Sandrock was born in Rotterdam, Netherlands, the daughter of the German merchant Eduard Sandrock (1834–1897) and his Dutch wife, Johanna Simonetta ten Hagen (1833–1917). With sister Wilhelmine (1861-1948) and brother Christian (1862–1924), she grew up in Rotterdam, and, after her parents' divorce on 15 November 1869, in Berlin, where she learned German.[2]
In 1889, she had her breakthrough at the Theater an der Wien in Vienna in the role of Isabella in Der Fall Clémenceau (L'Affaire Clémenceau) by Alexandre Dumas Fils and Armand d'Artois. Burgtheater star Charlotte Wolter was her great supporter and even borrowed her a fur coat for her costume. She even noted of her: "Finally, a real talent."[3] Afterwards, from 1899 to 1895 she became a member of the Volkstheater ensemble. She created a number of major roles for modern playwrights including Henrik Ibsen and Arthur Schnitzler, with whom she had a notoriously stormy affair and who based the role of The Actress in his play La Ronde on her. She also took an American tour.
She was briefly engaged to marry author Alexander Roda Roda, who integrated the experience in his writing. From 1895, she performed at the Burgtheater in the character type of tragic heroines. She provoked disagreement concerning both her contract and her private life, and left for an extended European tour in 1898. Back at the Volkstheater in 1902, she was not able to continue her success on the stage. In 1905, she moved back to Berlin, to work at the Deutsches Theater led by Max Reinhardt.
In 1911 Sandrock made her silent film debut in the short film Marianne, ein Weib aus dem Volke.[4] She acted in more than 140 films, working with a number of directors including Reinhold Schünzel and Hans Hinrich, and continued her career into the sound film era with her characteristic dark voice. Her autobiography, Mein Leben (My Life), was published in German in 1940.[5]
Death
Sandrock died on 30 August 1937 in Berlin, Germany, at the age of 74. Her coffin was transferred to Vienna on 6 September and she was buried at the Matzleinsdorf Protestant Cemetery.
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