Walter Slezak

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Walter Slezak

photograph by Carl Van Vechten, 1934
Born Walter Slezak
May 3, 1902(1902-05-03)
Vienna, Austria
Died April 21, 1983 (aged 80)
Flower Hill, New York, U.S.
Years active 1922-1980
Spouse(s) Johanna Van Rijn (1943-1983)

Walter Slezak (May 3, 1902 – April 21, 1983) was an Austrian actor. Slezak was often usually portrayed villains or thugs, notably the German U-boat commander in Alfred Hitchcock's 1944 Lifeboat, but occasionally he played lighter, kindlier roles, as in The Wonderful World of the Brothers Grimm and as Squire Trelawney in Treasure Island.

Contents

[edit] Biography

Born in Vienna, Austria, the son of famed opera star Leo Slezak, he was a medical student and later a bank teller. He was talked into taking his first role, in the 1922 Austrian film Sodom und Gomorrha, by his friend and the film's director, Michael Curtiz. In his early movie career, before he gained weight, Slezak was cast as a thin leading man in silent films. He also acted on the stage for many years, debuting on Broadway in 1930.

His first American film was 1942's Once Upon a Honeymoon, opposite Ginger Rogers and Cary Grant. He worked steadily and appeared in over 100 films including The Princess and the Pirate, The Spanish Main, Sinbad the Sailor, Born to Kill, Call Me Madam, and Treasure Island.

Slezak played the lead in Broadway musicals, including Fanny, for which he won the Tony Award for Best Actor in a Musical.

Walter Slezak as the Clock King in the 1960s Batman show
Walter Slezak as the Clock King in the 1960s Batman show

Slezak acted in radio in such shows as Lux Radio Theater, Columbia Workshop, The Pepsodent Show, and The Charlie McCarthy Show. He made numerous television appearances, including Playhouse 90 and Studio One, and he appeared as "The Clock King" on Batman in 1966.

His autobiography, What Time's the Next Swan? was published in 1962.

[edit] Personal life

Walter married Johanna "Kaasi" Van Rijn on October 10, 1943. The couple had three children: Ingrid, Erika and Leo. Slezak's daughter Erika went on to become an accomplished actress and has starred on the long-running soap opera One Life to Live since 1971.

On April 21, 1983, shortly before his 81st birthday, Slezak died from a self-inflicted gunshot wound. Slezak was reportedly despondent over his advanced physical illness.[1] He is buried in Munich, Germany.[2]

[edit] Awards

In 1955, Slezak won a Tony Award for his role in the Broadway production of Fanny.

[edit] Filmography

[edit] References

  1. ^ Portrait of the actor Walter Slezak by Thomas Staedeli
  2. ^ Walter Slezak (1902 - 1983) - Find A Grave Memorial

[edit] External links


v • d • e
Tony Award for Best Performance by a Leading Actor in a Musical

Paul Hartman (1948) · Ray Bolger (1949) · Ezio Pinza (1950) · Robert Alda (1951) · Phil Silvers (1952) · Thomas Mitchell (1953) · Alfred Drake (1954) · Walter Slezak (1955) · Ray Walston (1956) · Rex Harrison (1957) · Robert Preston (1958) · Richard Kiley (1959) · Jackie Gleason (1960) · Richard Burton (1961) · Robert Morse (1962) · Zero Mostel (1963) · Bert Lahr (1964) · Zero Mostel (1965) · Richard Kiley (1966) · Robert Preston (1967) · Robert Goulet (1968) · Jerry Orbach (1969) · Cleavon Little (1970) · Hal Linden (1971) · Phil Silvers (1972) · Ben Vereen (1973) · Christopher Plummer (1974) · John Cullum (1975)
Persondata
NAME Slezak, Walter
ALTERNATIVE NAMES Slezak, Walter
SHORT DESCRIPTION Actor
DATE OF BIRTH May 3, 1902
PLACE OF BIRTH Vienna, Austria
DATE OF DEATH April 21, 1983
PLACE OF DEATH Flower Hill, New York, U.S.