Fritz Feld
Personal Info
Known for
Acting
Gender
Male
Birthday
1900-10-14
Day of Death
1993-11-18 (93 years old)
Place of Birth
Berlin, Germany
Fritz Feld
Biography
Fritz Feld was born on October 15, 1900 in Berlin, Germany as Fritz Feilchenfeld. He is known for his work on Bringing Up Baby (1938), Barefoot in the Park (1967) and Hello, Dolly! (1969). He was married to Virginia Christine. He died on November 18, 1993 in Los Angeles, California, USA.
Born in Berlin, Germany, Feld began his acting career in Germany in 1917, making his screen debut in Der Golem und die Tänzerin (The Golem and the Dancing Girl). Feld filmed the sound sequences of the Cecil B. DeMille film The Godless Girl, released by Pathé, without DeMille's supervision since DeMille had already broken his contract with Pathé, and signed with Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer.
He developed a characterization that came to define him. His trademark was to slap his mouth with the palm of his hand to create a "pop!" sound that indicated both his superiority and his annoyance. The first use of the "pop" sound was in If You Knew Susie.
Feld often played the part of a maître d', but also a variety of aristocrats and eccentrics; his characters were indeterminately European, sometimes French and sometimes Belgian but always with his particular mannerisms. In the 1938 screwball comedy Bringing Up Baby he played the role of Dr. Lehman. In 1939 he appeared with the Marx Brothers in At The Circus in the small but memorable role of French orchestra conductor Jardinet. In one 1967 episode of The Man from U.N.C.L.E., "The Napoleon's Tomb Affair", Feld played a banker, a beatnik, a diplomat and a waiter. The episode also featured Ted Cassidy from The Addams Family. In his later years, Feld appeared in several Walt Disney films and also played an uncharacteristically dramatic role in Barfly. In addition to films, he acted in numerous television series in guest roles, including the recurring role of "Zumdish", the manager of the intergalactic Celestial Department Store on Lost In Space, in two Season 2 episodes, The Android Machine and The Toymaker. Zumdish returned in the Season 3 episode Two Weeks In Space, where he has been brainwashed by bank robbers into believing he is a tour director taking the robbers on holiday. He also portrayed one of the Harmonia Gardens waiters in the movie Hello Dolly!
Feld made his final film appearance in 1989.
Known For
Acting
(1989)
Homer and Eddie
as Mortician
(1987)
Barfly
as Bum
(1986)
A Fine Mess
as Bit Part (uncredited)
(1984)
Last of the Great Survivors
as Marty LaFontaine
(1982)
Heidi's Song
as Sebastian (voice)
(1981)
History of the World: Part I
as Maitre 'D - The Roman Empire
(1980)
Herbie Goes Bananas
as Chief Steward
(1978)
(1977)
The World's Greatest Lover
as Tomaso Abalone
(1976)
Freaky Friday
as Mr. Jackman
(1976)
Silent Movie
as Maitre d'
(1976)
Won Ton Ton: The Dog Who Saved Hollywood
as Rudy's Butler
(1975)
The Strongest Man in the World
as Uncle Frederick
(1975)
The Sunshine Boys
as Mr. Gilbert
(1974)
Herbie Rides Again
as Maitre D'
(1974)
Only with Married Men
as Chef
(1972)
Call Her Mom
as Waiter
(1970)
The Phynx
as Fritz Feld
(1969)
Hello, Dolly!
as Rudolph's Assistant
(1969)
The Computer Wore Tennis Shoes
as Sigmund Van Dyke
(1969)
The Comic
as Armand
(1967)
Barefoot in the Park
as Restaurant Proprietor
(1966)
Penelope
as Penelope's Dance Partner (uncredited)
(1966)
Three on a Couch
as The Attaché
(1965)
Harlow
as Fritz
(1964)
The Patsy
as Maitre D'
(1963)
4 for Texas
as Fritz
(1963)
Who's Minding the Store?
as Irving Catastrophe
(1963)
Promises! Promises!
as Ship's Doctor
(1962)
The New March of Dimes Presents: The Scene Stealers
as John Swallowtail
(1961)
Pocketful of Miracles
as Pierre
(1961)
The Errand Boy
as Busby - Roaring 20's Director
(1961)
The Ladies Man
as Mrs. Wellenmellon's Hairdresser (uncredited)
(1960)
The Miracle of the White Reindeer
as Geronimo
(1959)
Juke Box Rhythm
as Ambrose
(1957)
Up In Smoke
as Dr. Bluzak (uncredited)
(1956)
So You Want to Be Pretty
as Dr. Von Slaughter (uncredited)
(1955)
Jail Busters
as Dr. Fernando F. Fordyce
(1954)
Living It Up
as Barber (uncredited)
(1954)
Riding Shotgun
as Fritz
(1954)
Paris Playboys
as Marcel the Maitre d'
(1953)
Crime Wave
as Jess (uncredited)
(1953)
So You Want to Be a Musician
as Lasagna Pizza - Orchestra Leader
(1952)
O. Henry's Full House
as Maurice (segment "The Gift of the Magi") (uncredited)
(1952)
Has Anybody Seen My Gal?
