Fritz Leiber

Fritz Reuter Leiber Sr. was an American actor. A Shakespearean actor on stage, he also had a successful career in film. He was the father of science fiction and fantasy writer Fritz Leiber Jr., who was also an actor for a time. Leiber and his wife spent much of their time touring in a Shakespearean acting company, known by the 1930s as Fritz Leiber & Co. Leiber made his film bow in 1916, playing Mercutio in the Francis X. Bushman version of “Romeo and Juliet.” With his piercing eyes and shock of white hair, Leiber seemed every inch the priests, professors, musical professors, and religious fanatics that he was frequently called upon to play in films. His many silent-era portrayals included Caesar in Theda Bara's 1917 “Cleopatra” and Solomon in the mammoth 1921 Betty Blythe vehicle “The Queen of Sheba.” He thrived as a character actor in sound films, usually in historical roles. In the film “Champagne Waltz” he portrayed an orchestra maestro; the role required him to play classical music on a violin and jazz on a clarinet. One of Leiber's larger assignments of the 1940s, and his most notable musical role, was as Franz Liszt in the Claude Rains' remake of “Phantom of the Opera” (1943). Leiber appears together with his son Fritz Leiber Jr. in the wedding-feast scene of Greta Garbo's film “Camille” (1936) and in Warner Bros.' “The Great Garrick” (1937). Leiber also appeared with his son Fritz Leiber Jr. in “The Hunchback of Notre Dame” (1939), but Fritz Leiber Jr. was not credited for his small speaking part. Late in his career, Leiber performed briefly opposite Charles Chaplin as the priest who visits Monsieur Verdoux in his prison cell.

Known For	Acting
Most Rating	4.898
Birthday	1882-01-29
Place of Birth	Chicago, Illinois, USA
Also Known As	Fritz Lieber, Fritz Reuter Leiber Sr. ,

The Hunchback of Notre Dame

Devil's Doorway

The Web

The Prince and the Pauper

Phantom of the Opera

Cleopatra

To the Ends of the Earth

A Tale of Two Cities

Inner Sanctum

Bells of San Angelo

Dangerous Venture

The Story of Louis Pasteur

The Spanish Main

First Comes Courage

Hearts in Bondage

They Made Her a Spy

Lady with Red Hair

Under Southern Stars

The Great Garrick

A Scandal in Paris

Aloma of the South Seas

Bagdad

Down to the Sea

This Love of Ours

Adventures of Casanova

The Queen of Sheba

Gateway

Song of India

Nurse Edith Cavell

Pack Up Your Troubles

Scarlet Street

Sins of Man

All This, and Heaven Too

Monsieur Verdoux

The Cisco Kid Returns

Champagne Waltz

Flight Into Nowhere

The Sea Hawk

The Way of All Flesh

Crossroads

Humoresque

Strange Journey

Anthony Adverse

Cry of the Werewolf

Samson and Delilah

The Jury's Secret

Angel on My Shoulder

High Conquest

Another Part of the Forest

If I Were King

The Song of the Soul

Cobra Woman

Youth Runs Wild

Romeo and Juliet

Bride of Vengeance