PETER LORRE BIOGRAPHY & FILMOGRAPHY:
 
Peter Lorre was born on June 26th, 1904 in Rózsahegy, Hungary, Austria-Hungary [now Ruzomberok, Slovak Republic] with the birth name László Löwenstein to parents Alois and Elvira Löwenstein.  He received most of his education as a youth in Vienna, Austria. At the age of seventeen, Lorre ran away from home and found work as a bank clerk.

He also found work part time working on stage in Vienna and then moved to  Zürich.  In the late 1920's, Lorre moved again to Berlin, Germany and found work with a German playwright, Bertolt Brecht.  He appeared in a musical called, "Happy End".  For about seven years he continued to travel and work the theater scene until in 1931, he was discovered by director Fritz Lang who cast him in the film, "M".  From this point he began to get a number of roles in various films in Germany and when the Nazi's took over, he fled to Paris and London to work.  In London he was seen by Ivor Montagu, an associate producer of Alfred Hitchcock and this led to Lorree relocating to Los Angeles, California in 1935.

Some films he worked on while in Hollywood were, "Crime and Punishment" (1935), "Mad Love" (1935), "The Maltese Falcon" (1941) starring alongside Humphrey Bogart, Sydney Greenstreet and Mary Astor.  He also starred with Boris Karloff ans Bela Lugosi in, "You'll Find Out" (1940) and in "Casablanca" (1942) also starring Humphrey Bogart, Ingrid Bergman and Claude Rains. 

Following World War II his career began to take a turn south and he moved his focus from film to radio and stage work.  He even took a chance at co writing and directing his own film, "Der Verlorene" (1951) in Germany which translates into (The Lost One).

Lorre did return back to the United States to work on the film, "Casino Royale" (1954) followed by a role in, "20,000 Leagues Under the Sea" (also 1954) starring James Mason and Kirk Douglas.  The early 60's follwed with a number of roles working with Roger Corman on some low budget films that actually became very popular.     

His final film role was playing a stooge in Jerry Lewis', "The Patsy" (1964).  Lorre had suffered for many years from gallbladder issues and was prescribed morphine for the pain which he ended up getting completely addicted to.  Peter Lorre passed away on March 23rd, 1964 in Los Angeles, California after suffering from a stroke.  His body was cremated and his ashes were interred at the Hollywood Forever Cemetery in Hollywood, California.

Lorre married three times throughout his lifetime, first to Celia Lovsky in 1934 through March 13th, 1945 having no children.  His second marriage was to Kaaren Verne from May 25th, 1945 through 1950.  Lorre's third and final marriage was to Annemarie Brenning from July 21st, 1953 through his death and the couple did have one child together, a daughter, Catherine.    

Peter Lorre was honored with a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame for his contribution to the Motion Picture Industry.  He was also responsible for establishing his own production company called, Lorre Incorporated but the company was mismanaged and ended up filing bankruptcy.
 

Filmography

1964 The Patsy 
1964 Muscle Beach Party 
1963 The Comedy of Terrors 
1963 Kraft Suspense Theatre
1963 77 Sunset Strip
1963 The DuPont Show of the Week
1963 The Raven
1962 Route 66
1962 Five Weeks in a Balloon 
1962 Tales of Terror 
1961 The Gertrude Berg Show 
1961 Voyage to the Bottom of the Sea 
1961 The Best of the Post
1961 Checkmate 
1960 Rawhide 
1954-1960 The Red Skelton Hour
1960 Wagon Train 
1956-1960 Playhouse 90 
1960 Scent of Mystery 
1957-1960 Alfred Hitchcock Presents 
1959 Five Fingers 
1959 The Big Circus 
1958 The Milton Berle Show 
1958 Collector's Item
1957 Hell Ship Mutiny  
1957 The Sad Sack
1957 The Story of Mankind 
1957 Silk Stockings 
1954-1957 Climax! 
1957 The Buster Keaton Story 
1956 The 20th Century-Fox Hour 
1956 Around the World in Eighty Days
1956 Congo Crossing 
1955-1956 Studio 57
1956 Meet Me in Las Vegas
1956 Screen Directors Playhouse 
1955 The Star and the Story 
1955 The Eddie Cantor Comedy Theater 
1955 Producers' Showcase 
1955 The Best of Broadway
1955 Young Couples Only
1955 Rheingold Theatre
1954 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea 
1954 Schlitz Playhouse 
1953 The United States Steel Hour 
1953 Beat the Devil 
1952 Suspense  
1952 Lux Video Theatre 
1951 Der Verlorene 
1950 Double Confession
1950 Quicksand 
1949 Rope of Sand 
1948 Casbah 
1947 My Favorite Brunette  
1946 The Beast with Five Fingers 
1946 The Verdict  
1946 The Chase 
1946 Black Angel
1946 Three Strangers 
1945 Confidential Agent 
1945 Hotel Berlin 
1944 The Conspirators 
1944 Arsenic and Old Lace 
1944 The Mask of Dimitrios 
1944 Passage to Marseille
1943 The Cross of Lorraine 
1943 Background to Danger 
1943 The Constant Nymph 
1942 Casablanca 
1942 The Boogie Man Will Get You 
1942 Invisible Agent  
1941 All Through the Night 
1941 The Maltese Falcon 
1941 They Met in Bombay 
1941 Mr. District Attorney 
1941 The Face Behind the Mask 
1940 You'll Find Out 
1940 Stranger on the Third Floor 
1940 Island of Doomed Men 
1940 I Was an Adventuress 
1940 Strange Cargo
1939 Mr. Moto Takes a Vacation 
1939 Mr. Moto in Danger Island 
1939 Mr. Moto's Last Warning 
1938 Mysterious Mr. Moto 
1938 I'll Give a Million 
1938 Mr. Moto Takes a Chance 
1938 Mr. Moto's Gamble 
1937 Thank You, Mr. Moto 
1937 Lancer Spy
1937 Think Fast, Mr. Moto 
1937 Nancy Steele Is Missing! 
1936 Crack-Up 
1936 Secret Agent
1935 I Crime and Punishment 
1935 Mad Love
1934 The Man Who Knew Too Much 
1933 High and Low 
1933 Unsichtbare Gegner
1933 Was Frauen träumen 
1933 Les requins du pétrole 
1932 F.P.1 Doesn't Answer 
1932 Stupéfiants 
1932 Dope 
1932 Schuß im Morgengrauen 
1932 Fünf von der Jazzband 
1931 Die Koffer des Herrn O.F. 
1931 Bombs Over Monte Carlo 
1931 M 
1931 A Man's a Man
1930 The White Devil 
1929 Die verschwundene Frau