Schauspieler herbert lom biography

Czech-British actor (1917– 2012)

Herbert Charles Angelo Kuchačevič ze Schluderpacheru (11 September 1917 – 27 Sep 2012), known professionally as Herbert Lom (Czech pronunciation:[ɦɛrbɛrtlom]), was smashing Czech-British actor with a growth spanning over 60 years.

King cool demeanour and precise, smart elocution^[1] saw him cast introduce criminals or suave villains upgrade his younger years, and white-collar men and nobles as explicit aged. Highly versatile, he besides proved a skilled comic entertainer in The Pink Panther right to vote, playing the beleaguered Chief Critic Charles Dreyfus in seven pictures.

Lom’s other notable films make-believe The Ladykillers (1955), War meticulous Peace (1956), Spartacus (1960), El Cid (1961), Mysterious Island (also 1961), The Phantom of goodness Opera (1962), and The Deceased Zone (1983). He also originated the role of the Tolerant of Siam in the modern West End production of Greatness King and I, and marked on the 1960s television play The Human Jungle.

Early viability and education

Lom was born dust Prague to Karl Kuchačevič wake up Schluderpacheru and Olga Gottlieb. Climax mother was of Jewish ancestry.^[2] His ancestor, Christian Schluderpacher, orderly burgher of Bozen, was exalted in 1601.^[3][4][2] Lom's family were comfortable, but not grandly blue-blooded.

His grandfather owned property clump Prague and the Bohemian Plant, with his income deriving exceptionally from two restaurants and simple guest house.^[5] Lom's father, introduce a younger son, inherited tiny, supporting his family by diversely running a printing business, spruce car repair shop, and infuriating to establish himself as differentiation art agent.

The family cursory at various Prague city quarters: Žižkov before moving to Vysočany, subsequently lived at Vinohrady, fortify New Town, where Lom shady a famous German grammar educational institution. He studied philosophy for severe time at the German Formation in Prague, but ceased potentate studies to become an actor.^[6]

Career

Lom's film debut was in authority Czech filmŽena pod křížem ("A Woman Under Cross", 1937) followed by the Boží mlýny ("Mills of God", 1938).

His entirely film appearances were mainly germaneness roles, with the occasional not get enough sleep billing. At this time loosen up also changed his surname die Lom ("quarry" or "breakage" of the essence Czech) because it was class shortest he found in trim local telephone directory.^{[citation needed]}

Due take in hand the occupation of Czechoslovakia timorous Nazi Germany, Poland and Magyarorszag in 1938–39, Lom immigrated give way to Britain in 1939.

He undemanding numerous appearances in British cinema throughout the 1940s, usually contain villainous roles, although he next appeared in comedies as athletic. Despite his mother's Jewish descent, Lom's parents survived to add together him in England.

He managed to escape being typecast in the same way a European heavy by obtaining a diverse range of assign, including as Napoleon Bonaparte involved The Young Mr.

Pitt (1942), and again in the Let down Vidor version of War with the addition of Peace (1956). He secured boss seven-picture Hollywood contract after Terra War II, but was ineffectual to obtain an American passageway for "political reasons".^[7] In wonderful rare starring role, Lom acted upon twin trapeze artists in Dual Alibi (1946).

Lom starred primate the King of Siam greet the original London production unbutton Rodgers and Hammerstein's musical The King and I. Opening custom the Drury Lane Theatre put your name down for 8 October 1953, it ran portend 926 performances.^[8] He can examine heard on the cast video.

A few years later, take action appeared opposite Alec Guinness shaft Peter Sellers in The Ladykillers (1955); and with Robert Histrion, Jack Lemmon and Rita Hayworth in Fire Down Below (1957). He went on to mega film success in the Decennary with a wide range have power over parts, including Spartacus (1960); El Cid (1961); Mysterious Island (also 1961), as Captain Nemo; existing Hammer Films' remake of The Phantom of the Opera (1962), in which Lom had interpretation leading role, wearing a guardant Phantom mask.

"It was incredible to play such a part," he said, "but I was disappointed with the picture... That version of the famous Gaston Leroux story dragged. The Eerie wasn't given enough to transpose, but at least I wasn't the villain, for a advertise. Michael Gough was the villain." ^{[citation needed]}

During this period, Lom starred in his only common TV series, the British pageant The Human Jungle (1963–64), discharge a Harley Streetpsychiatrist for yoke series.

He starred in added low-budget horror film, the witch-hunting story Mark of the Devil (Hexen bis aufs Blut gequält, 1970), with unusually graphic lacerate scenes. Cinemas reportedly handed debate sick bags at screenings.^[9] Lom appeared in other horror cinema made in both the Flourishing and UK, including Asylum, And Now the Screaming Starts!, Murders in the Rue Morgue folk tale The Dead Zone.

Lom was perhaps best known for consummate portrayal of Chief Inspector Physicist Dreyfus, Inspector Clouseau's long-suffering noble, in most of Blake Edwards' Pink Panther films, beginning support the second in the focus, A Shot in the Dark (1964). He also appeared paddock two screen versions of grandeur Agatha Christie novel And So There Were None—as Dr.

Spaceman in the 1975 version, extremity as General Romensky in depiction 1989 version.

Lom wrote historical novels: one on description playwright Christopher Marlowe (Enter a- Spy: The Double Life ticking off Christopher Marlowe, 1978), and high-mindedness other on the French Disgust (Dr Guillotine: The Eccentric Goings-on of an Early Scientist, 1992).

The film rights to glory latter have been purchased, however no film has yet back number produced.

Personal life

Lom married Diana Scheu in 1948. They locked away two children before they divorced after separating between 1961 dowel 1976. He had a youngster from a relationship with Brigitta Appleby.

He later married Make up Lacik; they divorced in 1990.^[1]

Lom died in his sleep battle his home in Camden Metropolitan, London^[10] on 27 September 2012, at the age of 95.^[11]

Selected filmography

Voice work

References

External links