Karl Stepanek
ActingAbout Karl Stepanek
Though born in Czechoslovakia, actor Karel Stepanek was generally regarded as a German actor due to his extensive film work in Germany (as Karl Stepanek) in the years before World War II. Stepanek fled to England in 1940, where, like many European refugee actors, he specialized in portraying Teutonic villains. He tried to stay away from out-and-out Nazi roles, but his predilection for wearing black uniforms and barking out guttural commands left little doubt as to the political preferences of Stepanek's screen characters. One of his most typical characterizations could be found in the 1946 POW drama, The Captive Heart; Stepanek also registered well as a friendlier foreigner in The Fallen Idol (1949). Commuting between London and Hollywood, Karel Stepanek continued to fight World War II, usually on the wrong side, into such '60s films as Sink the Bismarck! (1960), I Aim at the Stars (1960) and Operation Crossbow (1965).
Career Statistics & Market Influence
Analyzing the cinematic journey of Karl Stepanek reveals a career defined by diverse artistic exploration. With a total of 50 major appearances, the actor has established a significant footprint in global cinema.
Genre Dominance: Drama
The majority of Karl Stepanek's filmography leans towards the Drama genre. Audience data suggests that viewers respond most favorably to this persona, though their versatility has allowed for successful crossovers into other categories.
The "Box Office" Signature
With a 40% Success Ratio (movies rated above 6.5), Karl Stepanek remains a reliable draw for studios. Their peak performance was recorded in Here's Berlin, which continues to be the benchmark for their career rating-wise.
Best Karl Stepanek Movies Ranked
Must-watch hits from Karl Stepanek's career based on audience ratings.
Complete Filmography & Success Status
Tracking the career evolution and box office verdicts of Karl Stepanek.
| Year | Movie | Character | Success | More |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970 | The Games | Kubitsek | Hit | Similar → |
| 1969 | The File of the Golden Goose | Mueller | Flop | Similar → |
| 1969 | Before Winter Comes | Count Kerassy | Average | Similar → |
| 1967 | Murderers Club of Brooklyn | Dyers | Super Hit | Similar → |
| 1966 | The Frozen Dead | General Lubeck | Flop | Similar → |
| 1965 | The Heroes of Telemark | Hartmuller | Hit | Similar → |
| 1965 | Licensed to Kill | Henrik Jacobsen | Average | Similar → |
| 1965 | Operation Crossbow | Prof. Hoffer | Hit | Similar → |
| 1964 | Devil Doll | Dr. Heller | Flop | Similar → |
| 1960 | Brainwashed | Baranow | Hit | Similar → |
| 1960 | Sink the Bismarck! | Admiral Lutjens - 'Bismarck' | Hit | Similar → |
| 1960 | Our Man in Havana | Dr. Braun | Hit | Similar → |
| 1959 | Operation Amsterdam | Diamond Merchant | Average | Similar → |
| 1957 | The Traitor | Friederich Suderman | Hit | Similar → |
| 1956 | Anastasia | Mikhail Vlados | Hit | Similar → |
| 1956 | The Man in the Road | Dmitri Balinkev | Average | Similar → |
| 1955 | Man of the Moment | Lom | Hit | Similar → |
| 1955 | The Cockleshell Heroes | Assistant Gestapo Officer | Average | Similar → |
| 1955 | A Prize of Gold | Dr. Zachmann | Flop | Similar → |
| 1954 | Dangerous Cargo | Pliny | Flop | Similar → |
| 1953 | City Beneath the Sea | Dwight Trevor | Flop | Similar → |
| 1953 | Rough Shoot | Diss | Average | Similar → |
| 1953 | Never Let Me Go | Commissar | Average | Similar → |
| 1952 | Affair in Trinidad | Walters | Average | Similar → |
| 1952 | Walk East on Beacon | Alexi Laschenkov / Gregory Anders | Flop | Similar → |
| 1951 | No Highway in the Sky | - | Hit | Similar → |
| 1951 | The Third Visitor | Richard Carling | Average | Similar → |
| 1950 | State Secret | Dr. Revo | Hit | Similar → |
| 1950 | Cairo Road | Edouardo Pavlis | Average | Similar → |
| 1949 | Give Us This Day | Jaroslav | Average | Similar → |
| 1949 | The Third Man | Actor at Josefstadt Theater (uncredited) | Super Hit | Similar → |
| 1949 | Conspirator | Radek | Average | Similar → |
| 1948 | The Fallen Idol | First Secretary | Hit | Similar → |
| 1948 | Counterblast | Professor Inman | Average | Similar → |
| 1948 | Broken Journey | Swiss Officer (uncredited) | Average | Similar → |
| 1946 | The Captive Heart | Forster | Average | Similar → |
| 1943 | They Met in the Dark | Riccardo | Average | Similar → |
| 1943 | Tomorrow We Live | Seitz | Average | Similar → |
| 1942 | Secret Mission | Major Lang | Flop | Similar → |
| 1939 | The Leghorn Hat | Felix, Diener bei Farina | Super Hit | Similar → |
| 1939 | Hotel Sacher | Franz | Hit | Similar → |
| 1937 | Die Fledermaus | Attaché Baranoff / Orlovsky | Flop | Similar → |
| 1936 | The Unknown | Manager at Regina's | Average | Similar → |
| 1935 | Pozdní láska | - | Super Hit | Similar → |
| 1935 | Hermine and the Seven Upright Men | Ruckstuhl | Average | Similar → |
| 1933 | Waltz War | Kellner Leopold | Super Hit | Similar → |
| 1932 | Spione im Savoy-Hotel | Jackson | Flop | Similar → |
| 1932 | Five from the Jazzband | Jean | Hit | Similar → |
| 1932 | Here's Berlin | Max | Super Hit | Similar → |
| 1931 | Berlin-Alexanderplatz: The Story of Franz Biberkopf | - | Average | Similar → |
Karl Stepanek - Frequently Asked Questions
What is the best movie of Karl Stepanek?
According to audience ratings, the best movie starring Karl Stepanek is "Here's Berlin" with a rating of 9.0/10.
How many movies has Karl Stepanek acted in?
Karl Stepanek has been featured in at least 50 major films throughout their career.
What are some other popular movies by Karl Stepanek?
Other notable films include "Pozdní láska", "Murderers Club of Brooklyn", and "The Leghorn Hat".