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Walter Slezak | |
|---|---|
 Slezak c. 1922 | |
| Born | 3 May 1902 |
| Died | 21 April 1983 (aged 80) Flower Hill, New York, U.S. |
| Resting place | Rottach-Egern, Germany |
| Occupation | Actor |
| Years active | 1922–1980 |
| Spouse | Johanna Van Rijn (m. 1943) |
| Children | 3, including Erika Slezak |
| Parent |
|
| Relatives | Margarete Slezak (sister) |
| Awards | Tony Award (1955) |
Walter Slezak (German pronunciation: [ˌvaltɐ ˈslɛzak]; 3 May 1902 – 21 April 1983) was an Austrian-born film and stage actor active between 1922 and 1976. He mainly appeared in German films before migrating to the United States in 1930 and performing in numerous Hollywood productions.[1]
Slezak typically portrayed wily and loquacious characters, often philosophical, and often with a taste for food, drink, and fine living. He played a crafty villain as a U-boat captain in Alfred Hitchcock's film Lifeboat (1944), a charming, two-timing major domo to a tycoon in Come September (1961), and a wandering gypsy in The Inspector General (1949). He stood out as shrewd, unscrupulous private investigators in film noir, as in Cornered (1945) and Born to Kill (1947).
- ^ "Turner Classic Movies: Biography for Walter Slezak". TCM.com. Retrieved 17 December 2009.