Anton Diffring (born Alfred Pollack; 20 October 1916 – 19 May 1989) was a German actor. He had an extensive film and television career in the United Kingdom from the 1940s to the 1980s, latterly appearing in international films. Primarily a

character actor A character actor is an actor known for playing unusual, eccentric, or interesting character (arts), characters in supporting roles, rather than leading ones.28 April 2013, The New York Acting SchoolTen Best Character Actors of All Time Retrie ...

, he often played

Nazi Nazism (), formally named National Socialism (NS; , ), is the far-right politics, far-right Totalitarianism, totalitarian socio-political ideology and practices associated with Adolf Hitler and the Nazi Party (NSDAP) in Germany. During H ...

officers in

World War II World War II or the Second World War (1 September 1939 – 2 September 1945) was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War II, Allies and the Axis powers. World War II by country, Nearly all of the wo ...

films and villains in

horror films Horror may refer to: Arts, entertainment, and media Genres *Horror fiction, a genre of fiction **Psychological horror, a subgenre of horror fiction **Christmas horror, a subgenre of horror fiction **Analog horror, a subgenre of horror fiction * ...

, and other antagonistic authority figures.

Early life

Diffring was born Alfred Pollack in

Koblenz Koblenz ( , , ; Moselle Franconian language, Moselle Franconian: ''Kowelenz'') is a German city on the banks of the Rhine (Middle Rhine) and the Moselle, a multinational tributary. Koblenz was established as a Roman Empire, Roman military p ...

Rhineland-Palatinate Rhineland-Palatinate ( , ; ; ; ) is a western state of Germany. It covers and has about 4.05 million residents. It is the ninth largest and sixth most populous of the sixteen states. Mainz is the capital and largest city. Other cities are ...

. His father, Solomon Pollack, was a Jewish shop-owner who managed to avoid internment and survived Nazi rule in Germany. His mother, Bertha Pollack (née Diffring), was Christian. He studied acting in Berlin and Vienna, but there is conjecture about when he left Germany prior to the outbreak of World War II. The audio commentary for the ''

Doctor Who ''Doctor Who'' is a British science fiction television series broadcast by the BBC since 1963. The series, created by Sydney Newman, C. E. Webber and Donald Wilson (writer and producer), Donald Wilson, depicts the adventures of an extraterre ...

'' serial '' Silver Nemesis'' mentions that he left in 1936 to escape persecution due to his homosexuality. Other accounts point to him leaving in 1939 and settling in Canada, where he was

interned Internment is the imprisonment of people, commonly in large groups, without Criminal charge, charges or Indictment, intent to file charges. The term is especially used for the confinement "of enemy citizens in wartime or of terrorism suspects ...

in 1940, which is unlikely as he appears in the

Ealing Studios Ealing Studios is a television and film production company and facilities provider at Ealing Green in west London, England. Will Barker bought the White Lodge on Ealing Green in 1902 as a base for film making, and films have been made on th ...

film ''

Convoy A convoy is a group of vehicles, typically motor vehicles or ships, traveling together for mutual support and protection. Often, a convoy is organized with armed defensive support and can help maintain cohesion within a unit. It may also be used ...

'' (released in July 1940, as the officer of U-37, in an uncredited role). His sister Jacqueline Diffring moved to England and became a sculptor. While in England, he quickly became fluent in English and for a time worked in the

War Office The War Office has referred to several British government organisations throughout history, all relating to the army. It was a department of the British Government responsible for the administration of the British Army between 1857 and 1964, at ...

as an interpreter. Although he made two fleeting uncredited appearances in films in 1940, it was not until 1950 that his acting career began to take off.

Career

With numerous World War II film and television productions being produced in England from the 1950s, Diffring's "Germanic" physical type of blond hair, pale blue eyes and chiselled features saw him regularly cast in roles as Nazi military officers in films such as '' Albert R.N. '' (1953) and '' The Colditz Story'' (1955). Some of his other roles as German characters were in '' The Heroes of Telemark'' (1965), ''

The Blue Max ''The Blue Max'' is a 1966 war film , WW I film directed by John Guillermin and starring George Peppard, James Mason, Ursula Andress, Karl Michael Vogler, and Jeremy Kemp. The film was made in DeLuxe Color and was one of the last movies filme ...

