Walter Slezak

Biography

Walter Slezak was an Austrian-born actor whose career ran from 1922 to 1976. He began in German movies and moved to the United States in 1930. He made his American debut in Once Upon a Honeymoon (1942), alongside Ginger Rogers and Cary Grant, and went on to appear in more than 100 films. He often played wily, talkative characters: a U-boat captain in Alfred Hitchcock's Lifeboat (1944), a gypsy in The Inspector General (1949), a major domo in Come September (1961), and scheming private detectives in film noir such as Cornered (1945) and Born to Kill (1947). Other films were The Princess and the Pirate (1944), Sinbad the Sailor (1947), and People Will Talk (1951). He also starred in Broadway musicals, winning a Tony Award in 1955 for Fanny, and performed on radio, on television, and at the Metropolitan Opera.

80years old at death

Born May 3, 1902Vienna
Died April 21, 1983New York City
Star sign: TaurusThe sign runs April 20 to May 20

Movie Career

Films: 24
Career span: 30 years1942 to 1972

Genres

Adventure46%, 11 films
Comedy46%, 11 films
Drama42%, 10 films
Romance29%, 7 films
Family17%, 4 films

First and latest

Did you know?!

First role
Michael Curtiz, who directed the 1922 Austrian film Sodom und Gomorrah, was a friend of Slezak and persuaded him to accept his first role in that movie.

Walter Slezak movies on Netflix

Treasure Island1972IMDb rating 5.8as Squire Trelawney
Black Beauty1971IMDb rating 5.4as Hackenschmidt
The Caper of the Golden Bulls1967IMDb rating 6.2as Antonio Gonzales
Emil and the Detectives1964IMDb rating 6.2as Baron
Wonderful Life1964IMDb rating 5.3as Lloyd Davis
The Wonderful World of the Brothers Grimm1962IMDb rating 6.5as Stossel
Come September1961IMDb rating 6.9as Maurice Clavell
Call Me Madam1953IMDb rating 6.8as August Tantinnin
Confidentially Connie1953IMDb rating 5.8as Emil Spangenberg
People Will Talk1951IMDb rating 7.3as Barker
Abbott and Costello in the Foreign Legion1950IMDb rating 6.3as Sgt. Axmann
The Inspector General1949IMDb rating 6.7as Yakov
The Pirate1948IMDb rating 6.8as Don Pedro Vargas
Born to Kill1947IMDb rating 7.2as Matthew Arnett
Riff-Raff1947IMDb rating 6.8as Eric Molinar
Sinbad the Sailor1947IMDb rating 6.1as Melik
Cornered1945IMDb rating 6.7as Melchior Incza
Salome, Where She Danced1945IMDb rating 5.4as Dimitrioff
The Spanish Main1945IMDb rating 6.3as Don Juan Alvarado
Lifeboat1944IMDb rating 7.6as Willi
The Princess and the Pirate1944IMDb rating 6.8as La Roche
The Fallen Sparrow1943IMDb rating 6.6as Dr. Christian Skaas
This Land Is Mine1943IMDb rating 7.6as Major Erich von Keller
Once Upon a Honeymoon1942IMDb rating 6.4as Baron Franz Von Luber

Best known for

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

Top

Lifeboat1944 Drama, Waras Willi
IMDb rating 7.634K votes
Born to Kill1947 Crime, Drama, Film-Noiras Matthew Arnett
IMDb rating 7.26.8K votes
The Pirate1948as Don Pedro Vargas
IMDb rating 6.86.1K votes
The Inspector General1949as Yakov
IMDb rating 6.73.9K votes
People Will Talk1951as Barker
IMDb rating 7.37.9K votes
Cornered1945as Melchior Incza
IMDb rating 6.72.8K votes
Once Upon a Honeymoon1942as Baron Franz Von Luber
IMDb rating 6.43.6K votes
This Land Is Mine1943as Major Erich von Keller
IMDb rating 7.64.3K votes

Most often with

Richard Wallace directed two of these films, Charles Lamont two. Maureen O'Hara appears in four 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.

