- Crusty German character actress, the daughter of a Prussian officer and a Dutch stage actress. She made her theatrical debut in Berlin at the age of fifteen in 1878. Performed in Vienna between 1889 and 1895, at the same time romantically linked to playwright Arthur Schnitzler. Ensemble member of the Deutsches Theater, 1905-1910. She was basically a tragedienne, even essaying male roles (eg. Hamlet). Sandrock entered films well into middle age and was one of the most prolific actresses from the mid-1920's, up until her death. She specialised in despotic or imperious matrons, aristocrats, aunts, mothers-in-law or henpecking wives. Sandrock never married, living in Berlin with her older sister.
- The actress Adele Sandrock was the "primary rock" of the German movie in 20's and 30's. She was an actress through and through. When she began to storm on the screen or on the stage she was able as a dominant "dragon" to intimidate the strongest character, but she could also be cheering and tactfully.
- The new century involved a new sort of acting and Adele Sandrock didn't go down well with her obsolete performance. But this changed at the end of the 10's when she had great success as funny old woman because of her traditional style, the melodious speech and her grandeur.
- She became established as a great character actress with her engagement at the legendary Burgtheater in 1895.
- In the circle of the actors and actresses she was respectful designated as "Aunt Sadele" who knew how to tyrannize the environment in the movies as well as her private life with witty remarks.
- From 1919 she was employed regularly for the film business. In the following 20 years she became an important figurehead of the German movie and impersonated more than 100 parts.
- Her sister Wilhelmine Sandrock (1862-1948) was also a well-known actress.
- In the 30's followed countless other box-office hits which maintained the myth of Adele Sandrock.
- Adele Sandrock got her acting education from her mother who also played for the theater. At the age 15 she made her debut at the Berliner Vorstadttheater Urania. The young Adele Sandrock had great successes on international stages in Berlin, Vienna, Moscow and Budapest in the following years.
- Adele Sandrock made her film debut already in 1911 in the movie "Marianne, ein Weib aus dem Volke" (1911).
- She created one of her legendary remarks during the shooting of "Amphitryon" (35). She played the character of Juno. The clothes she had to put on weighed the little thing of 40 kilograms. In order to relieve her of the weight they created a kind of a frame which she could buckle on and stood on solid feet behind her back. Adele Sandrock stated after the examination of the beam construction: "I shall buckle on this monster? No, I won't! I will wear the dress on my breast, it will sustain!".
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