Karl Stepanek
Though born in Czechoslovakia, actor Karel Stepanek was generally regarded as a German actor due to his extensive film work in Germany (as Karl Stepanek) in the years before World War II. Stepanek fled to England in 1940, where, like many European refugee actors, he specialized in portraying Teutonic villains. He tried to stay away from out-and-out Nazi roles, but his predilection for wearing black uniforms and barking out guttural commands left little doubt as to the political preferences of Stepanek's screen characters. One of his most typical characterizations could be found in the 1946 POW drama, The Captive Heart; Stepanek also registered well as a friendlier foreigner in The Fallen Idol (1949). Commuting between London and Hollywood, Karel Stepanek continued to fight World War II, usually on the wrong side, into such '60s films as Sink the Bismarck! (1960), I Aim at the Stars (1960) and Operation Crossbow (1965).
Filmography
The Heroes of Telemark: Location report from Norway
The Heroes of Telemark: Location report from Norway
The Games
as Kubitsek
The Games
as Kubitsek
The File of the Golden Goose
as Mueller
The File of the Golden Goose
as Mueller
Before Winter Comes
as Count Kerassy
Before Winter Comes
as Count Kerassy
The Frozen Dead
as General Lubeck
The Frozen Dead
as General Lubeck
The Heroes of Telemark
as Hartmuller
The Heroes of Telemark
as Hartmuller
Licensed to Kill
as Henrik Jacobsen
Licensed to Kill
as Henrik Jacobsen
Operation Crossbow
as Prof. Hoffer
Operation Crossbow
as Prof. Hoffer
Devil Doll
as Dr. Heller
Devil Doll
as Dr. Heller
Aufstand der Gehorsamen
as Jawor Stranski
Aufstand der Gehorsamen
as Jawor Stranski
Brainwashed
as Baranow
Brainwashed
as Baranow
Sink the Bismarck!
as Admiral Lutjens - 'Bismarck'
Sink the Bismarck!
as Admiral Lutjens - 'Bismarck'
Our Man in Havana
as Dr. Braun
Our Man in Havana
as Dr. Braun
Operation Amsterdam
as Diamond Merchant
Operation Amsterdam
as Diamond Merchant
West of Suez
as Langford
West of Suez
as Langford
The Traitor
as Friederich Suderman
The Traitor
as Friederich Suderman
Anastasia
as Mikhail Vlados
Anastasia
as Mikhail Vlados
Man of the Moment
as Lom
Man of the Moment
as Lom
The Cockleshell Heroes
as Assistant Gestapo Officer
The Cockleshell Heroes
as Assistant Gestapo Officer
Secret Venture
as Zelinsky
Secret Venture
as Zelinsky
A Prize of Gold
as Dr. Zachmann
A Prize of Gold
as Dr. Zachmann
Dangerous Cargo
as Pliny
Dangerous Cargo
as Pliny
Tale of Three Women
as Alfred Dykemann (segment "Final Twist' story)
Tale of Three Women
as Alfred Dykemann (segment "Final Twist' story)
City Beneath the Sea
as Dwight Trevor
City Beneath the Sea
as Dwight Trevor
Rough Shoot
as Diss
Rough Shoot
as Diss
Never Let Me Go
as Commissar
Never Let Me Go
as Commissar
Affair in Trinidad
as Walters
Affair in Trinidad
as Walters
Walk East on Beacon
as Alexi Laschenkov / Gregory Anders
Walk East on Beacon
as Alexi Laschenkov / Gregory Anders
No Highway in the Sky
No Highway in the Sky
The Third Visitor
as Richard Carling
The Third Visitor
as Richard Carling
State Secret
as Dr. Revo
State Secret
as Dr. Revo
Cairo Road
as Edouardo Pavlis
Cairo Road
as Edouardo Pavlis
Golden Arrow
as Schroeder
Golden Arrow
as Schroeder
Give Us This Day
as Jaroslav
Give Us This Day
as Jaroslav
The Third Man
as Actor at Josefstadt Theater (uncredited)
The Third Man
as Actor at Josefstadt Theater (uncredited)
Conspirator
as Radek
Conspirator
as Radek
The Fallen Idol
as First Secretary
The Fallen Idol
as First Secretary
Counterblast
as Professor Inman
Counterblast
as Professor Inman
Broken Journey
as Swiss Officer (uncredited)
Broken Journey
as Swiss Officer (uncredited)
The Captive Heart
as Forster
The Captive Heart
as Forster
Escape to Danger
as Franz von Brinkman
Escape to Danger
as Franz von Brinkman
They Met in the Dark
as Riccardo
They Met in the Dark
as Riccardo
Tomorrow We Live
as Seitz
Tomorrow We Live
as Seitz
Secret Mission
as Major Lang
Secret Mission
as Major Lang
Our Film
as Soviet Visitor
Our Film
as Soviet Visitor
Alles Schwindel
as Clubdiener
Alles Schwindel
as Clubdiener
Three Fathers for Anna
as Matschek
Three Fathers for Anna
as Matschek
The Leghorn Hat
as Felix, Diener bei Farina
The Leghorn Hat
as Felix, Diener bei Farina
Hotel Sacher
as Franz
Hotel Sacher
as Franz
Another Experience
as Rechtsanwalt
Another Experience
as Rechtsanwalt
War es der im 3. Stock?
as Georg Kilby
War es der im 3. Stock?
as Georg Kilby
Klatovští dragouni
Klatovští dragouni
The Bat
as Attaché Baranoff / Orlovsky
The Bat
as Attaché Baranoff / Orlovsky
The Unknown
as Manager at Regina's
The Unknown
as Manager at Regina's
The Grey Pikes Wharf
as Ladewig
The Grey Pikes Wharf
as Ladewig
Na růžích ustláno
Na růžích ustláno
Hermine and the Seven Upright Men
as Ruckstuhl
Hermine and the Seven Upright Men
as Ruckstuhl
A Song for You
as Theo Bruckner
A Song for You
as Theo Bruckner
Spione im Savoy-Hotel
as Jackson
Spione im Savoy-Hotel
as Jackson
Five from the Jazzband
as Jean
Five from the Jazzband
as Jean
Here's Berlin
as Max
Here's Berlin
as Max