BACH, ERNST

(1876-1929)

   Playwright, director. Bach was a native Viennese who became best known for his work in Berlin as half of the "firm of Arnold and Bach," though he was already an established director when he first encountered Franz Arnold in 1909. The phenomenal success of their playwriting partnership enabled Bach to run the Volkstheater in Munich throughout the Weimar years. Bach began acting in Vienna's Raimund Theater, and his Berlin career began in 1903 at the Residenz Theater under Sigmund Lautenberg. In 1905 Bach began directing at the Lustspielhaus; in 1908 he became principal director there, and a year later he began working with Arnold. Bach's career with Arnold began in 1913 with Die spanische Fliege (The Spanish Fly) and resumed in 1918, after both men had completed army service, with the military comedy Zwangseinquartierung (Forced Emergency Housing). Among other—and almost always stupendously successful—comedies Bach and Arnold wrote were Der keusche Lebemann (The Reluctant Playboy, 1921), Der kühne Schwimmer (The Intrepid Swimmer, 1922), Die vertagte Nacht (The Night of the Following Day, 1923), Der wahre Jakob (The Genuine Jacob, 1924), Stöpsel (1926), Hurra—ein Junge! (Hurray— It's a Boy!, 1927), Unter Geschäftsaussicht (Business Looks Good, 1928), and Week-end im Paradies (Weekend in Paradise, 1929). Most of these shows starred Guido Thielscher in their premiere productions; his antics often were a trademark of products from the firm of Arnold and Bach.