some Leichtenstein cultural traits in my "blood" because I also tend to use postage stamps for decoration, usually on the front of my bookcases! I believe the gentleman in the picture on Oskar's desk is Albert Schweitzer. He died in 1965, so there's a chance that he and Oskar may have met each other at some point in time.

Elinora · Posted: Mon Nov 09, 2009 11:56 pm Post subject:

Thank you so much...for your very quick reply Ferran, and for enlightening me about the photo of Albert Schweitzer: I believe the photo of OW was taken in 1965: Perhaps he placed the picture on his desk in memory of this great man....Thanks again for your information....Elinora Very Happy

ferran · Junior Member Joined: 28 Dec 2008 Posts: 100

In one of Oskar's biographies is this charming anecdote: Oskar reveled in his role as orchestra conductor in the movie, "Interlude." His enthusiasm prompted him to one day invite all the members of the orchestra to his hotel for a drink. A member of the Board of Directors (my assumed translation here) approached Oskar and said that Sir Thomas Beechum had also invited the orchestra members out for dinner that night. Oskar smiled and gave a good-natured response, "I'm not Sir yet!" Good sport, that Oskar Werner!

Ms. Waldron · Junior Member Joined: 01 Jan 2008 Posts: 95

Hi! All,

I've been away for a while, but all this information and pictures are awesome. Thanks! All of you!