S.Z. Sakall
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| S.Z. Sakall | |
| Birth name | Szöke Szakáll |
| Born | February 2, 1883 Budapest, Austria-Hungary (now Hungary) |
| Died | February 12, 1955, age 71 Los Angeles, California |
| Other name(s) | "Cuddles" "Szoeko Szakall" |
| Notable roles | Carl the head waiter in Casablanca |
Szöke Szakáll known as S.Z. Sakall (born February 2, 1883 in Budapest - died February 12, 1955 in Los Angeles, California) was a film character actor. He was in many films including In the Good Old Summertime, Lullaby of Broadway, Christmas in Connecticut and Casablanca in which he played Carl, the head waiter.
Chubby-jowled Hungarian character actor S. Z. “Cuddles” Sakall played numerous supporting roles in Hollywood musicals and comedies in the 1940s and 1950s. His rotund cuteness earned Sakall the nickname "Cuddles," and he was often billed as S.Z. "Cuddles" Sakall in his later films though he was never happy about the name. He was famous for using the phrase: "everything hunky dory." He died of a heart attack.
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[edit] The early years
Sakall’s career started on stage and screen in Hungary. He originally began as a sketch writer for Budapest vaudeville shows, then turned to acting at age 18. Initially billed as Szöke Szakáll (which translated to "blonde beard," in honor of the facial adornment he'd grown to appear older). The actor became a star of the Hungarian stage and screen in the 1910s and 1920s and later became popular on stages in Vienna and Berlin. His first movie was in 1927, Familientag im Hause Prellstein. In 1929, he appeared in Ihre Majestaet die Liebe (which was remade in Hollywood as Her Majesty Love, with W.C. Fields in Sakall's role) and Two Hearts in Waltz Time in 1930. During this time, for a brief period, he ran his own production company.
[edit] The War years
When the Nazis came to power in Germany in 1933, Sakall was forced to return to Hungary. He was involved in over 40 movies in Hungary before fleeing the Nazis, who took control of Hungary, again in 1940 with his wife and headed for Hollywood. Many of Sakall's close relatives would later die in Nazi concentration camps, including all three of his sisters, his niece along with his wife's brother and sister.
Sakall began a career that included "an endless succession of excitable theatrical impresarios, lovable European uncles and befuddled shopkeepers." His first Hollywood role was in the 1940 comedy It's a Date opposite Deanna Durbin. His first big hit was Ball of Fire with Gary Cooper and Barbara Stanwyck. Later he signed a contract with Warner Brothers where he had a number of other small roles including 1942's Yankee Doodle Dandy with Jimmy Cagney.
[edit] Casablanca
Later that year, at the age of 51, he portrayed one of his more famous roles, that of Carl, the Headwaiter, in Casablanca. Producer Hal Wallis signed Sakall for his waiter role three weeks after filming on Casablanca had begun. When he was first offered the part he hated it and turned it down. When the movie started filming, the role of Carl was still uncast. Sakall finally agreed to the role as long as they would give him four weeks of work. The two sides eventually agreed on three weeks. He received $1,750 per week and was paid $5,250 total. He actually had more screen time than Peter Lorre or Sydney Greenstreet. His trademark jowls, broken English and nervous excitability were perfect for the role of Carl.
[edit] Other films
Sakall appeared in 30 more movies after this including 1945's Christmas in Connecticut with Stanwyck. Sakall appeared in four films in 1948. First he appeared in the drama Embracable You followed by April Showers. Next he starred as Uncle Lazlo in the Michael Curtiz (Casablanca director) movie, Romance on the High Seas with Doris Day in what was her first movie. His last film of the year was Whiplash.
[edit] Banner year
The year 1949 was a big one for Sakall appearing in four top movies. First Sakall played Felix Hofer in the Doris Day (her second movie) film My Dream is Yours. Later that year, he starred with June Havers and Ray Bolger (Scarecrow in The Wizard of Oz) in Look for the Silver Lining. Next, he starred with Judy Garland and Van Johnson as Otto Oberkugen in In the Good Old Summertime (Liza Minnelli played the baby in the movie). Finally in 1949, Sakall was given the principal role of songwriter Fred Fisher in Oh, You Beautiful Doll, though top billing went to June Haver.
[edit] The Fifties
Sakall appeared in nine more movies during the 1950s, two of which were musicals with Doris Day, playing J. Maxwell Bloomhaus in Tea for Two and Adolph Hubbell in Lullaby of Broadway. His other roles included; Poppa Schultz in the Errol Flynn western Montana, Miklos Teretzky in the June Haver musical The Daughter of Rosie O'Grady, Don Miguel in the Randolph Scott western Sugerfoot, Uncle Felix in the musical Painting the Clouds With Sunshine with Virginia Mayo in one of the episodes in the movie It's A Big Country which featured such famous names as Gene Kelly, Van Johnson, Gary Cooper, Janet Leigh, Fredric March and Ethel Barrymore. His last movie was in 1954 where he had the role of Joseph Ruder in The Student Prince.
[edit] His death
Sakall died of a heart attack in Hollywood shortly after filming the The Student Prince on February 12, 1955, ten days after his 71st birthday. He is the fourth major Casablanca actor, after Veidt, Wilson and Greenstreet, to pass away. He is buried in the Garden of Memory in Forest Lawn Memorial Park in Glendale, California. There are more major Hollywood stars buried at Forest Lawn than at any other spot in the world. It is a huge cemetery (over 300 acres) that also contains Casablanca co-stars Humphrey Bogart, Sydney Greenstreet and John Qualan along with producer Hal B. Wallis, director Michael Curtiz and composer Max Steiner.
