Selected Peter Lorre Films (1929-1964)

Below is a selected filmography of the European and Hollywood films in which Peter Lorre appeared.

European Films

Der weiße Teufel | The White Devil (1930)
Lorre’s first credited film appearance was a minor role in this German film, shot in the French Alps, starring a Russian (Ivan Mozzhukhin) and Java-born German actress Lil Dagover. Directed by Alexandre Volkoff. Lorre’s actual (uncredited) first film role was as a dental patient in the 1929 film Die verschwundene Frau (The Missing Woman).

M | M: Eine Stadt sucht einen Mörder (1931)
M – US release (Paramount) 1933
This film was directed in Germany by the Austrian-born Fritz Lang. In one of his best film roles, Lorre plays a sexual predator and child murderer.
Prime Video, Blu-ray, DVD > M: Eine Stadt sucht einen Mörder

F.P.1 antwortet nicht | F.P. 1 Doesn’t Answer (1932)
Lorre is a picture reporter in this German sci-fi film starring Hans Albers and Sybille Schmitz. The US (English) version stars Conrad Veidt and Jill Esmond – without Lorre (who spoke no English before his arrival in the US).

Unsichtbare Gegner | Invisible Opponents (1933)
This Austrian production, filmed in Vienna, was Lorre’s last picture before he was forced to leave Nazi Germany. The film also starred another future Hollywood refugee, Oskar Homolka.

The Man Who Knew Too Much (1934)
Filmed in the UK. Directed by Alfred Hitchcock and better in some ways than his own 1956 remake (with James Stewart, but without Lorre).
Prime Video HD > Rent or Buy The Man Who Knew Too Much (Enhanced edition)

Der Verlorene | The Lost One (1951, Germany)
Unhappy with Hollywood, Peter Lorre went back to Germany to try his hand at filmmaking. He played Dr. Karl Rothe in this German film. Written and directed by Lorre, the picture was a flop and he soon returned to Hollywood.

Hollywood Films

Crime and Punishment (1935)
Directed by Josef von Sternberg. Lorre stars with Edward Arnold and Marian Marsh in this Hollywood version of Dostoyevsky’s novel.

Mad Love (1935)
Directed by Karl Freund; a remake of 1924’s The Hands of Orlac.
DVD > Buy Hollywood Legends of Horror Collection – A 3-disc, 6-films set: Mad Love (Lorre), The Devil-Doll, Doctor X, The Return of Doctor X, Mark of the Vampire, The Mask of Fu Manchu

Lancer Spy (1937)
Lorre (Maj. Sigfried Gruning) stars with Dolores del Rio and George Sanders in this WWI tale, with del Rio playing a Mata Hari character. Fellow emigrés Sig Rumann and Joseph Schildkraut also appear.

Think Fast, Mr. Moto (1937)
The first of eight Mr. Moto films made between 1937 and 1939 – in which the Austrian actor plays a Japanese detective.
DVD > Buy Mr. Moto Collection – Vol. 1 (Mr. Moto Takes A Chance / Mysterious Mr. Moto / Thank You Mr. Moto / Think Fast Mr. Moto)
MORE: See Peter Lorre as Mr. Moto for more about the eight films in that series.

Mr. Moto’s Last Warning (1939)
The sixth Mr. Moto film adventure, with Ricardo Cortez.
DVD > Buy Mr. Moto Collection – Vol. 2 (Mr. Moto’s Gamble / Mr. Moto in Danger Island / Mr. Moto Takes a Vacation / Mr. Moto’s Last Warning)

Island of Doomed Men (1940)
Leonard Maltin: “Low-grade melodrama even Lorre can’t save as man who traps unsuspecting victims on island, turns them into his slaves.”

All Through the Night (1941)
Humphrey Bogart stars with Conrad Veidt and Karen Verne (later Lorre’s wife) in this Warner Brothers anti-Nazi film.

The Maltese Falcon (1941)
John Huston directed this classic film noir with Lorre (as Joel Cairo), Humphrey Bogart, Sydney Greenstreet and Mary Astor.
Blu-ray > Buy The Maltese Falcon
DVD > Buy The Maltese Falcon
Prime Video: Rent or Buy The Maltese Falcon

Casablanca (1942)
A true classic with Humphrey Bogart, Ingrid Bergman and Sydney Greenstreet—not to mention a musical score by the Austrian Max Steiner and Germanic cast members such as Paul Henreid and Conrad Veidt. Lorre’s Casablanca role (as Ugarte) is one of his very best. That’s why it’s hard to believe his on-screen time is under five minutes!
Blu-ray > Buy Casablanca (Collector’s edition, Blu-ray)
Blu-ray > Buy Casablanca (Prime)
DVD > Buy Casablanca (70th Anniversary Edition)
Prime Video HD: Rent or Buy Casablanca

Arsenic and Old Lace (1944)
Dark comedy with Lorre, Cary Grant, Priscila Lane and Raymond Massey.
DVD > Buy Arsenic and Old Lace
Prime Video HD: Rent or Buy Arsenic and Old Lace

The Mask of Dimitrios (1944)
Stars Lorre, Sidney Greenstreet, Zachary Scott and Faye Emerson.

Confidential Agent (1945)
Lorre, gets to work with Charles Boyer and Lauren Bacall in this Graham Greene Spanish Civil War spy tale. Musical score by Franz Waxman.

