Search a film or person :
FacebookConnectionRegistration
Walter Slezak is a Actor Autrichien born on 3 may 1902 at Vienna (Austria)

Walter Slezak

Walter Slezak
If you like this person, let us know!
Nationality Austria
Birth 3 may 1902 at Vienna (Austria)
Death 21 april 1983 (at 80 years)

Walter Slezak ([ˌvaltɐ ˈslɛzak]) (3 May 1902 – 21 April 1983) was an Austrian-born character actor and singer who appeared in German films before migrating to the US in 1930 and featuring in numerous Hollywood productions. Slezak often portrayed villains or thugs, most notably the German U-boat captain in Alfred Hitchcock's film Lifeboat (1944), but occasionally he got to play lighter roles, as in The Wonderful World of the Brothers Grimm (1962). He also played a cheerfully corrupt and philosophical private detective in the film noir Born to Kill (1947) and appeared as Squire Trelawney in Treasure Island (1972).

Biography

Slezak married Johanna "Kaasi" Van Rijn on October 10, 1943. The couple had three children: Ingrid, Erika, and Leo. Erika went on to become an Emmy-winning actress, and starred as Victoria Lord on the long-running soap opera One Life to Live from 1971 to its cancellation in 2012. In 1974 Slezak appeared on the series as her character's godfather, Lazlo Braedecker.


Death
On April 21, 1983, shortly before his 81st birthday, Slezak died from a self-inflicted gunshot wound. He was reportedly despondent over his advanced physical illness. As was his father, he is buried in the Bavarian village Rottach-Egern.

Best films

The Pirate (1948)
(Actor)
This Land Is Mine (1943)
(Actor)
The Spanish Main (1945)
(Actor)

Usually with

Source : Wikidata

Filmography of Walter Slezak (43 films)

