Peter Lorre (June 26, 1904 – March 23, 1964) was a Hungarian-American actor, an unforgettable and iconic character actor of classic cinema, instantly recognizable for his bulging eyes, distinctive accented voice, and his masterful ability to portray both sinister menace and pathetic vulnerability.
His career was launched by his terrifying performance as a child murderer in Fritz Lang’s German masterpiece, M (1931). After fleeing Nazi Germany, he came to Hollywood and became a star character actor at Warner Bros. He is legendary for his roles as the desperate Ugarte in Casablanca (1942) and the effeminate Joel Cairo in The Maltese Falcon (1941), where he began a memorable on-screen partnership with Sydney Greenstreet.
Despite being known for villains, Lorre also became an unlikely leading man, starring as the Japanese detective in the popular Mr. Moto film series of the 1930s. In his later career, he frequently worked in the horror genre, often spoofing his own creepy persona in comedies with Vincent Price and Boris Karloff, cementing his legacy as one of the most unique and beloved character actors in film history.