'' (1966), ''

Where Eagles Dare ''Where Eagles Dare'' is a 1968 action adventure war film directed by Brian G. Hutton and starring Richard Burton, Clint Eastwood and Mary Ure. Set during World War II, it follows a Special Operations Executive team charged with saving a ca ...

'' (1968), ''

Zeppelin A Zeppelin is a type of rigid airship named after the German inventor Ferdinand von Zeppelin () who pioneered rigid airship development at the beginning of the 20th century. Zeppelin's notions were first formulated in 1874Eckener 1938, pp. 155� ...

'' (1971), as SS officer

Reinhard Heydrich Reinhard Tristan Eugen Heydrich ( , ; 7 March 1904 – 4 June 1942) was a German high-ranking SS and police official during the Nazi era and a principal architect of the Holocaust. He held the rank of SS-. Many historians regard Heydrich ...

in ''

Operation Daybreak ''Operation Daybreak'' (also known as ''The Price of Freedom'' in the U.S. and ''Seven Men at Daybreak'' during production) is a 1975 war film based on the true story of Operation Anthropoid, the assassination of SS general Reinhard Heydrich i ...

'' (1975) and the football match commentator in '' Escape to Victory'' (1981), although he also played a Polish parachutist in '' The Red Beret'' (1953). He played Hitler's foreign minister

Joachim von Ribbentrop Ulrich Friedrich-Wilhelm Joachim von Ribbentrop (; 30 April 1893 – 16 October 1946) was a German Nazi politician and diplomat who served as Minister for Foreign Affairs (Germany), Minister of Foreign Affairs of Nazi Germany from 1938 to 1945. ...

in the American mini-series '' The Winds of War'' (1983). In the Italian war movie ''Uccidete Rommel'', shot in the Egyptian desert in 1969, he played the role of a British officer of the SAS. On stage, Diffring played the title role in the musical ''Mister Venus'', opposite

Frankie Howerd Francis Alick Howard (6 March 1917 – 19 April 1992), better known by his stage-name Frankie Howerd, was an English actor and comedian. Early life Howerd was born the son of a soldier Francis Alfred William (1887–1934)England & Wales, Deat ...

. It opened at the

Prince of Wales Theatre The Prince of Wales Theatre is a West End theatre in Coventry Street, near Leicester Square in London. It was established in 1884 and rebuilt in 1937, and extensively refurbished in 2004 by Sir Cameron Mackintosh, its current owner. The theatre ...

on 23 October 1958 but closed after only sixteen performances. In the show, Diffring sang two solo numbers: "Love Like Ours" and "Tradition". The book was by Ray Galton and Johnny Speight, while the music was by Trevor H. Stanford ( Russ Conway) and Norman Newell. He played a part in the TV mini-series '' Flambards'' as the aeronautical pioneer who assists William Russell ( Alan Parnaby), second in line of inheritance to the Flambards Estate, who is obsessed with flying. Diffring's character was a German living in Britain shortly before the beginning of the Great War. Diffring starred in several horror films, such as '' The Man Who Could Cheat Death'' (1959) and '' Circus of Horrors'' (1960) and played the lead in the television pilot '' Tales of Frankenstein'' (1958). He also appeared in international films, such as ''

Fahrenheit 451 ''Fahrenheit 451'' is a 1953 Dystopian fiction, dystopian novel by American writer Ray Bradbury. It presents a future American society where books have been outlawed and "firemen" Book burning, burn any that are found. The novel follows in the ...

'' (1966), an English-language film directed by

François Truffaut François Roland Truffaut ( , ; ; 6 February 1932 – 21 October 1984) was a French filmmaker, actor, and critic. He is widely regarded as one of the founders of the French New Wave. He came under the tutelage of film critic Andre Bazin as a ...

. He appeared in the 1964 West German comedy '' A Mission for Mr. Dodd'' having previously starred in the West End play ''

Out of Bounds In sports, out of bounds (or out-of-bounds) refers to being outside the playing boundaries of the field. The legality of going out of bounds (intentionally or not), and the ease of prevention, vary by sport. Sports that use this term include Am ...

