Oscar Homolka

Oscar Homolka

Deceased · Born: Aug 12, 1898 · Died: Jan 28, 1978

Personal Details

BornAug 12, 1898 Vienna, Austria-Hungary [now Austria]
Spouse
  • Joan Tetzel

    ( May 29, 1949 to Oct 31, 1977 )
  • Florence Meyer Homolka

    ( Aug 21, 1939 to Aug 8, 1946 )
  • Baroness Vally Hatvany

    ( Dec 2, 1937 to Apr 5, 1938 )
  • Grete Mosheim

    ( Jun 28, 1928 to Dec 31, 1969 )

Biography

Oscar Homolka, a renowned actor, was born in Vienna, the multicultural capital of Austria-Hungary, where he began his illustrious stage career. This cosmopolitan city, a melting pot of diverse ethnicities, provided the perfect backdrop for Homolka's early artistic endeavors. As his talent and reputation grew, he eventually made his way to Hollywood, where he would go on to achieve great success.

Homolka, one of many Austrian and Viennese actors who fled Europe with the rise of Adolf Hitler and the Nazi party, brought a unique perspective to his roles. Often typecast as villains, he portrayed characters such as Communist spies, Soviet-bloc military officers, and scientists. Despite this, he received an Oscar nomination for his outstanding performance as Uncle Chris in the 1948 film "I Remember Mama".

Born in Vienna, Homolka's Eastern European-sounding surname and accent often led people to assume he was of Eastern European or Russian descent. However, his actual roots lay in the multicultural city of Vienna, where he began his journey as a stage actor before making his way to Hollywood.

Career

1974
The Tamarind Seed
The Tamarind Seed as General Golitsyn
1970
Song of Norway
Song of Norway as Engstrand
1969
Assignment to Kill
Assignment to Kill as Inspector Ruff
1967
Billion Dollar Brain
Billion Dollar Brain as Colonel Stok
1966
1965
Joy in the Morning
Joy in the Morning as Stan Pulaski
1964
Disneyland
Disneyland as Urias Hawke
Boys' Night Out
Boys' Night Out as Dr. Prokosch
1961
1958
The Key
The Key as Captain Van Dam
Playhouse 90
Playhouse 90 as The Doctor
1957
A Farewell to Arms
A Farewell to Arms as Dr. Emerich
1956
War and Peace
War and Peace as Field Marshal Kutuzov
1955
The Seven Year Itch
The Seven Year Itch as Dr. Brubaker
1954
Prisoner of War
Prisoner of War as Col. Nikita I. Biroshilov
1953
The House of the Arrow
The House of the Arrow as Inspector Hanaud
1950
1949
Anna Lucasta
Anna Lucasta as Joe Lucasta
1948
I Remember Mama
I Remember Mama as Uncle Chris
1947
Code of Scotland Yard
Code of Scotland Yard as Descius Heiss
1943
Mission to Moscow
Mission to Moscow as Maxim Litvinov, Foreign Minister
1941
Ball of Fire
Ball of Fire as Prof. Gurkakoff
Rage in Heaven
Rage in Heaven as Dr. Rameau
1940
Comrade X
Comrade X as Vasiliev
The Invisible Woman
The Invisible Woman as Blackie Cole
1937
Sabotage
Sabotage as Karl Verloc--Her Husband