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Fritz Feld

Fritz Feld

Fritz Feld was born on October 15, 1900 in Berlin, Germany as Fritz Feilchenfeld. He is known for his work on Bringing Up Baby (1938), Barefoot in the Park (1967) and Hello, Dolly! (1969). He was married to Virginia Christine. He died on November 18, 1993 in Los Angeles, California, USA.

Born in Berlin, Germany, Feld began his acting career in Germany in 1917, making his screen debut in Der Golem und die Tänzerin (The Golem and the Dancing Girl). Feld filmed the sound sequences of the Cecil B. DeMille film The Godless Girl, released by Pathé, without DeMille's supervision since DeMille had already broken his contract with Pathé, and signed with Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer.

He developed a characterization that came to define him. His trademark was to slap his mouth with the palm of his hand to create a "pop!" sound that indicated both his superiority and his annoyance. The first use of the "pop" sound was in If You Knew Susie.

Feld often played the part of a maître d', but also a variety of aristocrats and eccentrics; his characters were indeterminately European, sometimes French and sometimes Belgian but always with his particular mannerisms. In the 1938 screwball comedy Bringing Up Baby he played the role of Dr. Lehman. In 1939 he appeared with the Marx Brothers in At The Circus in the small but memorable role of French orchestra conductor Jardinet. In one 1967 episode of The Man from U.N.C.L.E., "The Napoleon's Tomb Affair", Feld played a banker, a beatnik, a diplomat and a waiter. The episode also featured Ted Cassidy from The Addams Family. In his later years, Feld appeared in several Walt Disney films and also played an uncharacteristically dramatic role in Barfly. In addition to films, he acted in numerous television series in guest roles, including the recurring role of "Zumdish", the manager of the intergalactic Celestial Department Store on Lost In Space, in two Season 2 episodes, The Android Machine and The Toymaker. Zumdish returned in the Season 3 episode Two Weeks In Space, where he has been brainwashed by bank robbers into believing he is a tour director taking the robbers on holiday. He also portrayed one of the Harmonia Gardens waiters in the movie Hello Dolly!

Feld made his final film appearance in 1989.

Homer and Eddie

1989

as Mortician

Barfly

1987

as Bum

Sledge Hammer!

1986

as Announcer

Amazing Stories

1985

as Maitre 'd

Last of the Great Survivors

1984

as Marty LaFontaine

Heidi's Song

1982

as Sebastian (voice)

Simon & Simon

1981

History of the World: Part I

1981

as Maitre 'D - The Roman Empire

Magnum, P.I.

1980

as Lars

Herbie Goes Bananas

1980

as Chief Steward

Legend of the Northwest

1978

The World's Greatest Lover

1977

as Tomaso Abalone

Tabitha

1977

The Hardy Boys / Nancy Drew Mysteries

1977

Freaky Friday

1976

as Mr. Jackman

Won Ton Ton: The Dog Who Saved Hollywood

1976

as Rudy's Butler

Silent Movie

1976

as Maitre d'

The Sunshine Boys

1975

as Mr. Gilbert

The Strongest Man in the World

1975

as Uncle Frederick

Only with Married Men

1974

as Chef

Kolchak: The Night Stalker

1974

as Waiter

Herbie Rides Again

1974

as Maitre D'

Call Her Mom

1972

as Waiter

The Odd Couple

1970

as Maitre D'

The Phynx

1970

as Fritz Feld

The Computer Wore Tennis Shoes

1969

as Sigmund Van Dyke

Hello, Dolly!

1969

as Rudolph's Assistant

The Comic

1969

as Armand

Love, American Style

1969

as Captain

Land of the Giants

1968

as Quigg

Barefoot in the Park

1967

as Restaurant Proprietor

Penelope

1966

as Penelope's Dance Partner (uncredited)

The Girl from U.N.C.L.E.

1966

Three on a Couch

1966

as The Attaché

Batman

1966

as Prof. Greenleaf

Batman

1966

as Oliver Muzzy

The Wild Wild West

1965

as Chef

Lost in Space

1965

as Mr. Zumdish

Harlow

1965

as Fritz

Valentine's Day

1964

Bewitched

1964

The Patsy

1964

as Maitre D'

4 for Texas

1963

as Fritz

Who's Minding the Store?

1963

as Irving Catastrophe

Burke's Law

1963

as Captain of Waiters

Promises! Promises!

1963

as Ship's Doctor

The Beverly Hillbillies

1962

The New March of Dimes Presents: The Scene Stealers

1962

as John Swallowtail

Pocketful of Miracles

1961

as Pierre

The Errand Boy

1961

as Busby - Roaring 20's Director

The Ladies Man

1961

as Mrs. Wellenmellon's Hairdresser (uncredited)

The Miracle of the White Reindeer

1960

as Geronimo

Adventures in Paradise

1959

as Fontaine

Juke Box Rhythm

1959

as Ambrose

Peter Gunn

1958

Up In Smoke

1957

as Dr. Bluzak (uncredited)

The Thin Man

1957

So You Want to Be Pretty

1956

as Dr. Von Slaughter (uncredited)

Alfred Hitchcock Presents

1955

as Maitre D

Jail Busters

1955

as Dr. Fernando F. Fordyce

December Bride

1954

Living It Up

1954

as Barber (uncredited)

Riding Shotgun

1954

as Fritz

Paris Playboys

1954

as Marcel the Maitre d'

Crime Wave

1953

as Jess (uncredited)

General Electric Theater

1953

as Doctor

So You Want to Wear the Pants

1952

as Psychiatrist (uncredited)

Mr. & Mrs. North

1952

O. Henry's Full House

1952

as Maurice (segment "The Gift of the Magi") (uncredited)

Has Anybody Seen My Gal?

