Fritz Leiber
- Known for
- Acting
- Born
- January 29, 1882
- Died
- October 14, 1949 (aged 67)
- Birthplace
- Chicago, Illinois, USA
Biography
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.
Known For
Photos
Filmography
Devil's Doorway
Movie · as Mr. Poole
Bagdad
Movie · as Emir
Song of India
Movie · as Nanaram
Bride of Vengeance
Movie · as Filippo
Samson and Delilah
Movie · as Lord Sharif
Inner Sanctum
Movie · as Dr. Valonius
To the Ends of the Earth
Movie · as Binda Sha
Adventures of Casanova
Movie · as D'Anneci
Another Part of the Forest
Movie · as Col. Isham
The Web
Movie · as Leopold Kroner
Bells of San Angelo
Movie · as Padre
Dangerous Venture
Movie · as Chief Xeoli
Monsieur Verdoux
Movie · as Father Fareaux
Humoresque
Movie · as Hagerstrom
High Conquest
Movie · as Priest
A Scandal in Paris
Movie · as Painter
Strange Journey
Movie · as Prof. Jenner
Angel on My Shoulder
Movie · as Chemist Who Poisoned Wife (uncredited)
The Spanish Main
Movie · as Bishop
This Love of Ours
Movie · as Dr. Bailey
Scarlet Street
Movie · as Evangelist (uncredited)
The Cisco Kid Returns
Movie · as The Padre
Cry of the Werewolf
Movie · as Dr. Charles Morris
Cobra Woman
Movie
Youth Runs Wild
Movie · as Judge (uncredited)
Phantom of the Opera
Movie · as Franz Liszt
First Comes Courage
Movie · as Dr. Aanrud
Crossroads
Movie · as Foreign Minister Deval (uncredited)
Aloma of the South Seas
Movie · as High Priest
Lady with Red Hair
Movie · as Mr. Foster
All This, and Heaven Too
Movie · as Abbe Gallard
The Sea Hawk
Movie · as Inquisitor
The Way of All Flesh
Movie · as Max
The Hunchback of Notre Dame
Movie · as Old Nobleman
They Made Her a Spy
Movie · as Dr. Krull
Pack Up Your Troubles
Movie · as Pierre Ferrand
Nurse Edith Cavell
Movie · as Sadi Kirschen
Gateway
Movie · as Dr. Weilander
Flight Into Nowhere
Movie · as Ti-Ana
The Jury's Secret
Movie · as John Morrow
The Prince and the Pauper
Movie · as Father Andrew
Under Southern Stars
Movie · as Stonewall Jackson
The Great Garrick
Movie · as Horatio in 'Hamlet'
Champagne Waltz
Movie · as Franz Strauss
The Story of Louis Pasteur
Movie · as Dr. Charbonnet
Hearts in Bondage
Movie · as Capt. John Ericsson
Down to the Sea
Movie · as Gregory Pappas
Sins of Man
Movie · as Father Prior
Anthony Adverse
Movie · as Ouvrard
A Tale of Two Cities
Movie · as Gaspard
The Queen of Sheba
Movie · as King Solomon
The Song of the Soul
Movie · as Jerry Wendover
If I Were King
Movie · as Louis XI
Cleopatra
Movie · as Caesar
The Primitive Call
Movie · as Brain Elkhorn
Romeo and Juliet
Movie · as Mercutio