Karl Stepanek

Karl Stepanek

Acting • Born 1899-10-27 – Died 1980-12-25

Acting1Brünn, Moravia, Austria-Hungary [now Brno, Czech Republic]

Biography

Though born in Czechoslovakia, actor Karel Stepanek was generally regarded as a German actor due to his extensive film work in Germany (as Karl Stepanek) in the years before World War II. Stepanek fled to England in 1940, where, like many European refugee actors, he specialized in portraying Teutonic villains. He tried to stay away from out-and-out Nazi roles, but his predilection for wearing black uniforms and barking out guttural commands left little doubt as to the political preferences of Stepanek's screen characters. One of his most typical characterizations could be found in the 1946 POW drama, The Captive Heart; Stepanek also registered well as a friendlier foreigner in The Fallen Idol (1949). Commuting between London and Hollywood, Karel Stepanek continued to fight World War II, usually on the wrong side, into such '60s films as Sink the Bismarck! (1960), I Aim at the Stars (1960) and Operation Crossbow (1965).

Filmography

69 credits
Man of the Moment

Man of the Moment

Movie • 1955

Lom

Murderers Club of Brooklyn

Murderers Club of Brooklyn

Movie • 1967

Dyers

The Fallen Idol

The Fallen Idol

Movie • 1948

First Secretary

Devil Doll

Devil Doll

Movie • 1964

Dr. Heller

Operation Crossbow

Operation Crossbow

Movie • 1965

Prof. Hoffer

Affair in Trinidad

Affair in Trinidad

Movie • 1952

Walters

Anastasia

Anastasia

Movie • 1956

Mikhail Vlados

The Cockleshell Heroes

The Cockleshell Heroes

Movie • 1955

Assistant Gestapo Officer

Never Let Me Go

Never Let Me Go

Movie • 1953

Commissar

City Beneath the Sea

City Beneath the Sea

Movie • 1953

Dwight Trevor

Sink the Bismarck!

Sink the Bismarck!

Movie • 1960

Admiral Lutjens - 'Bismarck'

The File of the Golden Goose

The File of the Golden Goose

Movie • 1969

Mueller

Die Fledermaus

Die Fledermaus

Movie • 1937

Attaché Baranoff / Orlovsky

The Captive Heart

The Captive Heart

Movie • 1946

Forster

They Met in the Dark

They Met in the Dark

Movie • 1943

Riccardo

Conspirator

Conspirator

Movie • 1949

Radek

Walk East on Beacon

Walk East on Beacon

Movie • 1952

Alexi Laschenkov / Gregory Anders

The Frozen Dead

The Frozen Dead

Movie • 1966

General Lubeck

Secret Venture

Secret Venture

Movie • 1955

Zelinsky

Sperrbezirk

Sperrbezirk

Movie • 1966

Inspector Wagner

A Prize of Gold

A Prize of Gold

Movie • 1955

Dr. Zachmann

Before Winter Comes

Before Winter Comes

Movie • 1969

Count Kerassy

Tale of Three Women

Tale of Three Women

Movie • 1954

Alfred Dykemann (segment "Final Twist' story)

Licensed to Kill

Licensed to Kill

Movie • 1965

Henrik Jacobsen

Dangerous Cargo

Dangerous Cargo

Movie • 1954

Pliny

Cairo Road

Cairo Road

Movie • 1950

Edouardo Pavlis

West of Suez

West of Suez

Movie • 1957

Langford

Operation Amsterdam

Operation Amsterdam

Movie • 1959

Diamond Merchant

Five from the Jazzband

Five from the Jazzband

Movie • 1932

Jean

Berlin-Alexanderplatz: The Story of Franz Biberkopf

Berlin-Alexanderplatz: The Story of Franz Biberkopf

Movie • 1931

Tomorrow We Live

Tomorrow We Live

Movie • 1943

Seitz

The Third Man

The Third Man

Movie • 1949

Actor at Josefstadt Theater (uncredited)

Give Us This Day

Give Us This Day

Movie • 1949

Jaroslav

Rough Shoot

Rough Shoot

Movie • 1953

Diss

Secret Mission

Secret Mission

Movie • 1942

Major Lang

The Leghorn Hat

The Leghorn Hat

Movie • 1939

Felix, Diener bei Farina

The Third Visitor

The Third Visitor

Movie • 1951

Richard Carling

Brainwashed

Brainwashed

Movie • 1960

Baranow

The Heroes of Telemark

The Heroes of Telemark

Movie • 1965

Hartmuller

The Unknown

The Unknown

Movie • 1936

Manager at Regina's

Escape to Danger

Escape to Danger

Movie • 1943

Franz von Brinkman

Here's Berlin

Here's Berlin

Movie • 1932

Max

A Song for You

A Song for You

Movie • 1933

Theo Bruckner

War es der im 3. Stock?

War es der im 3. Stock?

Movie • 1939

Georg Kilby

Hermine and the Seven Upright Men

Hermine and the Seven Upright Men

Movie • 1935

Ruckstuhl

Der Außenseiter

Der Außenseiter

Movie • 1935

Otto Burian

Spione im Savoy-Hotel

Spione im Savoy-Hotel

Movie • 1932

Jackson

State Secret

State Secret

Movie • 1950

Dr. Revo

Broken Journey

Broken Journey

Movie • 1948

Swiss Officer (uncredited)

The Man in the Road

The Man in the Road

Movie • 1956

Dmitri Balinkev

Aufstand der Gehorsamen

Aufstand der Gehorsamen

Movie • 1963

Jawor Stranski

The Games

The Games

Movie • 1970

Kubitsek

Narren im Schnee

Narren im Schnee

Movie • 1938

Rolf Pinkenkötter

Waltz War

Waltz War

Movie • 1933

Kellner Leopold

The Heroes of Telemark: Location report from Norway

The Heroes of Telemark: Location report from Norway

Movie • 2003

Our Man in Havana

Our Man in Havana

Movie • 1960

Dr. Braun

Golden Arrow

Golden Arrow

Movie • 1949

Schroeder

No Highway in the Sky

No Highway in the Sky

Movie • 1951

Hotel Sacher

Hotel Sacher

Movie • 1939

Franz

Klatovští dragouni

Klatovští dragouni

Movie • 1938

The Traitor

The Traitor

Movie • 1957

Friederich Suderman

Na růžích ustláno

Na růžích ustláno

Movie • 1935

Pozdní láska

Pozdní láska

Movie • 1935

Counterblast

Counterblast

Movie • 1948

Professor Inman

Our Film

Our Film

Movie • 1942

Soviet Visitor

Die Werft zum grauen Hecht

Die Werft zum grauen Hecht

Movie • 1935

Ladewig

Das Kriminalmuseum

Das Kriminalmuseum

TV • 1963

Dr. Robert Großmann

Overseas Press Club - Exclusive!

Overseas Press Club - Exclusive!

TV • 1957

Rubici

No Hiding Place

No Hiding Place

TV • 1959

Professor Remi