HERTZ, ALEKSANDER

(1879-1928)

Film producer who dominated the first stage of the development of Polish cinema with hisfilm studioestablished in 1909,Sfinks(Sphinx). Hertz recognized the commercial appeal of stars. He was responsible for launching the careers ofPola NegriandJadwiga Smosarska, among others. He was also able to attract the best film professionals, including influential directorsRyszard Bolesławski, Edward Puchalski, and Jan Kucharski; camera operators Jan Skarbek-Malczewski and Zbigniew Gniazdowski; and actors such asAntoni Fertner, Kazimierz Junosza-Stępowski, and Józef Węgrzyn. Hertz is credited as a director or codirector of several films, includingThe Man(Mężczyzna, 1918),Krysta(1919, with Danny Kaden), andThe Promised Land(Ziemia obiecana, 1927, with Zbigniew Gniazdowski). Hertz's premature death in 1928 marked the end of the first period of Polish cinema.