Top

Maureen O'Hara

Mike Mazurki

John Banner

Bess Flowers

Cary Grant

George SandersRichard WallaceDirector, 2 films Charles LamontDirector, 2 films

Films together

Maureen O'Hara4 films together, 1943 to 1947
Maureen O'Hara's page
- Sinbad the Sailor1947IMDb rating 6.1Slezak as MelikO'Hara as Shireen
- The Spanish Main1945IMDb rating 6.3Slezak as Don Juan AlvaradoO'Hara as Contessa Francesca
- The Fallen Sparrow1943IMDb rating 6.6Slezak as Dr. Christian SkaasO'Hara as Toni Donne
- This Land Is Mine1943IMDb rating 7.6Slezak as Major Erich von KellerO'Hara as Louise Martin
Mike Mazurki3 films together, 1944 to 1947
Mike Mazurki's page
- Sinbad the Sailor1947IMDb rating 6.1Slezak as MelikMazurki as Yusuf
- The Spanish Main1945IMDb rating 6.3Slezak as Don Juan AlvaradoMazurki as Erik Swaine
- The Princess and the Pirate1944IMDb rating 6.8Slezak as La RocheMazurki as Pirate
John Banner3 films together, 1942 to 1943
John Banner's page
- The Fallen Sparrow1943IMDb rating 6.6Slezak as Dr. Christian SkaasBanner as Anton
- This Land Is Mine1943IMDb rating 7.6Slezak as Major Erich von KellerBanner as German Sergeant
- Once Upon a Honeymoon1942IMDb rating 6.4Slezak as Baron Franz Von LuberBanner as Von Kleinoch
Bess Flowers2 films together, 1951 to 1953
Bess Flowers's page
- Call Me Madam1953IMDb rating 6.8Slezak as August TantinninFlowers as Lady Seated Behind Duchess
- People Will Talk1951IMDb rating 7.3Slezak as BarkerFlowers as Concertgoer
Cary Grant2 films together, 1942 to 1951
Cary Grant's page
- People Will Talk1951IMDb rating 7.3Slezak as BarkerGrant as Noah Praetorius
- Once Upon a Honeymoon1942IMDb rating 6.4Slezak as Baron Franz Von LuberGrant as Patrick O'Toole
George Sanders2 films together, 1943 to 1953
George Sanders's page
- Call Me Madam1953IMDb rating 6.8Slezak as August TantinninSanders as Cosmo Constantine
- This Land Is Mine1943IMDb rating 7.6Slezak as Major Erich von KellerSanders as George Lambert
Richard WallaceDirector, 2 films, 1943 to 1947
All films by Richard Wallace
- Sinbad the Sailor1947IMDb rating 6.1Slezak as Melik
- The Fallen Sparrow1943IMDb rating 6.6Slezak as Dr. Christian Skaas
Charles LamontDirector, 2 films, 1945 to 1950
All films by Charles Lamont
- Abbott and Costello in the Foreign Legion1950IMDb rating 6.3Slezak as Sgt. Axmann
- Salome, Where She Danced1945IMDb rating 5.4Slezak as Dimitrioff
Also two films together19 more actors
- Ellen CorbyBorn to Kill (1947) and Cornered (1945)
- Byron FoulgerConfidentially Connie (1953) and The Inspector General (1949)
- Marc LawrenceAbbott and Costello in the Foreign Legion (1950) and The Princess and the Pirate (1944)
- Bobby BarberAbbott and Costello in the Foreign Legion (1950) and Riff-Raff (1947)
- Gene LockhartConfidentially Connie (1953) and The Inspector General (1949)
- Steven GerayCall Me Madam (1953) and Cornered (1945)
- Albert DekkerSalome, Where She Danced (1945) and Once Upon a Honeymoon (1942)
- Hume CronynPeople Will Talk (1951) and Lifeboat (1944)
- John MiljanSinbad the Sailor (1947) and The Fallen Sparrow (1943)
- Emory ParnellCall Me Madam (1953) and Confidentially Connie (1953)
- Yvette MimieuxThe Caper of the Golden Bulls (1967) and The Wonderful World of the Brothers Grimm (1962)
- Jack La RueCornered (1945) and The Spanish Main (1945)
- Barbara BatesThe Inspector General (1949) and Salome, Where She Danced (1945)
- George LloydSinbad the Sailor (1947) and The Fallen Sparrow (1943)
- Sayre DearingCall Me Madam (1953) and Born to Kill (1947)
- Maria RohmTreasure Island (1972) and Black Beauty (1971)
- Nancy GatesThe Spanish Main (1945) and This Land Is Mine (1943)
- Bryan RussellEmil and the Detectives (1964) and The Wonderful World of the Brothers Grimm (1962)
- Demetrius AlexisBorn to Kill (1947) and The Spanish Main (1945)
When several people share the same number of films, the ones with the most films on Netflix are in the chart.