Display filmography as list

Actor

Treasure Island, 1h34
Directed by Antonio Margheriti, John Hough, Andrea Bianchi
Origin United-kingdom
Genres Adventure
Themes Seafaring films, Transport films, Pirate films, Films about disabilities, L'Or
Actors Orson Welles, Walter Slezak, Rik Battaglia, Lionel Stander, Ángel del Pozo, Michel Garland
Roles Squire Trelawney
Rating57% 2.8987152.8987152.8987152.8987152.898715
Jim Hawkins (Kim Burfield) is a young boy who works at a pub with his mother (Maria Rohm). When a drunken old sailor named Billy Bones (Lionel Stander) comes in for a drink and dies, Jim gets his hands on a map which shows the whereabouts of pirate Captain Flint's treasure. Immediately taking action, he then enlists the help of Squire Trelawney (Walter Slezak) and Dr. Livesey (Angel DelPozo) to join him as he locates the island on the map. Together, they join a ship commanded by Captain Smollett (Rik Battaglia) that will lead them to their destination. Word of the treasure map gets around and most of the crew are recruited with the help of the ship's cook, Long John Silver (Orson Welles), an ex-pirate who had sailed with Captain Flint and intends to get the treasure by mutiny and murder. Already on the island is a marooned pirate, Ben Gunn, who has spent his time on the island gathering the treasure. With his help Jim, the Squire, the Doctor, the Captain and a number of loyal crewmen outwit the pirates, killing most of them in gun battles. Silver is captured, but escapes, when the ship reaches harbour in the West Indies. Much of the plot and the linking narrative - spoken by Jim Hawkins - is faithful to the original book.
Black Beauty, 1h46
Directed by James Hill (réalisateur britannique)
Origin United-kingdom
Genres Drama, Western
Themes Films about animals, Films about horses, Children's films, Mise en scène d'un mammifère
Actors Walter Slezak, Mark Lester, Patrick Mower, John Nettleton, Uschi Glas, Peter Lee Lawrence
Roles Hackenschmidt
Rating54% 2.709032.709032.709032.709032.70903
Black Beauty is a stallion who, as a foal in England c 1856, is befriended by a boy named Joe (the film was actually made in Ireland). After being stolen by a brutal squire who also takes over Joe's family farm, is later killed, he is acquired by gypsies, who then sell him to a Spanish circus.
Dr. Coppelius
Genres Fantasy
Actors Walter Slezak
Roles Dr. Coppelius
Rating60% 3.0491453.0491453.0491453.0491453.049145
The Caper of the Golden Bulls, 1h42
Directed by Russell Rouse
Origin USA
Genres Comedy, Action, Crime
Themes Heist films
Actors Stephen Boyd, Yvette Mimieux, Giovanna Ralli, Vito Scotti, J.G. Devlin, Arnold Moss
Roles Antonio Gonzales
Rating60% 3.047073.047073.047073.047073.04707
During a bombing mission to Germany, wartime pilot Peter Churchman (Boyd) inadvertently destroys a French cathedral. To atone, after the war, Churchman and a crew of accomplices rob a number of banks, making sure the money goes to have the cathedral rebuilt.
Congress of Love, 1h40
Directed by Géza von Radványi
Origin German
Genres Comedy
Actors Curd Jürgens, Lilli Palmer, Paul Meurisse, Walter Slezak, Françoise Arnoul, Hannes Messemer
Roles Der 'Ewige Wiener'
Rating54% 2.7345152.7345152.7345152.7345152.734515
Au début du XIX siècle, le congrès de Vienne doit notamment décider du sort de l’empereur Napoléon exilé sur l’île d'Elbe depuis 1814 et redéfinir les frontières européennes. Sur fond de valses viennoises, les têtes couronnées vont surtout être accaparées par leurs intrigues amoureuses.
A Very Special Favor, 1h45
Directed by Michael Gordon
Origin USA
Genres Comedy, Romantic comedy, Romance
Actors Rock Hudson, Leslie Caron, Charles Boyer, Walter Slezak, Frank De Vol, Dick Shawn
Roles Etienne
Rating61% 3.0967653.0967653.0967653.0967653.096765
Paul Chadwick (Hudson) is a wealthy American oilman who is in a Parisian court, where he is up against the opposing lawyer Michel Boullard (Charles Boyer). Paul wins the case, but only by seducing the judge, who happens to be a woman. Shortly after, Boullard sets out to New York, where he plans on reuniting with his daughter Lauren (Caron), whom he has not seen for over 25 years, since his American wife divorced him for flirting with another woman. On the plane, he meets Paul, to whom he complains about having lost because of his charm, a French quality. Paul apologizes for having hurt his French pride and offers a favor in return.
Twenty-Four Hours to Kill, 1h34
Origin United-kingdom
Genres Drama, Thriller
Themes Transport films, Aviation films
Actors Lex Barker, Mickey Rooney, Walter Slezak, Michael Medwin, Wolfgang Lukschy, France Anglade
Roles Malouf
Rating50% 2.5212852.5212852.5212852.5212852.521285
En raison d'une avarie sur deux de ses moteurs, un avion de ligne américain, qui volait en direction d'Athènes, est contraint de se poser à Beyrouth. L'équipage doit attendre 24 heures pour que ce soit réparé avant de poursuivre leur voyage (d'où le titre du film dans sa version originale). Toutefois, l'un des membres de l'équipage, le chef de cabine, semble particulièrement nerveux à l'idée de ce séjour inattendu. Des gens louches le pistent et il échappe par deux fois à un enlèvement. L'équipage, notamment le chef pilote, le protège des agissements du cartel tandis que le passé de trafiquant du stewart se révèle peu à peu. Au bout de 24 heures, l'appareil redécolle.
