Harry Semels

Harry Semels

Deceased · Born: Nov 20, 1887 · Died: Mar 2, 1946

Known For

The Great DictatorThe Great Dictator
SunriseSunrise
It Happened One NightIt Happened One Night
NinotchkaNinotchka

Personal Details

BornNov 20, 1887 New York City, New York, USA

Biography

Harry Semels, a remarkably versatile character actor, has had a nearly three-decade-long career, punctuated by hundreds of film appearances. His impressive range allowed him to effortlessly assume diverse roles, effortlessly transitioning between characters such as Spanish waiters, German soldiers, Italian villagers, and even a haughty District Attorney, on occasion.

Career

1950
Riding High
Riding High as Bettor on Broadway Bill (archive footage) (uncredited)
1946
Badman's Territory
Badman's Territory as Bettor (uncredited)
The Diary of a Chambermaid
The Diary of a Chambermaid as Townsman (Uncredited)
The Harvey Girls
The Harvey Girls as Townsman at Saloon (uncredited)
1945
I Love a Mystery
I Love a Mystery as Mr. G's Doorkeeper Servant (Uncredited)
Road to Utopia
Road to Utopia as Lombardi - Spitting Passenger (uncredited)
A Thousand and One Nights
A Thousand and One Nights as Leader of Caravan
1944
Strange Affair
Strange Affair as Man in Police Lineup (Uncredited)
Make Your Own Bed
Make Your Own Bed as Pedestrian
Can't Help Singing
Can't Help Singing as Peon (uncredited)
1943
Dizzy Pilots
Dizzy Pilots as Sky Aircraft Co. Representative (uncredited)
The Chance of a Lifetime
The Chance of a Lifetime as Jerome Wagner (Uncredited)
The Hard Way
The Hard Way as Passerby (Uncredited)
Slightly Dangerous
Slightly Dangerous as Italian at concert (uncredited)
After Midnight with Boston Blackie
After Midnight with Boston Blackie as Greek Florist
A Lady Takes a Chance
A Lady Takes a Chance as Greek
1942
Woman of the Year
Woman of the Year as Mug (uncredited)
Reunion in France
Reunion in France as R.R. Mechanic (uncredited)
Moontide
Moontide as Waiter (uncredited)
Wild Bill Hickok Rides
Wild Bill Hickok Rides as Saloon Bouncer
Road to Morocco
Road to Morocco as Jolla's Warrior (uncredited)
Two Yanks in Trinidad
Two Yanks in Trinidad as Waiter (uncredited)
1941
She's Oil Mine
She's Oil Mine as Referee
General Nuisance
General Nuisance as Latin America Delagate
1940
He Stayed for Breakfast
He Stayed for Breakfast as Comrade
And One Was Beautiful
And One Was Beautiful as Courtroom Spectator
Little Nellie Kelly
Little Nellie Kelly as Immigrant at Citizenship Ceremony (uncredited)
New Moon
New Moon as Bondsman
Phantom Raiders
Phantom Raiders as Cafe Bartender
Kit Carson
Kit Carson as Aide
Strange Cargo
Strange Cargo as Convict (uncredited)
North West Mounted Police
North West Mounted Police as Half-breed Archer
Seven Sinners
Seven Sinners as Antro's Henchman (uncredited)
They Drive by Night
They Drive by Night as Leo, Cashier (uncredited)
Foreign Correspondent
Foreign Correspondent as Sidewalk Crowd Extra (uncredited)
The Great Dictator
The Great Dictator as Jewish Fruit Stand Proprietor (uncredited)
1939
Three Little Sew and Sews
Three Little Sew and Sews as Count Alfred Gehrol
Crashing Thru
Crashing Thru as Man Who Reports Gunfight
Overland Mail
Overland Mail as Pancho
Star Reporter
Star Reporter as Mike
The Amazing Mr. Williams
The Amazing Mr. Williams as Race Track Spectator (uncredited)
Midnight
Midnight as Police Officer (uncredited)
Balalaika
Balalaika as (uncredited)
Ninotchka
Ninotchka as Gurganov (uncredited)
1938
State Police
State Police as Albert Morton
The Girl of the Golden West
The Girl of the Golden West as Peon Servant
I'll Give a Million
I'll Give a Million as Man in Cafe (uncredited)
Flirting with Fate
Flirting with Fate as Member of Sancho's Band
Marie Antoinette
Marie Antoinette as Townsman at Execution (uncredited)
You Can't Take It with You
You Can't Take It with You as Man (uncredited)
