Earlier this year the Burgenland weekly BF dedicated an article to Ludwig Stössel, on the occasion of the 115th anniversary of his birth. In his native country his name hardly rings a bell these days, but in the U.S.A where he made a career in film he became famous for his role of the "little old winemaker."
Another Burgenländer who became famous and rich in Hollywood is the son of the Pamhagen-born emigrant Johann Riessner. Of course, Fred Astaire must be mentioned in this respect. The last actor of Burgenland descent to make a career in Hollywood has been Maria Perschy (Eisenstadt). 

Turning to Ludwig Stössel, he was born on February 12, 1886, in Lockenhaus, into a Jewish merchant family who also owned a small farm. He went to highschool in Graz and, upon graduation, started a career in acting. He first joined the Schauspielhaus Graz and then performed at the Theater in der Josefstadt in Vienna. Later, Max Reinhardt brought him to Berlin. Eventually, Ludwig Stössel became director of the Thalia Theater in Breslau. 

When Hitler came to power in Germany in 1933, Stössel returned to Austria where he had his first apperances in films. He played in "Rebell" with Luis Trenker (1932), in "Testament des Dr. Mabuse" and other films with Hedy Lamarr, Oskar Sima, Adele Sandrock, etc.
Following Austria's anschluss in 1938, Stössel had to flee once more. First he went to Paris where he and some friends founded an Austrian cultural association. Then he went to London where he was offered a film role in Hollywood.

Stössel was already 52 when he started all over in the U.S.A. He played in films starring Marlene Dietrich, Humphry Bogart, Gregory Peck, Ava Gardner and, in his last film, even Elvis Presley. Because of his accented English, Stössel was typically offered the roles of refugees, artists, professors.

He never played a leading role, but all in all he appeared in some 80 films. 
Eventually he became famous for his role of a "little old winemaker" in a short commercial for a Californian wine company. This role brought him instant fame; for elder generations in the U.S.A. he should still be a household name.
A Burgenländer in a typical role: as winemaker.
At the peak of his film career he starred in one of the greatest films ever made, Casablanca (1942); with his halting English, Stössel played a German emigrant.
After WWII he visited Austria a number of times, but it is not known whether he ever returned to Lockenhaus. 
He died on January 29, 1973, in California.

 ( translated article!)