Karl Stepanek

Karl Stepanek

Acting
Born 1899-10-27 - Died 1980-12-25Brünn, Moravia, Austria-Hungary [now Brno, Czech Republic]

Biography

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).

Movies (70)

The Third Man
7.9

The Third Man

1949Movie7.9
The Heroes of Telemark
6.9

The Heroes of Telemark

1965Movie6.9
Anastasia
6.8

Anastasia

1956Movie6.8
Operation Crossbow
6.7

Operation Crossbow

1965Movie6.7
Sink the Bismarck!
6.8

Sink the Bismarck!

1960Movie6.8
Affair in Trinidad
6.4

Affair in Trinidad

1952Movie6.4
State Secret
6.9

State Secret

1950Movie6.9
Na růžích ustláno
7.0

Na růžích ustláno

1935Movie7.0
Never Let Me Go
5.9

Never Let Me Go

1953Movie5.9
They Met in the Dark
6.3

They Met in the Dark

1943Movie6.3
The Fallen Idol
7.2

The Fallen Idol

1948Movie7.2
Our Man in Havana
6.7

Our Man in Havana

1960Movie6.7
Devil Doll
4.7

Devil Doll

1964Movie4.7
Conspirator
5.8

Conspirator

1949Movie5.8
Operation Amsterdam
6.1

Operation Amsterdam

1959Movie6.1
The Bat
4.3

The Bat

1937Movie4.3
Brainwashed
7.1

Brainwashed

1960Movie7.1
Another Experience
7.0

Another Experience

1939Movie7.0
Three Fathers for Anna
6.0

Three Fathers for Anna

1939Movie6.0
Cairo Road
6.4

Cairo Road

1950Movie6.4
Pozdní láska
8.5

Pozdní láska

1935Movie8.5
The Cockleshell Heroes
5.9

The Cockleshell Heroes

1955Movie5.9
Alles Schwindel
7.0

Alles Schwindel

1940Movie7.0
The Games
7.4

The Games

1970Movie7.4
No Highway in the Sky
7.0

No Highway in the Sky

1951Movie7.0
City Beneath the Sea
5.1

City Beneath the Sea

1953Movie5.1
The Traitor
7.6

The Traitor

1957Movie7.6
Tomorrow We Live
6.6

Tomorrow We Live

1943Movie6.6
Narren im Schnee
7.0

Narren im Schnee

1938Movie7.0
The Captive Heart
6.4

The Captive Heart

1946Movie6.4
Broken Journey
6.1

Broken Journey

1948Movie6.1
The File of the Golden Goose
5.7

The File of the Golden Goose

1969Movie5.7
Counterblast
6.3

Counterblast

1948Movie6.3
Before Winter Comes
6.0

Before Winter Comes

1969Movie6.0
The Man in the Road
7.0

The Man in the Road

1956Movie7.0
A Prize of Gold
5.7

A Prize of Gold

1955Movie5.7
Secret Mission
4.5

Secret Mission

1942Movie4.5
Escape to Danger
8.0

Escape to Danger

1943Movie8.0
Man of the Moment
6.6

Man of the Moment

1955Movie6.6
Give Us This Day
5.7

Give Us This Day

1949Movie5.7
Rough Shoot
6.7

Rough Shoot

1953Movie6.7
The Heroes of Telemark: Location report from Norway

The Heroes of Telemark: Location report from Norway

2003Movie
War es der im 3. Stock?
9.0

War es der im 3. Stock?

1939Movie9.0
Five from the Jazzband
7.5

Five from the Jazzband

1932Movie7.5
The Unknown
7.5

The Unknown

1936Movie7.5
Licensed to Kill
7.0

Licensed to Kill

1965Movie7.0
The Leghorn Hat
7.5

The Leghorn Hat

1939Movie7.5
Hotel Sacher
7.0

Hotel Sacher

1939Movie7.0
Dangerous Cargo
6.4

Dangerous Cargo

1954Movie6.4
Sperrbezirk
4.3

Sperrbezirk

1966Movie4.3
Waltz War
8.2

Waltz War

1933Movie8.2
The Frozen Dead
5.2

The Frozen Dead

1966Movie5.2
Walk East on Beacon
5.3

Walk East on Beacon

1952Movie5.3
Berlin-Alexanderplatz: The Story of Franz Biberkopf
6.0

Berlin-Alexanderplatz: The Story of Franz Biberkopf

1931Movie6.0
Golden Arrow
7.0

Golden Arrow

1949Movie7.0
Tale of Three Women
10.0

Tale of Three Women

1954Movie10.0
The Third Visitor
6.2

The Third Visitor

1951Movie6.2
Secret Venture
6.5

Secret Venture

1955Movie6.5
Murderers Club of Brooklyn
8.8

Murderers Club of Brooklyn

1967Movie8.8
West of Suez
9.0

West of Suez

1957Movie9.0
Der Außenseiter
7.0

Der Außenseiter

1935Movie7.0
Stronger Than Paragraphs
7.0

Stronger Than Paragraphs

1936Movie7.0
Here's Berlin
9.0

Here's Berlin

1932Movie9.0
Our Film

Our Film

1942Movie
Klatovští dragouni
7.0

Klatovští dragouni

1938Movie7.0
Spione im Savoy-Hotel
7.5

Spione im Savoy-Hotel

1932Movie7.5
Hermine and the Seven Upright Men
6.5

Hermine and the Seven Upright Men

1935Movie6.5
The Grey Pikes Wharf
7.0

The Grey Pikes Wharf

1935Movie7.0
A Song for You
8.0

A Song for You

1933Movie8.0
Aufstand der Gehorsamen

Aufstand der Gehorsamen

1963Movie

TV Shows (4)

No Hiding Place
4.8

No Hiding Place

1959Series4.8
Das Kriminalmuseum
8.0

Das Kriminalmuseum

1963Series8.0
Overseas Press Club - Exclusive!
9.0

Overseas Press Club - Exclusive!

1957Series9.0
Armchair Theatre
6.0

Armchair Theatre

1956Series6.0