Berry Kroeger | |
|---|---|
 Kroeger as the narrator for The Big Story, 1947. | |
| Born | October 16, 1912 San Antonio, Texas, U.S. |
| Died | January 4, 1991 (aged 78) Los Angeles, California, U.S. |
| Occupation | Actor |
| Years active | 1932–1991 |
| Spouse | Mary Agnes (?-1991) (his death) |
Berry Kroeger (October 16, 1912 – January 4, 1991) was an American film, television and stage actor.
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 series[1] Also on radio, he portrayed Dr. Reed Bannister on Big Sister,[2] narrated Salute to Youth,[2]: 293 and was a regular as Sam Williams on Young Doctor Malone.[3]
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.[4] He went on to appear in Reclining Figure (1954), Julius Caesar (1950), and The Tempest (1944).[5] He portrayed the High Lama in the 1956 musical adaptation of Lost Horizon titled Shangri-La.[6]
Kroeger was discovered by filmmaker William Wellman while performing on Broadway[7] 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).[8]
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).[9] He appeared in a small role as a village elder in Young Frankenstein (1974).[10] 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).[9]
Kroeger died on January 4, 1991, of kidney failure at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles.[11][7]
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1941 | Tom, Dick and Harry | Boy Lead in Movie | Voice, Uncredited |
| 1948 | 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 | Uncredited |
| 1971 | 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 | Uncredited |
| 1975 | The Man in the Glass Booth | Joachim Berger | |
| 1977 | Demon Seed | Petrosian |