A Slight Case of Murder
A Slight Case of Murder as Partygoer (uncredited)
1937
Swing It Professor
Swing It Professor as Angelo
Wells Fargo
Wells Fargo as Minor Role
Kid Galahad
Kid Galahad as (uncredited)
My Dear Miss Aldrich
My Dear Miss Aldrich as Cafeteria Dining Customer (uncredited)
Missing Witnesses
Missing Witnesses as Tony - Italian Shop Owner (uncredited)
Midnight Taxi
Midnight Taxi as Joe, Counterman
Hollywood Round-Up
Hollywood Round-Up as Tony Papalini
1936
Disorder in the Court
Disorder in the Court as District Attorney (uncredited)
More Than a Secretary
More Than a Secretary as Apartment Custodian with Hose (uncredited)
Movie Maniacs
Movie Maniacs as Cecil Z. Swinehardt - Director
Give Us This Night
Give Us This Night as Prisoner
One Rainy Afternoon
One Rainy Afternoon as Clerk (Uncredited)
Human Cargo
Human Cargo as Barreto
I'll Name the Murderer
I'll Name the Murderer as Luigi
The Case of the Velvet Claws
The Case of the Velvet Claws as A. G. 'Kicky' Kickopopolos
The Gay Desperado
The Gay Desperado as Manuel
Anthony Adverse
Anthony Adverse as Lottery Celebrant
1935
I Live My Life
I Live My Life as Greek Following Kay (Uncredited)
Les Misérables
Les Misérables as Cochepaille
The Wedding Night
The Wedding Night as Wedding Guest
1934
Down to Their Last Yacht
Down to Their Last Yacht as Ship Passenger (uncredited)
I Sell Anything
I Sell Anything as Statue Smasher (uncredited)
Broadway Bill
Broadway Bill as Conductor Bettor on Broadway Bill (uncredited)
A Very Honorable Guy
A Very Honorable Guy as Greek
Bombay Mail
Bombay Mail as Platform Conductor
Twentieth Century
Twentieth Century as Poster Artist (uncredited)
Our Daily Bread
Our Daily Bread as Italian Shoemaker (uncredited)
It Happened One Night
It Happened One Night as Bus Passenger (uncredited)
Murder in the Private Car
Murder in the Private Car as Evil Eye
1933
The Thrill Hunter
The Thrill Hunter as Henchman Lou Norton
Drum Taps
Drum Taps as Henchman Pete
I Am Suzanne!
I Am Suzanne! as Balcony Spectator
Elmer, the Great
Elmer, the Great as Waiter (uncredited)
Damaged Lives
Damaged Lives as Waiter
Storm at Daybreak
Storm at Daybreak as Serbian Villager (uncredited)
Baby Face
Baby Face as Speakeasy Drunk (uncredited)
Torch Singer
Torch Singer as Waiter in Bistro
Hold Your Man
Hold Your Man as Neighbor in Hallway (uncredited)
The Bowery
The Bowery as Artist (uncredited)
1932
South of the Rio Grande
South of the Rio Grande as Bandido Leader
Young Blood
Young Blood as Tony Murullo
Sally of the Subway
Sally of the Subway as Leopold Von Trump
Texas Buddies
Texas Buddies as Ken Kincaid
Sin's Pay Day
Sin's Pay Day as Louie Joe
Ghost Valley
Ghost Valley as Pawnee
Vanity Street
Vanity Street as Italian Street Workman (uncredited)
This Is the Night
This Is the Night as Man in the Manhole (uncredited)
Tiger Shark
Tiger Shark as Crewman (uncredited)
American Madness
American Madness
Virtue
Virtue as Tony (uncredited)
Broadway to Cheyenne
Broadway to Cheyenne as Louie Walsh
1931
Night Beat
Night Beat as Enricco Pommetti
Suicide Fleet
Suicide Fleet as Havana Merchant (uncredited)
Dishonored
Dishonored
Safe in Hell
Safe in Hell as Jury Member (uncredited)
The Yellow Ticket
The Yellow Ticket as Jailer
Platinum Blonde
Platinum Blonde as Waiter (uncredited)
Dance, Fools, Dance
Dance, Fools, Dance as Emilio (uncredited)
1930
The Bad Man
The Bad Man as Jose
Captain Thunder
Captain Thunder as Barfly
Those Who Dance
Those Who Dance as Hood
Hell's Angels
Hell's Angels as Anarchist (uncredited)
1929
Big News
Big News as Reno Henchman (uncredited)
Weary River
Weary River as Telephone Informer / Friend at Barney's (uncredited)
1928
The Last Command
The Last Command as A Soldier (uncredited)
The Battle of the Sexes
The Battle of the Sexes as Mr. Judson's Barber
1927
Sunrise
Sunrise as Carnival Gallery Man with Pig (uncredited)