Peter Lorre

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Peter Lorre (left) and Charles Boyer in Confidential Agent (1945).

(From left) Edward Arnold, Peter Lorre, and Robert Allen in Crime and Punishment (1935).

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Peter Lorre

Hungarian-American actor

Also known as: László Loewenstein

Written and fact-checked by The Editors of Encyclopaedia Britannica

Last Updated: Nov 19, 2024 • Article History

Quick Facts

Original name:: László Loewenstein

Born:: June 26, 1904, Rózsahegy, Hung.

Died:: March 23, 1964, Hollywood, Calif., U.S. (aged 59)

Also Known As:: László Loewenstein; László Löwenstein

Married To:: Annemarie Stoldt (married 1953); Kaaren Verne (1945–1950); Celia Lovsky (1934–1945)

Movies/Tv Shows (Acted In):: "The Patsy" (1964); "Muscle Beach Party" (1964); "The Comedy of Terrors" (1963); "Kraft Suspense Theatre" (1963); "77 Sunset Strip" (1963); "The DuPont Show of the Week" (1963); "The Raven" (1963); "Route 66" (1962); "Five Weeks in a Balloon" (1962); "Tales of Terror" (1962); "The Gertrude Berg Show" (1961); "Voyage to the Bottom of the Sea" (1961); "The Best of the Post" (1961); "Checkmate" (1961); "Rawhide" (1960); "The Red Skelton Show" (1955–1960); "Wagon Train" (1960); "Playhouse 90" (1956–1960); "Scent of Mystery" (1960); "Alfred Hitchcock Presents" (1957–1960); "Five Fingers" (1959); "The Big Circus" (1959); "The Milton Berle Show" (1958); "Studio 57" (1955–1958); "Hell Ship Mutiny" (1957); "The Sad Sack" (1957); "The Story of Mankind" (1957); "Silk Stockings" (1957); "Climax!" (1954–1957); "The Buster Keaton Story" (1957); "The 20th Century-Fox Hour" (1956); "Around the World in 80 Days" (1956); "Congo Crossing" (1956); "Screen Directors Playhouse" (1956); "The Star and the Story" (1955); "The Eddie Cantor Comedy Theater" (1955); "Producers' Showcase" (1955); "The Best of Broadway" (1955); "20,000 Leagues Under the Sea" (1954); "Schlitz Playhouse of Stars" (1954); "The United States Steel Hour" (1953); "Beat the Devil" (1953); "Suspense" (1952); "Lux Video Theatre" (1952); "Der Verlorene" (1951); "Double Confession" (1950); "Quicksand" (1950); "Rope of Sand" (1949); "Casbah" (1948); "My Favorite Brunette" (1947); "The Beast with Five Fingers" (1946); "The Chase" (1946); "The Verdict" (1946); "Black Angel" (1946); "Three Strangers" (1946); "Confidential Agent" (1945); "Hotel Berlin" (1945); "Hollywood Canteen" (1944); "The Conspirators" (1944); "Arsenic and Old Lace" (1944); "The Mask of Dimitrios" (1944); "Passage to Marseille" (1944); "The Cross of Lorraine" (1943); "Background to Danger" (1943); "The Constant Nymph" (1943); "Casablanca" (1942); "The Boogie Man Will Get You" (1942); "Invisible Agent" (1942); "All Through the Night" (1942); "The Maltese Falcon" (1941); "They Met in Bombay" (1941); "Mr. District Attorney" (1941); "The Face Behind the Mask" (1941); "You'll Find Out" (1940); "Stranger on the Third Floor" (1940); "Island of Doomed Men" (1940); "I Was an Adventuress" (1940); "Strange Cargo" (1940); "Mr. Moto Takes a Vacation" (1939); "Mr. Moto in Danger Island" (1939); "Mr. Moto's Last Warning" (1939); "Mysterious Mr. Moto" (1938); "I'll Give a Million" (1938); "Mr. Moto Takes a Chance" (1938); "Mr. Moto's Gamble" (1938); "Thank You, Mr. Moto" (1937); "Lancer Spy" (1937); "Think Fast, Mr. Moto" (1937); "Nancy Steele Is Missing!" (1937); "Crack-Up" (1936); "Secret Agent" (1936); "Crime and Punishment" (1935); "Mad Love" (1935); "The Man Who Knew Too Much" (1934); "Du haut en bas" (1933); "Unsichtbare Gegner" (1933); "Les requins du pétrole" (1933); "Was Frauen träumen" (1933); "F.P.1 antwortet nicht" (1932); "Stupéfiants" (1932); "Der weiße Dämon" (1932); "Schuß im Morgengrauen" (1932); "Fünf von der Jazzband" (1932); "Mann ist Mann" (1931); "Die Koffer des Herrn O.F." (1931); "Bomben auf Monte Carlo" (1931); "M - Eine Stadt sucht einen Mörder" (1931); "Der weiße Teufel" (1930)

Peter Lorre (born June 26, 1904, Rózsahegy, Hung.—died March 23, 1964, Hollywood, Calif., U.S.) was a Hungarian-born American motion-picture actor who projected a sinister image as a lisping, round-faced, soft-voiced villain in thrillers.

Fritz Lang: MPeter Lorre in M (1931), a film directed by Fritz Lang.

A player of bit parts with a German theatrical troupe from 1921, Lorre achieved international fame as the psychotic child murderer in the German classic film M (1931), directed by Fritz Lang. His portrayal is considered one of the screen’s greatest criminal characterizations. Three years later he made his English-language film debut in The Man Who Knew Too Much and then his first Hollywood appearance in Mad Love (1935). It was followed by other roles as malevolent, sadistic characters in such films as Crime and Punishment (1935), The Maltese Falcon (1941), Casablanca (1942), and The Beast with Five Fingers (1946). He also played the Japanese detective in the Mr. Moto series (1937–39). His later films sometimes burlesque his traditional chilling presence. During the 1950s and ’60s, Lorre made frequent television appearances.

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