Frank Reicher (born Franz Reichert;Room, Adrian (2010). Dictionary of Pseudonyms: 13,000 Assumed Names and Their Origins, 5th ed.. Jefferson, NC: McFarland & Company. p. 401. .Kornberger, Sylvia (2014). Vampire, Monster, irre Wissenschaftler: So viel Europa steckt in Hollywoods goldener Horrorfilmära. Hamburg: Disserta Verlag. p. 414. . December 2, 1875 – January 19, 1965) was a German-born American actor, director and producer, best known for playing Captain Englehorn in the 1933 monster film classic King Kong.
Early life Reicher was born in Munich, Germany, the son of actor Emanuel Reichert.Brenner, A. (July 1926). "The Yiddish Theatre Celebrates Its Birthday". B'nai B'rith Magazine. Vol. 40, No. 10. pp.353–355. Retrieved August 11, 2024. Reicher's parents divorced in 1881 and his mother died two years later while at Trieste.L'art moderne 1904The Jewish Encyclopedia: Volume 10 edited by Isidore Singer, Cyrus Alder (1905) His half-sister, Hedwiga Reicher, would also become a Hollywood actor. His half-brother Ernst Reicher was popular as gentleman detective Stuart Webbs in the early German cinema of the 1910s. Frank Reicher immigrated to the States in 1899 and became a naturalized American citizen some twelve years later.US Passport Application August 4, 1922
Career Reicher made his Broadway debut the year he came to America playing Lord Tarquin in Harrison Fiske's production of Becky Sharp, a comedy by Langdon Mitchell based on William Makepeace Thackeray's Vanity Fair.Famous actresses of the day in America By Lewis Clinton Strang 1902, pg. 120 His early career was spent in legitimate theater on and off Broadway. He was head of the Brooklyn Stock Company when Jacob P. Adler performed The Merchant of Venice in Yiddish while the rest of the cast remained in English. Reicher was for a number of years affiliated with the Little Theatre on West Forty-Fourth Street as an actor and manager and would remain active on Broadway as actor, director or producer well into the 1920s. On stage, Reicher starred in such plays as the first Broadway production of Georg Kaiser's From Morning to Midnight (as the cashier), the original production of Percy MacKaye's The Scarecrow (in the title role), and the United States premiere of Leonid Andreyev's He Who Gets Slapped.
Frank Reicher is probably more familiar to modern audiences as a supporting character actor in films. He began his cinema career with an uncredited role in the 1915 film The Case for Becky and would go on to work in over two hundred motion pictures. He is probably best remembered for playing the character of Captain Englehorn in King Kong and The Son of Kong, and for his work in such films as The Secret Life of Walter Mitty (1947) and Kiss Tomorrow Goodbye (1950). His last Hollywood role was in the very first theatrical Superman movie, Superman and the Mole Men, in 1951.
Marriage Frank Reicher married his wife Ella sometime around 1899 prior to his coming to America. Ella Reicher, a native of Oldenburg, joined him there the following year. The couple remained together until her death in 1948.California Death Index1920 US Census RecordsThe Los Angeles Times April 4, 1948US Passport Application (Ella Reicher) August 4, 1922
Death Frank Reicher died at a hospital in Inglewood, California, aged 89. He was survived by his sister and a brother. His interment was at Inglewood Park Cemetery.
