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1-23 of 23
- Actor
- Writer
- Director
Peter Lorre was born László Löwenstein in Rózsahegy in the Slovak area of the Austro-Hungarian Empire, the son of Hungarian Jewish parents. He learned both Hungarian and German languages from birth, and was educated in elementary and secondary schools in the Austria-Hungary capitol Vienna, but did not complete. As a youth he ran away from home, first working as a bank clerk, and after stage training in Vienna, Austria, made his acting debut at age 17 in 1922 in Zurich, Switzerland. He traveled for several years acting on stage throughout his home region, Vienna, Berlin, and Zurich, including working with Bertolt Brecht, until Fritz Lang cast him in a starring role as the psychopathic child killer in the German film M (1931).
After several more films in Germany, including a couple roles for which he learned to speak French, Lorre left as the Nazis came to power, going first to Paris where he made one film, then London where Alfred Hitchcock cast him as a creepy villain in The Man Who Knew Too Much (1934), where he learned his lines phonetically, and finally arrived in Hollywood in 1935. In his first two roles there he starred as a mad scientist in Mad Love (1935) directed by recent fellow-expatriate Karl Freund, and the leading part of Raskolnikov in Crime and Punishment (1935), by another expatriate German director Josef von Sternberg, a successful movie made at Lorre's own suggestion. He returned to England for a role in another Hitchcock film, Secret Agent (1936), then back to the US for a few more films before checking into a rehab facility to cure himself of a morphine addiction.
After shaking his addiction, in order to get any kind of acting work, Lorre reluctantly accepted the starring part as the Japanese secret agent in Thank You, Mr. Moto (1937), wearing makeup to alter his already very round eyes for the part. He ended up committed to repeating the role for eight more "Mr. Moto" movies over the next two years.
Lorre played numerous memorable villain roles, spy characters, comedic roles, and even a romantic type, throughout the 1940s, beginning with his graduation from 30s B-pictures The Maltese Falcon (1941). Among his most famous films, Casablanca (1942), and a comedic role in the Broadway hit film Arsenic and Old Lace (1944).
After the war, between 1946 and '49 Lorre concentrated largely on radio and the stage, while continuing to appear in movies. In Autumn 1950 he traveled to West Gemany where he wrote, directed and starred in the critically acclaimed but generally unknown German-language film The Lost Man (1951), adapted from Lorre's own novel.
Lorre returned to the US in 1952, somewhat heavier in stature, where he used his abilities as a stage actor appearing in many live television productions throughout the 50s, including the first James Bond adaptation Casino Royale (1954), broadcast just a few months after Ian Fleming had published that first Bond novel. In that decade, Lorre had various roles, often to type but also as comedic caricatures of himself, in many episodes of TV series, and variety shows, though he continued to work in motion pictures, including the Academy Award winning Around the World in 80 Days (1956), and a stellar role as a clown in The Big Circus (1959).
In the late 50s and early 1960s he worked in several low-budget films, with producer-director Roger Corman, and producer-writer-director Irwin Allen, including the aforementioned The Big Circus and two adventurous Disney movies with Allen. He died from a stroke the year he made his last movie, playing a stooge in Jerry Lewis' The Patsy (1964).- Silvia Suvadová was born on 4 April 1973 in Ruzomberok, Czechoslovakia [now Slovak Republic]. She is an actress and producer, known for The Fast and the Furious: Tokyo Drift (2006), Violent Blue (2011) and Behaving Badly (2007).
- Anna Javorková was born on 8 October 1952 in Ruzomberok, Czechoslovakia. She is an actress, known for Druhý dych (2012), Divoké kone (2015) and Nemozná (1988). She is married to Vladimír Strnisko.
- Actor
- Director
Peter Marcin was born on 27 March 1966 in Ruzomberok, Czechoslovakia [now Slovakia]. He is an actor and director, known for Uragán (2001), Susedia (2006) and Alzbetin dvor (1986).- Actress
- Soundtrack
Vlasta Pruchová was born on 12 July 1926 in Ruzomberok, Czechoslovakia [now Slovakia]. She was an actress, known for V trestném území (1951), Dukla 61 (2018) and Kavarnicka drive narozenych (1985). She was married to Jan Hammer. She died on 16 June 2006 in Prague, Czech Republic.- Elo Romancik was born on 17 December 1922 in Ruzomberok, Czechoslovakia. He was an actor, known for Gottwald (1986), Roky prelomu (1989) and Rodná zem (1954). He died on 9 October 2012 in Bratislava, Slovakia.
