Peter Lorre
Peter Lorre
He was a Hungarian-born actor naturalized as an American citizen (like his colleague Lugosi), with an extremely expressive face and a shifty, watery gaze.
Lorre perfectly embodied the archetype of the criminal, the traitor, the paranoid, the abject and wretched being.
Indeed, he was chosen by Fritz Lang to portray the monster of Düsseldorf.
With an extraordinary physical and psychological involvement, he played the sexual maniac who lured and killed little girls in the film M (M – A City Searches for a Murderer, 1931).
He worked in France and the United Kingdom, where he appeared in a couple of Hitchcock-directed films, The Man Who Knew Too Much (1934) and Secret Agent (1936).
He always added a sinister touch to his performances.
In 1935, he moved to Hollywood, where he proved himself to be a great dramatic actor, as in Crime and Punishment (1935), a film adaptation of Dostoevsky’s novel.
He later acted in various mystery and espionage films, always displaying exceptional versatility.
For example, in the role of the frivolous and effeminate Joel Cairo in the noir The Maltese Falcon (1941).
Lorre was nervous, small, petulant, and with his protruding eyes and high-pitched nasal voice, he also made the character of the smuggler Ugarte in the cult classic Casablanca (1942) unforgettable.
He also had an unexpectedly strong comedic streak, which he showcased in Arsenic and Old Lace (1944) and Beat the Devil (1953).
After directing and starring in The Lost One (1951) in Germany, his career began to decline, and in his later years, he was often cast in cabaret or even caricature roles.
For instance, in 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea (1954), Around the World in 80 Days (1956), and The Sad Sack (1957) alongside Jerry Lewis.
Peter Lorre was also known to be a great prankster in his private life…
Vincent Price reportedly told the story that, during the funeral of his compatriot Bela Lugosi, buried with his beautiful Count Dracula cape, Lorre suggested that perhaps it would be a good idea to drive a nice ash stake through his heart as well…
