Frank Reicher

Frank Reicher (born Franz Reichert; December 2, 1875 – January 19, 1965) was a German-born American actor, director and producer, best known for playing Captain Englehorn in the 1933 monster film classic King Kong.

Early life Reicher was born in Munich, Germany, the son of actor Emanuel Reichert. Reicher's parents divorced in 1881 and his mother died two years later while at Trieste. His half-sister, Hedwiga Reicher, would also become a Hollywood actor. His half-brother Ernst Reicher was popular as gentleman detective Stuart Webbs in the early German cinema of the 1910s. Frank Reicher immigrated to the States in 1899 and became a naturalized American citizen some twelve years later.

Career Reicher made his Broadway debut the year he came to America playing Lord Tarquin in Harrison Fiske's production of Becky Sharp, a comedy by Langdon Mitchell based on William Makepeace Thackeray’s Vanity Fair. His early career was spent in legitimate theater on and off Broadway. He was head of the Brooklyn Stock Company when Jacob P. Adler performed The Merchant of Venice in Yiddish while the rest of the cast remained in English. Reicher was for a number of years affiliated with the Little Theatre on West Forty-Fourth Street as an actor and manager and would remain active on Broadway as actor, director or producer well into the 1920s. On stage, Reicher starred in such plays as the first Broadway production of Georg Kaiser's From Morning to Midnight (as the cashier), the original production of Percy MacKaye's The Scarecrow (in the title role), and the United States premiere of Leonid Andreyev's He Who Gets Slapped.

Frank Reicher is probably more familiar to modern audiences as a supporting character actor in films. He began his cinema career with an uncredited role in the 1915 film The Case for Becky and would go on to work in over two hundred motion pictures. He is probably best remembered for playing the character of Captain Englehorn in King Kong and The Son of Kong, and for his work in such films as The Secret Life of Walter Mitty (1947) and Kiss Tomorrow Goodbye (1950). His last Hollywood role was in the very first theatrical Superman movie, Superman and the Mole Men, in 1951.

Death Frank Reicher died at a hospital in Inglewood, California, aged 89. He was survived by his sister and a brother. His interment was at Inglewood Park Cemetery.