- Jirí Holý was born on 27 November 1922 in Ruzomberok, Czechoslovakia [now Slovakia]. He was an actor, known for Sokolovo (1975), Horoucí srdce (1963) and Dny zrady (1973). He died on 11 November 2009 in Prague, Czech Republic.
- Boris Zachar was born on 1 June 1968 in Ruzomberok, Czechoslovakia [now Slovakia]. He is an actor, known for Pán profesor (2020), Panelák (2008) and Následky pozlátenia (1990).
- Anton Sulik was born on 27 March 1931 in Ruzomberok-Cernová, Czechoslovakia. He was an actor, known for Keby som mal pusku (1971), Nevesta k zulíbání (1981) and Zlaté casy (1979). He died on 11 January 1999 in Bratislava, Slovakia.
- Production Designer
- Actor
- Art Department
Viliam Gruska was born on 24 September 1936 in Ruzomberok, Czechoslovakia [now Slovakia]. He was a production designer and actor, known for Perinbaba (1985), Hriech Kataríny Padychovej (1973) and Král Drozdia brada (1984). He died on 23 September 2019 in Bratislava, Slovakia.- Ján Zimmer was born on 16 May 1926 in Ruzomberok, Czechoslovakia. He was a composer, known for Stopy na Sitne (1969), Bratia (1962) and Organ (1965). He died on 20 January 1993 in Bratislava, Slovakia.
- Cinematographer
Josef Pesek was born on 27 January 1925 in Ruzomberok, Czechoslovakia [now Slovakia]. He is a cinematographer, known for Julius Fucik (1953), Setkání v Bukuresti (1954) and Opus Pro Smrtihlava (1984).- Frída Bachletová was born on 17 March 1901 in Ruzomberok, Austria-Hungary. She was an actress, known for Ivanov (1964), Bratia (1962) and Drevená dedina (1955). She died on 28 December 1969 in Bratislava, Czechoslovakia.
- Ladislav Hrusovský was born on 4 January 1973 in Ruzomberok, Czechoslovakia [now Slovakia]. He is an actor, known for The Teacher (2016), Demoni (2006) and Mesto tienov (2008).
- Peter Lejko was born on 10 September 1947 in Ruzomberok, Czechoslovakia [now Slovakia]. He is an actor, known for Detour on the Path to Perfect Illusion (2016), Otec (1994) and Svadobná cesta (1991).
- Martin Hasák was born on 16 April 1978 in Ruzomberok, Czechoslovakia [now Slovakia]. Martin is a composer, known for Wee King of Nowhere (2016), Vojtech (2015) and Horúca krv (2012).
- Production Designer
- Art Department
- Set Decorator
Boris F. Kudlicka was born on 5 December 1972 in Ruzomberok, Czechoslovakia [now Slovakia]. He is a production designer and set decorator, known for Television Theater (1953), Egoisci (2000) and The Metropolitan Opera HD Live (2006).- Actor
- Production Manager
- Director
Vladimír Zimmer was born on 26 June 1921 in Ruzomberok, Czechoslovakia [now Slovakia]. He was an actor and production manager, known for Cierne umenie (1944), Rodná zem (1954) and Kvapka slnka (1947). He died on 20 January 1990 in Bratislava, Czechoslovakia [now Slovakia].- Miroslav Saniga was born on 20 January 1964 in Ruzomberok, Czechoslovakia [now Slovakia].
- Alexander Kautnik was born on 20 February 1904 in Ruzomberok, Austria-Hungary. He was an actor, known for Priehrada (1950), V hodine dvanástej (1959) and The Deserter and the Nomads (1968). He died on 1 February 1988 in Kosice, Czechoslovakia.
- Igor Adamec was born on 1 April 1964 in Ruzomberok, Czechoslovakia [now Slovakia]. He is an actor, known for Lóve (2011), Wonderful Times (2009) and Hon na carodejnice (1994).
- Jana Biskupská was born on 1 August 1952 in Ruzomberok, Czechoslovakia [now Slovakia]. She is an actress, known for Cierna minúta (1970), Nasi pred bránami (1970) and Bludicka (1977).
- Writer
- Script and Continuity Department
Viera Mikulásová-Skridlová was born on 13 March 1924 in Ruzomberok, Czechoslovakia [now Slovakia]. Viera was a writer, known for Alzbetin dvor (1986), Milovaný Célimar (1986) and Jasek's Dream (1996). Viera died on 15 May 2014 in Slovakia.