Herbert Lom facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Herbert Lom
Lom in a 1940s publicity photo
Born	Herbert Charles Angelo Kuchačevič ze Schluderpacheru (1917-09-11)11 September 1917 Prague, Kingdom of Bohemia, Austria-Hungary
Died	27 September 2012(2012-09-27) (aged 95) Camden, London, England
Nationality	British Czech
Occupation	Actor
Years active	1937–2002
Spouse(s)	Dina Schea ​ ​ (m. 1948; div. 1961)​ Eve Lacik ​ ​ (m. 1962; div. 1990)​
Children	3

Herbert Lom (born Herbert Charles Angelo Kuchačevič ze Schluderpacheru; September 11, 1917 – September 27, 2012) was a famous Czech-British actor. He moved to the United Kingdom in 1939. His acting career lasted for over 60 years!

Herbert Lom was known for playing many different kinds of characters. He often played villains or smooth, charming bad guys when he was younger. As he got older, he played more professional roles. He was also very good at comedy, especially as Chief Inspector Dreyfus in The Pink Panther movies. People often noticed how clearly and elegantly he spoke English.

He is best known for his roles in movies like The Ladykillers, the Pink Panther film series, War and Peace, and the TV show The Human Jungle.

Early Life and Education

Herbert Lom was born in Prague. His father was Karl Kuchačevič ze Schluderpacheru and his mother was Olga Gottlieb. His mother had Jewish family roots.

His family was comfortable, but not super rich. His grandfather owned property and had income from restaurants. Herbert's father tried different jobs, like running a printing business. The family moved around Prague a few times. Herbert went to a well-known German grammar school. He also studied philosophy at the German University in Prague for a while. But he decided to stop his studies to become an actor.

Acting Career

Herbert Lom's first movie was a Czech film called Žena pod křížem in 1937. He also appeared in Boží mlýny in 1938. At first, he mostly played smaller roles. Around this time, he changed his last name to Lom. He picked it because it was the shortest name he could find in the phone book! The word "Lom" means "breakage" or "quarry" in Czech.

In 1939, Nazi Germany took over Czechoslovakia. Because of this, Herbert Lom moved to Britain. He appeared in many British films during the 1940s. He often played villains, but he also showed his talent in comedies later on. Even though his mother was Jewish, his parents were able to join him in England.

Herbert Lom had a unique accent. But he managed to play many different kinds of characters. He played Napoleon Bonaparte twice! Once in The Young Mr. Pitt (1942) and again in War and Peace (1956). After World War II, he was offered a contract to make seven movies in Hollywood. However, he couldn't get a visa to go to America. In one of his rare main roles, he played twin trapeze artists in Dual Alibi (1946).

Herbert Lom also performed on stage. He played the King of Siam in the first London show of the musical The King and I. It opened in 1953 and ran for a long time. You can even hear him on the recording of the show!

He continued to have great success in movies during the 1960s. He played many different parts. These included roles in Spartacus (1960) and El Cid (1961). He also played Captain Nemo in Mysterious Island (1961). One of his most famous roles was the main character in the horror film The Phantom of the Opera (1962). He wore a full mask for this role. He said it was "wonderful to play such a part."

During this time, Lom also starred in his only regular TV series. It was a British drama called The Human Jungle (1963–64). In this show, he played a psychiatrist (a doctor who helps people with their minds). He also appeared in other horror films, like Mark of the Devil (1970). This film was known for some intense scenes.

Herbert Lom is probably most famous for playing Chief Inspector Charles Dreyfus. This character was Inspector Clouseau's boss in the Pink Panther movies. Dreyfus was always annoyed by Clouseau! Lom first played Dreyfus in the second movie, A Shot in the Dark (1964). He also appeared in two movie versions of the Agatha Christie mystery novel And Then There Were None.

Besides acting, Herbert Lom also wrote two historical novels. One was about the famous playwright Christopher Marlowe. The other was about the French Revolution.

Personal Life

Herbert Lom married Dina Schea in 1948. They had two children together. They later divorced. He also had another child from a different relationship. He then married Eve Lacik, but they also divorced in 1990.

Herbert Lom passed away peacefully in his sleep. He died at his home in London on September 27, 2012. He was 95 years old.

Selected Filmography

Voice Work

• "Nemesis" (2007) in Agatha Christie's Marple series, as Jason Rafiel (voice, uncredited)

Images for kids

• 

  Lom in a 1940s publicity photo

See also

In Spanish: Herbert Lom para niños