Herman Bing

Herman Bing (March 30, 1889 – January 9, 1947) was a German-American character actor. He acted in more than 120 films and many of his parts were uncredited.

Biography

Bing was born in Frankfurt am Main, Germany.

Bing began his career at the circus, at age 16, and vaudeville showing comedic talent. In 1921 he made his film debut in "Ciska Barna, die Zigeunerin".

He was production chief of several films in Germany before he went to America, in 1923, with director Friedrich Wilhelm Murnau as Murnau's interpreter and assistant director. He also worked under John Ford and Frank Borzage, before establishing himself as a successful character actor well known for his wild-eyed facial expressions and thick German accent. He also provided the voice for the Ringmaster in Walt Disney's Dumbo (1941).

Death The start of World War II in Europe caused all things German to be unpopular with audiences. His German accent was no longer in demand in the years following World War II. He became increasingly depressed in the mid-1940s. He was unable to secure work in Hollywood, and committed suicide by gunshot in 1947.

Selected filmography

Ciska Barna, Die Zigeunerin (1921) 4 Devils (1928) Married in Hollywood (1929) as German Director A Song of Kentucky (1929) as Jake Kleinschmidt The Three Sisters (1930) as Von Kosch Show Girl in Hollywood (1930) as Mr. Bing – Otis' Assistant Men Behind Bars (1931) as Lawyer Women Love Once (1931) The Great Lover (1931) as Losseck The Guardsman (1931) as A Creditor Murders in the Rue Morgue (1932) as Franz Odenheimer Westward Passage (1932) as Otto Hoopengarner – the Dutchman Flesh (1932) as Pepi – Headwaiter Hypnotized (1932) as Capt. Otto Von Stormberg The Plumber and the Lady (1933 short) as Otto Mauser The Nuisance (1933) as Willy Dinner at Eight (1933) as Waiter My Lips Betray (1933) as Weininger Footlight Parade (1933) as Fralick The Bowery (1933) as Max Herman Fits in a Fiddle (1933 short) as Heinrich Mickelmeier College Coach (1933) as Prof. Glantz Trimmed in Furs (1934 short) as Engles the Lodge Owner Mandalay (1934) as Prof. Kleinschmidt Melody in Spring (1934) as Wirt I'll Tell the World (1934) as Adolph Manhattan Love Song (1934) as Gustave Hide-Out (1934) as Jake Embarrassing Moments (1934) as Bartender When Strangers Meet (1934) as Mr. Oscar Schultz The Merry Widow (1934) as Zizipoff Crimson Romance (1934) as Himmelbaum Love Time (1934) as Istvan The Mighty Barnum (1934) as Farmer Schultz The Night Is Young (1935) as Nepomuk The Great Hotel Murder (1935) as Hans The Florentine Dagger (1935) as Baker The Misses Stooge (1935 short) as Sazarac the Magician In Caliente (1935) as Florist Stage Frights (1935 short) Calm Yourself (1935) as Mr. Sam Bromberg Don't Bet on Blondes (1935) as Prof. Friedrich Wilhelm Gruber Every Night at Eight (1935) as Joe Schmidt Call of the Wild (1935) as Sam Redheads on Parade (1935) as Lionel Kunkel His Family Tree (1935) as Mr. 'Stony' Stonehill Three Kids and a Queen (1935) as Walter Merkin $1,000 a Minute (1935) as Vanderbrocken Fighting Youth (1935) as Luigi Rose Marie (1936) as Mr. Daniells Slide, Nellie, Slide (1936 short) as The Hot Dog King Tango (1936) as Mr. Kluckmeyer – Tango Hosiery Laughing Irish Eyes (1936) as Weisbecher The Great Ziegfeld (1936) as Costumer The King Steps Out (1936) as Pretzelberger The Three Wise Guys (1936) as Baumgarten Human Cargo (1936) as Fritz Schultz Blackmailer (1936) as Dr. Rosenkrantz – Coroner Adventure in Manhattan (1936) as Otto Come Closer, Folks (1936) as Herman That Girl from Paris (1936) as 'Hammy' Hammacher Champagne Waltz (1937) as Max Snellinek Maytime (1937) as August Archipenko Oh, What a Knight! (1937 short) Beg, Borrow or Steal (1937) as Von Giersdorff – aka Count Herman Every Day's a Holiday (1937) as Fritz Krausmeyer Paradise for Three (1938) as Mr. Polter Bluebeard's Eighth Wife (1938) as Monsieur Pepinard Four's a Crowd (1938) as Barber Vacation from Love (1938) as Oscar Wittlesbach The Great Waltz (1938) as Dommayer Sweethearts (1938) as Oscar Engel Bitter Sweet (1940) as Market Keeper Broadway Melody of 1940 (1940) as Silhouettist (uncredited) Dumbo (1941) as The Ringmaster (voice, uncredited) The Devil with Hitler (1942 short) as Louis The Captain from Köpenick (completed in 1941, released in 1945) as City Hall guardian Kilian Where Do We Go from Here? (1945) as Hessian Col. / Von Heisel Rendezvous 24 (1946) as Herr Schmidt Night and Day (1946) as Ladisaus Smedick – 2nd 'Peaches' (uncredited) (final film role)