Anton Diffring
Biography
Anton Diffring was a German actor whose British film and television work spanned four decades, and who later appeared in international productions. Born Alfred Pollack in Koblenz, Rhineland-Palatinate, he trained for the stage in Berlin and Vienna. Two uncredited screen appearances in 1940 came to little, and his career only began to gather pace in 1950. Primarily a character actor, he was regularly cast as Nazi officers in World War II films, among them Where Eagles Dare (1968), Zeppelin (1971), The Colditz Story (1955), The Heroes of Telemark (1965) and The Blue Max (1966), and he played SS officer Reinhard Heydrich in Operation Daybreak (1975). He also headlined horror films such as The Man Who Could Cheat Death (1959) and Circus of Horrors (1960), and appeared in Fahrenheit 451 (1966). On stage he took the title part in the musical Mister Venus in 1958, and on television he portrayed Ribbentrop in The Winds of War (1983).
72years old at death
- Born Koblenz
- Died Châteauneuf-Grasse
- Star sign: LibraThe sign runs September 23 to October 22
- Alfred Pollack (birth name)
Movie Career
- Films
- 18
- Career span
- 25 years1952 to 1977
First and latest
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Beyond film
On stage, Diffring took the title part in the musical Mister Venus, with Frankie Howerd. It opened at the Prince of Wales Theatre on 23 October 1958, yet ran for just sixteen performances.
A first
Anton Diffring's last acting role was once more as a Nazi, this time for the BBC in the 1988 Doctor Who serial Silver Nemesis.
A change of course
While he was in England, Anton Diffring picked up English quickly and became fluent. For a period, his job at the War Office was interpreting.
Anton Diffring movies on Netflix
Valentinoas Baron Long
The Swiss Conspiracyas Franz Benninger
Operation: Daybreakas Reinhard Heydrich
Blood on the Streetsas German
Shatteras Hans Leber
The Beast Must Dieas Pavel
The Battle of Sutjeskaas Generaloberst Alexander Lohr
Zeppelinas Colonel Hirsch
Where Eagles Dareas Col. Kramer
The Double Manas Berthold
Fahrenheit 451as Fabian / Headmistress
The Blue Maxas Holbach
The Heroes of Telemarkas Major Frick
Circus of Horrorsas Dr. Schuler
The Man Who Could Cheat Deathas Dr. Georges Bonnet
The Colditz Storyas Hauptmann Fischer
Operation Diplomatas Schroder
Bachelor in Parisas Renoir
Best known for
The films on Netflix they are best known for, with the part played in each.
- The Man Who Could Cheat Death1959 Drama, Horror, Sci-Fias Dr. Georges Bonnet
IMDb rating 6.33.0K votes
Most often with
John Guillermin directed three of these films. Fifteen actors appear in two of them each. Pick a number on the chart or a name in the list to see the films they share.







Films together
Peter Cushing2 films together, 1974
Peter Cushing's page Shatter1974IMDb rating 5.1Diffring as Hans LeberCushing as Paul Rattwood
The Beast Must Die1974IMDb rating 5.6Diffring as PavelCushing as Dr. Christopher Lundgren
Richard Burton2 films together, 1968 to 1973
Richard Burton's page The Battle of Sutjeska1973IMDb rating 6.8Diffring as Generaloberst Alexander LohrBurton as Josip Broz Tito
Where Eagles Dare1968IMDb rating 7.6Diffring as Col. KramerBurton as Maj. Smith
Richard Wattis2 films together, 1952 to 1955
Richard Wattis's page The Colditz Story1955IMDb rating 6.9Diffring as Hauptmann FischerWattis as Richard Gordon
Bachelor in Paris1952IMDb rating 5.2Diffring as RenoirWattis as Carter
Elke Sommer2 films together, 1971 to 1976
Elke Sommer's page The Swiss Conspiracy1976IMDb rating 5.1Diffring as Franz BenningerSommer as Rita Jensen
Zeppelin1971IMDb rating 6.1Diffring as Colonel HirschSommer as Erika Altschul
Reinhard Kolldehoff2 films together, 1974 to 1975
Reinhard Kolldehoff's page Operation: Daybreak1975IMDb rating 7.0Diffring as Reinhard HeydrichKolldehoff as Fleischer, Gestapo
Blood on the Streets1974IMDb rating 6.3Diffring as GermanKolldehoff as Sam
Kenneth J. Warren2 films together, 1960 to 1967
Kenneth J. Warren's page The Double Man1967IMDb rating 5.9Diffring as BertholdWarren as Police Chief
Circus of Horrors1960IMDb rating 6.0Diffring as Dr. SchulerWarren as First Roustabout
John GuillerminDirector, 3 films, 1952 to 1966
All films by John Guillermin The Blue Max1966IMDb rating 7.1Diffring as Holbach
Operation Diplomat1953IMDb rating 6.3Diffring as Schroder
Bachelor in Paris1952IMDb rating 5.2Diffring as Renoir
Also two films together9 more actors
- Brook WilliamsWhere Eagles Dare (1968) and The Heroes of Telemark (1965)
- Derren NesbittWhere Eagles Dare (1968) and The Blue Max (1966)
- Günter MeisnerBlood on the Streets (1974) and The Battle of Sutjeska (1973)
- George MikellZeppelin (1971) and The Double Man (1967)
- Alex ScottFahrenheit 451 (1966) and The Blue Max (1966)
- Brian WorthOperation Diplomat (1953) and Bachelor in Paris (1952)
- Denis ShawThe Man Who Could Cheat Death (1959) and The Colditz Story (1955)
- Ronald RaddOperation: Daybreak (1975) and The Double Man (1967)
- William MarloweZeppelin (1971) and The Heroes of Telemark (1965)
When several people share the same number of films, the ones with the most films on Netflix are in the chart.
Online
Official profiles and reference pages.


