I'm An American -- Luise Rainer

On May 18, 1940 Luise Rainer spoke with William Carmichael, of the Immigration and Naturalization Service, on the NBC radio broadcast about her experience as an American. The leading lady reveals why she, and many other immigrants, choose to exchange one homeland for another. Carmichael informs his guest President Roosevelt declared the third Sunday in May “I Am An American Day”. Rainer recites The Oath of Allegiance and explains her realization of the vow. Luise Rainer says, “Perhaps it takes a new American coming from a land of not so much liberty to understand what the National Anthem means”. She concludes the interview by singing the last verse of “America”. Luise Rainer was born on January 12, 1910 in Dusseldorf, Germany to an affluent Jewish family. She was discovered by legendary theater director Max Reinhardt and flourished under his mentorship. The young actress appeared on several stages and movies in Berlin, Vienna, and Germany in the 1930s. Rainer’s career was cut short when Adolf Hitler enacted the Nuremberg Laws in 1935. Nevertheless, the starlet was offered a seven year contract with Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer and immigrated to the United States. Luise Rainer’s disdain for Hitler’s Germany earned her the moniker the “Viennese teardrop”. She went on to be the first thespian to win two Academy Awards for Best Actress consecutively in 1936 and 1937. The following year Luise Rainer became an American citizen.