Biography

During the war time she got involved in the troops care in France, but when the threat also grew in France, she went via Portugal to the USA where she worked for the Red Cross. She generally refused all film offers - most of them were small support roles. Instead of this she frequently appeared on stage. In 1946 she returned to Europe again.

In her private life she became acquainted with the theater director Hartvig Valeur-Larsen. They got married but the marriage was only lasting for four years. Eventually her secretary Else-Pitty Wirth became her partner.

The political turbulences of the 30's also left its mark on the great Lillian Harvey. She spoke for the choreographer Jens Keith and finally helped him to escape to Switzerland. As a result Lillian Harvey was interrogated by the Gestapo.

Her later parts at the theater weren't very successful and Lillian Harvey retired from the film and theater business.

Although she invested the main part of her fortune into real estates she decided - also because she was a British citizen - to emigrate to France in 1939. There she took financial part in her last two movies "Serenade" (1940) and "Miquette" (1940), but the movies weren't successful.During this time she became dispossessed in Germany and lost the bulk of her wealth.