1952

as Alvarez (uncredited)

Aaron Slick from Punkin Crick

1952

as Headwaiter

So You Want to Enjoy Life

1952

as Dr. Hugo Flugleman (uncredited)

Dangerous Assignment

1952

Sky High

1951

as Dr. Kapok

I Love Lucy

1951

as Tour Guide

Journey Into Light

1951

as Clothing Salesman

Racket Squad

1951

Kentucky Jubilee

1951

as Rudolph Jouvet

Missing Women

1951

as Pierre (hairdresser)

Rhythm Inn

1951

as Prof. Rinaldo

The Jackpot

1950

as Pianist (uncredited)

The Colgate Comedy Hour

1950

as Self

Riding High

1950

as French Dressmaker (uncredited)

Appointment with Danger

1950

as Window Dresser

Belle of Old Mexico

1950

as Dr. Quincy

The Lovable Cheat

1949

as Monsieur Louis

Mexican Hayride

1948

as Professor Ganzmeyer

Trouble Makers

1948

as Mr. Andre Schmidtlap - Hotel Manager

You Gotta Stay Happy

1948

as Pierre

Julia Misbehaves

1948

as Pepito

The Noose Hangs High

1948

as Psychiatrist

If You Knew Susie

1948

as Chez Henri

My Girl Tisa

1948

as Prof. Tabor

The Secret Life of Walter Mitty

1947

as Anatole

Hollywood Wonderland

1947

as Director (clip from "Swingtime in the Movies", 1938) (uncredited)

Fun on a Weekend

1947

as Sergei Stroganoff

Carnival in Costa Rica

1947

as Hotel Clerk

I've Always Loved You

1946

as Nicholas Kavlun

Gentleman Joe Palooka

1946

as Club Steward

Her Sister's Secret

1946

as Wine Salesman

The Catman of Paris

1946

as Prefect of Police

Movieland Magic

1946

as (archive footage)

Captain Tugboat Annie

1945

as Al Pucci aka Alfred Puccini

George White's Scandals

1945

as Montescu

The Great John L.

1945

as Claire's manager

Ever Since Venus

1944

as Michele

Take It Big

1944

as Doctor Dittenhoffer

Knickerbocker Holiday

1944

as Poffenburgh

Passport to Destiny

1944

as Chief Janitor

Holy Matrimony

1943

as Critic

Phantom of the Opera

1943

as Lecours

Henry Aldrich Swings It

1943

as Josef Altman

Heavenly Music

1943

as Niccolò Paganini (uncredited)

Iceland

1942

as Herr Tegnar

Maisie Gets Her Man

1942

as Professor Orco

Sleepytime Gal

1942

as Chef Petrovich

Shut My Big Mouth

1942

as Robert Oglethorpe

Four Jacks and a Jill

1942

as Mr. Hoople

The Mexican Spitfire's Baby

1941

as Pierre Gaston de la Blanc

You Belong to Me

1941

as Hotel Clerk

World Premiere

1941

as Field Marshal Muller

Three Sons o' Guns

1941

as Stage Director

Come Live with Me

1941

as Mac, the Headwaiter (uncredited)

Victory

1940

as Signor Makanoff

Sandy Is a Lady

1940

as Mario

I Was an Adventuress

1940

as Henri Gautier

It's a Date

1940

as Oscar, the Headwaiter

Ma, He's Making Eyes at Me!

1940

as Forsythe

Millionaire Playboy

1940

as 'G.G.' Gorta

Little Old New York

1940

as Tavern Keeper

Everything Happens at Night

1939

as Gendarme

Little Accident

1939

as Malisse

At the Circus

1939

as Jardinet

When Tomorrow Comes

1939

as Nicholas

Quiet, Please

1939

as Mr. Nitvitch

Idiot's Delight

1939

as Pittatek

Swingtime in the Movies

1938

as Mr. Nitvitch

Artists and Models Abroad

1938

as Dubois

Campus Confessions

1938

as 'Lady MacBeth'

The Affairs of Annabel

1938

as Vladimir

I'll Give a Million

1938

as Max Primerose

Gold Diggers in Paris

1938

as Luis Leoni

Out Where the Stars Begin

1938

as Mr. Nitvitch

Go Chase Yourself

1938

as Count Pierre Fountaine de Louis-Louis

Romance in the Dark

1938

as Fritz

Bringing Up Baby

1938

as Fritz Lehman

Hollywood Hotel

1938

as The Russian

Tovarich

1937

as Martelleau

True Confession

1937

as Krayler's Butler

Expensive Husbands

1937

as Herr Meyer, Hotel Director

Lancer Spy

1937

as Fritz Mueller

I Met Him in Paris

1937

as Swiss Hotel Clerk

The Wizard's Apprentice

1930

as Wizard

One Hysterical Night

1929

as Paganini

Black Magic

1929

as James Fraser

Broadway

1929

as Mose Levett

Blindfold

1928

as Thomas Bernard

The Last Command

1928

as A revolutionist

A Ship Comes In

1928

as Sokol

Christian Wahnschaffe II: Escape from the Golden Dungeon

1921

The Golem: How He Came into the World

1920

as Jester (uncredited)