John Gottowt
Known for Acting · 18 credits
- Born
- 1881-06-15
- Died
- 1942-08-29
- Place of birth
- Lemberg, Galicia, Austria-Hungary [now Lviv, Ukraine]
- Also known as
- Isidor Gesang
Biography
John Gottowt (born Isidor Gesang; 15 June 1881 – 29 August 1942) was an Austrian actor, stage director and film director for theatres and silent movies.
Gottowt was born in Lemberg, Austria-Hungary (present-day Lviv, Ukraine) into a Jewish family. After his education in Vienna, he joined the Deutsches Theater in Berlin in 1905, working for Max Reinhardt as an actor and director. Gottowt was mainly active in different theatres in Berlin as a character actor and director.
His first silent film appearance was in Paul Wegener’s Der Student von Prag ("The Student of Prague") (1913). In 1920 he appeared in Robert Wiene's Genuine and took the main role in the early science fiction film Algol. In 1921 he played Professor Bulwer (Abraham van Helsing) in the classic silent film Nosferatu directed by F.W. Murnau.
Gottowt made also several films with his brother-in-law Henrik Galeen but, as a Jew, was banned in 1933 from working as a professional actor. After a few years in Denmark he moved to Kraków in Poland. He was murdered in 1942 by an SS officer while in hiding in Wieliczka, disguised as a Roman Catholic priest.
Known For
Movies (18)
Nosferatu
1922
as Professor Bulwer
The Student of Prague
1913
as Scapinelli - An Old Adventurer
Morphium
1919
Waxworks
1924
as Owner of the Waxworks
Der schwarze Stern
1922
Genuine: The Tragedy of a Vampire
1920
as Guyard
Algol: Tragedy of Power
1920
as Algol
The Twelfth Hour
1930
as Sanitarium Doctor
The Living Dead
1932
as Beamter des Mechanischen Museums
The Hunchback and the Dancer
1920
as James Wilton
Der rote Henker
1920
as L'Angely
Die Prinzessin von Neutralien
1917
as The billionaire Vandergold
Radiohead X Nosferatu: A Symphony of Horror
2025
as Professor Bulwer - ein Paracelsianer
Brennendes Land
1921
as Wladislaus
The Flight in the Night
1926
as Bediensteter
The Night of Queen Isabeau
1920
as Buckliger Narr
Das schwarze Los
1913
as Brighella
Peer Gynt - 1. Teil: Peer Gynts Jugend
1919
About John Gottowt
John Gottowt (born Isidor Gesang; 15 June 1881 – 29 August 1942) was an Austrian actor, stage director and film director for theatres and silent movies. Gottowt was born in Lemberg, Austria-Hungary (present-day Lviv, Ukraine) into a Jewish family. After his education in Vienna, he joined the Deutsches Theater in Berlin in 1905, working for Max Reinhardt as an actor and director. Gottowt was mainly active in different theatres in Berlin as a character actor and director. His first silent film appearance was in Paul Wegener’s Der Student von Pra… With 18 credits spanning from 1913 to 2025, John Gottowt has appeared in 18 films and 0 TV shows.
Fans searching for John Gottowt movies, John Gottowt filmography, or the latest projects starring John Gottowt can stream many of these titles on Bowood.TV, free and in HD, with no subscription required.
Most Popular John Gottowt Movies
- Nosferatu (1922) — as Professor Bulwer
- The Student of Prague (1913) — as Scapinelli - An Old Adventurer
- Morphium (1919)
- Waxworks (1924) — as Owner of the Waxworks
- Der schwarze Stern (1922)
Where to Watch John Gottowt Films
Most John Gottowt movies and series are available to stream on Bowood.TV in full HD, completely free and without signup. Browse the complete filmography above to jump directly to any title. For more films and the latest web series featuring John Gottowt, check our movies catalogue and browse page.