From Wikipedia
Edmund Breese (June 18, 1871 – April 6, 1936) was an American stage and film actor of the silent era. Long on the stage with a varied Broadway career before entering movies he appeared with James O'Neill in The Count of Monte Cristo (1893), The Lion and the Mouse (1906) with Richard Bennett, The Third Degree (1909) with Helen Ware, The Master Mind (1913) with Elliott Dexter, the popular World War I era play Why Marry? (1917) with Estelle Winwood & Nat C. Goodwin and So This Is London (1922) with Donald Gallaher. He appeared in 129 films between 1914 and 1935. He is best remembered as the advice-giving German businessman at the beginning of the war film All Quiet on the Western Front.
His final role was on stage in Night of January 16th from September 1935 to April 1936. Just before the play ended its run, Breese developed peritonitis, which he died from on April 6, 1936.
Known For
All Quiet on the Western Front
(1930)
Herr Meyer
Duck Soup
(1933)
Zander
Mata Hari
(1931)
Warden
Treasure Island
(1934)
Pirate of the Spanish Main
Only Yesterday
(1933)
Investor (Uncredited)
Female
(1933)
Board Member (Uncredited)
Madame Butterfly
(1932)
Cho-Cho's Grandfather
Cross-Examination
(1932)
Dwight Simpson
Platinum Blonde
(1931)
Conroy
Young Sinners
(1931)
Trent
Broadway Bill
(1934)
Presiding Judge
Full Filmography
Acting
The Song of the Wage Slave
(1915)
The Weakness of Strength
(1916)
Daniel Gaynor
Someone Must Pay
(1919)
Charles Bryant
An Honorable Cad
(1919)
Chains of Evidence
(1920)
Judge Frank Sturgis
Burn 'Em Up Barnes
(1921)
King Cole
Beyond the Rainbow
(1922)
Insp. Richardson
Bright Lights of Broadway
(1923)
Reverend Graham Drake
Luck
(1923)
Alan Crosby
Three O'Clock in the Morning
(1923)
Mr. Winthrop
Damaged Hearts
(1924)
Innkeeper
The Sixth Commandment
(1924)
Col. Saunders
The Speed Spook
(1924)
Chuck Brady
Restless Wives
(1924)
Hobart Richards
Womanhandled
(1925)
Uncle Lester
The Live Wire
(1925)
Sawdust Sam
The Early Bird
(1925)
The Great La Tour
Stepping Along
(1926)
Prince Ferdinand Darowitsky
The Highbinders
(1926)
Mike Harrigan
The Brown Derby
(1926)
John J. Caldwell
Paradise for Two
(1927)
Uncle Howard
Back to Liberty
(1927)
Tom Devon
Burning Daylight
(1928)
John Dossett
The Wright Idea
(1928)
Conquest
(1928)
William Holden
On Trial
(1928)
Judge
The Perfect Crime
(1928)
Wilmot
Finders Keepers
(1928)
Hastings
The Haunted House
(1928)
Uncle Herbert
Sonny Boy
(1929)
Thorpe
Girl Overboard
(1929)
Jim Keefe
Fancy Baggage
(1929)
John Hardin
The Sea Bat
(1930)
Maddocks
Kismet
(1930)
Jawan
Hold Everything
(1930)
Pop O'Keefe
Bright Lights
(1930)
Franklin Harris
Top Speed
(1930)
Spencer Colgate
Tol'able David
(1930)
Hunter Kinemon
Playboy of Paris
(1930)
General de Karodek
Rough Waters
(1930)
Captain Thomas
The Czar of Broadway
(1930)
Chiselers of Hollywood
(1930)
All Quiet on the Western Front
(1930)
Herr Meyer
Chinatown After Dark
(1931)
Le Fong
The Public Defender
(1931)
Frank Wells
The She-Wolf
(1931)
Torchy
(1931)
Hickory Ellins
The Good Bad Girl
(1931)
J.P. Henderson
The Painted Desert
(1931)
Judge Matthews
Defenders of the Law
(1931)
Capt. Bill Houston
Millie
(1931)
Defense Attorney
Torchy Passes the Buck
(1931)
Mr. Ellins
Young Sinners
(1931)
Trent
Platinum Blonde
(1931)
Conroy
Morals for Women
(1931)
Mr. Hutson
Mata Hari
(1931)
Warden
Police Court
(1932)
Judge Robert Webster
Torchy Raises the Auntie
(1932)
Mr. Ellins
The Cabin in the Cotton
(1932)
Holmes Scott
Drifting Souls
(1932)
Brad Martin
Torchy's Two Toots
(1932)
Hickory Ellins
As You Desire Me
(1932)
Friar
The Golden West
(1932)
Sam Lynch
Torchy's Busy Day
(1932)
Hickory Ellins
Torchy's Night Cap
(1932)
Hickory Ellins
Love Bound
(1932)
J.B. 'Lucky' Morrison
Women Won't Tell
(1932)
Attorney for the Defense
Alias Mary Smith
(1932)
Mr. Hayes
Young Bride
(1932)
Mr. C. B. Chadwick the Broker
The Hatchet Man
(1932)
Yu Chang
The Reckoning
(1932)
Doc
The Match King
(1932)
Olaf Christofsen
Madame Butterfly
(1932)
Cho-Cho's Grandfather
Cross-Examination
(1932)
Dwight Simpson
The Hurricane Express
(1932)
The Secretary's Father
Torchy Rolls His Own
(1932)
Mr. Ellins
Torchy Turns the Trick
(1932)
Hickory Ellins
Female
(1933)
Board Member (Uncredited)
Only Yesterday
(1933)
Investor (Uncredited)
The Billion Dollar Scandal
(1933)
Mr. Haddock
How to Break 90 #6: Fine Points
(1933)
International House
(1933)
Doctor Wong
Above the Clouds
(1933)
Crusty
Trying Out Torchy
(1933)
Mr. Ellins
A Man of Sentiment
(1933)
John Russell Sr.
Duck Soup
(1933)
Zander
Fighting With Kit Carson
(1933)
Matt Fargo
On Your Guard
(1933)
Prison Warden
Laughing at Life
(1933)
Cabinet Officer
Torchy's Kitty Coup
(1933)
Edward (Hickory) Ellins
Torchy Turns Turtle
(1933)
Mr. Ellins
Beloved
(1934)
Maj. Tarrant
Dancing Man
(1934)
J.C. Trevor
Come On, Marines!
(1934)
General Cabot
Lost in the Stratosphere
(1934)
Col. Brooks
Broadway Bill
(1934)
Presiding Judge
Return of the Terror
(1934)
Editor
Treasure Island
(1934)
Pirate of the Spanish Main
Writing