Peter Lorre

Peter Lorre (1904-1964) gained fame for his role as the murderer in M (1931). After this breakthrough, he had to flee Germany as early as 1933. In exile, he was able to continue his career as a villain or strange outsider in numerous Hollywood films after 1935, although he did not speak English. Under contract with changing studios, he remained confined to the role of the murderer, although he successfully shot with directing greats such as Alfred Hitchcock and Frank Capra and shone alongside stars such as Humphrey Bogart and Cary Grant. He returned to Germany for his only directorial effort of his own, DER VERLORENE (1951). Although he was free to shape his role, he played – again – a murderer. The film, in many ways an exception in West German post-war cinema, did not meet with the success audiences had hoped for. Lorre returned to the USA.