CINEFILER

Karl Stepanek

Born
October 27, 1899
Died
December 25, 1980
Though born in Czechoslovakia, actor Karel Stepanek was generally regarded as a German actor due to his extensive film work in Germany (as Karl Stepanek) in the years before World War II. Stepanek fled to England in 1940, where, like many European refugee actors, he specialized in portraying Teutonic villains. He tried to stay away from out-and-out Nazi roles, but his predilection for wearing black uniforms and barking out guttural commands left little doubt as to the political preferences of Stepanek's screen characters. One of his most typical characterizations could be found in the 1946 POW drama, The Captive Heart; Stepanek also registered well as a friendlier foreigner in The Fallen Idol (1949). Commuting between London and Hollywood, Karel Stepanek continued to fight World War II, usually on the wrong side, into such '60s films as Sink the Bismarck! (1960), I Aim at the Stars (1960) and Operation Crossbow (1965).
Known For
The Third Man
(1949)
Actor at Josefstadt Theater (uncredited)
The Heroes of Telemark
(1965)
Hartmuller
Our Man in Havana
(1960)
Dr. Braun
Operation Crossbow
(1965)
Prof. Hoffer
Sink the Bismarck!
(1960)
Admiral Lutjens - 'Bismarck'
Anastasia
(1956)
Mikhail Vlados
The Fallen Idol
(1948)
First Secretary
Operation Amsterdam
(1959)
Diamond Merchant
Devil Doll
(1964)
Dr. Heller
Broken Journey
(1948)
Swiss Officer (uncredited)
Full Filmography
Acting
Berlin-Alexanderplatz: The Story of Franz Biberkopf
(1931)
Five from the Jazzband
(1932)
Jean
Here's Berlin
(1932)
Max
Spione im Savoy-Hotel
(1932)
Jackson
A Song for You
(1933)
Theo Bruckner
Waltz War
(1933)
Kellner Leopold
Der Außenseiter
(1935)
Otto Burian
Hermine and the Seven Upright Men
(1935)
Ruckstuhl
Na růžích ustláno
(1935)
Pozdní láska
(1935)
The Unknown
(1936)
Manager at Regina's
Die Fledermaus
(1937)
Attaché Baranoff / Orlovsky
Narren im Schnee
(1938)
Rolf Pinkenkötter
Klatovští dragouni
(1938)
The Leghorn Hat
(1939)
Felix, Diener bei Farina
War es der im 3. Stock?
(1939)
Georg Kilby
Hotel Sacher
(1939)
Franz
Secret Mission
(1942)
Major Lang
Our Film
(1942)
Soviet Visitor
They Met in the Dark
(1943)
Riccardo
Tomorrow We Live
(1943)
Seitz
Escape to Danger
(1943)
Franz von Brinkman
The Captive Heart
(1946)
Forster
The Fallen Idol
(1948)
First Secretary
Broken Journey
(1948)
Swiss Officer (uncredited)
Counterblast
(1948)
Professor Inman
Conspirator
(1949)
Radek
The Third Man
(1949)
Actor at Josefstadt Theater (uncredited)
Golden Arrow
(1949)
Schroeder
Give Us This Day
(1949)
Jaroslav
Cairo Road
(1950)
Edouardo Pavlis
State Secret
(1950)
Dr. Revo
The Third Visitor
(1951)
Richard Carling
No Highway
(1951)
Affair in Trinidad
(1952)
Walters
Walk East on Beacon!
(1952)
Alexi Laschenkov / Gregory Anders
Never Let Me Go
(1953)
Commissar
City Beneath the Sea
(1953)
Dwight Trevor
Rough Shoot
(1953)
Diss
Tale of Three Women
(1954)
Alfred Dykemann (segment "Final Twist' story)
Dangerous Cargo
(1954)
Pliny
The Cockleshell Heroes
(1955)
Assistant Gestapo Officer
Man of the Moment
(1955)
Lom
Secret Venture
(1955)
Zelinsky
A Prize of Gold
(1955)
Dr. Zachmann
Anastasia
(1956)
Mikhail Vlados
The Man in the Road
(1956)
Dmitri Balinkev
The Traitor
(1957)
Friederich Suderman
West of Suez
(1957)
Langford
Operation Amsterdam
(1959)
Diamond Merchant
Sink the Bismarck!
(1960)
Admiral Lutjens - 'Bismarck'
Our Man in Havana
(1960)
Dr. Braun
Aufstand der Gehorsamen
(1963)
Jawor Stranski
Devil Doll
(1964)
Dr. Heller
Operation Crossbow
(1965)
Prof. Hoffer
Licensed to Kill
(1965)
Henrik Jacobsen
The Heroes of Telemark
(1965)
Hartmuller
The Frozen Dead
(1966)
General Lubeck
Sperrbezirk
(1966)
Inspector Wagner
Murderers Club of Brooklyn
(1967)
Dyers
The File of the Golden Goose
(1969)
Mueller
Before Winter Comes
(1969)
Count Kerassy
The Games
(1970)
Kubitsek
The Heroes of Telemark: Location report from Norway
(2003)
Data provided by TMDB