Biography
Friedrich Gnaß was a German actor. Born on 13 November 1892 in Langendreer (now part of Bochum), he trained as a machine fitter and worked as a sailor, fitter and crane operator before turning to acting at the age of 31.
In 1923 he began actor training in Hamburg and made his stage debut in 1925 at the Hamburger Kammerspiele. He moved to Berlin in 1926 and performed at the Volksbühne and Theater am Schiffbauerdamm. Gnaß made his film debut in 1929 in Jenseits der Straße and appeared in supporting roles in such films as Mutter Krausens Fahrt ins Glück (1930), M (1931) as the burglar Franz, and Kameradschaft (1931).
After the Second World War he worked as a theatre actor in Berlin and became a member of Bertolt Brecht’s Berliner Ensemble, remaining with the company until his death on 8 May 1958 in East Berlin. He also took notable supporting roles in several DEFA productions.
