Eric Pohlmann

Eric Pohlmann (born Erich Pollak; 18 July 1913 – 25 July 1979) was an Austrian actor, long based in the United Kingdom. He appeared in over 200 film and television productions, mostly in character roles.

His large frame and massive features typecast him in roles as master criminals and spies, or conversely as police officers or detectives, as well as other figures of authority. He voiced Ernst Stavro Blofeld, the primary antagonist of the James Bond series, in the Bond films From Russia with Love (1963) and Thunderball (1965).

Early life and education Pohlmann was born Erich Pollak to Jewish parents in Vienna in 1913. He received his acting training at the Max Reinhardt Seminar, and began his professional career at the Raimund Theater, while supplementing his income by working as an entertainer in a bar.

In 1939, he followed fiancée and later wife, actress Lieselotte Goettinger, into exile in London. Until mid-1941, both were kept in an internment camp. After their release, Eric took part in propaganda broadcasts against the Nazis on the BBC World Service. In order to earn a living, the Pohlmanns temporarily took positions in the household of the Duke of Bedford, Lieselotte as a cook and Eric, as he then became known, as butler.

Career After the war, he began a career on the West End stage. He played J.J. Peachum in Sam Wanamaker's Royal Court production of The Threepenny Opera in 1956. From the end of the 1940s, Pohlmann was often present in film and television productions, taking supporting roles in various adventure and crime films, and appearing occasionally in comedies. His large frame and massive features typecast him in roles as master criminals and spies, or conversely as police officers or detectives, as well as other figures of authority. He was frequently cast in "foreign" roles, portraying Turks, Italians, Arabs, Greeks or Asians; he also played King George II in Disney's Rob Roy, the Highland Rogue and King George III twice.

One of his earliest film appearances was in Carol Reed's classic The Third Man (1949). He also played supporting roles in such British films as They Who Dare (1954), Chance of a Lifetime (1950), Reach for the Sky (1956), and Expresso Bongo (1960). He also appeared in US productions, notably Moulin Rouge (1952), Mogambo (1953), Lust For Life (1956) and 55 Days at Peking (1963). Twice he appeared in films directed by Richard Thorpe and starring Robert Taylor – The Adventures of Quentin Durward (1955) and The House of the Seven Hawks (1959).

He displayed his comedic talents in films like Gentlemen Marry Brunettes (1955) with Jane Russell, as a lecherous Arab sheikh in The Belles of St. Trinian's (1954), as "The Fat Man" in Carry On Spying (1964) and in The Return of the Pink Panther (1975).

Pohlmann (uncredited) also provided the voice of the unseen head of SPECTRE, Ernst Stavro Blofeld, in the James Bond films From Russia with Love (1963) and Thunderball (1965).

In the 1960s and 1970s, Pohlmann relaunched his German-speaking career in West German and Austrian film and television productions. He had guest roles in the popular crime series Der Kommissar and Derrick, and also appeared in television plays for ORF and Bayerischer Rundfunk, often under the direction of . In addition to The Defence Counsel (1961) with Barbara Rütting and Carl Heinz Schroth, he appeared in (1962) with Albrecht Schoenhals and Michael Ande, as well as The Dreyfus Affair (1968) with Karl Michael Vogler and Bernhard Wicki. In 1962, Pohlmann also appeared in The Puzzle of the Red Orchid starring Marisa Mell, Christopher Lee and Klaus Kinski, a West German film adaptation of an Edgar Wallace novel.

His many roles in Austrian TV's acclaimed production of Friedrich Torberg's 'Tante Jolesch' established Pohlmann as a major star in his home country.

Pohlmann's greatest success in German TV drama came in 1970 with an adaptation of Wilkie Collins' novel The Woman in White, one of the most successful television productions of the year which gained over 9 million viewers. Under the direction of William Semmelroth, Pohlmann appeared in the role of the villainous Count Fosco, alongside Heidelinde Weis, Christoph Bantzer, Pinkas Braun and Helmut Käutner. The mini-series has a cult following to this day.

Pohlmann was a regular on British television, taking the role of "Inspector Goron" in the 1954-1955 TV series Colonel March of Scotland Yard with Boris Karloff, and appearing as a guest star in such series as The Saint, The Champions, The Avengers, Danger Man, Department S, Jason King and Paul Temple.

In 1978, he worked with the actor-director Maximilian Schell in an Austro/West German film production of Ödön von Horváth's play Geschichten aus dem Wienerwald (Tales from the Vienna Woods). The film was shown at the 1979 London Film Festival.

Death On 25 July 1979, during final rehearsals for his second appearance at the Salzburg Festival, Pohlmann suffered a heart attack, and died the same day in a hotel in Bad Reichenhall. He was 66.

He was survived by his children and his second wife, Lili Stern-Pohlman, a Polish-born Holocaust survivor.