Filmography Actor
The Case of Becky (1915) as One of Dr. Emerson's Patients (uncredited) Wise Husbands (1921) Her Man o' War (1926) as Prof. Krantz Beau Sabreur (1928) as Gen. de Beaujolais Four Sons (1928) as The Schoolmaster The Blue Danube (1928) as Baron von Statzen The Masks of the Devil (1928) as Count Zellner Napoleon's Barber (1928, Short) as Napoleon's Barber Someone to Love (1928) as Simmons Sins of the Fathers (1928) as The Eye Specialist His Captive Woman (1929) as District Attorney Strange Cargo (1929) as Dr. Stecker Black Waters (1929) as Randall Paris Bound (1929) (uncredited) Her Private Affair (1929) as State's Attorney Mister Antonio (1929) as Milton Jorny The Grand Parade (1930) Strictly Unconventional (1930) as Duke of Brocklehurst (uncredited) Billy the Kid (1930) as General Lew Wallace (uncredited) A Lady's Morals (1930) as Italian Theater Manager (uncredited) Gentleman's Fate (1931) as Papa Francesco Tomasulo Beyond Victory (1931) as German Military Hospital Chief The Sin of Madelon Claudet (1931) as Arresting Detective (uncredited) Suicide Fleet (1931) as Holtzmann Mata Hari (1931) as The Cook / Spy, ordered by Andriani to commit suicide for his past failures A Woman Commands (1932) as The General The Crooked Circle (1932) as Rankin Scarlet Dawn (1932) as Plotsky (uncredited) Flesh (1932) as Warden in Germany (uncredited) Rasputin and the Empress (1932) as German-Language Teacher (uncredited) Employees' Entrance (1933) as Garfinkle Topaze (1933) as Dr. Stegg King Kong (1933) as Captain Englehorn A Bedtime Story (1933) as Aristide Jennie Gerhardt (1933) as Old Weaver (uncredited) Before Dawn (1933) as Joe Valerie Captured! (1933) as Herr Hauptman – the Adjutant After Tonight (1933) as Major-Medical Officer (uncredited) Ever in My Heart (1933) as Dr. Hoffman (uncredited) The Son of Kong (1933) as Captain Englehorn Eight Girls in a Boat (1934) as The Examiner (uncredited) Hi, Nellie! (1934) as Danny Journal of a Crime (1934) as Herr Winterstein No Greater Glory (1934) as Doctor The Countess of Monte Cristo (1934) as Police Commissioner The Line-Up (1934) as Abraham Schultz (uncredited) Let's Talk It Over (1934) as Richards Little Man, What Now? (1934) as Lehmann The World Moves On (1934) as Herr Robess (uncredited) Return of the Terror (1934) as Franz Reinhardt The Fountain (1934) as Doctor British Agent (1934) as Mr. X The Case of the Howling Dog (1934) as Dr. Carl Cooper I Am a Thief (1934) as Max Bolen Secret of the Chateau (1934) as Auctioneer Mils of the Gods (1934) as Barrett Life Returns (1935) as Dr. James The Casino Murder Case (1935) as Assistant Coroner (uncredited) Straight from the Heart (1935) as Coroner (uncredited) A Dog of Flanders (1935) as Herr Vanderkloot The Florentine Dagger (1935) as Von Stein Star of Midnight (1935) as Abe Ohlman (uncredited) Charlie Chan in Egypt (1935) as Dr. Jaipur Born to Gamble (1935) as Defense Attorney (uncredited) Rendezvous (1935) as Dr. R.A. Jackson Remember Last Night? (1935) as Coroner (uncredited) The Man Who Broke the Bank at Monte Carlo (1935) as Second Assistant Director The Fighting Marines (1935) as Wheeler – M-70 (uncredited) Kind Lady (1935) as Gustave Roubet The Great Impersonation (1935) as Doctor Trenk Magnificent Obsession (1935) as Dr. Rochard (uncredited) The Lone Wolf Returns (1935) as Coleman (scenes deleted) The Murder of Dr. Harrigan (1936) as Dr. Coate The Invisible Ray (1936) as Professor Meiklejohn (Mendelssohn in end credits) The Story of Louis Pasteur (1936) as Dr. Pfeiffer Sutter's Gold (1936) as Governor Felipe Vega (uncredited) The Country Doctor (1936) as Dr. Paul Luke Till We Meet Again (1936) as Colonel Von Diegel Murder on a Bridle Path (1936) as Dr. Peters (Gregg's) Under Two Flags (1936) as French General The Ex-Mrs. Bradford (1936) as Henry Strand – Summers' Lawyer (uncredited) Nobody's Fool''' (1936) as Chairman (uncredited) The Devil-Doll (1936) as Doctor (uncredited) Anthony Adverse (1936) as Coach Driver to Paris Girls' Dormitory (1936) as Dr. Hoffenreich Second Wife (1936) as Headmaster Star for a Night (1936) as Doctor Heimkin The Gorgeous Hussy (1936) as Commander of U.S.S. Constitution (uncredited) Old Hutch (1936) as District Attorney (uncredited) Along Came Love (1936) as Planetarium Lecturer Laughing at Trouble (1936) as Dr. Larson Camille (1936) as Creditor Agent (uncredited) Sinner Take All (1936) as Theo Drukker (uncredited) Under Cover of Night (1937) as Rudolph Brehmer The Mighty Treve (1937) as Eben McClelland Man of the People (1937) as Professor Robinson – Geologist (uncredited) Stolen Holiday (1937) as Rainer The Great O'Malley (1937) as Dr. Larson Espionage (1937) as Von Cram Night Key (1937) as Carl King of Gamblers''' (1937) as Herman (uncredited) The Road Back (1937) as Ernst's Father The Devil Is Driving (1937) as District Attorney (uncredited) The Emperor's Candlesticks (1937) as Pavloff Midnight Madonna (1937) as Vincent Long II West Bound Limited (1937) as Pop Martin The Life of Emile Zola (1937) as M. Perrenx (uncredited) On Such a Night (1937) as Horace Darwin Fit for a King (1937) as Kurtz Stage Door (1937) as Stage Director Lancer Spy (1937) as Admiral Heidi (1937) as Police Lieutenant (uncredited) 45 Fathers (1937) as Prentiss (uncredited) Beg, Borrow or Steal (1937) as Monsieur Debillon (uncredited) Prescription for Romance (1937) as Jozeph Prison Nurse (1938) as Doctor Hartman Rascals (1938) as Dr. C.M. Garvey Three Comrades (1938) as Major – Young Soldier's Father (uncredited) City Streets (1938) as Dr. Ferenc Waller The Amazing Dr. Clitterhouse (1938) as Professor O.J. Ludwig (uncredited) I'll Give a Million (1938) as Prefect of Police Letter of Introduction (1938) as 2nd Doctor – Midtown Hospital (uncredited) Suez (1938) as General Changarnier The Storm (1938) as Officer (uncredited) Torchy Gets Her Man (1938) as The Professor The Girl Downstairs (1938) as Police Sergeant (uncredited) Devil's Island (1939) as President of Assize Court Woman Doctor (1939) as Dr. Mathews Society Smugglers (1939) as Jones Mystery of the White Room (1939) as Dr. Amos Thornton Never Say Die (1939) as Man in Charge of Duel (uncredited) Juarez (1939) as Duc de Morny (uncredited) Unexpected Father (1939) as Adoption Hearing Referee (uncredited) The Magnificent Fraud (1939) as Mendietta Garcia Nurse Edith Cavell (1939) as Baron Von Bissing Rio (1939) as Paris Banker (uncredited) The Escape (1939) as Dr. Shumaker Sabotage (1939) as George Wallner—Head of Saboteurs (uncredited) Ninotchka (1939) as Soviet Lawyer (uncredited) Our Neighbors – The Carters (1939) as Dr. Proser South of the Border (1939) as Don Diego Mendoza Everything Happens at Night (1939) as Pharmacist Dr. Ehrlich's Magic Bullet (1940) as Old Man (uncredited) Dr. Cyclops (1940) as Professor Kendall Typhoon (1940) as Doctor All This, and Heaven Too (1940) as Police Official (uncredited) The Lady in Question (1940) as President South to Karanga (1940) as Dr. Greenleaf The Man I Married (1940) as Friehof Sky Murder (1940) as Dr. Crattan Four Mothers (1941) as Festival Committee Member (uncredited) The Face Behind the Mask (1941) as Dr. Ronald Cheever (uncredited) Flight from Destiny (1941) as Edvaard Kreindling They Dare Not Love (1941) as German Captain (uncredited) The Nurse's Secret (1941) as Mr. Henderson Shining Victory (1941) as Dr. Esterhazy Underground (1941) as Professor Baumer Father Takes a Wife (1941) as Captain of the 'SS Leslie C.' (uncredited) One Foot in Heaven (1941) as Board Member (uncredited) Dangerously They Live (1941) as Jarvis Nazi Agent (1942) as Fritz To Be or Not to Be (1942) as Polish Official (uncredited) The Mystery of Marie Roget (1942) as Magistrate Beyond the Blue Horizon (1942) as Sneath I Married an Angel (1942) as Driver (uncredited) The Gay Sisters (1942) as Dr. Thomas Bigelow Secret Enemies (1942) as Henry Bremmer Night Monster (1942) as Dr. Timmons The Mummy's Tomb (1942) as Professor Matthew Norman Scattergood Survives a Murder (1942) as Thaddeus Quentin The Purple V (1943) as Bit Role (uncredited) Hangmen Also Die! (1943) as Interpreter (uncredited) Mission to Moscow (1943) as General von Koestrich – German ambassador (uncredited) Above Suspicion (1943) as Colonel Gerold (uncredited) Yanks Ahoy (1943) as German (uncredited) Background to Danger (1943) as Rudick – the Assassin (uncredited) Bomber's Moon (1943) as Dr. Hartman