Foto: Alexander Binder (1888-1929)

1902 - 1983

Walter Slezak was spotted for the film by Michael Curtis. Curtis engaged him for the movie "Sodom und Gomorrah" (22). In the next years he followed an intensive film and theater career and he appeared in movies like "Michael" (24), "Sumpf und Moral" (25) and "Die gefundene Braut" (25).

In the 30's he acted in "Spione im Savoy-Hotel" (32), after that he went to the USA where he continued his film career at the beginning of the 40's.
He appeared in movies like "Once Upon a Honeymoon" (42), "This Land Is Mine" (43), "The Princess and the Pirate - Das Korsarenschiff/Die Prinzessin und der Prinz" (44), "Lifeboat - Das Rettungsboot" (44), "Cornered" (45), "Sinbad the Sailor - Sindbad, der Seefahrer" (47) and "The Pirate - Der Pirat" (48).

In the 50's followed other successful productions like "Spy Hunt/Panther's Moon" (50), "Call Me Madam" (53), "The Steel Cage" (54), "Pinocchio" (57) and "The Miracle" (59). 
Beside it he was always active for the Broadway where he also had great successes, in 1955 he got the Tony Award for his role in "Fanny".

Walter Slezak's career continued in the 60's with the movies "The Wonderful World of the Brothers Grimm - Die Wunderwelt der Gebrüder Grimm" (62), "Emil and the Detectives" (64), "The Man Who Bought Paradise" (65) and "Heidi" (68).
In the 70's followed only few more works like "The Juggler of Notre Dame" (70), "Black Beauty" (71), "Die Schatzinsel" (72) and "The Love Boat, Episode 4.86" (80), after that he to retire from the film business because of health reasons.

Just before his 81st birthday he shot himself because of his advanced physical illness.
 

Other movies with Walter Slezak:
Mein Leopold (24) Grüsse mir das blonde Kind am Rhein (25) O alte Burschenherrlichkeit (25) Aus des Rheinlands Schicksalstagen (26) Das war in Heidelberg in blauer Sommernacht (26) Junges Blut (26) Marccos tollste Wette (26) Der Seekadett (26) Wie bleibe ich jung und schön (26) Der Fahnenträger von Sedan (27) Die Lorelei (27) Liebe geht seltsame Wege (27) Addio giovinezza! (27) Die grosse Pause (27) Ledige Mütter (27) Almenrausch und Edelweiss (28) Das Hannerl vom Rolandsbogen (28) Einen Jux will er sich machen (28) The Fallen Sparrow (43) Till We Meet Again" (44) Step Lively (44) The Spanish Main (45) Salome, Where She Danced (45) Riffraff (47) Born to Kill/Lady of Deceit (47) The Inspector General/Happy Times - Die sündige Stadt (49) The Yellow Cab Man (50) Abbot and Costello in the Foreign Legion (50) Serie "The Name's the Same" (51) People Will Talk (51) Bedtime for Bonzo (51) Serie "Studio One: Collector's Item" (51), "Serie "Studio One: The Innocence of Pastor Muller" (51) Serie "Studio One: The Vintage Years" (52) White Witch Doctor - Weisse Frau am Kongo (53) Confidentially Connie (53) Serie "The United States Steel Hour: Papa Is All" (54) Serie "Studio One: Portrait of a Citizen" (56) Ten Thousand Bedrooms (57) Serie "Goodyear Television Playhouse: The Best Wine" (57) Serie "The United States Steel Hour: The Public Prosecutor" (58) Serie "The United States Steel Hour: Beaver Patrol" (58) Serie "The Sunday Mystery Hour" (60) Come September - Happy-End im September (61) Serie "Rawhide: Incident of the Black Ace" (63) Wonderful Life/Swinger's Paradise (64) Serie "Made In America" (64) A Very Special Favor - Ein Appartment für drei (65) Twenty-Four Hours to Kill (65) El fantastico mundo del doctor Coppelius (66) Der Kongress amüsiert sich (66) Serie "Batman: Clock King Gets Crowned" (66) The Caper of the Golden Bulls/Carnival of Thieves (66) Serie "I Spy: Let's Kill Karlovassi" (67) The Mysterious House of Dr. C. (76)