Cultural references In 2006, the Turner Classic Movies "31 Days of Oscar" festival was based on the theme of "360 Degrees of Oscar" (based on the game of "Six Degrees of Kevin Bacon") in which TCM chooses an actor who has played a significant role in Oscar history, and builds its entire schedule around him. They chose Eric Pohlmann.

Filmography

+ Year Title Role Notes 1948 Portrait from Life Search group leader 1949 Marry Me! Mr. Cinelli Uncredited The Third Man Waiter at Smolka's Children of Chance Sergeant 1950 Chance of a Lifetime Xenobian Cairo Road Ship's Captain State Secret Cable Car conductor Blackout Otto Ford The Clouded Yellow Greek taxidermist Highly Dangerous Joe – the bartender Traveller's Joy Gustafsen 1951 The Long Dark Hall Mr. Polaris (the mystery witness) Hell Is Sold Out Louis, the proprietor There Is Another Sun Markie 1952 His Excellency Dobrieda The Woman's Angle Steffano Emergency Call Flash Harry Penny Princess Monsieur Paul Uncredited Venetian Bird Gostini Monsoon Molac The Man Who Watched Trains Go By Goin Moulin Rouge Picard Uncredited The Gambler and the Lady Arturo Colonna 1953 The Beggar's Opera Inn Keeper Mogambo Leon Boltchak Blood Orange Mr. Mercedes Rob Roy, the Highland Rogue King George I 36 Hours Slossen, the smuggler 1954 They Who Dare Captain Papadapoulos Knave of Hearts Boarding House Proprietor Uncredited Flame and the Flesh Marina Proprietor Forbidden Cargo Steven Lasovich The Belles of St. Trinian's The Sultan of Makyad 1955 The Glass Cage Henri Sapolio A Prize of Gold Fischer Break in the Circle Emile The Constant Husband Papa Sopranelli Gentlemen Marry Brunettes M. Ballard The Adventures of Quentin Durward Gluckmeister 1956The Gelignite Gang Mr. Popoulos ("Populace") Reach for the Sky Adjutant of Prison Camp Lust for Life Colbert High Terrace Otto Kellner House of Secrets Gratz Zarak Tobacco seller Uncredited Anastasia Von Drivnitz 1957The Counterfeit Plan Frank Wandelman Interpol Etienne Fayala Let's Be Happy Customs Official Fire Down Below Hotel Owner Across the Bridge Police Sergeant Not Wanted on Voyage Pedro Barnacle Bill Liberamanian Consul 1958A Tale of Two Cities Sawyer I Accuse! Bertillon The Duke Wore Jeans Bastini – Prime Minister Nor the Moon by Night Anton Boryslawski The Man Inside Tristao Further Up the Creek President Mark of the Phoenix Duser 1959 Three Crooked Men Masters John Paul Jones King George III Alive and Kicking Captain The House of the Seven Hawks Captain Rohner Upstairs and Downstairs Mario Expresso Bongo Leon 1960 Life Is a Circus Rickenbeck Sands of the Desert Scrobin Surprise Package Chief of Police Stefan Miralis Man Who Couldn't Walk The Consul General No Kidding King Passport to China Ivono Kong Snowball Editor 1961The Singer Not the Song Presidente Carry On Regardless Sinister Man The Kitchen Mr. Marango 1962The Puzzle of the Red Orchid Kerkie Minelli Village of Daughters Marcio (A Father) Mrs. Gibbons' Boys Morelli The Devil's Agent Bloch 1963 Cairo Nicodemos Follow the Boys Italian Farmer 55 Days at Peking Baron von Meck From Russia with Love Ernst Stavro Blofeld Voice, Uncredited Dr. Syn, Alias the Scarecrow King George III The Sicilians Inspector Bressin 1964Shadow of FearHenry Spiroulos Hot Enough for June Galushka Carry On Spying The Fat Man Night Train to Paris Krogh 1965 Joey Boy Antonio (Italian farmer) Those Magnificent Men in Their Flying Machines Italian Mayor Thunderball Ernst Stavro Blofeld Voice, Uncredited 1966 Where the Spies Are Farouk 1967 Hot Pavements of Cologne Benno Trooger 1968 The Mini-Affair World Banker Old General Inspector Clouseau Bergesch 1970 Foreign Exchange Borensko TV film 1971 The Woman in White Count Fosco TV miniseries The Horsemen Merchant in Kandahar 1973 Tiffany Jones Jabal 1975 The Return of the Pink Panther Fat Man 1976 The Mimosa Wants to Blossom Too Iwan Pederenko Tea for Three 1979 Ashanti Zeda El-Kabir Tales from the Vienna Woods Mister 1980 Maria – Nur die Nacht war ihr Zeuge