1940s
After the sudden rise and meteoric fall of Luise's star during the 1930s she started the new decade at an all-time low; but the determination which had seen her clash horns with Louis B. Mayer stood her in good stead now when she found herself ostracised from Hollywood but committed to choose her own destiny from here on. If the 1930s was the decade that changed her life forever, then the 40s were the years when she truly found herself. Contrary to popular belief she didn't walk out of Hollywood altogether, in fact, she still lived in Los Angeles and she now began her journey back from the despair of MGM, a disastrous marriage and the ever-present threat of the Second World War with a fresh desire to do the work she wanted to do. Her name was attached to a number of film projects, but she only made one, Hostages, for Paramount in 1944. The 1940s was the decade when Luise started over, rediscovered the theatre and forged a new future for herself and inadvertantly created a memorable legacy in the process. Notable highlights of this decade include Luise's divorce from Clifford Odets, her marriage to Robert Knittel and the birth of her daughter, Francesca; her Broadway and television debuts and working with Bertolt Brecht to create The Caucasian Chalk Circle.
The list is in chronological order and includes key dates in Luise's life and career. A * denotes magazine and newspaper articles and interviews, most of which have been copied in full and are available on this site - click the links to open a new page.
1940
Performs as Shaw's Saint Joan at the Civic Theater, Washington D.C., directed by Erwin Piscator (March 10th)
Divorce with Clifford Odets finalised (4th May)
Volunteers for work with the National Child Refugee Committee in New York and works under an assumed name (July)
Attends luncheon, Biltmore Hotel in support of the Roosevelt / Wallace presidential campaign (15th October)
1941
Campaigns for Bertolt Brecht to leave Europe for the US and signs an affadavit for him to do so
1942
Broadway debut, The Music Box Theatre, New York, J.M. Barrie's A Kiss for Cinderella (10th March >18th April)
Meets Bertolt Brecht to discuss and idea for a play for her to star in on Broadway (later to become The Caucasian Chalk Circle)
1943
Premiere of Hostages, her final American film (12th August)
1944
1945
Marries publisher Robert Knittel (12th July)
1946
Birth of daughter, Francesca (2nd June)
1947
Summer theatre tour of the USA in the title role of Maxwell Anderson's Joan of Lorraine
The Great Waltz re-issued in cinemas in the USA (25th July)
1948
Appears as the title character in another prodution of Joan of Lorraine at the Montclair Theatre, NJ (30th August > 4th September)
1949
Visits Italy to discuss a film project with Vittorio de Sica (no film is ever made)
Sits for painter Dimitri Berea whose portrait of Luise is captured on the cover of France Illustration magazine (the portrait nows hangs in her London apartment) above
Television debut in The Chevrolet Tele-Theatre episode Trapeze (24th January)
Plays Nina in Chekhov's The Seagull at the Brattle Theater, Massachusetts (October 19th-30th)
Makes UK television debut in By Candlelight (27th November)
1910-1930 1930s 1940s 1950s 1960s 1970s 1980s 1990s 2000+
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