Frederick Schrecker (10 January 1892 – 13 July 1976) was an Austrian actor, who appeared on stage, screen and film in his home country and the United Kingdom.

Frederick Schrecker
Born
Friedrich Schrecker

(1892-01-10)10 January 1892
Died13 July 1976(1976-07-13) (aged 84)
Other namesFritz Schrecker, Franz Schrecker
OccupationActor
Years active1926–1976

Beginning his career on stage, Schrecker went on to feature in German films "Der Feldherrnhügel" (1926) and "Die Koffer des Herrn O.F." (1931) under the names Fritz Schrecker and Franz Schrecker.

As a result of the Nazi regime in Germany, Schrecker, being Jewish,[1] was forced to flee to England. There, in 1939, he was a co-founder of the Viennese Theatre Club of Paddington, a "celebrated émigré cabaret and theatre", also known as Das Laterndl. The theatrical group of talented Austrian exiles, which included the likes of Lona Cross, Martin Miller and Marianne Walla[2] became known for their sketches and plays which represented a "satirical commentary on Vienna under Nazi rule".[3]

During the Second World War, Schrecker participated in BBC anti-Nazi information programmes. After the war ended he stayed in Israel for a while before returning to England in 1947.[4]

There, he anglicised his first name to Frederick and appeared in many TV productions, including four of the six episodes of The Trollenberg Terror (as Dr. Spielmann), (but not in the feature film of the same, The Trollenberg Terror); Dixon of Dock Green; No Hiding Place; The Four Just Men; Compact; Doctor Who: The Web of Fear; Callan; and The Liver Birds; and films, too, such as Counterspy, in 1953, working up until his death.

Filmography

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Year Title Role Notes
1926 Grandstand for General Staff Regimentsarzt
1931 The Trunks of Mr. O.F.
1949 The Third Man Hansel's Father Uncredited
1950 Murder Without Crime Max Uncredited
1953 Innocents in Paris Porter Uncredited
1953 Counterspy Plattnauer
1954 Johnny on the Spot Otto Dessau
1954 The Master Plan Dr. Morganstern
1954 The Divided Heart Reporter Uncredited
1955 Oh... Rosalinda!! Gentleman
1956 Foreign Intrigue Mannheim
1956 Breakaway Professor Dohlmann
1957 The Traitor Suderman's Aide
1958 Mark of the Phoenix Van de Velde
1960 Beyond the Curtain Diener Uncredited
1961 Taste of Fear Plainclothes Officer Uncredited
1967 Billion Dollar Brain Old Man in Train
1967 The Mini-Affair Swiss Banker
1971 Deviation Old Man Taxidermist

References

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  1. ^ Portrait of the actor Fritz Schrecker by Thomas Staedeli - cyranos.ch
  2. ^ The Times, 28 June 1939, p. 12.
  3. ^ Berghahn, Marion (2007). Continental Britons: German-Jewish Refugees from Nazi Germany. Berghahn Books. p. 149. ISBN 978-1-84545-090-8.
  4. ^ THE LONDON GAZETTE 22 AUGUST 1947
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