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Fritz Leiber

Fritz Leiber

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.

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Devil's Doorway

Devil's Doorway

1950

as Mr. Poole

Samson and Delilah

Samson and Delilah

1949

as Lord Sharif

Bagdad

Bagdad

1949

as Emir

Bride of Vengeance

Bride of Vengeance

1949

as Filippo

Song of India

Song of India

1949

as Nanaram

Inner Sanctum

Inner Sanctum

1948

as Dr. Valonius

Another Part of the Forest

Another Part of the Forest

1948

as Col. Isham

To the Ends of the Earth

To the Ends of the Earth

1948

as Binda Sha

Adventures of Casanova

Adventures of Casanova

1948

as D'Anneci

Monsieur Verdoux

Monsieur Verdoux

1947

as Father Fareaux

High Conquest

High Conquest

1947

as Priest

The Web

The Web

1947

as Leopold Kroner

Dangerous Venture

Dangerous Venture

1947

as Chief Xeoli

Bells of San Angelo

Bells of San Angelo

1947

as Padre

Humoresque

Humoresque

1947

as Hagerstrom

Strange Journey

Strange Journey

1946

as Prof. Jenner

Angel on My Shoulder

Angel on My Shoulder

1946

as Chemist Who Poisoned Wife (uncredited)

A Scandal in Paris

A Scandal in Paris

1946

as Painter

Scarlet Street

Scarlet Street

1945

as Evangelist (uncredited)

This Love of Ours

This Love of Ours

1945

as Dr. Bailey

The Spanish Main

The Spanish Main

1945

as Bishop

The Cisco Kid Returns

The Cisco Kid Returns

1945

as The Padre

Youth Runs Wild

Youth Runs Wild

1944

as Judge (uncredited)

Cry of the Werewolf

Cry of the Werewolf

1944

as Dr. Charles Morris (uncredited)

Cobra Woman

Cobra Woman

1944

Phantom of the Opera

Phantom of the Opera

1943

as Franz Liszt

First Comes Courage

First Comes Courage

1943

as Dr. Aanrud

Crossroads

Crossroads

1942

as Foreign Minister Deval (uncredited)

Aloma of the South Seas

Aloma of the South Seas

1941

as High Priest

Lady with Red Hair

Lady with Red Hair

1940

as Mr. Foster

The Sea Hawk

The Sea Hawk

1940

as Inquisitor

All This, and Heaven Too

All This, and Heaven Too

1940

as Abbe Gallard

The Way of All Flesh

The Way of All Flesh

1940

as Max

The Hunchback of Notre Dame

The Hunchback of Notre Dame

1939

as Old Nobleman

Pack Up Your Troubles

Pack Up Your Troubles

1939

as Pierre Ferrand

Nurse Edith Cavell

Nurse Edith Cavell

1939

as Sadi Kirschen

They Made Her a Spy

They Made Her a Spy

1939

as Dr. Krull

Gateway

Gateway

1938

as Dr. Weilander

Flight Into Nowhere

Flight Into Nowhere

1938

as Ti-Ana

The Jury's Secret

The Jury's Secret

1938

as John Morrow

The Great Garrick

The Great Garrick

1937

as Horatio in 'Hamlet'

The Prince and the Pauper

The Prince and the Pauper

1937

as Father Andrew

Under Southern Stars

Under Southern Stars

1937

as Stonewall Jackson

Champagne Waltz

Champagne Waltz

1937

as Franz Strauss

Anthony Adverse

Anthony Adverse

1936

as Ouvrard

Sins of Man

Sins of Man

1936

as Father Prior

Down to the Sea

Down to the Sea

1936

as Gregory Pappas

Hearts in Bondage

Hearts in Bondage

1936

as Capt. John Ericsson

The Story of Louis Pasteur

The Story of Louis Pasteur

1936

as Dr. Charbonnet

A Tale of Two Cities

A Tale of Two Cities

1935

as Gaspard

The Queen of Sheba

The Queen of Sheba

1921

as King Solomon

The Song of the Soul

The Song of the Soul

1920

as Jerry Wendover

If I Were King

If I Were King

1920

as Louis XI

Cleopatra

Cleopatra

1917

as Caesar

Romeo and Juliet

Romeo and Juliet

1916

as Mercutio

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