LOST HIS GRIP

Dominion, Volume 29, Issue 202, 23 May 1936, Page 22

LOST HIS GRIP

Suicide After a Party

Eight hours after bidding friends a cheery “good-bye” at the conclusion of a card party at his luxury flat in Berkeley House, Mayfair, Herman Fellner, SS, the pioneer German film producer, was found hanging behind a door.

Returning a verdict of “Suicide while of unsound mind” at the inquest Air. Ingleby Oddie, the Westminster coroner, summarised the tragedy as "The case of an ageing man with au inferiority complex.” A genial giant of a man, over six feet in height, Mr. Fellner had been in London for some years, and was one of the best-known men in the film industry.

He bad been associated with several notable films, including “Sunshine Susie,” “Public Nuisance No. 1,” “The Ghost Train.” “Tell Me To-night,” and ■'The Spy.” His widow, Mrs. Berta Fellner, told the coroner her husband was very well off. and was employed by the GanmomBritish Picture Corporation.

“He- was worried always,” she explained. All his life he worried too much.

“He was worried ami anxious about business, and about his future. lie was worried about Hiller, ami about getting old.” He had a very hi,, business in Germany, and he lost it. Hq was Jsjf,

but he was not expelled from Germany. “I always told him that he were well off,” Mrs. Fellner continued, “had money and friends, and that everybody loved him. There was no need to worry. I told him that every day, and we were so happy.”

He had never threatened to take his life, but sometimes he would say, "What is the good of living? It is better not to live.”

Dr. John Taylor, pathologist, explained that deatli was due to asphyxia by hanging. Mr. Julius Hainman staled that Mr. Fellner worried about everything he undertook, because he thought it would go wrong.

Summing-up, the coroner pointed out I hat there was no question about Mr. Fellner being called on to leave this country. It was well-known in the medical profession that as people got to bis time of life they began to worry about their future.

A significant fact was that Mr. Fellner had told his doctor he felt he was losing his grasp of things. That really was Hie cause of his unfortunate end. Expressing sympathy with the family. Mr. Jacobs, for the Gauraont-Bri-fisli Film Corporation, mentioned that -Mr. Fellner hail a new contract, which did M£t exgiyg guUl Eebruarjj .