'' on which it is based. His final performance was once more as a Nazi for the

BBC The British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) is a British public service broadcaster headquartered at Broadcasting House in London, England. Originally established in 1922 as the British Broadcasting Company, it evolved into its current sta ...

in the 1988 ''

'' serial '' Silver Nemesis''.

Death

Diffring died on 19 May 1989 from cancer at his home in Châteauneuf-Grasse, in the South of France, at the age of 72. In a 2002 interview, his longtime friend Arthur Brauss said Diffring had actually died of complications from AIDS. His body was buried in the graveyard of St. Andrew's Church, in the village of White Colne in Essex.

Partial stage credits

* ''The Constant Wife'' (1946, Barbizon-Plaza Theatre,

New York City New York, often called New York City (NYC), is the most populous city in the United States, located at the southern tip of New York State on one of the world's largest natural harbors. The city comprises five boroughs, each coextensive w ...

) as John Middleton * ''I Am a Camera'' (1955,

New Theatre Oxford New Theatre Oxford (formerly the Apollo Theatre Oxford and the Apollo, from 1977–2003) is the main commercial Theater (structure), theatre in Oxford, England. It has a capacity of 1,785 people; is on George Street, Oxford, George Street, in t ...

, later Bristol Hippodrome, later UK tour) as Fritz Wendel * ''Mister Venus'' (1958,

Manchester Opera House The Opera House in Quay Street, Manchester, England, is a 1,920-seater commercial touring Theatre (structure), theatre that plays host to touring Musical theatre, musicals, ballet, concerts and a Christmas pantomime. It is a Grade II listed buil ...

, later

, later UK tour) as Mr. Venus * ''Henry V'' (1960,

Mermaid Theatre The Mermaid Theatre was a theatre encompassing the site of Puddle Dock and Curriers' Alley at Blackfriars in the City of London, and the first built in the City since the time of Shakespeare. It was, importantly, also one of the first new th ...

) * ''Out of Bounds'' (1962-63,

Wyndham's Theatre Wyndham's Theatre is a West End theatre, one of two opened by actor/manager Charles Wyndham (the other is the Criterion Theatre). Located on Charing Cross Road in the City of Westminster, it was designed c. 1898 by W. G. R. Sprague, the arch ...

, later

, later UK tour) as Anton Lesh

Filmography

Film

*''

'' (1940) as U-Boat officer (uncredited) *'' Neutral Port'' (1940) as Sailor (uncredited) *'' State Secret'' (1950) as State Police Officer at Theatre *'' Highly Dangerous'' (1950) as Officer At Station Check Point (uncredited) *'' Hotel Sahara'' (1951) as German soldier (uncredited) *'' Appointment with Venus'' (1951) as 2nd German soldier *''

The Woman's Angle ''The Woman's Angle'' is 1952 British drama film directed by Leslie Arliss and starring Edward Underdown, Cathy O'Donnell and Lois Maxwell. It was written by Arliss, Mabbie Pool and Frederick Gotfurt based on the 1940 novel ''Three Cups of Coffe ...

'' (1952) as Peasant *'' Song of Paris'' (1952) as Renoir *''

Top Secret Classified information is confidential material that a government deems to be sensitive information which must be protected from unauthorized disclosure that requires special handling and dissemination controls. Access is restricted by law or ...