as Alvarez (uncredited)
(1952)
So You Want to Wear the Pants
as Psychiatrist (uncredited)
(1952)
Aaron Slick from Punkin Crick
as Headwaiter
(1952)
So You Want to Enjoy Life
as Dr. Hugo Flugleman (uncredited)
(1951)
Journey Into Light
as Clothing Salesman
(1951)
Missing Women
as Pierre (hairdresser)
(1951)
Sky High
as Dr. Kapok
(1951)
Kentucky Jubilee
as Rudolph Jouvet
(1951)
Rhythm Inn
as Prof. Rinaldo
(1950)
Appointment with Danger
as Window Dresser
(1950)
Riding High
as French Dressmaker (uncredited)
(1950)
The Jackpot
as Pianist (uncredited)
(1950)
Belle of Old Mexico
as Dr. Quincy
(1949)
The Lovable Cheat
as Monsieur Louis
(1948)
The Noose Hangs High
as Psychiatrist
(1948)
Julia Misbehaves
as Pepito
(1948)
My Girl Tisa
as Prof. Tabor
(1948)
Mexican Hayride
as Professor Ganzmeyer
(1948)
If You Knew Susie
as Chez Henri
(1948)
You Gotta Stay Happy
as Pierre
(1948)
Trouble Makers
as Mr. Andre Schmidtlap - Hotel Manager
(1947)
The Secret Life of Walter Mitty
as Anatole
(1947)
Carnival in Costa Rica
as Hotel Clerk
(1947)
Fun on a Weekend
as Sergei Stroganoff
(1947)
Hollywood Wonderland
as Director (clip from "Swingtime in the Movies", 1938) (uncredited)
(1946)
I've Always Loved You
as Nicholas Kavlun
(1946)
The Catman of Paris
as Prefect of Police
(1946)
Gentleman Joe Palooka
as Club Steward
(1946)
Movieland Magic
as (archive footage)
(1946)
Her Sister's Secret
as Wine Salesman
(1945)
George White's Scandals
as Montescu
(1945)
The Great John L.
as Claire's manager
(1945)
Captain Tugboat Annie
as Al Pucci aka Alfred Puccini
(1944)
Passport to Destiny
as Chief Janitor
(1944)
Knickerbocker Holiday
as Poffenburgh
(1944)
Ever Since Venus
as Michele
(1944)
Take It Big
as Doctor Dittenhoffer
(1943)
Phantom of the Opera
as Lecours
(1943)
Holy Matrimony
as Critic
(1943)
Henry Aldrich Swings It
as Josef Altman
(1943)
Heavenly Music
as Niccolò Paganini (uncredited)
(1942)
Shut My Big Mouth
as Robert Oglethorpe
(1942)
Four Jacks and a Jill
as Mr. Hoople
(1942)
Sleepytime Gal
as Chef Petrovich
(1942)
Maisie Gets Her Man
as Professor Orco
(1942)
Iceland
as Herr Tegnar
(1941)
Come Live with Me
as Mac, the Headwaiter (uncredited)
(1941)
You Belong to Me
as Hotel Clerk
(1941)
Three Sons o' Guns
as Stage Director
(1941)
The Mexican Spitfire's Baby
as Pierre Gaston de la Blanc
(1941)
World Premiere
as Field Marshal Muller
(1940)
Victory
as Signor Makanoff
(1940)
Little Old New York
as Tavern Keeper
(1940)
It's a Date
as Oscar, the Headwaiter
(1940)
I Was an Adventuress
as Henri Gautier
(1940)
Sandy Is a Lady
as Mario
(1940)
Millionaire Playboy
as 'G.G.' Gorta
(1940)
Ma, He's Making Eyes at Me!
as Forsythe
(1939)
At the Circus
as Jardinet
(1939)
Idiot's Delight
as Pittatek
(1939)
Everything Happens at Night
as Gendarme
(1939)
When Tomorrow Comes
as Nicholas
(1939)
Quiet, Please
as Mr. Nitvitch
(1939)
Little Accident
as Malisse
(1938)
Bringing Up Baby
as Fritz Lehman
(1938)
Hollywood Hotel
as The Russian
(1938)
The Affairs of Annabel
as Vladimir
(1938)
I'll Give a Million
as Max Primerose
(1938)
Gold Diggers in Paris
as Luis Leoni
(1938)
Artists and Models Abroad
as Dubois
(1938)
Out Where the Stars Begin
as Mr. Nitvitch
(1938)
Romance in the Dark
as Fritz
(1938)
Swingtime in the Movies
as Mr. Nitvitch
(1938)
Go Chase Yourself
as Count Pierre Fountaine de Louis-Louis
(1938)
Campus Confessions
as 'Lady MacBeth'
(1937)
Expensive Husbands
as Herr Meyer, Hotel Director
(1937)
I Met Him in Paris
as Swiss Hotel Clerk
(1937)
Tovarich
as Martelleau
(1937)
True Confession
as Krayler's Butler
(1937)
Lancer Spy
as Fritz Mueller
(1930)
The Wizard's Apprentice
as Wizard
(1929)
Broadway
as Mose Levett
(1929)
One Hysterical Night
as Paganini
(1929)
Black Magic
as James Fraser
(1928)
The Last Command
as A revolutionist
(1928)
A Ship Comes In
as Sokol
(1928)
Blindfold
as Thomas Bernard
(1921)
(1920)
The Golem: How He Came Into the World
as Jester (uncredited)