Luis Van Rooten

Biography

Luis van Rooten was an American actor, author and artist who began his working life as an architect, earning a degree in architecture from the University of Pennsylvania in 1927 and practicing in Cleveland, Ohio, before acting took over. His skill with languages made him a busy military radio announcer during World War II, delivering broadcasts in Italian, Spanish and French, and that same facility led to film work, usually in parts calling for an accent or a dialect. He specialized in villains, among them Heinrich Himmler in The Hitler Gang and Operation Eichmann, and played supporting roles opposite stars in The Big Clock (1948), Night Has a Thousand Eyes (1948) and Detective Story (1951). He supplied the voices of the King and the Grand Duke in Cinderella (1950). He also acted and narrated widely in radio, television and theater, and wrote several books of humor, notably Mots d'Heures: Gousses, Rames.

66years old at death

Born November 29, 1906Mexico City
Died June 17, 1973Chatham
Star sign: SagittariusThe sign runs November 22 to December 21
Also credited as Luis d'Antin van Rooten

Movie Career

Films: 9
Career span: 10 years1948 to 1958

Genres

Drama67%, 6 films
Crime33%, 3 films
Family22%, 2 films
Film-Noir22%, 2 films
Thriller22%, 2 films

First and latest

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Behind the camera
Luis van Rooten wrote Mots d'Heures: Gousses, Rames, a 1967 book of French poems that, read aloud with a French accent, sound out English Mother Goose rhymes.
Languages
Van Rooten's skill with languages made him a military radio announcer in World War II, broadcasting in Italian, Spanish and French, which brought him into film work.
Behind the camera
For the August 22, 1949 edition of Radio City Playhouse, Van Rooten voiced sixteen different characters in "Joey Was Different" and wrote the script as well.

Luis Van Rooten movies on Netflix

Curse of the Faceless Man1958IMDb rating 4.9as Dr. Carlo Fiorillo
The Unholy Wife1957IMDb rating 5.6as Ezra Benton
The Sea Chase1955IMDb rating 6.4as Matz
The Great Adventure1953IMDb rating 7.0as Narrator (Anders an adult) (U.S. version) (voice)
Detective Story1951IMDb rating 7.5as Joe Feinson
Cinderella1950IMDb rating 7.3as King / Grand Duke (voice)
Champion1949IMDb rating 7.3as Jerry Harris
Night Has a Thousand Eyes1948IMDb rating 7.1as Mr. Myers
The Big Clock1948IMDb rating 7.6as Edwin Orlin

Best known for

The films on Netflix they are best known for, with the part played in each.

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Cinderella1950 Animation, Family, Fantasy, Romanceas King / Grand Dukevoice
IMDb rating 7.3189K votes
Champion1949 Dramaas Jerry Harris
IMDb rating 7.35.4K votes
Curse of the Faceless Man1958as Dr. Carlo Fiorillo
IMDb rating 4.91.1K votes
The Big Clock1948as Edwin Orlin
IMDb rating 7.611K votes
Detective Story1951as Joe Feinson
IMDb rating 7.511K votes
The Unholy Wife1957as Ezra Benton
IMDb rating 5.6759 votes
Night Has a Thousand Eyes1948as Mr. Myers
IMDb rating 7.12.3K votes
The Sea Chase1955as Matz
IMDb rating 6.43.9K votes

Most often with

John Farrow directed four of these films. Douglas Spencer appears in three of them, more than any other actor. Pick a number on the chart or a name in the list to see the films they share.

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Douglas Spencer

Kirk Douglas

George Macready

Richard WebbJohn FarrowDirector, 4 films

Films together

Douglas Spencer3 films together, 1948 to 1957
Douglas Spencer's page
- The Unholy Wife1957IMDb rating 5.6Rooten as Ezra BentonSpencer as Judge
- Night Has a Thousand Eyes1948IMDb rating 7.1Rooten as Mr. MyersSpencer as Dr. Ramsdell
- The Big Clock1948IMDb rating 7.6Rooten as Edwin OrlinSpencer as Bert Finch
Kirk Douglas2 films together, 1949 to 1951
Kirk Douglas's page
- Detective Story1951IMDb rating 7.5Rooten as Joe FeinsonDouglas as Det. James McLeod
- Champion1949IMDb rating 7.3Rooten as Jerry HarrisDouglas as Midge Kelly
George Macready2 films together, 1948 to 1951
George Macready's page
- Detective Story1951IMDb rating 7.5Rooten as Joe FeinsonMacready as Karl Schneider
- The Big Clock1948IMDb rating 7.6Rooten as Edwin OrlinMacready as Steve Hagen
Richard Webb2 films together, 1948
Richard Webb's page
- Night Has a Thousand Eyes1948IMDb rating 7.1Rooten as Mr. MyersWebb as Peter Vinson
- The Big Clock1948IMDb rating 7.6Rooten as Edwin OrlinWebb as Nat Sperling
John FarrowDirector, 4 films, 1948 to 1957
All films by John Farrow
- The Unholy Wife1957IMDb rating 5.6Rooten as Ezra Benton
- The Sea Chase1955IMDb rating 6.4Rooten as Matz
- Night Has a Thousand Eyes1948IMDb rating 7.1Rooten as Mr. Myers
- The Big Clock1948IMDb rating 7.6Rooten as Edwin Orlin

Online

Official profiles and reference pages.

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