Fritz Leiber

Acting

Born Jan 29, 1882

From Chicago, Illinois, USA

Died Oct 14, 1949

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.

Fritz Leiber

Known For

Samson and Delilah

The Hunchback of Notre Dame

Gateway

Monsieur Verdoux

Scarlet Street

Phantom of the Opera

The Sea Hawk

All This, and Heaven Too

The Spanish Main

Humoresque

Filmography — Acting

Samson and Delilah

The Hunchback of Notre Dame

Gateway

Monsieur Verdoux

Scarlet Street

Phantom of the Opera

The Sea Hawk

All This, and Heaven Too

The Spanish Main

Humoresque

Anthony Adverse

Cobra Woman

The Web

Crossroads

A Tale of Two Cities

Angel on My Shoulder

Devil's Doorway

The Prince and the Pauper

Bride of Vengeance

Cry of the Werewolf

A Scandal in Paris

Bagdad

Cleopatra

Aloma of the South Seas

Lady with Red Hair

Champagne Waltz

Another Part of the Forest

To the Ends of the Earth

Sins of Man

The Story of Louis Pasteur

They Made Her a Spy

This Love of Ours

Nurse Edith Cavell

Inner Sanctum

The Jury's Secret

Youth Runs Wild

The Great Garrick

Bells of San Angelo

Strange Journey

Hearts in Bondage

Under Southern Stars

The Way of All Flesh

Pack Up Your Troubles

Song of India

High Conquest

Down to the Sea

Flight Into Nowhere

First Comes Courage

Adventures of Casanova

Dangerous Venture

The Cisco Kid Returns

The Queen of Sheba

Romeo and Juliet

The Song of the Soul

If I Were King