---
name: "Anton Karas"
canonical: "https://film.one/person/anton-karas"
fi1m_id: "anton-karas"
imdb_id: "nm0438934"
tmdb_id: 15383
wikidata_id: "Q45213"
roles: ["Composer"]
born: "7 July 1906"
died: "10 January 1985"
reviewed_on_fi1m: 1
average_over: 1
updated: "2026-09-17T21:23:30.516218+00:00"
licence: "© Fi1m Ltd. Written by AI under a human editor; checked against sources before publication. Quote with attribution and a link to the canonical URL."
---

# Anton Karas

## Identity

Anton Karas

- **Canonical:** https://film.one/person/anton-karas
- **Type:** Person
- **Fi1m ID:** anton-karas
- **IMDb ID:** nm0438934
- **TMDB ID:** 15383
- **Wikidata ID:** Q45213
- **Same entity:** https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anton_Karas, https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q45213, https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0438934/, https://www.themoviedb.org/person/15383

Composer. Born 7 July 1906 in Wien, Austria. Died 10 January 1985.

## Details

- **Work:** Composer
- **Born:** 7 July 1906, Wien, Austria
- **Died:** 10 January 1985
- **Elsewhere:** https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anton_Karas, https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q45213, https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0438934/, https://www.themoviedb.org/person/15383

## Streaming the US now

- **Amazon Prime Video:** [*The Third Man*](https://film.one/film/the-third-man.md) (92)

For United States; add `?region=XX` for another country.

## Biography

Anton Karas (1906–1985) was an Austrian zither player and composer. He began playing the zither at the age of twelve and later took evening lessons in Vienna while performing in local wine taverns.

In 1948, while playing in a Vienna tavern, Karas met British film director Carol Reed. Reed invited him to compose and perform the score for the film *The Third Man* (1949). Karas created the music, including the "Harry Lime Theme," which he played on the zither throughout the film.

The success of the film and its theme brought Karas international recognition. He toured extensively, performed for members of the British royal family and other European royalty, and appeared before Pope Pius XII.

*Sources: en.wikipedia.org, allmusic.com.*

## On Fi1m (1)

- *The Third Man* (1949), Fi1m 92, Musician, Music, Original Music Composer — [page](https://film.one/film/the-third-man.md)

## Complete filmography (2)

Every credit, newest first. Titles without a page can be requested for review on the HTML page.

- *Liebe, Sommer und Musik* (1956), as Zitherspieler
- *The Third Man* (1949), Original Music Composer, Musician — Fi1m 92, [page](https://film.one/film/the-third-man.md)

## Gallery

- ![Collectie / Archief : Fotocollectie Anefo Reportage / Serie : [ onbekend ] Beschrijving : Anthon Karas op Schiphol Annotatie : Anton Karas was een Weense siter  (1961)](https://film.one/media/person/59078/gallery-1b680fce0558.jpg) Collectie / Archief : Fotocollectie Anefo Reportage / Serie : [ onbekend ] Beschrijving : Anthon Karas op Schiphol Annotatie : Anton Karas was een Weense siter  (1961) — Jack de Nijs for Anefo  / Anefo, CC0, via Wikimedia Commons (https://thumb.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/0/0e/Anthon_Karas_op_Schiphol%2C_Bestanddeelnr_912-6762.jpg/1280px-Anthon_Karas_op_Schiphol%2C_Bestanddeelnr_912-6762.jpg?utm_source=commons.wikimedia.org&utm_campaign=imageinfo&utm_content=thumbnail)
- ![Postcard of Anton Karas and Orson Welles (2024)](https://film.one/media/person/59078/gallery-75802e3e9855.jpg) Postcard of Anton Karas and Orson Welles (2024) — Garciman73, CC0, via Wikimedia Commons (https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/0/0a/Anton_Karas_%26_Orson_Welles.jpg?utm_source=commons.wikimedia.org&utm_campaign=imageinfo&utm_content=thumbnail_unscaled)
- ![Anton Karas](https://film.one/media/person/59078/gallery-8113f1e3bedf.jpg) Anton Karas — Unknown authorUnknown author, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons (https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/2/23/Anton_Karas_%281906-1985%29.jpg?utm_source=commons.wikimedia.org&utm_campaign=imageinfo&utm_content=thumbnail_unscaled)
- ![Collectie / Archief : Fotocollectie Anefo Reportage / Serie : [ onbekend ] Beschrijving : Anton Karas op huishoudbeurs [te Utrecht?]. Karas is de componist van  (1951)](https://film.one/media/person/59078/gallery-320bf27b1be7.jpg) Collectie / Archief : Fotocollectie Anefo Reportage / Serie : [ onbekend ] Beschrijving : Anton Karas op huishoudbeurs [te Utrecht?]. Karas is de componist van  (1951) — Joop van Bilsen for Anefo, CC0, via Wikimedia Commons (https://thumb.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/7/78/Anton_Karas_op_huishoudbeurs_te_Utrecht_Karas_is_de_componist_van_het_%27Harr%E2%80%A6%2C_Bestanddeelnr_904-4775.jpg/1280px-Anton_Karas_op_huishoudbeurs_te_Utrecht_Karas_is_de_componist_van_het_%27Harr%E2%80%A6%2C_Bestanddeelnr_904-4775.jpg?utm_source=commons.wikimedia.org&utm_campaign=imageinfo&utm_content=thumbnail)
- ![Collectie / Archief : Fotocollectie Anefo Reportage / Serie : [ onbekend ] Beschrijving : Anton Karas op huishoudbeurs [te Utrecht?]. Karas is de componist van  (1951)](https://film.one/media/person/59078/gallery-428d1962f7c1.jpg) Collectie / Archief : Fotocollectie Anefo Reportage / Serie : [ onbekend ] Beschrijving : Anton Karas op huishoudbeurs [te Utrecht?]. Karas is de componist van  (1951) — Joop van Bilsen for Anefo, CC0, via Wikimedia Commons (https://thumb.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/8/81/Anton_Karas_op_huishoudbeurs_te_Utrecht_Karas_is_de_componist_van_het_%27Harr%E2%80%A6%2C_Bestanddeelnr_904-4776.jpg/1280px-Anton_Karas_op_huishoudbeurs_te_Utrecht_Karas_is_de_componist_van_het_%27Harr%E2%80%A6%2C_Bestanddeelnr_904-4776.jpg?utm_source=commons.wikimedia.org&utm_campaign=imageinfo&utm_content=thumbnail)

## Awards

### Other awards — 1 won

- Decoration of Merit in Gold of the State of Vienna 1976: Decoration of Merit in Gold of the State of Vienna (won)

*From Wikidata, which records wins more completely than nominations.*

---
© Fi1m Ltd. Written by AI under a human editor; checked against sources before publication. Quote with attribution and a link to the canonical URL. Canonical: https://film.one/person/anton-karas