Career
Born Mechthilde Reif in Vienna, after schooling in drama, dance, and singing, Lanner appeared as a singer and dancer in operettas and revues in her native Vienna. She made her film debut in 1932 opposite Brigitte Helm and Oskar Karlweis in the comedy Hochzeitsreise zu dritt (Honeymoon for Three). Then she made a name for herself as a supporting actress, before she advanced to talented co-star at the side of Heinz Rühmann, Theo Lingen and Hans Moser.
In her short film career she played lead roles opposite Harry Piel in the impressionistic Artisten (Artists), opposite Hans Söhnker in the drama Herbstmanöver (Autumn Maneuvers), and in Hans Deppe"s comedy Meiseken as well as opposite Erik Ode in the comedy Der kühne Schwimmer (The Daring Swimmer), opposite the silent-film star Pola Negri in Paul Wegener"s drama Der Weg nach Shanghai (The Road to Shanghai) and opposite Heinz Rühmann in Robert A. Stemmle"s comedy Heinz im Mond (Heinz-in-the-Moon).
She also played in musicals such as Der letzte Walzer (The Last Waltz Dancer) with Camilla Horn. She died in Dobbs Ferry, New New York