Kurt Kasznar


Kurt Kasznar

Biography

Having appeared in over 80 screen productions and dozens of stage plays throughout his impressive career, Kurt Kasznar may be most noted for a role at the end of his of life, as Alexander B. Fitzhugh on the sci-fi TV series "Land of the Giants." Born in Austria-Hungary, he immigrated to the United States during the mid-1930s and was drafted in 1941. After the war, Kasznar made his way to...

Biography

Having appeared in over 80 screen productions and dozens of stage plays throughout his impressive career, Kurt Kasznar may be most noted for a role at the end of his of life, as Alexander B. Fitzhugh on the sci-fi TV series "Land of the Giants." Born in Austria-Hungary, he immigrated to the United States during the mid-1930s and was drafted in 1941. After the war, Kasznar made his way to Broadway, where he played Uncle Louis in the coming-of-age family play "The Happy Time," a role that won him a Golden Globe nod when he recreated it for Richard Fleischer's 1952 screen version. This kick-started his film career, and soon he was playing Jacquot alongside Zsa Zsa Gabor and Leslie Caron in the circus musical "Lili," and appearing with Elizabeth Taylor in the romantic drama "The Last Time I Saw Paris." He worked steadily in film into the 1960s while making a huge name on the Great White Way, winning a Tony nomination for his stage performance in "The Sound of Music." In 1968 he played the part of Fitzhugh on "Land of the Giants," which followed the members of a space crew that landed on a planet inhabited by, yes, giants. After the show's two-year run Kasznar appeared mostly on TV, putting in one-off appearances and cameos on popular prime-time dramas including the mystery series "McMillan & Wife" and the geriatric-detective show "Barnaby Jones."

Life Events

Videos

Movie Clip

Lili (1953) -- (Movie Clip) You Have No Family? Everyone’s French and idyllic, Jean Pierre Aumont, Kurt Kasznar and Mel Ferrer haggling over fruit when title character Leslie Caron (in her first role after An American In Paris), arrives, her expectations let down, Alex Gerry as a storekeeper, opening the MGM fantasy musical hit Lili, 1953.
Ambushers, The (1967) -- (Movie Clip) I've Got Relatives There Now in Acapulco, Dean Martin as photographer-playboy secret agent Matt Helm with Janice Rule as Sheila, the rescued formerly brainwashed astronaut helping him find her abductors, posing as newlyweds, observing the chopper arrival of villain Albert Salmi, when Francesca (Senta Berger) introduces herself, in the 3rd Helm feature, The Ambushers, 1967.
Farewell To Arms, A (1957) -- (Movie Clip) We Tell A Story Grandeur and literary credentials, Charles Vidor directs and Rock Hudson narrates, roughly from the Hemingway novel, opening producer David O. Selznick’s 1957 production, co-starring Selznick’s wife, Jennifer Jones, Kurt Kasznar, Franco Interlenghi and Leopold Trieste introduced, in A Farewell To Arms.
Lili (1953) -- (Movie Clip) Hi-Lili, Hi-Lo Continuing the scene in which troubled puppeteer Paul (Mel Ferrer) has engaged 16-year-old orphan Leslie Caron (title character) in conversation with his creations, carnival friends led by Kurt Kasznar watching, the hit song by Bronislau Kaper and Helen Deutsch, in MGM’s Lili, 1953.
For The First Time (1959) -- (Movie Clip) La Donna È Mobile Rudolph Matè directing at the Rome Opera House, Kurt Krasznar the bothered manager, Zsa Zsa Gabor regal in the audience, and Mario Lanza introduced, in his last movie, as singer Tonino, offering the Verdi aria from Rigoletto for fans who couldn’t afford seats, in For The First Time, 1959.
Glory Alley (1952) -- (Movie Clip) Socks Barbarrosa Joining Raoul Walsh’s opening narrated by John McIntire as journalist Gabe, with Ralph Meeker as New Orleans boxer Socks Barbarossa, Gilbert Roland and Louis Armstrong in his corner, Pat Valentino his opponent and Kurt Kasznar his blind friend “The Judge,” in Glory Alley, 1952.
Glory Alley (1952) -- (Movie Clip) You Have A Flaw Boxer Socks (Ralph Meeker) in a New Orleans bar, mocked by a gambler (Dan Seymour) for walking out on a fight, trying to explain to blind friend “The Judge” (Kurt Kasznar), who’s his girlfriend’s father, his trainer, musician Shadow (Louis Armstrong) philosophical, in Glory Alley, 1952.
Casino Royale (1967) -- (Movie Clip) The Russians Started It We meet the retired, stuttering, annoyed James Bond (David Niven), visited by English, American, Soviet and French head spooks (director John Huston, William Holden, Kurt Kasznar, Charles Boyer), needing help figuring out who's offing their agents, in the all-star satire Casino Royale, 1967.
Anything Can Happen (1952) -- (Movie Clip) You're The Very Latest From the harbor to Ellis Island, opening scenes as Georgian Giorgi (Jose Ferrer), with experienced Turkish pal Nuri (Kurt Kasznar), meets an especially cordial customs officer (Bert Freed), in Perlberg and Seaton's Anything Can Happen, 1952.
Anything Can Happen (1952) -- (Movie Clip) You're A Darling Turkish Nuri (Kurt Kasznar) and Georgian Giorgi (Jose Ferrer) arrive to make dinner for New York folk-music enthusiast and new friend Helen (Kim Hunter), in the Perlberg-Seaton drama of immigration, Anything Can Happen, 1952.
Last Time I Saw Paris, The -- (Movie Clip) The Most Dangerous Eye Genuine V-E Day footage and director Richard Brooks' recreation, as soldier Charles (Van Johnson) meets fellow American Marion (Donna Reed), the start of his flashback, featuring Elizabeth Taylor, in The Last Time I Saw Paris, 1954.
Ride, Vaquero! -- (Movie Clip) Lace To Please A Lady Cameron (Howard Keel), in town to meet wife Cordelia (Ava Gardner), also meets gunman Rio (Robert Taylor), who's come to see Father Antonio (Kurt Kasznar), early in John Farrow's Ride, Vaquero!, 1953.

Bibliography