John Wengraf
Biography
John Wengraf was born on April 22, 1897, in Vienna, Austria-Hungary, now Austria, and died on May 4, 1974, at the age of 77. As an actor, he amassed 67 known credits. Following the rise of the Nazis, he emigrated to England in 1933, where he appeared unbilled in a few films and some of the first live television shows presented by the BBC. In late 1941, he appeared on Broadway with Helen Hayes in Candle in the Wind. He relocated to the Los Angeles area in 1942. Physically described as a dark, cold-eyed, and thin-lipped player with a precise and meticulous air, he frequently portrayed nefarious characters, including a role in the Humphrey Bogart film Sahara in 1943.
Career overview
John Wengraf was born on April 22, 1897, in Vienna, Austria-Hungary, which is now Austria. Emigrating to England in 1933 as the Nazis began their rise to power, Wengraf appeared unbilled in a couple of films there, as well as in some of the first BBC live-television shows ever presented. However, his career began to languish.
In late 1941, he had the good fortune of appearing on Broadway with Helen Hayes in Candle in the Wind and decided to stay. The following year he headed west and settled permanently in the Los Angeles area. Described as a dark, cold-eyed, thin-lipped player with a precise, meticulous air about him, he found himself invariably playing the very characters he detested. Some of his more nefarious nasties surfaced in such films as the Humphrey Bogart classic Sahara, which was released in 1943.
Throughout his acting career, Wengraf accumulated sixty-seven known credits. He passed away at the age of seventy-seven on May 4, 1974.
Ask the Vault
Ask anything about John Wengraf.
Frequent co-stars
Career timeline
Full Filmography
71 titles- The Time Tunnel (1966) as Dr. Hans Kleinemann
- Jericho (1966) as Monseigneur Paul
- Ship of Fools (1965) as Graf
- The Rogues (1964) as Drozhin
- The Prize (1963) as Hans Eckhart
- Hitler (1962) as Dr. Morell
- Judgment at Nuremberg (1961) as Karl Wieck
- Portrait in Black (1960) as Dr. Kessler
- 12 to the Moon (1960) as Dr. Erich Heinrich
- One Step Beyond (1959) as Ernest
- One Step Beyond (1959) as Felix Borgner
- Hawaiian Eye (1959)
- The Detectives (1959) as Varchek
- The Third Man (1959)
- Bourbon Street Beat (1959)
- Bat Masterson (1958) as Colonel Anders Dorn
- 77 Sunset Strip (1958)
- Behind Closed Doors (1958) as Von Elm
- The Return of Dracula (1958) as John Merriman
- Panic! (1957)
- The Walter Winchell File (1957)
- The Pride and the Passion (1957) as Sermaine
- Valerie (1957) as Mr. Louis Horvat
- Oh, Men! Oh, Women! (1957) as Dr. Krauss
- The Disembodied (1957) as Dr. Carl Metz
- Telephone Time (1956)
- Never Say Goodbye (1956) as Prof. Zimmelman
- Matinee Theater (1955)
- The Millionaire (1955) as Count Victor Turec
- The Racers (1955) as Dr. Tabor
- Hell and High Water (1954) as Col. Schuman (uncredited)
- The French Line (1954) as Commodore Renard
- Gog (1954) as Dr. Zeitman
- The Gambler from Natchez (1954) as Nicholas Cadiz
- Paris Playboys (1954) as Vidal
- The Danny Thomas Show (1953) as Victor Waingraft
- You Are There (1953) as Dr. Zimmerman
- General Electric Theater (1953)
- The Desert Rats (1953) as German Doctor (uncredited)
- Tropic Zone (1953) as Lukats
- Four Star Playhouse (1952) as Denoir
- Dangerous Assignment (1952)
- Cavalcade of America (1952) as German Colonel
- Cavalcade of America (1952)
- Cavalcade of America (1952) as Von Schwarz
- 5 Fingers (1952) as Count Franz Von Papen
- Lux Video Theatre (1950) as Landau
- Lux Video Theatre (1950) as Max von Mayerling
- The Lovable Cheat (1949) as Pierquin
- Wake of the Red Witch (1948) as Prosecuting Attorney
- Sealed Verdict (1948) as German Doctor
- Sofia (1948) as Peter Goltzen
- T-Men (1947) as 'Shiv' Triano
- The Razor's Edge (1946) as Joseph - Gray & Isabel's Butler
- Tomorrow Is Forever (1946) as Dr. Ludwig
- Week-End at the Waldorf (1945) as Alex
- The Seventh Cross (1944) as Overkamp
- Till We Meet Again (1944) as Gestapo Chief
- U-Boat Prisoner (1944) as Gunther Rudehoff, Gestapo Agent
- Strange Affair (1944) as Rudolph Kruger
- Sahara (1943) as Maj. von Falken
- Mission to Moscow (1943) as Polish Ambassador Grzybowski (uncredited)
- The Boy from Stalingrad (1943) as German Major
- Lucky Jordan (1942) as Herr Kesselman
- Sailors Three (1940) as German Captain
- Convoy (1940) as Commander Deutschland
- Night Train to Munich (1940) as KL Physician (uncredited)
- Dangerous Comment (1940) as German Radio Operator
- All Hands (1940) as German
- The Moon in the Yellow River (1938) as Tausch
- Bretter, die die Welt bedeuten (1935) as Paul Rainer
Frequently Asked Questions
What movies or TV shows is John Wengraf best known for?
John Wengraf is widely recognized for notable roles and projects including Taxi Driver (1976), Jericho (1966), Ship of Fools (1965), Lost Boys: The Tribe (2008).
When and where was John Wengraf born?
John Wengraf was born on April 22, 1897 in Vienna, Austria-Hungary, now Austria. They passed away on May 4, 1974.
How many credits does John Wengraf have?
John Wengraf has accumulated over 71 film and television credits across a career spanning from 1935 to 1966.
What is John Wengraf's background in cinema and television?
John Wengraf was born on April 22, 1897, in Vienna, Austria-Hungary, now Austria, and died on May 4, 1974, at the age of 77. As an actor, he amassed 67 known credits. Following the rise of the Nazis, he emigrated to England in 1933, where he appeared unbilled in a few films and some of the first live television shows p...
John Wengraf by the numbers
Age in their best-rated roles
- The Rogues (1964) as Drozhin — aged about 67
- Judgment at Nuremberg (1961) as Karl Wieck — aged about 64
- The Time Tunnel (1966) as Dr. Hans Kleinemann — aged about 69
- 5 Fingers (1952) as Count Franz Von Papen — aged about 55
- Jericho (1966) as Monseigneur Paul — aged about 69
- The Third Man (1959) — aged about 62
What viewers say
No comments yet. Be the first to share your take on John Wengraf.