'' (1952) as East German policeman (uncredited) *'' Never Let Me Go'' (1953) as Hotel Desk Clerk (uncredited) *'' The Red Beret'' (1953) as The Pole *'' Park Plaza 605'' (1953) as Gregor *'' Albert R.N.'' (1953) as Hauptmann Schultz *'' Operation Diplomat'' (1953) as Shroder *'' Betrayed'' (1954) as Captain Von Stanger *'' The Sea Shall Not Have Them'' (1954) as German Pilot *'' The Colditz Story'' (1955) as Fischer *'' I Am a Camera'' (1955) as Fritz Wendel *'' Doublecross'' (1956) as Dmitri Krassin *'' The Black Tent'' (1956) as Senior Nazi Officer *'' Reach for the Sky'' (1956) as German Stabsfeldwebel *'' House of Secrets'' (1956) as Anton Lauderbach *'' The Traitor'' (1957) as Joseph Brezina *'' The Crooked Sky'' (1957) as Fraser *'' Lady of Vengeance'' (1957) as Karnak *'' Seven Thunders'' (1957) as Colonel Trautman *'' A Question of Adultery'' (1958) as Carl Dieter *'' Mark of the Phoenix'' (1958) as Inspector Schell *'' The Man Who Could Cheat Death'' (1959) as Dr. Georges Bonnet *'' Circus of Horrors'' (1960) as Dr. Schuler *'' Enter Inspector Duval'' (1961) as Inspector Duval *'' The Great Escape'' (1963) as SS Officer (uncredited) *'' Incident at Midnight'' (1963) as Dr. Erik Leichner *'' A Mission for Mr. Dodd'' (1964) as Howard *'' Lana, Queen of the Amazons'' (1964) as Professor Van Vries *''

Operation Crossbow ''Crossbow'' was the code name in World War II for Anglo-American operations against the German V-weapons, long range reprisal weapons (V-weapons) programme. The primary V-weapons were the V-1 flying bomb and V-2 rocket, which were launched agai ...

'' (1965) as SS Sturmbannfuhrer (uncredited) *'' Shots in Threequarter Time'' (1965) as Burger *'' The Heroes of Telemark'' (1965) as Major Frick *''

'' (1966) as Holbach *''

'' (1966) as Fabian *'' The Double Man'' (1967) as Berthold *''

Counterpoint In music theory, counterpoint is the relationship of two or more simultaneous musical lines (also called voices) that are harmonically dependent on each other, yet independent in rhythm and melodic contour. The term originates from the Latin ...

'' (1968) as Colonel Arndt *''

'' (1968) as Colonel Paul Kramer *'' Man on Horseback'' (1969) as Kurfürst *' (''Kill Rommel!'', 1969) as Captain Richard Howell *''

'' (1971) as Colonel Hirsch *'' The Iguana with the Tongue of Fire'' (1971) as Ambassador Sobiesky *'' The Day the Clown Cried'' (1972, unreleased) as Captain Curt Runkel *'' The Stuff That Dreams Are Made Of'' (1972) *'' Little Mother'' (1973) as The Cardinal *'' Mark of the Devil Part II'' (1973) as Balthasar von Ross *''

Seven Deaths in the Cat's Eye ''Seven Deaths in the Cat's Eye'' () is a 1973 Gothic fiction, Gothic horror film directed by Antonio Margheriti. It is also a rare example of an Italian giallo that is set in period, taking place some time in the 1890s. Plot In Scotland, a man i ...

'' (1973) as Dr. Franz *'' The Battle of Sutjeska'' (1973) as General Alexander Lohr *'' Tony Arzenta'' (1973) as Grunwald *'' Dead Pigeon on Beethoven Street'' (1974) as Mensur *'' Shatter'' (1974) as Hans Leber *'' The Beast Must Die'' (1974) as Pavel *'' Die Antwort kennt nur der Wind'' (1974) as John Keelwood *''

'' (1975) as Reichsprotektor Reinhard Heydrich *' (1976) as Lieutenant Slade *'' The Swiss Conspiracy'' (1976) as Franz Benninger *'' Love Letters of a Portuguese Nun'' (1977) as Old Priest *'' Vanessa'' (1977) as Cooper *'' Waldrausch'' (1977) *''L'imprécateur'' (1977) as Ronson *'' Valentino'' (1977) as Baron Long *'' Les Indiens sont encore loin'' (1977) as Le professeur d'allemand *''Son of Hitler'' (1978) as Gernheim *'' The Unicorn'' (1978) as Blomich *''Io sono mia'' (1978) as Padre di Suna *'' It Can Only Get Worse'' (1979) as Gloria's first husband *''

Tusk Tusks are elongated, continuously growing front teeth that protrude well beyond the mouth of certain mammal species. They are most commonly canine tooth, canine teeth, as with Narwhal, narwhals, chevrotains, musk deer, water deer, muntjac, pigs, ...

