Thursday, June 26, 2008
Peter Lorre
He was and still is one of the oddest, yet most influential actors of all time (how many cartoons can you think of that use his unique voice style for a character?) Happy Birthday Peter Lorre! Star of countless incredible genre classics of film and television, born this day in Rózsahegy, Austria-Hungary in 1904. R.I.P.
His work is in CONSTANT rotation on Americafree.tv - the site is a genre-based breakdown of creative commons films on a constant stream. I usually have their sci-fi, horror, or noir feed going on my second monitor while I work.
ReplyDeleteAnd let's not forget the Lorre-inspired character Yetch in MAD MONSTER PARTY!!!
ReplyDeleteGREAT PHOTO TRIBUTE TO A GREAT ACTOR! HAPPY B-DAY!!
ReplyDeleteWow, what strange synchronicity...
ReplyDelete;) Stay tuned!
>Wow, what strange synchronicity...
ReplyDeleteWhat? Did you find the letter M on your back again when you woke up this morning?
*whistles Hall of the Mountain King, rolls eyes*
ReplyDeleteHappy birthday!.did anyone hear about how his daughter survived an encounter with the Hillside strangler because he was a fan?or is it just an urban legend?.oh,well.i have a collection of some of his radio performances,now THAT's a voice for radio,just as effective as any of his films.
ReplyDeleteHappy birthday, Peter Lorre.
ReplyDeleteI'll say it for the 100th time, I love the movie Mad Love. Talk about a creepy character! I also am a big fan of him and Vincent Price at the wine tasting contest in Tales of Terror.
ReplyDelete>hear about how his daughter survived an encounter with the Hillside strangler
ReplyDeleteNever heard that HP, find me a link--- quick!
>him and Vincent Price at the wine tasting contest in Tales of Terror.
Great movie. I think they're wonderful together in Jacques Tourneur's underrated Comedy of Terrors too. But for me the supreme Lorre team-up is with Sydney Greenstreet... man get those two together on screen and look out.
It's on his wikipedia entry under marriages and has been mentioned in a discussion of "famous people who are monster fans" on the Classic Horror Film Messageboards in the Universal folder.but i heard it a long time ago somewhere else.i also agree about him and Greenstreet,unbeatable when together.other rumors about Lorre i heard were that he made a snide comment at Lugosi's funeral about wooden stakes,but this is usually denied as he never signed the guestbook,the other is that he ad-libbed the drinking scenes in TOT,which i agree,are hilarious.
ReplyDeleteI've always contended that he was the inspiration for the Tot character in Raiders of the Lost Ark, just as I think Karloff was the inspiration for Moleram in Temple of Doom.
ReplyDelete