Fritz Feld
- Acting
- October 14, 1900 · Berlin, Germany
- November 18, 1993
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
Filmography
- Amazing Stories: The Movie III · Maitre D
- Homer and Eddie · Mortician
- Barfly · Bum
- Sledge Hammer! · Announcer
- A Fine Mess · Bit Part (uncredited)
- Amazing Stories · Maitre 'd
- Last of the Great Survivors · Marty LaFontaine
- Heidi's Song · Sebastian (Voice)
- Simon & Simon · Yoygen Skridlew
- History of the World: Part I · Maitre 'D - The Roman Empire
- Magnum, P.I. · Lars
- Herbie Goes Bananas · Chief Steward
- Supertrain · Maitre D'
- Legend of the Northwest · Trapper
- The World's Greatest Lover · Tomaso Abalone
- Tabitha
- The Hardy Boys / Nancy Drew Mysteries
- Freaky Friday · Mr. Jackman
- Won Ton Ton: The Dog Who Saved Hollywood · Rudy's Butler
- Silent Movie · Maitre d'
- The Sunshine Boys · Mr. Gilbert
- The Strongest Man in the World · Uncle Frederick
- Only with Married Men · Chef
- Kolchak: The Night Stalker · Waiter
- Herbie Rides Again · Maitre D'
- Call Her Mom · Waiter
- The Odd Couple · Maitre D'
- The Phynx · Fritz Feld
- The Computer Wore Tennis Shoes · Sigmund Van Dyke
- Hello, Dolly! · Rudolph's Assistant
- The Comic · Armand
- Love, American Style · Captain, Walter
- Land of the Giants · Quigg
- Barefoot in the Park · Restaurant Proprietor
- Penelope · Penelope's Dance Partner (uncredited)
- The Girl from U.N.C.L.E. · Chef
- Three on a Couch · The Attaché
- Made in Paris · Josef
- Batman · Prof. Greenleaf, Oliver Muzzy
- The Wild Wild West · Chef
- Lost in Space · Mr. Zumdish
- Harlow · Fritz (uncredited)
- The Man from U.N.C.L.E. · Banker-Beatnik-Diplomat-Waiter
- Valentine's Day
- Bewitched
- The Patsy · Maitre D'
- 4 for Texas · Fritz
- Who's Minding the Store? · Irving Catastrophe
- Burke's Law · Captain of Waiters
- Promises! Promises! · Ship's Doctor
- The Beverly Hillbillies
- The New March of Dimes Presents: The Scene Stealers · John Swallowtail
- Pocketful of Miracles · Pierre
- The Errand Boy · Busby - Roaring 20's Director
- The Ladies Man · Mrs. Wellenmellon's Hairdresser (uncredited)
- The Miracle of the White Reindeer · Geronimo
- Adventures in Paradise · Fontaine
- Juke Box Rhythm · Ambrose
- Peter Gunn
- Shirley Temple's Storybook · King's Bidder
- Up In Smoke · Dr. Bluzak (uncredited)
- The Thin Man
- So You Want to Be Pretty · Dr. Von Slaughter (uncredited)
- Alfred Hitchcock Presents · Maitre D
- Jail Busters · Dr. Fernando F. Fordyce
- December Bride
- Living It Up · Barber (uncredited)
- Riding Shotgun · Fritz
- Paris Playboys · Marcel the Maitre d'
- Crime Wave · Jess (uncredited)
- General Electric Theater · Doctor
- So You Want to Be a Musician · Lasagna Pizza - Orchestra Leader
- So You Want to Wear the Pants · Psychiatrist (uncredited)
- Mr. & Mrs. North
- O. Henry's Full House · Maurice (segment "The Gift of the Magi") (uncredited)
- Has Anybody Seen My Gal? · Alvarez (uncredited)
- Aaron Slick from Punkin Crick · Headwaiter
- So You Want to Enjoy Life · Dr. Hugo Flugleman (uncredited)
- Dangerous Assignment
- Sky High · Dr. Kapok