Oscar Beregi (actor, born 1876)


Oscar Beregi was a Hungarian-Jewish actor who appeared primarily in German films.

Biography

Beregi was born in Budapest, Austria-Hungary. He acted onstage in Hungary for 21 years. In April 1920, as "the only Jewish actor of prominence" acting with the Budapest National Theatre, he was the subject of a demonstration that led to the group's changing its program and presenting a play in which Beregi did not participate.
In the early 1920s, Beregi was exiled from Hungary because of his "alleged political activities". During the exile he acted in Vienna for four years. He served as president of the Film Actors' Association of Vienna. In 1925 he arrived to Hollywood and stayed there for four years. In 1926, Beregi signed a five-year contract with Universal Pictures. During that time the actor was filmed in several silent pictures. The most famous was Camille, opposite Norma Talmadge in the title role.
In the late 1920s, Beregi returned to Europe. In 1933, played one his best-known film roles as the villainous Professor Baum in Fritz Lang's film The Testament of Dr. Mabuse. In the 1930s, he was persecuted because of his Jewish background, narrowly escaped the Holocaust and fled to the United States. There, he played the last few of his film roles, including a supporting role in the 1953 musical Call Me Madam. Overall, Beregi appeared in 27 films between 1916 and 1953. He made his final appearance as a guest star in the TV series Peter Gunn in 1961.
Beregi died in Hollywood, California, aged 89, and was buried in Budapest, Hungary. His son, Oscar Beregi Jr., was also an actor.

Partial filmography

Ártatlan vagyok! - Pierre, katonaorvosMire megvénülünk - Áronffy LórándHófehérke - Balassa Imre mérnökThe Stork Caliph - Tábori báró / kikötõmunkásA föld embere - Bán Ferenc, bányamérnökKároly bakák - Epres JánosAz aranyember - Tímár MihályJön az öcsém - As öcsAve Caesar! - Alexis gróf, testõrkapitányA tékozló fiú - Wagner Oszkár, a fiaMeriota the Dancer - Cesare BorgiaWilliam Ratcliff Children of the Revolution Das verbotene Land Vier Nächte einer schönen Frau Die Tragödie einer Frau Die Sklavenkönigin - AmenmesesJiskor - The CountSsanin - Wladimir Petrowitsch SsaninDas Gift der Borgia The Curse - Jehuda NachmannThe Love Thief - Prime MinisterThe Flaming Forest - Jules LagarreCamille - Count de VarvilleButterflies in the Rain - Lord PurdonThe Woman on Trial Der Geliebte seiner Frau - Polizeikommissär Ralph FörsterAndere Frauen Povara - George StralilaLove in May Der Dieb im Schlafcoupée Die Jugend am Scheideweg Juwelen The Blue Idol - Turner, milliomosAn Auto and No Money The Ghost Train - Dr. Stirling