John Wengraf
John Wengraf
Emigrating to England in 1933 as the Nazis began their rise to power, Wengraf appeared unbilled in a couple of films there, as well as in some of the first BBC live-television shows ever presented but his career began to languish. In late 1941, however, he had the good fortune of appearing on Broadway with Helen Hayes in "Candle in the Wind" and decided to stay. The following year he headed west and settled permanently in the Los Angeles area. A dark, cold-eyed, thin-lipped player with a precise, meticulous air about him, he found himself invariably playing the very characters he detested. Some of his more nefarious nasties surfaced in such films as the Humphrey Bogart classic Sahara (1943/I), as well as The Boy from Stalingrad (1943), U-Boat Prisoner (1944) and Till We Meet Again (1944). In postwar years, he was often spotted portraying ethnic professionals (scientists, doctors, professors, foreign royalty). Some of the more quality pictures he enhanced were Tomorrow Is Forever (1946); Count Von Papen in 5 Fingers (1952); and Ronchin in the Ethel Merman musical Call Me Madam (1953). Although Wengraf never made it to the very top of the Hollywood character ranks, he remained a throughly strong and reliable player. In the 1950s and 1960s he transferred his talents to TV, appearing on a number of dramatic showcases and on such popular programs as "The Untouchables" (1959), "Hawaiian Eye" (1959), "The Man from U.N.C.L.E." (1964) and "The Time Tunnel" (1966). His last few films included minor roles in the war-themed Judgment at Nuremberg (1961), Hitler (1962) and Ship of Fools (1965). He retired in 1966, and died in Santa Barbara, California, at age 77, on May 4, 1974.
Known For Acting
Popularity 1.748
Birthday 1897-04-22
Place of Birth Vienna, Austria-Hungary, now Austria
Also Known As
Judgment at Nuremberg
1961

Judgment at Nuremberg

The Prize
1963

The Prize

Ship of Fools
1965

Ship of Fools

The Pride and the Passion
1957

The Pride and the Passion

12 to the Moon
1960

12 to the Moon

Gog
1954

Gog

Portrait in Black
1960

Portrait in Black

The French Line
1954

The French Line

The Return of Dracula
1958

The Return of Dracula

The Lovable Cheat
1949

The Lovable Cheat

Valerie
1957

Valerie

The Razor's Edge
1946

The Razor's Edge

The Boy from Stalingrad
1943

The Boy from Stalingrad

Week-End at the Waldorf
1945

Week-End at the Waldorf

The Moon in the Yellow River
1938

The Moon in the Yellow River

5 Fingers
1952

5 Fingers

Hitler
1962

Hitler

Oh, Men! Oh, Women!
1957

Oh, Men! Oh, Women!

Paris Playboys
1954

Paris Playboys

Lucky Jordan
1942

Lucky Jordan

Tropic Zone
1953

Tropic Zone

The Disembodied
1957

The Disembodied

Never Say Goodbye
1956

Never Say Goodbye

The Desert Rats
1953

The Desert Rats

Tomorrow Is Forever
1946

Tomorrow Is Forever

Convoy
1940

Convoy

U-Boat Prisoner
1944

U-Boat Prisoner

Sahara
1943

Sahara

Strange Affair
1944

Strange Affair

Wake of the Red Witch
1948

Wake of the Red Witch

The Gambler from Natchez
1954

The Gambler from Natchez

T-Men
1947

T-Men

Sofia
1948

Sofia

The Racers
1955

The Racers

Sealed Verdict
1948

Sealed Verdict

Sailors Three
1940

Sailors Three

Mission to Moscow
1943

Mission to Moscow

Dangerous Comment
1940

Dangerous Comment

All Hands
1940

All Hands

Night Train to Munich
1940

Night Train to Munich

The Seventh Cross
1944

The Seventh Cross

Hell and High Water
1954

Hell and High Water

The Time Tunnel
1966

The Time Tunnel

77 Sunset Strip
1958

77 Sunset Strip

Bourbon Street Beat
1959

Bourbon Street Beat

The Rogues
1964

The Rogues

General Electric Theater
1953

General Electric Theater

Hawaiian Eye
1959

Hawaiian Eye

The Millionaire
1955

The Millionaire

Lux Video Theatre
1950

Lux Video Theatre

One Step Beyond
1959

One Step Beyond

Matinee Theater
1955

Matinee Theater

Bat Masterson
1958

Bat Masterson

The Detectives
1959

The Detectives

Cavalcade of America
1952

Cavalcade of America

Telephone Time
1956

Telephone Time

The Walter Winchell File
1957

The Walter Winchell File

Dangerous Assignment
1952

Dangerous Assignment

Panic!
1957

Panic!

Jericho
1966

Jericho

The Third Man
1959

The Third Man

Behind Closed Doors
1958

Behind Closed Doors

One Step Beyond
1959

One Step Beyond

Cavalcade of America
1952

Cavalcade of America

Cavalcade of America
1952

Cavalcade of America

Lux Video Theatre
1950

Lux Video Theatre

Four Star Playhouse
1952

Four Star Playhouse