Fritz Feld

Fritz Feld (October 15, 1900 – November 18, 1993) was a German-American film character actor who appeared in over 140 films in 72 years, both silent and sound.

Early life and career

Born to a Jewish family in Berlin, Germany, Feld began his acting career in Germany in 1917, making his screen debut in Der Golem und die Tänzerin (The Golem and the Dancing Girl). His early career in the United States included touring with Morris Gest's production of The Miracle in the mid-1920s. Feld filmed the sound sequences of the Cecil B. DeMille film The Godless Girl (1929), released by Pathé, without DeMille's supervision, since DeMille had already broken his contract with Pathé, and signed with Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer.

He developed a characterization that came to define him. His trademark was to slap his mouth with the palm of his hand to create a "pop!" sound that indicated both his superiority and his annoyance. The first use of the "pop" sound was in If You Knew Susie (1948). The couple is interred at the Jewish Mount Sinai Memorial Park Cemetery in the Hollywood Hills section of Los Angeles.

Fritz Feld was a strong enough amateur chess player that 1948 U.S. champion Herman Steiner and international master George Koltanowski would come to his home some evenings in the 1940s, with the three of them playing chess until 6:00 the following morning, as mentioned in The Bobby Fischer I Knew and Other Stories (Denker & Parr, 1995).

