Person
Fritz Leiber
Chicago, Illinois, USA
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 Fri…
IMDbKnown for
Popular titles
Photos
More stills of Fritz Leiber
Biography
A closer look
Read full 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.
Filmography
Movies and shows, newest first
-
1950
Devil's Doorway
Movie Mr. Poole
-
1949
Samson and Delilah
Movie Lord Sharif
-
1949
Bagdad
Movie Emir
-
1949
Bride of Vengeance
Movie Filippo
-
1949
Song of India
Movie Nanaram
-
1948
Inner Sanctum
Movie Dr. Valonius
-
1948
Another Part of the Forest
Movie Col. Isham
-
1948
To the Ends of the Earth
Movie Binda Sha
-
1948
Adventures of Casanova
Movie D'Anneci
-
1947
Monsieur Verdoux
Movie Father Fareaux
-
1947
High Conquest
Movie Priest
-
1947
The Web
Movie Leopold Kroner
-
1947
Dangerous Venture
Movie Chief Xeoli
-
1947
Bells of San Angelo
Movie Padre
-
1947
Humoresque
Movie Hagerstrom
-
1946
Strange Journey
Movie Prof. Jenner
More credits
-
1946
Angel on My Shoulder
Movie Chemist Who Poisoned Wife (uncredited)
-
1946
A Scandal in Paris
Movie Painter
-
1945
Scarlet Street
Movie Evangelist (uncredited)
-
1945
This Love of Ours
Movie Dr. Bailey
-
1945
The Spanish Main
Movie Bishop
-
1945
The Cisco Kid Returns
Movie The Padre
-
1944
Youth Runs Wild
Movie Judge (uncredited)
-
1944
Cry of the Werewolf
Movie Dr. Charles Morris
-
1944
Cobra Woman
Movie
-
1943
Phantom of the Opera
Movie Franz Liszt
-
1943
First Comes Courage
Movie Dr. Aanrud
-
1942
Crossroads
Movie Foreign Minister Deval (uncredited)
-
1941
Aloma of the South Seas
Movie High Priest
-
1940
Lady with Red Hair
Movie Mr. Foster
-
1940
The Sea Hawk
Movie Inquisitor
-
1940
All This, and Heaven Too
Movie Abbe Gallard
-
1940
The Way of All Flesh
Movie Max
-
1939
Pack Up Your Troubles
Movie Pierre Ferrand
-
1939
The Hunchback of Notre Dame
Movie Old Nobleman
-
1939
Nurse Edith Cavell
Movie Sadi Kirschen
-
1939
They Made Her a Spy
Movie Dr. Krull
-
1938
Gateway
Movie Dr. Weilander
-
1938
Flight Into Nowhere
Movie Ti-Ana
-
1938
The Jury's Secret
Movie John Morrow
