Lal Chand Mehra was an Indian character actor and academic active in Hollywood from the 1920s through the 1960s.

Biography

Mehra was born into a prominent Hindu family in Amritsar, India. He attended the University of Punjab as an undergraduate, and got his postgraduate degrees in education and philosophy at the University of California at Berkeley. In Hollywood, he worked as an actor and also as a technical director on films that called for knowledge of Indian culture and customs. He also gave lectures on Indian culture and current events throughout Southern California and on the radio. He told reporters he planned on eventually going back to India and directing films, but it does not appear that he returned to India. He married concert violinist Georgia Williams in 1933.

Selected filmography

*''

Escape to Burma ''Escape to Burma'' is a 1955 American Technicolor adventure film directed by Allan Dwan starring Barbara Stanwyck, Robert Ryan and David Farrar. The film was based on the short story "Bow Tamely to Me" by Kenneth Perkins, originally publis ...

'' (1955) *''

Man-Eater of Kumaon ''Man-Eater of Kumaon'' is a 1948 American adventure film directed by Byron Haskin and starring Sabu, Wendell Corey and Joy Page. The film was made after the success of the Jim Corbett book '' Man-Eaters of Kumaon'', published in 1944. The film ...

'' (1948) *''

The Caribbean Mystery ''The Caribbean Mystery'' is a 1945 American film noir mystery film which marked the directorial debut of Robert D. Webb. It is the third film adaptation of the 1933 novel ''Murder in Trinidad'' by John W. Vandercook to be produced by 20th Centur ...

'' (1945) *''

The White Cliffs of Dover The White Cliffs of Dover is the region of English coastline facing the Strait of Dover and France. The cliff face, which reaches a height of , owes its striking appearance to its composition of chalk accented by streaks of black flint, deposi ...

'' (1944) *''

Casablanca Casablanca, also known in Arabic as Dar al-Bayda ( ar, الدَّار الْبَيْضَاء, al-Dār al-Bayḍāʾ, ; ber, ⴹⴹⴰⵕⵍⴱⵉⴹⴰ, ḍḍaṛlbiḍa, : "White House") is the largest city in Morocco and the country's econom ...

'' (1942) *''

Bombay Clipper ''Bombay Clipper'' is a 1942 aviation drama film directed by John Rawlins and starring William Gargan and Irene Hervey. The film features Maria Montez in an early role. Turhan Bey also appears. The film was based on the exploits of oceanic fly ...

'' (1942) *''

Drums of Fu Manchu ''Drums of Fu Manchu'' (1940) is a 15-chapter Republic Pictures, Republic serial film based on the character created by Sax Rohmer. Though using the title of the ninth novel in the series, it actually is based on numerous elements from throughout ...

'' (1940) *''

Island of Lost Men ''Island of Lost Men'' is a 1939 American crime film directed by Kurt Neumann and starring Anna May Wong and J. Carrol Naish. It tells the story of the daughter of a general who goes to look for her father after he disappears. The film received ...

'' (1939) *''

Mr. Moto's Last Warning ''Mr. Moto's Last Warning'' is the sixth in a series of eight films starring Peter Lorre as Mr. Moto. The film is an original story featuring the character created by John P. Marquand. Plot The British Navy in Port Said is making plans for naval ...

'' (1939) *''

Storm Over Bengal Storm Over Bengal is a 1938 adventure film that was nominated at the 11th Academy Awards for Best Score, the nomination was for Cy Feuer. Set during the British Raj, the film's working title was ''Bengal Lancer Patrol''.p. 15 ''San Antonio Ligh ...

'' (1938) *'' The Thirteenth Chair'' (1937) *''

The Leathernecks Have Landed ''The Leathernecks Have Landed'' is a 1936 American adventure film directed by Howard Bretherton and written by Seton I. Miller. The film stars Lew Ayres, Isabel Jewell, James Ellison, James Burke, J. Carrol Naish and Clay Clement. The film wa ...

'' (1936) *''

The Mask of Fu Manchu ''The Mask of Fu Manchu'' (1932) is an American pre-Code adventure film directed by Charles Brabin. Written by Irene Kuhn, Edgar Allan Woolf and John Willard, it was based on the 1932 novel of the same name by Sax Rohmer (the sixth in the serie ...

'' (1932) *'' The Thirteenth Chair'' (1929) *'' The King of Kings'' (1927)

References

Indian film actors 1897 births 1980 deaths University of California, Berkeley alumni Emigrants from British India to the United States {{India-film-actor-stub