Helmut Dantine

Birth Name: Helmut Josef Franz Guttmann

Date of Birth: 7 October, 1918

Place of Birth: Vienna, Austria

Date of Death: 2 May, 1982

Place of Death: Beverly Hills, California, U.S.

Ethnicity: Austrian-Ashkenazi Jewish

Helmut Dantine was an Austrian-American actor and producer. His films included Mrs. Miniver, The Pied Piper, Desperate Journey, The Navy Comes Through, Casablanca, Edge of Darkness, Mission to Moscow, Watch on the Rhine, Northern Pursuit (1943), Hotel Berlin, Whispering City, Alexander the Great, War and Peace (1956), The Killer Elite (1975), and The Fifth Musketeer.

Helmut was born in Vienna, Austria, the son of Franziska Mathilde Bertha (Dantine) and Alfred Guttmann. His father was an assistant to the Austrian Secretary of State. His mother was born in Choroszcz, now Poland. Helmut was involved with the anti-Nazi movement, and, after the anschluss in 1938, was imprisoned in a concentation camp, before emigrating to the U.S. His December 1938 immigration record appears to describe his “race” as “Hebrew.”

He had a son with his former wife Charlene Stafford Wrightsman; and three children with his former wife, actress Niki Dantine/Nicola Schenck. Charlene was the daughter of oil executive and arts patron Charles Bierer Wrightsman. Nicola was the daughter of film executive Nicholas Schenck, one of the founders of Loews.

Helmut’s paternal grandfather was named Josef Guttmann.

Helmut’s paternal grandmother was named Helene Frenda.

Helmut’s maternal grandfather was named Felix Dantine.

Helmut’s maternal grandmother was named Mathilde Mayer/Maja.

Source: Likely immigration record of Helmut Dantine/Helmut Guttmann – https://www.familysearch.org