Hotel Berlin (1945)
Lorre plays Johannes Koenig in this Vicki Baum-written wartime drama. With Helmut Dantine, Faye Emerson and Raymond Massey. Near the end of the war, a member of the German underground (Dantine) escapes from the Gestapo and takes shelter at the Hotel Berlin.

The Beast With Five Fingers (1946)
Another Hands of Orlac retread.

Three Strangers (1946)
The strangers are Lorre, Sydney Greenstreet, and Geraldine Fitzgerald.

My Favorite Brunette (1947)
A comedy starring Bob Hope and Dorothy Lamour.

Casbah (1948)
The third remake of the French film Pepe le Moko (1937) features Yvonne de Carlo, Tony Martin, and Lorre as a police detective. Algiers (1938) was the second remake, and Austrian Hedy Lamarr’s first Hollywood film.

Rope of Sand (1949)
Stars Burt Lancaster and Paul Henreid. Directed by German-born William (Wilhelm) Dieterle.

Quicksand (1950)
Who knew Mickey Rooney made a film noir? Also stars Barbara Bates. Jeanne Cagney (James’ sister) plays a blonde femme fatale. Lorre is excellent as the unsavory bad guy in this above-average B-picture directed by Irving Pichel. Filmed in and around Santa Monica, California.
Prime Video or DVD > Quicksand

Beat the Devil | Il tesoro dell’Africa (1953)
John Huston directed this satire of The Maltese Falcon, an underrated cult favorite today. Lorre joined Humphrey Bogart, Jennifer Jones, and Gina Lollabrigida for the fun on location in Italy.
Prime Video, Blu-ray, DVD > Beat the Devil from Amazon

20,000 Leagues Under the Sea (1954)
Disney’s Jules Verne classic, with a singing Kirk Douglas and a rather portly Lorre; directed by German-American Richard Fleischer.
DVD > Buy 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea (2-disc set)
Prime Video HD: 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea

Around the World in 80 Days (1956)
Another Jules Verne adventure, filmed in Todd-AO widescreen and starring David Niven and Cantinflas. Cameos by almost every actor in the world, including Lorre as a Japanese steward. Marlene Dietrich also has a cameo role as a saloon girl.
Prime Video, Blu-ray, DVD > Around the World in 80 Days (1956)

Silk Stockings (1957)
Stars Fred Astaire and Cyd Charisse; a musical version of Ninotchka (directed by the German Ernst Lubitsch).
Prime Video, Blu-ray, DVD > Silk Stockings

Voyage to the Bottom of the Sea (1961)
A sci-fi global-warming adventure with Walter Pidgeon as an admiral and Lorre as Commodore Lucius Emery. Not the TV series.
Multi-Format, DVD > Voyage to the Bottom of the Sea

Five Weeks in a Balloon (1962)
Yet another Jules Verne filmization featuring Lorre. Also with Red Buttons, Barbara Eden, Cedric Hardwicke and Fabian.

Tales of Terror (1962)
A trio of Poe stories with Vincent Price and Basil Rathbone; directed by Roger Corman. Peter Lorre appears in “The Black Cat” segment.

The Raven (1963)
Vincent Price and Lorre (as Dr. Adolphus Bedlo) team up against Boris Karloff in the first of two horror spoofs directed by Roger Corman. (See Comedy of Terrors below.) Little connection with its poetical Poe namesake, but good for laughs. Also features a very young Jack Nicholson – as Lorre’s son.

Comedy of Terrors (1963)
Lorre’s lighter side again, with Karloff and Price also returning from The Raven. A dash of Basil Rathbone is added this time for good measure.

Muscle Beach Party (1964)
Lorre has a minor role as Mr. Strangdour in this second installment of the MGM beach films, which stars Frankie Avalon, Annette Funicello, and Don Rickles.

The Patsy (1964)
Lorre’s last movie and one of Jerry Lewis’ weakest attempts at humor. If you want to see the same story done better, try The Errand Boy – but some Lewis fans like this film.

Television Work from 1952 to 1963
In addition to his motion picture work, Peter Lorre also appeared in one or more episodes of the following American television programs (alphabetical listing):

77 Sunset Strip (1963, 5 episodes)
Alfred Hitchcock Presents (1957-1960, 2 episodes)
Climax (1954-1957, 5 episodes)
Five Fingers (1959)
The Jackie Gleason Show (1956)
Kraft Suspense Theatre (1963)
The Lux Video Theatre (1952)
The Milton Berle Show (1958)
Playhouse 90 (1956-1960, 6 episodes)
Rawhide (1960)
The Red Skelton Show (1954-1960, 9 episodes)
Route 66 (1962)
Schlitz Playhouse of Stars (1954)
Screen Directors Playhouse (1956)
Studio 57 (1956)
Suspense (1952)
The United States Steel Hour (1953)
Wagon Train (1960)

Back | Peter Lorre Biography

Related Pages
AT THE GERMAN WAY

• Peter Lorre as Mr. Moto
• Peter Lorre Biography
• Germans (and Others) in Hollywood – About the three main waves of Germanic immigration to Hollywood
• Mini Bios A-Z – Brief biographies of people from the German-speaking world
• Featured Biographies – More detailed bios of notable people from the German-speaking world
• Notable Women from Austria, Germany, Switzerland
• Famous Graves in Germany – Where are they buried?

ON THE WEB

• See Peter Lorre – Part 1 for web links