Peter Lorre
Biography
Peter Lorre (1904—1964), was a stage and screen actor of Austrian descent especially known for playing roles with sinister overtones in Hollywood crime films and mysteries.
When the Nazis came to power in Germany in 1933, the Jewish Lorre took refuge first in Paris and then London where he played a charming villain in Alfred Hitchcock's The Man Who Knew Too Much. When he arrived in Great Britain, his first meeting was with Hitchcock and by smiling and laughing as Hitchcock talked, the director was unaware that Lorre had a limited command of the English language. During the filming of The Man Who Knew Too Much, Lorre learned much of his part phonetically.
Eventually, he went to Hollywood where he specialized in playing wicked or wily foreigners. After World War II Lorre's acting career in Hollywood experienced a downturn, whereupon he concentrated on radio and stage work. During 1945 and 1946, Lorre hosted the Mystery in the Air radio series.
Peter Lorre died of a stroke in 194, aged 59.
Filmography
With Hitchcock...
- The Man Who Knew Too Much (1934) — cast: Abbott
- Secret Agent (1936) — cast: The General
Alfred Hitchcock Presents...
- Alfred Hitchcock Presents - The Diplomatic Corpse (08/Dec/1957) — cast: Tomas Salgado
- Alfred Hitchcock Presents - Man from the South (03/Jan/1960) — cast: Carlos
Film Frames
Selection of film frames: Peter Lorre (click image to view larger version or refresh thumbnails)...
Image Gallery
Images from the Hitchcock Gallery (click to view larger versions or search for all relevant images)...
Radio Adaptations
- The Lodger (Mystery in the Air, 14/Aug/1947) — cast
Articles
Genealogy
- born Ladislav (László) Löwenstein 26/Jun/1904 in Rózsahegy, Austria
- died 23/Mar/1964 in Los Angeles, California
Links
- The Peter Lorre Library of Sound
- The Peter Lorre Story
- official website for "The Lost One: A Life of Peter Lorre", by Stephen D. Youngkin (University Press of Kentucky, 2005). The book includes a full chapter on Lorre and Hitchcock's work on "The Man Who Knew Too Much" and "Secret Agent". The website includes behind-the-scenes photos on these films.