Filmography Actor

The Case of Becky (1915) as One of Dr. Emerson's Patients (uncredited) Wise Husbands (1921) Her Man o' War (1926) as Prof. Krantz Beau Sabreur (1928) as Gen. de Beaujolais Four Sons (1928) as The Schoolmaster The Blue Danube (1928) as Baron von Statzen The Masks of the Devil (1928) as Count Zellner Napoleon's Barber (1928, Short) as Napoleon's Barber Someone to Love (1928) as Simmons Sins of the Fathers (1928) as The Eye Specialist His Captive Woman (1929) as District Attorney Strange Cargo (1929) as Dr. Stecker Black Waters (1929) as Randall Paris Bound (1929) (uncredited) Her Private Affair (1929) as State's Attorney Mister Antonio (1929) as Milton Jorny The Grand Parade (1930) Strictly Unconventional (1930) as Duke of Brocklehurst (uncredited) Billy the Kid (1930) as General Lew Wallace (uncredited) A Lady's Morals (1930) as Italian Theater Manager (uncredited) Gentleman's Fate (1931) as Papa Francesco Tomasulo Beyond Victory (1931) as German Military Hospital Chief The Sin of Madelon Claudet (1931) as Arresting Detective (uncredited) Suicide Fleet (1931) as Holtzmann Mata Hari (1931) as The Cook / Spy, ordered by Andriani to commit suicide for his past failures A Woman Commands (1932) as The General The Crooked Circle (1932) as Rankin Scarlet Dawn (1932) as Plotsky (uncredited) Flesh (1932) as Warden in Germany (uncredited) Rasputin and the Empress (1932) as German-Language Teacher (uncredited) Employees' Entrance (1933) as Garfinkle Topaze (1933) as Dr. Stegg King Kong (1933) as Captain Englehorn A Bedtime Story (1933) as Aristide Jennie Gerhardt (1933) as Old Weaver (uncredited) Before Dawn (1933) as Joe Valerie Captured! (1933) as Herr Hauptman – the Adjutant After Tonight (1933) as Major-Medical Officer (uncredited) Ever in My Heart (1933) as Dr. Hoffman (uncredited) The Son of Kong (1933) as Captain Englehorn Eight Girls in a Boat (1934) as The Examiner (uncredited) Hi, Nellie! (1934) as Danny Journal of a Crime (1934) as Herr Winterstein No Greater Glory (1934) as Doctor The Countess of Monte Cristo (1934) as Police Commissioner The Line-Up (1934) as Abraham Schultz (uncredited) Let's Talk It Over (1934) as Richards Little Man, What Now? (1934) as Lehmann The World Moves On (1934) as Herr Robess (uncredited) Return of the Terror (1934) as Franz Reinhardt The Fountain (1934) as Doctor British Agent (1934) as Mr. X The Case of the Howling Dog (1934) as Dr. Carl Cooper I Am a Thief (1934) as Max Bolen Secret of the Chateau (1934) as Auctioneer Mils of the Gods (1934) as Barrett Life Returns (1935) as Dr. James The Casino Murder Case (1935) as Assistant Coroner (uncredited) Straight from the Heart (1935) as Coroner (uncredited) A Dog of Flanders (1935) as Herr Vanderkloot The Florentine Dagger (1935) as Von Stein Star of Midnight (1935) as Abe Ohlman (uncredited) Charlie Chan in Egypt (1935) as Dr. Jaipur Born to Gamble (1935) as Defense Attorney (uncredited) Rendezvous (1935) as Dr. R.A. Jackson Remember Last Night? (1935) as Coroner (uncredited) The Man Who Broke the Bank at Monte Carlo (1935) as Second Assistant Director The Fighting Marines (1935) as Wheeler – M-70 (uncredited) Kind Lady (1935) as Gustave Roubet The Great Impersonation (1935) as Doctor Trenk Magnificent Obsession (1935) as Dr. Rochard (uncredited) The Lone Wolf Returns (1935) as Coleman (scenes deleted) The Murder of Dr. Harrigan (1936) as Dr. Coate The Invisible Ray (1936) as Professor Meiklejohn (Mendelssohn in end credits) The Story of Louis Pasteur (1936) as Dr. Pfeiffer Sutter's Gold (1936) as Governor Felipe Vega (uncredited) The Country Doctor (1936) as Dr. Paul Luke Till We Meet Again (1936) as Colonel Von Diegel Murder on a Bridle Path (1936) as Dr. Peters (Gregg's) Under Two Flags (1936) as French General The Ex-Mrs. Bradford (1936) as Henry Strand – Summers' Lawyer (uncredited) Nobody's Fool''' (1936) as Chairman (uncredited) The Devil-Doll (1936) as Doctor (uncredited) Anthony Adverse (1936) as Coach Driver to Paris Girls' Dormitory (1936) as Dr. Hoffenreich Second Wife (1936) as Headmaster Star for a Night (1936) as Doctor Heimkin The Gorgeous Hussy (1936) as Commander of U.S.S. Constitution (uncredited) Old Hutch (1936) as District Attorney (uncredited) Along Came Love (1936) as Planetarium Lecturer Laughing at Trouble (1936) as Dr. Larson Camille (1936) as Creditor Agent (uncredited) Sinner Take All (1936) as Theo Drukker (uncredited) Under Cover of Night (1937) as Rudolph Brehmer The Mighty Treve (1937) as Eben McClelland Man of the People (1937) as Professor Robinson – Geologist (uncredited) Stolen Holiday (1937) as Rainer The Great O'Malley (1937) as Dr. Larson Espionage (1937) as Von Cram Night Key (1937) as Carl King of Gamblers''' (1937) as Herman (uncredited) The Road Back (1937) as Ernst's Father The Devil Is Driving (1937) as District Attorney (uncredited) The Emperor's Candlesticks (1937) as Pavloff Midnight Madonna (1937) as Vincent Long II West Bound Limited (1937) as Pop Martin The Life of Emile Zola (1937) as M. Perrenx (uncredited) On Such a Night (1937) as Horace Darwin Fit for a King (1937) as Kurtz Stage Door (1937) as Stage Director Lancer Spy (1937) as Admiral Heidi (1937) as Police Lieutenant (uncredited) 45 Fathers (1937) as Prentiss (uncredited) Beg, Borrow or Steal (1937) as Monsieur Debillon (uncredited) Prescription for Romance (1937) as Jozeph Prison Nurse (1938) as Doctor Hartman Rascals (1938) as Dr. C.M. Garvey Three Comrades (1938) as Major – Young Soldier's Father (uncredited) City Streets (1938) as Dr. Ferenc Waller The Amazing Dr. Clitterhouse (1938) as Professor O.J. Ludwig (uncredited) I'll Give a Million (1938) as Prefect of Police Letter of Introduction (1938) as 2nd Doctor – Midtown Hospital (uncredited) Suez (1938) as General Changarnier The Storm (1938) as Officer (uncredited) Torchy Gets Her Man (1938) as The Professor The Girl Downstairs (1938) as Police Sergeant (uncredited) Devil's Island (1939) as President of Assize Court Woman Doctor (1939) as Dr. Mathews Society Smugglers (1939) as Jones Mystery of the White Room (1939) as Dr. Amos Thornton Never Say Die (1939) as Man in Charge of Duel (uncredited) Juarez (1939) as Duc de Morny (uncredited) Unexpected Father (1939) as Adoption Hearing Referee (uncredited) The Magnificent Fraud (1939) as Mendietta Garcia Nurse Edith Cavell (1939) as Baron Von Bissing Rio (1939) as Paris Banker (uncredited) The Escape (1939) as Dr. Shumaker Sabotage (1939) as George Wallner—Head of Saboteurs (uncredited) Ninotchka (1939) as Soviet Lawyer (uncredited) Our Neighbors – The Carters (1939) as Dr. Proser South of the Border (1939) as Don Diego Mendoza Everything Happens at Night (1939) as Pharmacist Dr. Ehrlich's Magic Bullet (1940) as Old Man (uncredited) Dr. Cyclops (1940) as Professor Kendall Typhoon (1940) as Doctor All This, and Heaven Too (1940) as Police Official (uncredited) The Lady in Question (1940) as President South to Karanga (1940) as Dr. Greenleaf The Man I Married (1940) as Friehof Sky Murder (1940) as Dr. Crattan Four Mothers (1941) as Festival Committee Member (uncredited) The Face Behind the Mask (1941) as Dr. Ronald Cheever (uncredited) Flight from Destiny (1941) as Edvaard Kreindling They Dare Not Love (1941) as German Captain (uncredited) The Nurse's Secret (1941) as Mr. Henderson Shining Victory (1941) as Dr. Esterhazy Underground (1941) as Professor Baumer Father Takes a Wife (1941) as Captain of the 'SS Leslie C.' (uncredited) One Foot in Heaven (1941) as Board Member (uncredited) Dangerously They Live (1941) as Jarvis Nazi Agent (1942) as Fritz To Be or Not to Be (1942) as Polish Official (uncredited) The Mystery of Marie Roget (1942) as Magistrate Beyond the Blue Horizon (1942) as Sneath I Married an Angel (1942) as Driver (uncredited) The Gay Sisters (1942) as Dr. Thomas Bigelow Secret Enemies (1942) as Henry Bremmer Night Monster (1942) as Dr. Timmons The Mummy's Tomb (1942) as Professor Matthew Norman Scattergood Survives a Murder (1942) as Thaddeus Quentin The Purple V (1943) as Bit Role (uncredited) Hangmen Also Die! (1943) as Interpreter (uncredited) Mission to Moscow (1943) as General von Koestrich – German ambassador (uncredited) Above Suspicion (1943) as Colonel Gerold (uncredited) Yanks Ahoy (1943) as German (uncredited) Background to Danger (1943) as Rudick – the Assassin (uncredited) Bomber's Moon (1943) as Dr. Hartman Watch on the Rhine (1943) as Admiral (uncredited) The Song of Bernadette (1943) as Dr. St. Cyr (uncredited) Tornado (1943) as Old Man Linden (uncredited) Captain America (1944, Serial) as Lyman [Ch. 1] In Our Time (1944) as Baron Jarski (uncredited) Address Unknown (1944) as Professor Schmidt The Hitler Gang (1944) as The Justizminister (uncredited) The Adventures of Mark Twain (1944) as Doctor in Elmira (uncredited) Gildersleeve's Ghost (1944) as Dr. John Wells The Mummy's Ghost (1944) as Professor Matthew Norman The Conspirators (1944) as Casino Attendant (uncredited) House of Frankenstein (1944) as Ullman The Big Bonanza (1944) as Dr. Ballou The Jade Mask (1945) as Harper Hotel Berlin (1945) as Fritz (uncredited) A Medal for Benny (1945) as Father Bly (uncredited) Blonde Ransom (1945) as Judge Rhapsody in Blue (1945) as Guest (uncredited) Voice of the Whistler (1945) as Dr. Rose (uncredited) The Tiger Woman (1945) as Coroner The Strange Mr. Gregory (1945) as Riker, the Butler A Guy Could Change (1946) as Doctor (uncredited) The Shadow Returns (1946) as Michael Hasdon Song of Arizona (1946) as Doctor (uncredited) My Pal Trigger (1946) as Judge J.E. Ellis (uncredited) Sister Kenny (1946) as Dr. Chuter (uncredited) Home in Oklahoma (1946) as Jason Cragmyle Mr. District Attorney (1947) as Peter Lantz (uncredited) Yankee Fakir (1947) as Banker H.W. Randall Monsieur Verdoux (1947) as Doctor (uncredited) Violence (1947) as Pop The Secret Life of Walter Mitty (1947) as Karl Maasdam Song of Love (1947) as Mr. Fuerbach (uncredited) Escape Me Never (1947) as The Minister Joe Palooka in Fighting Mad (1948) as Dr. MacKenzie Carson City Raiders (1948) as Razor the Barber I, Jane Doe (1948) as Doctor (uncredited) The Gallant Blade (1948) as Major (uncredited) Barbary Pirate (1949) as Cathcart Samson and Delilah (1949) as Village Barber The Arizona Cowboy (1950) as Major Sheridan Cargo to Capetown (1950) as Judge Van Meeger (uncredited) Kiss Tomorrow Goodbye (1950) as 'Doc' Darius Green The Lady and the Bandit (1951) as Count Eckhardt Superman and the Mole Men (1951) as Hospital Superintendent (final film role)

