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Photo of Fritz Leiber

Fritz Leiber

Actor
Born January 29, 1882Died October 14, 1949 (67 years)
Fritz Reuter Leiber Sr. was an American actor. A Shakespearean actor on stage, he also had a successful career in film. He was the father of science fiction and fantasy writer Fritz Leiber Jr., who was also an actor for a time. Leiber and his wife spent much of their time touring in a Shakespearean acting company, known by the 1930s as Fritz Leiber & Co. Leiber made his film bow in 1916, playing Mercutio in the Francis X. Bushman version of “Romeo and Juliet.” With his piercing eyes and shock of white hair, Leiber seemed every inch the priests, professors, musical professors, and religious fanatics that he was frequently called upon to play in films. His many silent-era portrayals included Caesar in Theda Bara's 1917 “Cleopatra” and Solomon in the mammoth 1921 Betty Blythe vehicle “The Queen of Sheba.” He thrived as a character actor in sound films, usually in historical roles. In the film “Champagne Waltz” he portrayed an orchestra maestro; the role required him to play classical music on a violin and jazz on a clarinet. One of Leiber's larger assignments of the 1940s, and his most notable musical role, was as Franz Liszt in the Claude Rains' remake of “Phantom of the Opera” (1943). Leiber appears together with his son Fritz Leiber Jr. in the wedding-feast scene of Greta Garbo's film “Camille” (1936) and in Warner Bros.' “The Great Garrick” (1937). Leiber also appeared with his son Fritz Leiber Jr. in “The Hunchback of Notre Dame” (1939), but Fritz Leiber Jr. was not credited for his small speaking part. Late in his career, Leiber performed briefly opposite Charles Chaplin as the priest who visits Monsieur Verdoux in his prison cell.
Movies & Shows on Plex
  • Scarlet Street
  • Angel on My Shoulder
  • Cry of the Werewolf
  • A Scandal in Paris
  • Inner Sanctum
  • Bells of San Angelo
  • Hearts in Bondage
Known For
  • The Story of Louis Pasteur
  • A Tale of Two Cities
  • Inner Sanctum
  • The Spanish Main
  • The Web
  • To the Ends of the Earth
  • Bells of San Angelo
  • Hearts in Bondage
  • Down to the Sea
  • The Cisco Kid Returns

Filmography

1950
Vendetta · as Antonio Della Rabbia
1950
Devil's Doorway · as Mr. Poole
1949
Samson and Delilah · as Lord Sharif
1949
Bagdad · as Emir
1949
Bride of Vengeance · as Filippo
1949
Song of India · as Nanaram
1948
Inner Sanctum · as Dr. Valonius
1948
1948
To the Ends of the Earth · as Binda Sha
1948
Adventures of Casanova · as D'anneci
1947
Monsieur Verdoux · as Father Fareaux
1947
High Conquest · as Priest
1947
The Web · as Leopold Kroner
1947
Dangerous Venture · as Chief Xeoli
1947
1946
Humoresque · as Hagerstrom
1946
Angel on My Shoulder · as Chemist Who Poisoned Wife (uncredited)
1946
1945
Scarlet Street · as Evangelist (uncredited)
1945
This Love of Ours · as Dr. Bailey
1945
The Spanish Main · as Bishop
1945
Son of Lassie · as Village Padre
1945
The Cisco Kid Returns · as The Padre
1944
Youth Runs Wild · as Judge (uncredited)
1944
Cry of the Werewolf · as Dr. Charles Morris (uncredited)
1944
1944
Strange Confession · as Priest
1943
The Desert Song · as Ben Sidi
1943
Salute to the Marines · as Mr. Agno
1943
Phantom of the Opera · as Franz Liszt
1943
First Comes Courage · as Dr. Aanrud
1942
Crossroads · as Foreign Minister Deval (uncredited)
1941
Aloma of the South Seas · as High Priest
1940
Lady with Red Hair · as Mr. Foster
1940
The Sea Hawk · as Inquisitor
1940
All This, and Heaven Too · as Abbe Gallard
1940
1939
The Hunchback of Notre Dame · as Old Nobleman
1939
Pack Up Your Troubles · as Pierre Ferrand
1939
Nurse Edith Cavell · as Sadi Kirschen
1939
They Made Her a Spy · as Dr. Krull
1938
Gateway · as Dr. Weilander
1937
The Great Garrick · as Horatio In 'hamlet'
1937
The Prince and the Pauper · as Father Andrew
1937
Champagne Waltz · as Franz Strauss
1936
Anthony Adverse · as Ouvrard
1936
Down to the Sea · as Gregory Pappas
1936
Hearts in Bondage · as Capt. John Ericsson
1936
Under Two Flags · as French Governor
1936
The Story of Louis Pasteur · as Dr. Charbonnet
1935
A Tale of Two Cities · as Gaspard
1921
The Queen of Sheba · as King Solomon
1917
Cleopatra · as Caesar

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