Biography

He died in Berlin on 12 March 1940, before the premiere of his last film, Wie konntest Du, Veronika!, from oyster poisoning.

German character actor, composer, writer and theatrical director. On stage from 1903, member of the Thalia Theatre ensemble from 1907. Served as an officer during World War I, subsequently returned to the stage. Ran his own theatrical company in Berlin from 1928. On screen, specialised in comical, pompous, or at least eccentric, bank managers, chief executives, barristers, and the like. Rarely seen without his ever-present monocle.

His monocle became soon a permanent element of his gentleman characters of high rand in the sound film era.

In 1921 he became head of the Komödienhaus in Berlin, and in 1928 he opened his own theatre in Behrenstraße, where he premiered several comic works of his own.

Roberts also wrote lyrics for songs, which were used for the 1954 film On the Reeperbahn at Half Past Midnight featuring Hans Albers and Heinz Rühmann. In particular, he wrote both the lyrics and the music for the title waltz, originally for a 1912 revue of his at the Thalia, Bunt ist die Welt, and also prominently featured in the film Große Freiheit Nr. 7 from 1944.