Friedrich Anton Maria Hubertus Bonifacius Graf von Ledebur-Wicheln ( – ) was an Austrian actor who was known for '' Moby Dick'' (1956), '' Alexander the Great'' (1955) and '' Slaughterhouse-Five'' (1972).

Early life

Ledebur was born in Nisko,

Austro-Hungarian Empire Austria-Hungary, often referred to as the Austro-Hungarian Empire,, the Dual Monarchy, or Austria, was a constitutional monarchy and great power in Central Europe between 1867 and 1918. It was formed with the Austro-Hungarian Compromise of ...

(now Poland) 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 John Marcellus Huston ( ; August 5, 1906 – August 28, 1987) was an American film director, screenwriter, actor and visual artist. He wrote the screenplays for most of the 37 feature films he directed, many of which are today considered ...

, gave Ledebur his entrée to character acting.

Acting career

Friedrich von Ledebur-Richard Basehart in Moby Dick

In 1945, von Ledebur made his film debut. He later appeared in ''Alexander the Great'' (1955), and played chief harpooneer Queequeg, a South Sea chieftain, in the film ''Moby Dick'' (1956). "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".

Selected filmography

* '' A Royal Scandal'' (1945) - Russian General (uncredited) * ''

Notorious Notorious means well known for a negative trait, characteristic, or action. It may also refer to: Arts, entertainment, and media Films * ''Notorious'' (1946 film), a thriller directed by Alfred Hitchcock * ''Notorious'' (1992 film), a TV film re ...

'' (1946) - Knerr (uncredited) * '' Forever Amber'' (1947) - Cavalier (uncredited) * '' My Girl Tisa'' (1948) - Igor (uncredited) * ''

Mr. Blandings Builds His Dream House ''Mr. Blandings Builds His Dream House'' is a 1948 American comedy film directed by H. C. Potter and starring Cary Grant, Myrna Loy, and Melvyn Douglas. Written and produced by the team of Melvin Frank and Norman Panama, it was an adaptation ...

'' (1948) - Workman (uncredited) * '' The Great Sinner'' (1949) - Casino Secretary * '' Moulin Rouge'' (1952) - Maitre d'Hotel at Maxim's (uncredited) * '' Alexander the Great'' (1956) -

Antipater Antipater (; grc, , translit=Antipatros, lit=like the father; c. 400 BC319 BC) was a Macedonian general and statesman under the subsequent kingships of Philip II of Macedon and his son, Alexander the Great. In the wake of the collaps ...

* '' Moby Dick'' (1956) - Queequeg * '' Voodoo Island'' (1957) - Native Chief * '' The Man Who Turned to Stone'' (1957) - Eric * '' The 27th Day'' (1957) - Dr. Karl Neuhaus * '' The Brothers Karamazov'' (1958) - Chief Judge (uncredited) * '' Crash Landing'' (1958) - Priest (uncredited) * ''

Fräulein ''Fräulein'' ( , ) is the German language honorific for unmarried women, comparable to Miss in English and Mademoiselle in French. Description ''Fräulein'' is the diminutive form of ''Frau'', which was previously reserved only for marrie ...

'' (1958) - German Police Captain (uncredited) * '' The Roots of Heaven'' (1958) - Peer Qvist * '' Enchanted Island'' (1958) - Mehevi * '' The Buccaneer'' (1958) - Capt. Bart * '' A Breath of Scandal'' (1960) - Count Sandor * '' Barabbas'' (1961) - Officer * '' Freud: The Secret Passion'' (1962) - (uncredited) * ''

The Fall of the Roman Empire The fall of the Western Roman Empire (also called the fall of the Roman Empire or the fall of Rome) was the loss of central political control in the Western Roman Empire, a process in which the Empire failed to enforce its rule, and its vas ...

'' (1964) - Barbarian (uncredited) * '' The Shoot'' (1964) - Mübarek * '' The Treasure of the Aztecs'' (1965) - Count Don Fernando di Rodriganda y Sevilla * '' Juliet of the Spirits'' (1965) - Medium * '' The Blue Max'' (1966) - Feldmarschall von Lenndorf * ''Il Natale che quasi non fu'' (1967) - (uncredited) * '' Reflections in a Golden Eye'' (1967) - Lieutenant at Garden Party (uncredited) * ''

Assignment K ''Assignment K'' is a 1968 British neo noir thriller film directed by Val Guest in Techniscope and starring Stephen Boyd, Camilla Sparv, Michael Redgrave, Leo McKern, Robert Hoffmann and Jeremy Kemp. The film was based on the 1964 novel '' Dep ...

'' (1968) - Ski Shop Proprietor (uncredited) * '' Oedipus the King'' (1968) - King

Laius In Greek mythology, King Laius (pronounced ), or Laios ( el, Λάϊος) of Thebes was a key personage in the Theban founding myth. Family Laius was the son of Labdacus. He was the father, by Jocasta, of Oedipus, who killed him. Mytholog ...

* '' Mayerling'' (1968) - Hofmarschall (uncredited) * '' Kampf um Rom'' (1968) - Hildebrand * '' The Christmas Tree'' (1969) - Vernet * '' Slaughterhouse-Five'' (1972) - German Leader * ''

Ludwig Ludwig may refer to: People and fictional characters * Ludwig (given name), including a list of people and fictional characters * Ludwig (surname), including a list of people * Ludwig Ahgren, or simply Ludwig, American YouTube live streamer and co ...

'' (1973) - Hofmarschall (uncredited) * ''

A Genius, Two Partners and a Dupe ''A Genius, Two Partners and a Dupe'' ( it, Un genio, due compari, un pollo) is a 1975 Spaghetti Western comedy film directed by Damiano Damiani and Sergio Leone, who directed the opening scene. Plot Joe Thanks (Terence Hill) is a genius conman ...

'' (1975) - Don Felipe, the priest * ' (1976) - Martin Ross * ''

The Standard The Standard may refer to: Entertainment * The Standard (band), an indie rock band from Portland, Oregon * ''The Standard'' (novel), a 1934 novel by the Austrian writer Alexander Lernet-Holenia * ''The Standard'' (Tommy Flanagan album), 1980 * ...

'' (1977) - General * '' Sorcerer'' (1977) - 'Carlos' * '' Bloodline'' (1979) - Innkeeper * '' Ginger and Fred'' (1986) - Admiral Aulenti (final film role)

References

External links

* * 1900 births 1986 deaths Austrian male film actors Austrian male television actors Austro-Hungarian military personnel of World War I Austro-Hungarian Army officers People from Nisko 20th-century Austrian male actors Austrian expatriates in the United States {{Austria-actor-stub