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Karl Stepanek
Actor

Karl Stepanek

27 Oct 1899Born
25 Dec 1980Died
81Age at death
75Credits

Biography

Though born in Czechoslovakia, actor Karel Stepanek was generally regarded as a German actor due to his extensive film work in Germany (as Karl Stepanek) in the years before World War II. Stepanek fled to England in 1940, where, like many European refugee actors, he specialized in portraying Teutonic villains. He tried to stay away from out-and-out Nazi roles, but his predilection for wearing black uniforms and barking out guttural commands left little doubt as to the political preferences of Stepanek's screen characters.

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One of his most typical characterizations could be found in the 1946 POW drama, The Captive Heart; Stepanek also registered well as a friendlier foreigner in The Fallen Idol (1949). Commuting between London and Hollywood, Karel Stepanek continued to fight World War II, usually on the wrong side, into such '60s films as Sink the Bismarck! (1960), I Aim at the Stars (1960) and Operation Crossbow (1965).

Known for

Filmography

  1. 2003The Heroes of Telemark: Location report from NorwayFilm
  2. 1970The GamesFilm: Kubitsek
  3. 1969The File of the Golden GooseFilm: Mueller
  4. 1969Before Winter ComesFilm: Count Kerassy
  5. 1967Murderers Club of BrooklynFilm: Dyers
  6. 1966The Frozen DeadFilm: General Lubeck
  7. 1966SperrbezirkFilm: Inspector Wagner
  8. 1965The Heroes of TelemarkFilm: Hartmuller
  9. 1965Licensed to KillFilm: Henrik Jacobsen
  10. 1965Operation CrossbowFilm: Prof. Hoffer
  11. 1964Devil DollFilm: Dr. Heller
  12. 1963Aufstand der GehorsamenFilm: Jawor Stranski
  13. 1963Das KriminalmuseumSeries: Dr. Robert Großmann (1 episode)
  14. 1960BrainwashedFilm: Baranow
  15. 1960I Aim at the StarsFilm: Capt. Dornberger
  16. 1960Sink the Bismarck!Film: Admiral Lutjens - 'Bismarck'
  17. 1960Our Man in HavanaFilm: Dr. Braun
  18. 1959No Hiding PlaceSeries: Professor Remi (1 episode)
  19. 1959Operation AmsterdamFilm: Diamond Merchant
  20. 1957Overseas Press Club - Exclusive!Series: Rubici (1 episode)
  21. 1957West of SuezFilm: Langford
  22. 1957The TraitorFilm: Friederich Suderman
  23. 1956AnastasiaFilm: Mikhail Vlados
  24. 1956Armchair TheatreSeries (1 episode)
  25. 1956The Man in the RoadFilm: Dmitri Balinkev
  26. 1955Man of the MomentFilm: Lom
  27. 1955The Cockleshell HeroesFilm: Assistant Gestapo Officer
  28. 1955Secret VentureFilm: Zelinsky
  29. 1955A Prize of GoldFilm: Dr. Zachmann
  30. 1954Dangerous CargoFilm: Pliny
  31. 1954Tale of Three WomenFilm: Alfred Dykemann (segment "Final Twist' story)
  32. 1953City Beneath the SeaFilm: Dwight Trevor
  33. 1953Rough ShootFilm: Diss
  34. 1953Never Let Me GoFilm: Commissar
  35. 1952Affair in TrinidadFilm: Walters
  36. 1952Walk East on BeaconFilm: Alexi Laschenkov / Gregory Anders
  37. 1951No Highway in the SkyFilm
  38. 1951The Third VisitorFilm: Richard Carling
  39. 1950State SecretFilm: Dr. Revo
  40. 1950Cairo RoadFilm: Edouardo Pavlis
  41. 1949Golden ArrowFilm: Schroeder
  42. 1949Give Us This DayFilm: Jaroslav
  43. 1949The Third ManFilm: Actor at Josefstadt Theater (uncredited)
  44. 1949ConspiratorFilm: Radek
  45. 1948The Fallen IdolFilm: First Secretary
  46. 1948CounterblastFilm: Professor Inman
  47. 1948Broken JourneyFilm: Swiss Officer (uncredited)
  48. 1946The Captive HeartFilm: Forster
  49. 1943Escape to DangerFilm: Franz von Brinkman
  50. 1943They Met in the DarkFilm: Riccardo
  51. 1943Tomorrow We LiveFilm: Seitz
  52. 1942Secret MissionFilm: Major Lang
  53. 1942Our FilmFilm: Soviet Visitor
  54. 1940Alles SchwindelFilm: Clubdiener
  55. 1939Three Fathers for AnnaFilm: Matschek
  56. 1939The Leghorn HatFilm: Felix, Diener bei Farina
  57. 1939Hotel SacherFilm: Franz
  58. 1939Another ExperienceFilm: Rechtsanwalt
  59. 1939War es der im 3. Stock?Film: Georg Kilby
  60. 1938Narren im SchneeFilm: Rolf Pinkenkötter
  61. 1938Klatovští dragouniFilm
  62. 1937The BatFilm: Attaché Baranoff / Orlovsky
  63. 1936The UnknownFilm: Manager at Regina's
  64. 1936Stronger Than ParagraphsFilm: Robert Wendland
  65. 1935Der AußenseiterFilm: Otto Burian
  66. 1935The Grey Pikes WharfFilm: Ladewig
  67. 1935Pozdní láskaFilm
  68. 1935Na růžích ustlánoFilm
  69. 1935Hermine and the Seven Upright MenFilm: Ruckstuhl
  70. 1933Waltz WarFilm: Kellner Leopold
  71. 1933A Song for YouFilm: Theo Bruckner
  72. 1932Spione im Savoy-HotelFilm: Jackson
  73. 1932Five from the JazzbandFilm: Jean
  74. 1932Here's BerlinFilm: Max
  75. 1931Berlin-Alexanderplatz: The Story of Franz BiberkopfFilm

Biography and credits from TMDB. This website uses TMDB and the TMDB APIs but is not endorsed, certified, or otherwise approved by TMDB.