Acting · Chicago, Illinois, USA · Born January 29, 1882
Fritz Reuter Leiber Sr. was an American actor. A Shakespearean actor on stage, he also had a successful career in film. He was the father of science fiction and fantasy writer Fritz Leiber Jr., who was also an actor for a time. Leiber and his wife spent much of their time touring in a Shakespearean acting company, known by the 1930s as Fritz Leiber & Co. Leiber made his film bow in 1916, playing Mercutio in the Francis X. Bushman version of “Romeo and Juliet.” With his piercing eyes and shock of white hair, Leiber seemed every inch the priests, professors, musical professors, and religious fanatics that he was frequently called upon to play in films. His many silent-era portrayals included Caesar in Theda Bara's 1917 “Cleopatra” and Solomon in the mammoth 1921 Betty Blythe vehicle “The Queen of Sheba.” He thrived as a character actor in sound films, usually in historical roles. In the film “Champagne Waltz” he portrayed an orchestra maestro; the role required him to play classical music on a violin and jazz on a clarinet. One of Leiber's larger assignments of the 1940s, and his most notable musical role, was as Franz Liszt in the Claude Rains' remake of “Phantom of the Opera” (1943). Leiber appears together with his son Fritz Leiber Jr. in the wedding-feast scene of Greta Garbo's film “Camille” (1936) and in Warner Bros.' “The Great Garrick” (1937). Leiber also appeared with his son Fritz Leiber Jr. in “The Hunchback of Notre Dame” (1939), but Fritz Leiber Jr. was not credited for his small speaking part. Late in his career, Leiber performed briefly opposite Charles Chaplin as the priest who visits Monsieur Verdoux in his prison cell.
MovieDevil's Doorway
1950
as Mr. Poole
MovieSamson and Delilah
1949
as Lord Sharif
MovieBagdad
1949
as Emir
MovieBride of Vengeance
1949
as Filippo
MovieSong of India
1949
as Nanaram
MovieInner Sanctum
1948
as Dr. Valonius
MovieAnother Part of the Forest
1948
as Col. Isham
MovieTo the Ends of the Earth
1948
as Binda Sha
MovieAdventures of Casanova
1948
as D'Anneci
MovieMonsieur Verdoux
1947
as Father Fareaux
MovieHigh Conquest
1947
as Priest
MovieThe Web
1947
as Leopold Kroner
MovieDangerous Venture
1947
as Chief Xeoli
MovieBells of San Angelo
1947
as Padre
MovieHumoresque
1947
as Hagerstrom
MovieStrange Journey
1946
as Prof. Jenner
MovieAngel on My Shoulder
1946
as Chemist Who Poisoned Wife (uncredited)
MovieA Scandal in Paris
1946
as Painter
MovieScarlet Street
1945
as Evangelist (uncredited)
MovieThis Love of Ours
1945
as Dr. Bailey
MovieThe Spanish Main
1945
as Bishop
MovieThe Cisco Kid Returns
1945
as The Padre
MovieYouth Runs Wild
1944
as Judge (uncredited)
MovieCry of the Werewolf
1944
as Dr. Charles Morris
MovieCobra Woman
1944
MoviePhantom of the Opera
1943
as Franz Liszt
MovieFirst Comes Courage
1943
as Dr. Aanrud
MovieCrossroads
1942
as Foreign Minister Deval (uncredited)
MovieAloma of the South Seas
1941
as High Priest
MovieLady with Red Hair
1940
as Mr. Foster
MovieThe Sea Hawk
1940
as Inquisitor
MovieAll This, and Heaven Too
1940
as Abbe Gallard
MovieThe Way of All Flesh
1940
as Max
MoviePack Up Your Troubles
1939
as Pierre Ferrand
MovieThe Hunchback of Notre Dame
1939
as Old Nobleman
MovieNurse Edith Cavell
1939
as Sadi Kirschen
MovieThey Made Her a Spy
1939
as Dr. Krull
MovieGateway
1938
as Dr. Weilander
MovieFlight Into Nowhere
1938
as Ti-Ana
MovieThe Jury's Secret
1938
as John Morrow
MovieThe Great Garrick
1937
as Horatio in 'Hamlet'
MovieThe Prince and the Pauper
1937
as Father Andrew
Under Southern Stars
1937
as Stonewall Jackson
MovieChampagne Waltz
1937
as Franz Strauss
MovieAnthony Adverse
1936
as Ouvrard
MovieSins of Man
1936
as Father Prior
Down to the Sea
1936
as Gregory Pappas
MovieHearts in Bondage
1936
as Capt. John Ericsson
MovieThe Story of Louis Pasteur
1936
as Dr. Charbonnet
MovieA Tale of Two Cities
1935
as Gaspard
MovieThe Queen of Sheba
1921
as King Solomon
MovieThe Song of the Soul
1920
as Jerry Wendover
MovieIf I Were King
1920
as Louis XI
MovieCleopatra
1917
as Caesar
MovieRomeo and Juliet
1916
as Mercutio
