Karl Farkas was born in Vienna in 1893. At the age of 16, in 1913, he started his training in acting at the Akademie für Musik und darstellende Kunst in Wein, Austria. This ended abruptly with the start of World War I in 1914. He served in the Austrian-Hungarian Army and received a number of decorations. Following the war, Farkas went to Olmuetz (Olomoutz) and Mahrisch-Ostrau (Ostrava) in Czechoslovakia (CSR) to start his acting career.
The Cabaret form of entertainment had remarkable growth and popularity following World War I. Vienna, with its background of music and theatre, especially admired Cabaret theatre. Many talented musicians, actors and writers found the Cabaret the ideal scene for developing their work. There were many young Jews among them, one of whom was Karl Farkas. His work became famous throughout Western Europe and gave him prominence in the USA as well. There he both wrote and collaborated on a number of Broadway musicals and plays.
After a short while Farkas moved on to Linz, Austria where he worked in several theatres. In 1919, he became stage director with the Landestheater, in Linz., he was both an actor and director at the Neue Wiener Buehne, Vienna from 1920-26. At the same time, he started writing scripts and working as an emcee in Viennese cabarets. Together with Fritz Grüenbaum, he developed the concept of double emcee (comic team). Farkas was the creator of the Wiener Revue. From 1926 until 1931, he served as head of the Wiener Stadttheater. His success as a writer and actor expanded. Theaters in Vienna and abroad often requested him as guest artist.. He collaborated concurrently writing various reviews and was invited to Hollywood to work on movie scripts. The Revubuhne Casino, Vienna appointed Farkas head of its operation.. He and Gruenbaum made a number of guest tours and appearances in 1932-33, which included an invitation to Prague (1933). Farkas then became head manager of the Viennese cabaret Simpl. The Germans arrested him in 1938 when Germany took over Austria. He moved to France via Czechoslovakia (CSR) after being released. There he served as head of cabaret Imperatrice from 1938-39 . He endeavored to organize such cabarets, with his colleague Oskar Karlweis, as La gaite de Vienna au coeur de Paris. Farkas also guest appearances in the Netherlands. The reknowned Societe des Autheurs et Compositeurs Dramatiques made him a member n 1939. The French arrested him in 1940 and interned Farkas in the concentration camp at Gurs. He reached the USA in 1941 following his being let go. In New York he attempted to establish cabarets with Kurt Robitschek and other musical artists. He performed in many venues in New York including the Majestic Theater. He also did radio broadcasts for Austrian Action and for American O.W.I. (Office of War Information) He wrote the book for the successful Broadway musical Marinka (1945), and in 1946 both the lyrics and book for Yours Is My Heart, adapted from the Viennese operetta, Bei Kerzenleicht, written by Farkas and Roberts Katscher. This was a special collaboration with American artists. Cole Porter composed the music. The renowned Shubert brothers handled the production. The cast included such notable actors as Libby Holman, Clifton Webb and Lupe Valez. Farkas spent the war years in America. He returned to Austria in 1946 , and resumed his artistic carrier in Vienna in theater, film, radio, TV and cabaret. He contributed to the Wiener Kurier and other journals. From 1946 until 1971, he was head of the new Simpl, Vienna.
Karl Farkas was honored with the Goldenes Ehrenzeichen fur Verdienste um die Republik Osterreich in 1956 and with the Ehrenmedaille der Stadt Wien in Gold in 1963. He received the title of Professor in 1965.
Among his most notable works are Zuruek in Morgen, Also sprach Farkas and Farkas entdeckt Amerika. He also wrote some comedies and revues, such as Wien gib acht, Die Wunderbar, Bei Kerzenlicht and Traumexpress.