'' (1980) as John Morrison *'' Escape to Victory'' (1981) as German – Chief Commentator – The Commentators *' (1983) as Colonel Henderson *'' S.A.S. à San Salvador'' (1983) as Peter Reynolds *' (1985) as Cardinal Millini *''Operation Dead End'' (1986) as Prof. Lang *'' Wahnfried'' (1986) as

Franz Liszt Franz Liszt (22 October 1811 – 31 July 1886) was a Hungarian composer, virtuoso pianist, conductor and teacher of the Romantic music, Romantic period. With a diverse List of compositions by Franz Liszt, body of work spanning more than six ...

*' (1986) as Wintrich *'' Faceless'' (1987) as Dr. Karl Heinz Moser *' (1988) as George Mamoulian (final film role)

Selected television appearances

*Colonel March... (Episode 14: "The Silent Vow", 1956) * ''

Edgar Wallace Mysteries The ''Edgar Wallace Mysteries'' is a British second-feature film series mainly produced at Merton Park Studios for Anglo-Amalgamated. There were 48 films in the series, which were released between 1960 and 1965. The series was screened as ''Th ...

'' episode: Incident At Midnight (1962) .... Dr Erik Leichner * '' Scobie in September'' (6 episodes, 1969) .... Pandorus *'' Assignment Vienna'' (8 episodes, 1972–1973) .... Inspector Hoffman *'' Thriller'' (Series 2, Episode 3: "Kiss Me and Die", 1974) .... Jonathan Lanceford *'' The Galton & Simpson Playhouse'' (Episode 1: "Car Along the Pass", 1977) .... Heinz Steiner *' (1978) .... Arnold *'' Flambards'' (5 episodes, 1979) .... Mr. Dermot *'' The Old Fox: Morddrohung'' (1980) .... Leo Steglitz *''Arsène Lupin joue et perd'' (TV mini-series, 1980) ....

Wilhelm II Wilhelm II (Friedrich Wilhelm Viktor Albert; 27 January 18594 June 1941) was the last German Emperor and King of Prussia from 1888 until Abdication of Wilhelm II, his abdication in 1918, which marked the end of the German Empire as well as th ...

*''

Derrick A derrick is a lifting device composed at minimum of one guyed mast, as in a gin pole, which may be articulated over a load by adjusting its Guy-wire, guys. Most derricks have at least two components, either a guyed mast or self-supporting tower ...

: Am Abgrund'' (1981) .... Alfred Bandera *''Ein Winter auf Mallorca'' (1982) .... Konsul Fleury *'' The Winds of War'' (4 episodes, 1983) ....

*''

: Angriff aus dem Dunkel'' (1984) .... Scherer *''House Guest'' (1984) .... Crozier *' (1984) *''Opération O.P.E.N.'' (1 episode, 1984) .... Beejlab *'' The Masks of Death'' (1984) .... Graf Udo Von Felseck of Purbridge Manor *''Messieurs les jurés'' (1 episode, 1985) .... Karl Düren *'' Jane Horney'' (TV mini-series, 1985) .... Adm.

Wilhelm Canaris Wilhelm Franz Canaris (1 January 1887 – 9 April 1945) was a admiral (Germany), German admiral and the chief of the ''Abwehr'' (the German military intelligence, military-intelligence service) from 1935 to 1944. Initially a supporter of Ad ...

*''

: Nachtstreife'' (1987) .... de Mohl *''

'' serial '' Silver Nemesis'' (3 episodes, 1988) .... De Flores

Sources

*Brian McFarlane, ''The Encyclopedia of British Film'', Methuen, 2003.

References

External links

* * * {{DEFAULTSORT:Diffring, Anton 1916 births 1989 deaths 20th-century German male actors German gay actors German expatriates in England German expatriates in France German male film actors German male television actors German people of Jewish descent Actors from Koblenz Actors from the Rhine Province 20th-century German LGBTQ people German male stage actors AIDS-related deaths in France Male actors from Rhineland-Palatinate