Friedrich von Ledebur
Friedrich Anton Maria Hubertus Bonifacius Graf von Ledebur-Wicheln was an Austrian actor who was known for Moby Dick, Alexander the Great and Slaughterhouse-Five.
Early life
Ledebur was born in Nisko, Austro-Hungarian Empire in 1900. Friedrich enlisted in the Austro-Hungarian Army in 1916, and was an officer in the Austrian Cavalry Division during the last years of World War I.
Interwar period
In the 1930s Ledebur became a close friend of Charles Bedaux, with whom he traveled extensively in Africa and Canada. After the war, Ledebur spent the next two decades travelling the world, working all manner of odd jobs from gold mining to deep sea diving, to riding and winning prize money at rodeos. Ledebur settled in the United States in 1939 and anglicised his name to 'Frederick'. A close friendship with fellow adventurer and director John Huston, gave Ledebur his entrée to character acting.
Acting career
In 1945, Ledebur made his film debut. He later appeared in Alexander the Great, and played chief harpooneer Queequeg, a South Sea chieftain, in the film Moby Dick. "Better a sober cannibal than a drunken Christian", Herman Melville's Ishmael famously says of Queequeg in the book and the film. He appeared as Brother Christophorus in The Twilight Zone episode "The Howling Man".
Death
Ledebur died on December 25, 1986 in Linz, Austria. He was 86 years old.
Selected filmography
A Royal Scandal - Russian General Notorious - Knerr Forever Amber - Cavalier My Girl Tisa - Igor Mr. Blandings Builds His Dream House - Workman The Great Sinner - Casino SecretaryMoulin Rouge - Maitre d'Hotel at Maxim's Alexander the Great - AntipaterMoby Dick - QueequegVoodoo Island - Native ChiefThe Man Who Turned to Stone - EricThe 27th Day - Dr. Karl NeuhausThe Brothers Karamazov - Chief Judge Crash Landing - Priest Fräulein - German Police Captain The Roots of Heaven - Peer QvistEnchanted Island - MeheviThe Buccaneer - Capt. BartA Breath of Scandal - Count SandorBarabbas - OfficerFreud: The Secret Passion - The Fall of the Roman Empire - Barbarian The Shoot - MübarekThe Treasure of the Aztecs - Count Don Fernando di Rodriganda y SevillaJuliet of the Spirits - MediumThe Blue Max - Feldmarschall von LenndorfIl Natale che quasi non fu - Reflections in a Golden Eye - Lieutenant at Garden Party Assignment K - Ski Shop Proprietor Oedipus the King - King LaiusMayerling - Hofmarschall Kampf um Rom - HildebrandThe Christmas Tree - VernetSlaughterhouse-Five - German LeaderLudwig - Hofmarschall A Genius, Two Partners and a Dupe - Don Felipe, the priest - Martin RossThe Standard - GeneralSorcerer - 'Carlos'Bloodline - InnkeeperGinger and Fred - Admiral Aulenti