36. An outtake of Lorre included in a documentary history of Warner Bros. shows him maniacally pounding a nail into a rubber hand. When it accidentally falls off the table, he curses, “You bastard, you,” and then breaks up. Robert Guenette, Here’s Looking at You, Warner Bros., Warner Studios (1991).
37. According to Florey biographer Brian Taves, the director had “wanted to alter the scene where Lorre nails the menacing hand to one where he stabs his own hand, demonstrating unmistakably that a self-destructive hallucination has taken over his mind.” Taves, Robert Florey, p. 278.
38. Between 1947 and 1949, Warner Bros.’ production of film noir—eleven pictures—ranked second only to RKO and Fox, which both released twelve features in that genre during the three-year period. The Warner Bros. casting department seems to have been oblivious to Lorre’s assertion that he and Sydney Greenstreet had finally “decided to split up.” Or, in fact, that the actor was leaving the studio altogether. One month after his contract was terminated, Paul Schiller, in his column “Hollywood Diary” for Aufbau (July 5, 1946), reported that Lorre and Greenstreet had been cast in featured roles (along with Zachary Scott and Ida Lupino) in The Apple Orchard, the story of a utopian community that falls from grace, based on Hans Kafka’s novel. Peter Lorre, interview, “Dick Strout with Hollywood Profiles,” A Celebrity Fives Presentation: Al Petker-Personality Scope, Beverly Hills, CA, 1963.
39. Lorre’s contract with Warner Bros. officially ended on June 14, 1946.
QUOTATION SOURCES BY PACE NUMBER
176 “The Maltese Falcon”: Recollections of Henry Blanke, interviewed by Barry Steinberg, Oral History Program, DSC UCLA.
177 “They liked my … and Henry Blanke”: Pratley, Cinema of John Huston, p. 38.
177 “We’ll do the book as it is”: Recollections of Henry Blanke, DSC UCLA.
177 “One day [Huston] … went there, too”: Rivkin, Hello, Hollywood! p. 155.
178 “The flight of … at his best”: Huston, interview.
179 “for some reason … o.k. with you”: Steve Trilling, interoffice communication to Jack Warner, June 18, 1941, Peter Lorre legal file, WBA USC.
179 “I attempted … is the picture”: Allan S. Downer, “The Monitor Image,” in Man and the Movies, ed. W.R. Robinson (Baton Rouge: Louisiana State Univ. Press, 1967), p. 19.
179 “About half the … I had drawn”: Pratley, Cinema of John Huston, p. 40.
179 “that the ‘heavy’ … of his passport”: Carl Schaefer, interoffice communication to Henry Blanke, June 4, 1941, WBA USC.
179 “certain objectionable details”: Joseph I. Breen to Jack L. Warner, May 23, 1941, WBA USC.
180 “high-pitched thin voice”: Dashiell Hammett, The Maltese Falcon (New York: Vintage, 1972), p. 38.
180 “gaily colored silk … fragrant of chypre”: ibid., p. 42.
180 “mincing, bobbing steps”: ibid., p. 47.
180 “We cannot approve … is definitely unacceptable”: Breen to Warner, May 23, 1941, WBA USC.
180 “Don’t try to … with the picture”: Hal Wallis, interoffice communication to John Huston, June 20, 1941, WBA USC.
180 “suave form of … speaking the lines”: Hal Wallis, interoffice communication to Henry Blanke, June 12, 1941, WBA USC.
181 “I would say … do you want”: Parry, interview.
181 “I’d often shoot … were in motion”: Huston, interview.
182 “You felt you … to good performances”: Patrick, interview.
182 “one of my … most people can’t”: Lorre, interview by Glover.
182 “Shock the Tourists … fat old fool”: Astor, Life on Film, p. 162.
183 “Whenever VIPs would … to shock people”: Huston, interview.
183 “goddam gags … and you’re in”: Astor, Life on Film, p. 163.
183 “It was not … which was unforgettable”: M. Minstrel, “Sein Ruhm began mit ‘M,’” National Zeitung (Berlin), Feb. 24, 1962.
184 “if we can … a fine actor”: Layman and Rivett, Letters of Dashiell Hammett, p. 509.
184 “He was a … huddled around Peter”: Goff, interview, July 31, 1978.
184 “journeymen”: Henreid, interview.
184 “Peter was a … up-stage about him”: Robert Cummings to author, Feb. 23, 1974.
185 “Peter was glad … cinema being made”: Sperling, interview.
185 “One night Mayo … big story conference”: Goodman, Bogey, pp. 133–34.
186 “I like Bogie … with the advantages”: Hyams, Bogie, p. 120.
186 “Bogie called a … did this, too”: Seymour, interview.
186 “Colonels were just … that Peter was”: Garnett, interview.
186 “How dare you … ‘Kreep,’ not ‘Creep,’”: Goodman, Bogey, p. 110.
