Wilfred Walter (2 March 1882 in Ripon, West Riding of Yorkshire – 9 July 1958 in Ashtead, Surrey) was an English film and theatre actor, sometimes credited as Wilfrid Walter.[1] He was born Franz Wilfrid Walter, son of the actor Richard Walter.[2]

Wilfred Walter
Born2 March 1882
Died9 July 1958(1958-07-09) (aged 76)
Ashtead, Surrey, England
Years active1935–56 (in films) 1918-50 (theatre)

Career

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He was a Shakespearian actor during the first half of the 20th century, playing at the Theatre Royal, Drury Lane, Stratford-upon-Avon and the Old Vic, where his major roles included Mark Antony, Falstaff, Othello, Bottom and Titus Andronicus. [3][4]

His best-known film role was as Max Slessor the eponymous inmate in the 1938 comedy Convict 99, who is mistaken for the prison governor Benjamin Twist (Will Hay).[5] Walter also acted as the monstrous lumbering brute Jake, Dr Orloff's (Bela Lugosi) assistant in the 1939 film adaption of the Edgar Wallace thriller The Dark Eyes of London.[6]

Selected filmography

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References

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  1. ^ League, The Broadway. "Wilfred Walter – Broadway Cast & Staff - IBDB". www.ibdb.com.
  2. ^ Walter, Wilfred, BFI Film & TV Database, British Film Institute, UK.
  3. ^ Storrington & District Museum Newsletter 41, Spring 2012
  4. ^ "Wilfred Walter - Theatricalia". theatricalia.com.
  5. ^ "Convict 99 (1938)". Archived from the original on 14 November 2017.
  6. ^ Chibnall, Steve; Petley, Julian (13 November 2017). British Horror Cinema. Psychology Press. ISBN 9780415230032 – via Google Books.
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