Franz Grothe

Franz Grothe (17 September 1908 – 12 September 1982) was a German composer, arranger, songwriter, conductor, and pianist active from the mid 1920s until his death in 1982 at the age of 73. He was a prolific composer for German cinema, and was a writer of popular songs. He was particularly known for his output of successful musical films. While principally a composer for the screen, he also wrote some musicals and operettas for the stage. but flouted the party's ban on jazz music by continuing to compose in a swing style. However, Grothe officially joined the Nazi party and was appointed Werner Egk's deputy while Egk was the leader of the Composer division ("") in the State-Approved Society for the Exploitation of Musical Performing Rights (German: ; STAGMA) which was then under the control of the Nazi Reichsmusikkammer (Reich Music Chamber).

With Georg Haentzschel, Grothe co-founded the German Dance and Entertainment Orchestra in 1941. He had a major success with the satirical musical film The Spessart Inn (1958). He also composed music for German television in the 1960s and 1970s. He was the recipient of the (1966), the (1975), and the Max Reger Prize (1978). He served as chairman of the board of GEMA from 1972 until his death

Selected filmography

The Night Belongs to Us (1929) The Last Company (1930) Boycott (1930) Love Songs (1930) The Big Attraction (1931) The Secret of the Red Cat (1931) Ronny (1931) The Unfaithful Eckehart (1931) The House of Dora Green (1933) And Who Is Kissing Me? (1933) The Girl with the Bruise (1933) The Castle in the South (1933) Tell Me Who You Are (1933) Dream Castle (1933) The Gentleman from Maxim's (1933) Waltz War (1933) The Big Bluff (1933) Heinz in the Moon (1934) Between Two Hearts (1934) So Ended a Great Love (1934) Miss Madame (1934) Peter, Paul and Nanette (1935) Winter Night's Dream (1935) The Blonde Carmen (1935) The Valley of Love (1935) A Woman Between Two Worlds (1936) The Love of the Maharaja (1936) The Merry Wives (1936) The Castle in Flanders (1936) Red Orchids (1938) Napoleon Is to Blame for Everything (1938) Secret Code LB 17 (1938) The Secret Lie (1938) Alarm at Station III (1939) Marriage in Small Doses (1939) The Curtain Falls (1939) Der singende Tor (1939) Roses in Tyrol (1940) Women Are Better Diplomats (1941) The Swedish Nightingale (1941) Love Me (1942) I Entrust My Wife to You (1943) The Eternal Tone (1943) A Waltz with You (1943) Love Premiere (1943) Don't Play with Love (1949) Nothing But Coincidence (1949) Derby (1949) Unknown Sender (1950) Taxi-Kitty (1950) Beloved Liar (1950) Harbour Melody (1950) Furioso (1950) Doctor Praetorius (1950) Chased by the Devil (1950) The Beautiful Galatea (1950) The House in Montevideo (1951) Fanfares of Love (1951) The Blue Star of the South (1951) Father Needs a Wife (1952) Must We Get Divorced? (1953) Hocuspocus (1953) Stars Over Colombo (1953) Fanfare of Marriage (1953) Scandal at the Girls' School (1953) They Call It Love (1953) The Blue Hour (1953) Ave Maria (1953) A Parisian in Rome (1954) Portrait of an Unknown Woman (1954) I Often Think of Piroschka (1955) Roses in Autumn (1955) The Blue Danube (1955) A Girl Without Boundaries (1955) Three Girls from the Rhine (1955) The Golden Bridge (1956) If We All Were Angels (1956) Queen Louise (1957) The Saint and Her Fool (1957) Goodbye, Franziska (1957) A Piece of Heaven (1957) Salzburg Stories (1957) Wir Wunderkinder (1958) The Trapp Family in America (1958) The Priest and the Girl (1958) The Man Who Walked Through the Wall (1959) Rendezvous in Vienna (1959) The Angel Who Pawned Her Harp (1959) Old Heidelberg (1959) Twelve Girls and One Man (1959) Jacqueline (1959) The Last Pedestrian (1960) Stage Fright (1960) Sweetheart of the Gods (1960) Two Among Millions (1961) The House in Montevideo (1963) My Daughter and I (1963) A Mission for Mr. Dodd (1964) Praetorius (1965) Liselotte of the Palatinate (1966)