186 “They used to … just a word”: Lorre, interview by O’Connell.
186 “Those kreeps that … That jerk”: Guernsey, “Peter Lorre, Who Is Nothing Like His Roles.”
187 “In any case … both of them”: Lorre, interview by O’Connell.
187 “every actor is a shit”: Siegel, Siegel Film, p. 77.
187 “a plump little … and good looks”: Warner, My First Hundred Years, p. 308.
187 “Listen, you creeps … dear old Warners’”: Frazier, The One with the Mustache, p. 205.
187 “Jesus, it stinks … always the same”: Garnett, interview.
187 “Peter claimed that … Oh, how nice”: Kanter, interview.
187 “I can feel it in my urine”: R. Shutan, interview.
188 “smoking gag”: Goodman, Bogey, p. 135.
188 “When he was … crazy in advance”: ibid.
188 “I noticed today … feet of film”: Jack Warner to Peter Lorre, Sept. 27, 1943, JWC USC.
188 “the bum true-blue … in his part”: Capote, Dog Barks, p. 374.
188 “Acting’s our racket … do our best”: Willi Frischauer, “Mr. Murder,” Picturegoer, May 30, 1953.
188 “You’re supposed to … for the money”: A.H. Weiler, “Mild Mannered Villain,” NYT, June 25, 1944.
188 “As long as … we’re at it”: I. Yergin, interview, June 23, 1976.
189 “Whenever they were … old guy seizures”: Capra, interview.
189 “Peter was always … could draw fun”: J. Silverstone, interview.
189 “We’ll be ready … check your makeup”: Crawford, interview.
189 “Peter told me … broken his arm”: Avalon, interview.
189 “Another night Bogey … drag it back”: Goodman, Bogey, p. 131.
190 “As he was … of the cinema”: Ernst W. Korngold to author, Feb. 7, 1982.
190 “Everything was looked … humor and skepticism”: Henreid, interview.
190 “our Warner Brothers … him lying there”: Warner, My First Hundred Years, p. 248.
190 “was the seed … good picture making”: Sperling and Millner, Hollywood Be Thy Name, pp. 18, 245.
190 “stirring warning about … German military threat”: ibid., p. 61.
191 “a foreign war for whatever idealistic purposes”: Shindler, Hollywood Goes to War, p. 3.
191 “The Nazis are Coming”: “Let the Flag Wave,” Movie Radio Guide, Dec. 21–27, 1940.
191 “pernicious propaganda poisoning German-American relations”: Los Angeles Examiner, June 6, 1939.
191 “driving home to … proud to wave”: “Let the Flag Wave.”
191 “a tremendous investment … secure that future”: “WB’s Patriotism Costly, Shorts Lost $1,250,000,” Variety, March 13, 1940.
192 “threats and pleas … of serving America”: Sperling and Millner, Hollywood Be Thy Name, p. 233.
192 “no propaganda pictures from Warner Brothers”: Gordon Sayer, “Hollywood Carries on for Neville,” TAC: A Magazine of Theatre, Film, Radio, Music, Dance, Oct. 1939, quoted in Dick, Star-Spangled Screen, p. 65.
192 “among the country’s … the Fifth Column”: Matthews, Specter of Sabotage, dedication page.
/> 192 “Damon Runyan types”: Sherman, interview.
192 “He was always … of crap once”: ibid.
194 “violet-eyed, blonde and vivacious”: Robert S. Taplinger, director of publicity, Warner Bros. Studio, “Biography of Kaaren Verne,” Karen Verne file, MHL AMPAS.
194 “They lived music … she didn’t like”: Sykes, interviews.
196 “not so that … to the company”: Katherine Young to Rosalind Martin, Jan. 8, 1939 (Katherine Young letters from author’s collection).
196 “under convoy!” Young to Martin, Feb. 20, 1940.
196 “brought on by … on a picture”: ibid., June 6, 1940.
196 “slated for a … first Hollywood picture”: “Verne Up for ‘Witch,’” HR, March 30, 1940.
196 “I have made … a start soon”: Young to Martin, June 6, 1940.
196 “that once I … at the studio”: ibid., June 21, 1940.
196 “they liked me … talks”: ibid., Dec. 16, 1940.
196 “A beautiful German … a good actress”: Sherman, Studio Affairs, p. 93.
197 “would give her whatever aid we could”: Steve Trilling, interoffice communication to Roy J. Obringer, Aug. 2, 1941, WBA USC.
197 “that voice”: C. Lorre, interviews.
197 “in Germany my … were too gruesome”: Kirk Crivello, “Kaaren Verne,” unidentified clipping, Karen Verne file, MHL AMPAS.
197 “Karen admired him … had that down”: N. Yergin, interview.
197 “He was like … obviously very happy”: Sherman, interview.
197 “an active physical … arms of steel”: Ives, interview.