Partial filmography

The Golem and the Dancing Girl (1917) as Hotel Page Dämon der Welt. 1. Das Schicksal des Edgar Morton (1919) The Golem: How He Came into the World (1920) as Jester (uncredited) Christian Wahnschaffe (1920) A Ship Comes In (1928) as Sokol The Last Command (1928) as A Revolutionist Blindfold (1928) as Thomas Bernard Broadway (1929) as Mose Levett Black Magic (1929) as James Fraser One Hysterical Night (1929) as Paganini I Met Him in Paris (1937) as Swiss Hotel Clerk Lancer Spy (1937) as Fritz Mueller Expensive Husbands (1937) as Herr Meyer, Hotel Director Hollywood Hotel (1937) as The Russian True Confession (1937) as Krayler's Butler Tovarich (1937) as Martelleau, neighbor Annabel Takes a Tour (1938) Bringing Up Baby (1938) as Dr. Lehman Romance in the Dark (1938) as Fritz Go Chase Yourself (1938) as Count Pierre Fountaine de Louis-Louis Gold Diggers in Paris (1938) as Luis Leoni I'll Give a Million (1938) as Max Primerose The Affairs of Annabel (1938) as Vladimir Campus Confessions (1938) as 'Lady MacBeth' Artists and Models Abroad (1938) as Dubois Swingtime in the Movies (1938, Short) as Mr. Nitvitch Idiot's Delight (1939) as Pittatek When Tomorrow Comes (1939) as Nicholas At the Circus (1939) as Jardinet Little Accident (1939) as Malisse Everything Happens at Night (1939) as Gendarme Little Old New York (1940) as Tavern Keeper Millionaire Playboy (1940) as 'G.G.' Gorta Ma! He's Making Eyes at Me (film) (1940) as Forsythe It's a Date (1940) as Headwaiter I Was an Adventuress (1940) as Henri Gautier Sandy Is a Lady (1940) as Mario Victory (1940) as Signor Makanoff Come Live with Me (1941) as Mac, the Headwaiter (uncredited) Three Sons o' Guns (1941) as Blotievkin World Premiere (1941) as Field Marshal Muller You Belong to Me (1941) as Hotel Desk Clerk Skylark (1941) as Maitre d'Hotel (uncredited) The Mexican Spitfire's Baby (1941) as Lieutenant Pierre Gaston de la Blanc Four Jacks and a Jill (1942) as Mr. Hoople Shut My Big Mouth (1942) as Robert Oglethorpe Sleepytime Gal (1942) as Chef Petrovich Maisie Gets Her Man (1942) as Professor Orco Iceland (1942) as Herr Tegnar Heavenly Music (1943) as Niccolò Paganini (uncredited) Henry Aldrich Swings It (1943) as Josef Altman Phantom of the Opera (1943) as Lecours Holy Matrimony (1943) as Critic Passport to Destiny (1944) as Chief Janitor Knickerbocker Holiday (1944) as Poffenburgh Take It Big (1944) as Doctor Dittenhoffer Ever Since Venus (1944) as Michele The Great John L. (1945) as Claire's Manager George White's Scandals (1945) as Montescu Captain Tugboat Annie (1945) as Al Pucci aka Alfred Puccini The Catman of Paris (1946) as Prefect of Police The Wife of Monte Cristo (1946) as Bonnett Her Sister's Secret (1946) as New Orleans Wine Salesman Gentleman Joe Palooka (1946) as Club Steward I've Always Loved You (1946) as Nicholas Kavlun Carnival in Costa Rica (1947) as Hotel Clerk Fun on a Weekend (1947) as Sergei Stroganoff The Secret Life of Walter Mitty (1947) as Anatole If You Knew Susie (1948) as Chez Henri My Girl Tisa (1948) as Professor Tabor The Noose Hangs High (1948) as Psychiatrist Julia Misbehaves (1948) as Pepito You Gotta Stay Happy (1948) as Pierre Trouble Makers (1948) as Mr. Andre Schmidtlap – Hotel Manager Mexican Hayride (1948) as Professor Ganzmeyer The Lovable Cheat (1949) as Monsieur Louis The Great Lover (1949) as Waiter (uncredited) Belle of Old Mexico (1950) as Dr. Quincy Appointment with Danger (1950) as Window Dresser (uncredited) Riding High (1950) as French Dressmaker (uncredited) The Jackpot (1950) as Long-Haired Pianist (uncredited) Rhythm Inn (1951) as Professor Rinaldo Missing Women (1951) as Pierre Kentucky Jubilee (1951) as Rudolph 'Rudi' Jouvet Little Egypt (1951) as Professor Journey Into Light (1951) as Clothing Salesman Sky High (1951) as Dr. Kapok My Favorite Spy (1951) as Dress Designer (uncredited) Aaron Slick from Punkin Crick (1952) as Headwaiter Has Anybody Seen My Gal (1952) as Alvarez (uncredited) O. Henry's Full House (1952) as Maurice (segment "The Gift of the Magi") (uncredited) Call Me Madam (1953) as Hat Clerk (uncredited) Crime Wave (1953) as Jess (uncredited) The French Line (1953) as Last Cab Driver (uncredited) Paris Playboys (1954) as Marcel, Maitre d' Riding Shotgun (1954) as Fritz Casanova's Big Night (1954) as Baron Mittschalk of Cardovia (uncredited) Living It Up (1954) as The Barber (uncredited) Jail Busters (1955) as Dr. Fernando F. Fordyce (uncredited) Up in Smoke (1957) as Dr. Bluzak Alfred Hitchcock Presents (1958) (Season 4 Episode 10: "Tea Time") as Maitre D Juke Box Rhythm (1959) as Ambrose Don't Give Up the Ship (1959) as Room Service Waiter (uncredited) The Miracle of the White Reindeer (1960) as Geronimo The Ladies Man (1961) as Mrs. Wellenmellon's Hairdresser (uncredited) The Errand Boy (1961) as Busby, Roaring 20's Director Pocketful of Miracles (1961) as Pierre Promises! Promises! (1963) as Ship's Doctor Who's Minding the Store? (1963) as Irving Cahastrophe, the Gourmet Manager 4 for Texas (1963) as Fritz The Patsy (1964) as Maitre D' (uncredited) Harlow (1965) as Fritz, Window Washer in Movie (uncredited) Made in Paris (1966) as Josef, Night Watchman (uncredited) Three on a Couch (1966) as The Attaché Way... Way Out (1966) as Breckinridge, the Maitre d' (uncredited) Penelope (1966) as Penelope's Dance Partner (uncredited) Lost in Space (1966–1967) as Mr. Zumdish in 3 eps Caprice (1967) as Swiss Innkeeper (uncredited) Barefoot in the Park (1967) as Restaurant Proprietor The Wicked Dreams of Paula Schultz (1968) as Kessel The Comic (1969) as Armand Hello, Dolly! (1969) as Rudolph's Assistant The Computer Wore Tennis Shoes (1969) as Sigmund Van Dyke The Phynx (1970) as Fritz Feld Which Way to the Front? (1970) as Von Runstadt (uncredited) Herbie Rides Again (1974) as Maître d' The Strongest Man in the World (1975) as Uncle Frederick The Sunshine Boys (1975) as Mr. Gilbert, Man at Audition Won Ton Ton, the Dog Who Saved Hollywood (1976) as Rudy's Butler Silent Movie (1976) as Maitre d' Freaky Friday (1976) as Mr. Jackman The World's Greatest Lover (1977) as Tomaso Abalone Legend of the Northwest (1978) as Trapper Herbie Goes Bananas (1980) as Chief Steward History of the World, Part I (1981) as Maitre 'D (The Roman Empire) Heidi's Song (1982) as Sebastian (voice) Barfly (1987) as Bum Homer and Eddie (1989) as Mortician (final film role)