Roland Varno

Roland Varno (March 15, 1908 – May 24, 1996) was an American character actor from Utrecht, Netherlands.

Varno's father was a tea planter, Martin Fredrick Vuerhard, and his mother was a concert pianist. Although they hoped for him to have a military career, he began acting when he was 16 years old, the youngest member of the royal Dutch theater at that time. After he graduated from college in Leyden, he traveled and continued to study dramatics. He went to Hollywood after a talent scout for MGM saw him in a German film in 1931.

Varno worked in vaudeville, performing and designing scenery.

He appeared in dozens of films in the 1930s and 1940s. During World War II, Varno served in the Office of Strategic Services, the predecessor to the Central Intelligence Agency.

Varno also appeared on TV series including Space Patrol, the Adventures of Wild Bill Hickok and 77 Sunset Strip.

Born Jacob Frederik Vuerhard, he was the father of Martin Varno, author of the 1958 science fiction film Night of the Blood Beast. He was married to Elizabeth Alderson. They also had a daughter, Marianna Jillian.

Varno died on May 24, 1996, in Lancaster, California.

Partial filmography

The First Kiss (1928) - Swimmer (film debut, uncredited) Ein kleiner Vorschuß auf die Seligkeit (1929) - Eton boy Zwischen vierzehn und siebzehn - Sexualnot der Jugend (1929) - Child Tragedy of Youth (1929) - Peter The Blue Angel (1930) - Gymnasiast Lohmann / Pupil The Man in Search of His Murderer (1931) Arsène Lupin (1932) - Jean Moucante (uncredited) As You Desire Me (1932) - Albert Private Jones (1933) - Lt. Brinkerhoff (uncredited) Malle Gevallen (1934) - Student Boy Het meisje met den blauwen hoed (1934) - Daantje Three Live Ghosts (1936) - German Corporal (uncredited) Sins of Man (1936) - Consul Clerk (uncredited) Quality Street (1937) - Ens. Blades (uncredited) The Woman I Love (1937) (uncredited) The Emperor's Candlesticks (1937) - Czar's Officer (uncredited) Conquest (1937) - Staos (uncredited) The Great Waltz (1938) - Orderly (uncredited) Gunga Din (1939) - Lt. Markham (uncredited) Balalaika (1939) - Lt. Nikitin The Fighting 69th (1940) - German Officer (uncredited) Zanzibar (1940) - Reporter (uncredited) Three Faces West (1940) - Dr. Eric Von Scherer Mystery Sea Raider (1940) - Lt. Schmidt Underground (1941) - Ernst Demmler Our Wife (1941) - Steward (uncredited) The Devil Pays Off (1941) - Ship's Doctor The Corsican Brothers (1941) - De Revenau's Friend at Opera (uncredited) Paris Calling (1941) - German Pilot (uncredited) Nazi Agent (1942) - Bauer (uncredited) To Be or Not to Be (1942) - Pilot (uncredited) Eagle Squadron (1942) - Aide-de-camp (uncredited) I Married an Angel (1942) - Man (uncredited) Desperate Journey (1942) - Unteroffizier (uncredited) Valley of Hunted Men (1942) - Carl Baum Hitler's Children (1943) - Lieutenant S.A. (uncredited) Edge of Darkness (1943) - German Lieutenant (uncredited) Action in the North Atlantic (1943) - Gunnery Captain (uncredited) Hostages (1943) - Jan Pavel The Return of the Vampire (1943) - John Ainsley Women in Bondage (1943) - Ernest Bracken Our Hearts Were Young and Gay (1944) - Pierre Cambouille (uncredited) The Unwritten Code (1944) - Cpl. Karl Richter Betrayal from the East (1945) - Kurt Guenther The Master Key (1945, Serial) - Arnold Hoffman - Hoff, M-3 Three's a Crowd (1945) - Ronald Drew Paris Underground (1945) - Lieutenant Commander Stowe (uncredited) My Name Is Julia Ross (1945) - Dennis Bruce Follow That Woman (1945) - Minor Role Flight to Nowhere (1946) - James Van Bush Scared to Death (1947) - Ward Van Ee Letter from an Unknown Woman (1948) - Stefan's Second (uncredited) Act of Violence (1949) - German (voice, uncredited) Battleground (1949) - German Lieutenant (uncredited) Mask of the Avenger (1951) - Lieutenant (uncredited) Adventures of Wild Bill Hickok (1951-1952, TV Series) - Cleary / Clem (uncredited) Back at the Front (1952) - Smuggler Vishmirov (uncredited) Dangerous Assignment (1952) - Manter/Bela (uncredited) Space Patrol (1952-1953, TV Series) - Doc / Dr. S. Buehl (uncredited) The Mad Magician (1954) - Master of Ceremonies (uncredited) Topper (1954, TV Series) - Matre'd (uncredited) Public Defender (1954, TV Series) - George Morgan Cavalcade of America (1954) - Captain Von Holst Jump Into Hell (1955) - Col. Lonjunier (uncredited) Crusader (1955, TV Series) - MVD Man You Are There (1956, TV Series) - Lt. Gerhardt Science Fiction Theatre (1956, TV Series) - Scientist Istanbul (1957) - Mr. Florian (final film) 77 Sunset Strip (1959, TV Series) - Rolfe Berne (final appearance)