Carl Esmond(1902-2004)
- Actor
- Soundtrack
Born Willy Eichberger in Vienna, Austria, he changed his name to the
ethnically nondescript Carl Esmond and went on to become a
well-regarded actor both here and in Europe, a career that sustained
itself for nearly 50 years. He initially studied drama in Vienna at the
State Academy of Dramatic Arts and started things off with the German
film Kaiserwalzer (1933) [The
Emperor's Waltz]. He had developed into a matinée idol in both Germany
and Austria with such films as
Die Liebe siegt (1934) [Love
Conquers] by the time he moved to London. He started treading the
marquee boards there in such plays as "Victoria Regina" with a
repertoire that would include everything from Shakespeare to Shaw.
In the late 1930s Esmond made a strategic career move to the United
States, where he briefly changed his name yet again to Charles Esmond
before reverting back to Carl. He eventually became an American
citizen. Over the years, the slick, mustachioed, well-groomed actor
poured on the charm in a number of popular war-era films as both
cultivated romancers and urbane villains, in addition to the nefarious
Teutonic officers he customarily played. Making his debut with the
classic
The Prisoner of Zenda (1937),
Esmond went on to appear opposite
Errol Flynn in
The Dawn Patrol (1938),
Gary Cooper in both
Sergeant York (1941) and
The Story of Dr. Wassell (1944),
Ray Milland in
Ministry of Fear (1944),
Susan Hayward in
Smash-Up: The Story of a Woman (1947)
and Gregory Peck in
The World in His Arms (1952).
By the 1950s Carl was a steady fixture on television drama and
portrayed Victor Lazlo in a 1955 presentation of "Casablanca." A guest
star of such series as "77 Sunset Strip," "Maverick," "the Big Valley"
and "McMillan and Wife," his last film was the very forgettable
Agent for H.A.R.M. (1966).
Sporadically seen after that, he retired following his appearance in
the TV mini-movie
My Wicked, Wicked Ways: The Legend of Errol Flynn (1985),
a biopic of his 30s co-star
Errol Flynn. Long wed to literary
agent Ruth Taub, who predeceased him, he died of natural causes at 102
years.
ethnically nondescript Carl Esmond and went on to become a
well-regarded actor both here and in Europe, a career that sustained
itself for nearly 50 years. He initially studied drama in Vienna at the
State Academy of Dramatic Arts and started things off with the German
film Kaiserwalzer (1933) [The
Emperor's Waltz]. He had developed into a matinée idol in both Germany
and Austria with such films as
Die Liebe siegt (1934) [Love
Conquers] by the time he moved to London. He started treading the
marquee boards there in such plays as "Victoria Regina" with a
repertoire that would include everything from Shakespeare to Shaw.
In the late 1930s Esmond made a strategic career move to the United
States, where he briefly changed his name yet again to Charles Esmond
before reverting back to Carl. He eventually became an American
citizen. Over the years, the slick, mustachioed, well-groomed actor
poured on the charm in a number of popular war-era films as both
cultivated romancers and urbane villains, in addition to the nefarious
Teutonic officers he customarily played. Making his debut with the
classic
The Prisoner of Zenda (1937),
Esmond went on to appear opposite
Errol Flynn in
The Dawn Patrol (1938),
Gary Cooper in both
Sergeant York (1941) and
The Story of Dr. Wassell (1944),
Ray Milland in
Ministry of Fear (1944),
Susan Hayward in
Smash-Up: The Story of a Woman (1947)
and Gregory Peck in
The World in His Arms (1952).
By the 1950s Carl was a steady fixture on television drama and
portrayed Victor Lazlo in a 1955 presentation of "Casablanca." A guest
star of such series as "77 Sunset Strip," "Maverick," "the Big Valley"
and "McMillan and Wife," his last film was the very forgettable
Agent for H.A.R.M. (1966).
Sporadically seen after that, he retired following his appearance in
the TV mini-movie
My Wicked, Wicked Ways: The Legend of Errol Flynn (1985),
a biopic of his 30s co-star
Errol Flynn. Long wed to literary
agent Ruth Taub, who predeceased him, he died of natural causes at 102
years.