Berry Kroeger (October 16, 1912 – January 4, 1991) was an American film, television and stage actor.
Career Kroeger was born in San Antonio, Texas. He got his acting start on radio as an announcer on Suspense and as an actor, playing for a time The Falcon in the radio seriesSies, Luther F. (2014). Encyclopedia of American Radio, 1920-1960, 2nd Edition, Volume 1. McFarland & Company, Inc. . pg. 13. Also on radio, he portrayed Dr. Reed Bannister on Big Sister, narrated Salute to Youth, and was a regular as Sam Williams on Young Doctor Malone.
Kroeger made his Broadway debut on December 6, 1943, at the Royale Theatre as Miley in Nunnally Johnson's The World's Full of Girls, which was adapted from Thomas Bell's 1943 novel Till I Come Back to You. He went on to appear in Reclining Figure (1954), Julius Caesar (1950), and The Tempest (1944). He portrayed the High Lama in the 1956 musical adaptation of Lost Horizon titled Shangri-La.
Kroeger was discovered by filmmaker William Wellman while performing on Broadway and began appearing in films with his role in The Iron Curtain (1948). He specialized in playing slimy bad guys in films like Act of Violence (1948), The Iron Curtain (1948), a crooked lawyer in Cry of the City (1948) and a heavy in Joseph H. Lewis' crime film, Gun Crazy (1949).
His flair for decadent leering and evil scowls often led to his being cast in "schlock fare", like Chamber of Horrors (1966) and The Incredible 2-Headed Transplant (1971). He appeared in a small role as a village elder in Young Frankenstein (1974). He also appeared in dozens of television programs. He guest starred on seven episodes of Perry Mason as well as in episodes of The Rifleman, Hawaiian Eye, Get Smart (as a character spoofing actor Sydney Greenstreet) and The Man from U.N.C.L.E.. His last major film role was in 1977's The Demon Seed (1977).
Death Kroeger died on January 4, 1991, of kidney failure at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles.
Filmography Year Title Role Notes1941 Tom, Dick and Harry Boy Lead in Movie Voice, Uncredited1948 The Iron Curtain John Grubb, aka 'Paul' 1948 Cry of the City W.A. Niles 1948 The Dark Past Mike 1949 Act of Violence Johnny 1949 Down to the Sea in Ships Manchester 1949 Black Magic Alexandre Dumas Sr. 1949 Fighting Man of the Plains Cliff Bailey 1949 Chicago Deadline Solly Wellman 1950 Gun Crazy Packett 1950 Guilty of Treason Hungarian State Police Col. Timar 1951 The Sword of Monte Cristo Minister Charles La Roche 1952 Battles of Chief Pontiac Col. von Weber 1955 Yellowneck Plunkett 1955 Blood Alley Old Feng 1956 Man in the Vault Willis Trent 1960 Seven Thieves Hugo Baumer 1960 The Story of Ruth Huphim 1960 The Walking Target Arnie Hoffman 1961 The Rifleman Ansel Bain Episode: "Closer than a Brother"1961 Atlantis, the Lost Continent Surgeon 1962 Mister Ed Jack Brady Episode: "Zsa Zsa"1962 Womanhunt Petrie / Osgood 1962 Hitler Ernst Röhm 1964 The Time Travelers Preston 1964 Youngblood Hawke Jock Maas 1966 Chamber of Horrors Chun Sing 1969 Nightmare in Wax Max Black 1970 The Wild Scene Tim O'Shea 1970 Tora! Tora! Tora! U.S. Army General Uncredited1971 The Mephisto Waltz Raymont 1971 The Incredible 2-Headed Transplant Max 1971 The Seven Minutes Paul Van Fleet 1973 Pets The Art Connoisseur 1974 Young Frankenstein First Village Elder Uncredited1975 The Man in the Glass Booth Joachim Berger 1977 Demon Seed Petrosian
References
Turner Classic Movies
External links