The son of a renowned Dutch actor, John Van Dreelen may have inherited his debonair appearance from his esteemed pedigree, with a possible boost from his continental ancestry. A polyglot, he was reported to have utilized his linguistic skills to disguise himself as a German officer, allowing him to escape a concentration camp in Nazi-occupied Holland, a feat he would later recreate on both the big and small screens by playing German officers with ease.
Throughout his career, Van Dreelen's appearances in numerous European films served as a bookend, with a sprinkling of roles in between. However, he is most remembered for his work as an A-list guest star in dozens of American television shows, spanning from the early 1960s to the mid-1980s. Although he never achieved major success in American theatrical films, he managed to secure a few notable roles, including that of a Danish concert pianist who rescues and woos Lana Turner during an extended sequence in Madame X (1966).
Van Dreelen's international stage career was also marked by success, as he starred in the original American touring production of "The Sound of Music." Despite his frequent portrayal of despotic characters, he demonstrated his versatility by effortlessly transitioning into light drama and comedy, and his charismatic presence left a lasting impression on 1960s pop culture.
