Martin Kosleck

Diminutive character actor of Russian extraction, born in Pomerania (now divided between Germany and Poland), who gained experience on the German stage, most notably in productions helmed by the legendary Max Reinhardt. Kosleck moved to Hollywood in the 1930s and, after supporting himself as a portrait artist, began to make his mark near the end of the decade. With his incisive line delivery, piercing eyes and strong, angular features, Kosleck found himself typecast in two types of roles for the duration of his screen career. He played mad scientists, psychopathic killers and sometimes red herring murder suspects in Universal horror films including "The Mummy's Curse" (1944) and "She Wolf of London" (1946). He was especially entertaining as a crazed sculptor sending a killer to do in all those who had berated his work in "House of Horrors" (1946). Kosleck spent even more of his time, however, playing particularly nasty Nazis in "Nazi Agent" (1942), "The North Star" (1943) and many others. One of his specialties became impersonating Hitler's propaganda minister Josef Goebbels, which he did five times. Kosleck first played the role in "Confessions of a Nazi Spy" (1939) and was still playing the part in "Hitler" (1962). His most memorable shot at the role, however, was in the surprisingly powerful "B" film, "The Hitler Gang" (1944). Kosleck continued acting in features into the late 1960s and later did occasional TV work.