Emil and the Detectives, 1h39
Directed by Peter Tewksbury
Origin USA
Genres Comedy, Comedy-drama, Action, Adventure, Crime
Themes Children's films
Actors Walter Slezak, Roger Mobley, Elsa Wagner, Peter Ehrlich, Wolfgang Völz, Franz Nicklisch
Roles Baron
Rating61% 3.05083.05083.05083.05083.0508
Pendant son voyage vers Berlin, le jeune Émile Tischbein se fait voler les 400 Deutsche marks qu'il devait apporter à sa grand-mère de la poche de sa veste. Il soupçonne immédiatement son voisin de siège M. Grundeis, connu dans le monde des truands sous le nom de « la Taupe ». Seul dans la grande ville, Emile commence sa filature. Il fait la connaissance de « Gustave au klaxon » un adolescent qui commande à une bande des enfants qui jouent aux détectives. Le petit groupe d'enfants reprend l'affaire et établit un plan de bataille. Ils récoltent les premiers indices, font le tour des hôtels et retrouvent enfin Grundeis qui s'est associé à deux gangsters pour planifier le casse d'une banque.
The Wonderful World of the Brothers Grimm, 2h15
Directed by Henry Levin, George Pal
Origin USA
Genres Science fiction, Biography, Comedy, Fantasy, Adventure, Musical
Themes Inspiré de l'univers des contes et légendes, Films about writers, Films about magic and magicians, Musical films, Children's films
Actors Laurence Harvey, Claire Bloom, Karlheinz Böhm, Barbara Eden, Walter Slezak, Oskar Homolka
Roles Stossel
Rating63% 3.195823.195823.195823.195823.19582
The story focuses on the Grimm brothers, Wilhelm (Laurence Harvey) and Jacob (Karlheinz Böhm), and is biographical and fantastical at the same time. They are working to finish a history for a local Duke (Oscar Homolka), though Wilhelm is more interested in collecting fairy tales and often spends their money to hear them from locals. Tales such as "The Dancing Princess" and "The Cobbler and the Elves" are integrated into the main plot. One of the tales is told as an experiment to three children in a book store to see if publishing a collection of fairytales has any merit. Another tale, "The Singing Bone", is told by an old woman (Martita Hunt) in the forest who tells stories to children, while the uninvited Wilhelm secretly listens through an open window. The culmination of this tale involves a jeweled dragon and features the most involved usage of the film's special effects.
Come September, 1h52
Directed by Robert Mulligan
Origin USA
Genres Comedy, Romantic comedy, Romance
Actors Rock Hudson, Gina Lollobrigida, Sandra Dee, Joel Grey, Bobby Darin, Walter Slezak
Roles Maurice Clavell
Rating68% 3.446623.446623.446623.446623.44662
Wealthy American businessman Robert Talbot (Rock Hudson) owns a villa on the Ligurian coast, where he and his Roman mistress Lisa Fellini (Gina Lollobrigida) spend September of each year. When Robert moves up his annual visit to July and calls her en route from Milano, she cancels her wedding to Englishman Spencer (Ronald Howard) and rushes to meet him. Upon his arrival at the villa, Robert discovers that, in his absence, his major domo, Maurice Clavell (Walter Slezak), has turned the villa into a hotel, currently hosting a group of teenage girls, including Sandy (Sandra Dee), and their chaperone, Margaret Allison (Brenda De Banzie). Their departure is delayed when Margaret slips on a champagne bottle cork dropped by Robert and is forced to spend a day in the hospital. Four teenage boys who irritated Robert on the drive to his villa, including Tony (Bobby Darin), set up camp right outside of the villa and begin courting the girls.
The Miracle, 2h1
Directed by Irving Rapper
Genres Drama
Themes Films about religion, Films about sexuality, Films based on plays, Films about virginity
Actors Carroll Baker, Roger Moore, Walter Slezak, Vittorio Gassman, Katína Paxinoú, Gustavo Rojo
Roles Flaco
Rating59% 2.9548152.9548152.9548152.9548152.954815
Teresa (Carroll Baker), a postulant at the convent of Miraflores in Salamanca, Spain, is an orphan taken in by the sisters there. She enjoys the convent life, despite being a handful for her superiors. She sings worldly love songs to the other postulants and reads secular stories and plays such as Romeo and Juliet. Still, she has a lively devotion to Christ and to His Blessed Mother. A statue of the Madonna, in fact, is held in high regard by Teresa as she goes about her duties.
Ten Thousand Bedrooms, 1h54
Directed by Richard Thorpe
Origin USA
Genres Comedy, Romantic comedy, Musical, Romance
Themes Films about music and musicians, Musical films
Actors Dean Martin, Anna Maria Alberghetti, Eva Bartok, Dewey Martin, Walter Slezak, Paul Henreid
Roles Papa Martelli
Rating56% 2.8041852.8041852.8041852.8041852.804185
Millionaire hotel mogul Ray Hunter (Dean Martin) flies to Rome to buy another property, the Regent. He is picked up at the airport by lovely Maria Martelli (Eva Bartok), who works for the hotel's owner, the Countess Alzani.
The Steel Cage, 1h20
Directed by Walter Doniger
Origin USA
Genres Drama
Actors Paul Kelly, Maureen O'Sullivan, Walter Slezak, John Ireland, Lawrence Tierney, Arthur Franz
Roles Louis, the Prison Chef, segment "The Chef"
Rating62% 3.127943.127943.127943.127943.12794
This script must be run from the command line