Walter Slezak facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Walter Slezak
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Slezak c. 1922
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| Born | 3 May 1902 |
| Died | 21 April 1983 (aged 80) Flower Hill, New York, U.S.
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| Resting place | Rottach-Egern, Germany |
| Occupation | Actor |
| Years active | 1922–1980 |
| Spouse(s) | Johanna Van Rijn (m. 1943) |
| Children | 3, including Erika Slezak |
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| Awards | Tony Award (1955) |
Walter Slezak (born May 3, 1902 – died April 21, 1983) was an actor from Austria. He was famous for his roles in movies and on stage from 1922 to 1976. Walter Slezak started his career in German films. Later, he moved to the United States in 1930 and acted in many Hollywood movies.
Slezak often played clever and talkative characters. These characters were sometimes thoughtful and usually enjoyed good food, drinks, and a fancy lifestyle. For example, he played a tricky villain, a U-boat captain, in Alfred Hitchcock's movie Lifeboat (1944). He was also a charming assistant to a rich boss in Come September (1961). Another role was a traveling gypsy in The Inspector General (1949). He was also known for playing smart, tough private detectives in movies like Cornered (1945) and Born to Kill (1947).
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Early Life and Family
Walter Slezak was born in Vienna, which was part of Austria-Hungary at the time. His father was Leo Slezak, a famous opera singer. His mother was Elisabeth "Elsa" Wertheim. For a while, Walter studied medicine. He also worked as a bank teller. His older sister, Margarete Slezak, was also an actress.
Acting Career Highlights
Walter Slezak got his first acting job in 1922. His friend, Michael Curtiz, who was directing the Austrian film Sodom und Gomorrah, convinced him to take the role.
When he was young and slim, Slezak often played the main hero in silent movies. He also performed on stage for many years. His first show on Broadway was in 1931.
His first American movie was Once Upon a Honeymoon (1942), where he acted alongside Ginger Rogers and Cary Grant. He worked steadily and appeared in over 100 films. Some of these movies include:
- The Princess and the Pirate (1944)
- The Spanish Main (1945)
- Sinbad the Sailor (1947)
- Born to Kill (1947)
- Abbott and Costello in the Foreign Legion (1950)
- People Will Talk (1951)
- Call Me Madam (1953)
Slezak also played the main character in Broadway musicals. One of his most famous roles was in Fanny. For this role, he won a special award called the Tony Award for Best Actor in a Musical.
Walter Slezak also acted on the radio in popular shows like Lux Radio Theater and The Pepsodent Show. He made many appearances on television. He was in shows such as The Loretta Young Show and Playhouse 90. He even played a villain called The Clock King in two episodes of the TV series Batman in 1966.
In the 1970s, Slezak played a non-singing role as Frosch, the jailer, in the San Francisco Opera's show Die Fledermaus. Later, he appeared in British films like Wonderful Life (1964) with Cliff Richard and Black Beauty (1971).
Personal Life and Family
Walter Slezak married Johanna "Kaasi" Van Rijn on October 10, 1943. They had three children: Ingrid, Erika, and Leo. Their daughter Erika became a very successful actress. She won an Emmy Award for her role as Victoria Lord on the long-running TV soap opera One Life to Live. She was on the show from 1971 until it ended in 2012. In 1974, Walter Slezak even appeared on the show as her character's godfather, Lazlo Braedecker.
In the 1930s, Slezak was good friends with heiress Maria Altmann and her family in Vienna.
Later Years and Passing
Walter Slezak passed away on April 21, 1983. He was buried in the same grave as his parents in the cemetery of St. Laurentius Church in Egern, Bavaria.
Autobiography
Walter Slezak wrote a book about his life called What Time's the Next Swan?. It was published in 1962. The title of the book comes from a funny story about his father, opera singer Leo Slezak. During a performance of the opera Lohengrin, his father was supposed to get into a swan boat and be pulled off stage. But a stagehand took the boat away too early! So, Leo Slezak supposedly asked the audience, "What time's the next swan?"
Awards and Recognition
In 1955, Walter Slezak won a Tony Award. This award was for his excellent performance in the Broadway musical Fanny.
Images for kids
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Slezak c. 1922
See also
In Spanish: Walter Slezak para niños