Director Feature Play Co. First credit as a director. The first of 8 films made with Blanche Sweet. 1915The Secret Orchard Jesse L. Lasky Feature Play Co. First solo credit as a director 1915The Case of BeckyJesse L. Lasky Feature Play Co. 1915The Chorus LadyJesse L. Lasky Feature Play Co. 1915The Secret SinJesse L. Lasky Feature Play Co. 1915Mr. Grex of Monte Carlo Jesse L. Lasky Feature Play Co. 1916Pudd'nhead WilsonJesse L. Lasky Feature Play Co. 1916For the DefenseJesse L. Lasky Feature Play Co. 1916The SowersJesse L. Lasky Feature Play Co. 1916The Love MaskJesse L. Lasky Feature Play Co. 1916Alien Souls Jesse L. Lasky Feature Play Co. 1916The DupeJesse L. Lasky Feature Play Co. 1916Public OpinionJesse L. Lasky Feature Play Co. 1916The Victory of Conscience Jesse L. Lasky Feature Play Co. 1916The Storm Jesse L. Lasky Feature Play Co. 1916WitchcraftJesse L. Lasky Feature Play Co. 1917Betty to the RescueJesse L. Lasky Feature Play Co. 1917Lost and WonJesse L. Lasky Feature Play Co. 1917The Black WolfJesse L. Lasky Feature Play Co. 1917Castles for TwoJesse L. Lasky Feature Play Co. 1917SacrificeJesse L. Lasky Feature Play Co. 1917UnconqueredJesse L. Lasky Feature Play Co. 1917The Inner ShrineJesse L. Lasky Productions 1921Idle HandsPark-Whiteside