Happy Birthday, Peter Lorre

Actor Peter Lorre was born June 26, 1904. With his unique accent and large eyes, Lorre was frequently cast as shady foreign villains and left a legacy as one of Hollywood’s legends. Lorre launched his acting career in Germany, where he appeared in Fritz Lang’s landmark film M and several early films of Alfred Hitchcock. Upon moving to Hollywood, he starred in eight Fox films as the international detective Mr. Moto. Lorre famously played Joel Cairo in John Huston’s adaptation of The Maltese Falcon, the first of several films he made with co-stars Humphrey Bogart and Sydney Greenstreet. Lorre’s screen credits include Casablanca, 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea, and Arsenic and Old Lace. On radio, Lorre could be heard recreating his film roles on Screen Guild Players, making guest appearances Abbott & Costello, and headlining his own anthology series, Mystery in the Air. Lorre also served as master of ceremonies for the Mystery Playhouse for the Armed Forces Radio Service, a program that re-aired detective and suspense shows for the troops overseas. Lorre also made six appearances on Suspense in the early years of the program. We've heard four of those appearances on the podcast in Episode 2 and Episode 14. Here are some more of the legendary actor's appearances on Suspense: "The Devil's Saint" - Peter Lorre stars as a wealthy man who invites his daughter's boyfriend to stay the night in a mysterious room. (Aired January 19, 1943) "Nobody Loves Me" - As a demented killer, Peter Lorre narrates this tale of a tragic life and a kidnapping. (Aired August 30, 1945)