198 “You thief! Kleptomaniac! … initials P.L.”: C. Lorre, interview, Oct. 15, 1980.
198 “Anytime they wanted … I was ready”: Capra, interview.
198 “a cheap film … Any hopes”: Capra, Name above the Title, p. 309.
198 “Jack Warner was … than anybody else”: Capra, interview.
199 “let the scene … a mugger’s ball”: Capra, Name above the Title, p. 311.
199 “word for word … before your eyes”: Capra, interview.
201 “romantic dream … a double meaning”: Burnett, interview.
202 “obsession … raison d’être”: Pachter, “On Being an Exile,” p. 18.
203 “flagboiler”: Haver, “Finally, the Truth about CASABLANCA,” p. 12.
203 “mean, sneaky, is generally despised”: Warner Bros. Publicity Department, WBA USC.
203 “could be Italian … offending Latin America”: Carl Shaefer, interoffice communication to Jack Warner and Hal Wallis, May 22, 1942, UAC WCFTR.
204 “‘Senior Ugarte’ should … change his name”: Hal Wallis, interoffice communication to Michael Curtiz, May 25, 1942, UAC WCFTR.
204 “an impalpable air of sophistication and intrigue”: “Everybody Comes to Rick’s,” author’s collection.
204 “a small thin … like a tout”: Howard Koch, Casablanca: Script and Legend (Woodstock, N.Y.: Overlook, 1973), p.43.
204 “With his round … black-market operations”: Koch, “Making of Casablanca,” p. 21.
204 “Directors didn’t direct … with the role”: Koch, interview.
205 “One of the … liked him throughout”: ibid.
205 “Peter told me … by the reception”: Kulik, interview.
205 “none of us … anti-hero, Humphrey Bogart”: Koch, Casablanca, p. 17.
205 “the happiest of happy accidents”: Sarris, American Cinema, p. 176.
206 “comedy-horror yarn”: “Karloff’s Clown Scarer Following ‘Arsenic,’” Variety, March 5, 1941.
206 “The secret of … Brooks’ ‘Young Frankenstein’”: Edwin Blum to author, Feb. 26, 1975.
207 “Double Dose of Chills”: “Double Dose of Chills,” Variety, Nov. 12, 1941.
207 “We spent an … other, heavier kind”: Eric Ambler to author, Aug. 27, 1988.
207 “gave the impression … was invariably perfect”: Eric Ambler, Background to Danger (New York: Ballantine, 1978), pp. 60–61.
207 “putty-faced dummy”: Ambler to author.
207 “knock it off”: Yablonsky, George Raft, p. 154.
208 “Peter was a … little helpless guy”: Parry, interview.
208 “are working this morning”: R.J. Obringer, interoffice communication to Colonel [Jack] Warner, Oct. 21, 1942, Peter Lorre legal file, WBA USC.
210 “a whale of a picture”: Garnett, interview.
210 “I knew his … slight German tinge”: ibid.
211 “a lot of … happy coincidences”: “Inside Stuff—Pictures,” Variety, Sept. 15, 1943.
211 “at the soft … of the Axis”: quoted in Norman Rose, Churchill: An Unruly Life (New York: Touchstone Books, 1998), p. 295.
211 “a new ending … of the continent”: “Keeping Step with War,” Variety, July 28, 1943.
211 “should have been … it is now”: Thomas Pryor, “The Cross of Lorraine,” NYT, Dec. 3, 1943.
211 “stark, heavy and unrelieved drama”: “The Cross of Lorraine,” Variety, Nov. 10, 1943.
211 “expected masterpiece of … a Nazi jailer”: NYT, Nov. 10, 1943.
211 “to act, pose … by the Producer”: Agreement between Warner Bros. Pictures Inc. and Peter Lorre, June 2, 1943, Peter Lorre legal file, WBA USC.
211 “Peter was a … he was in”: Wallis, interview.
211 “the sum of … studio services”: Agreeement, June 2, 1943, WBA USC.
213 “In a spirit … with your request”: Ann Rosenthal to Roy J. Obringer, April 13, 1945, WBA USC.
213 “PETER LORRE has … to him personally”: Steve Trilling to Jack Warner, July 24, 1943, JWC USC.
213 “In such event … such directorial work”: Phil Friedman, interoffice communication to Roy J. Obringer, Sept. 9, 1943, Peter Lorre legal file, WBA USC.
213 “I know there … too many accents”: Meredith, interview.
214 “Lorre plans to … ‘allowable’ outside pictures”: Roy J. Obringer to Ann Rosenthal, Aug. 17, 1945, Peter Lorre legal file, WBA USC.
214 “physical likeness”: Agreement, June 2, 1943, Peter Lorre legal file, WBA USC.
214 “wrote the strip … speech markers”: Kane and Desris, Batman Dailies, pp. 8–9.
215 “They were always … an instant way”: Fitzgerald, interview.
215 “happily unhappy”: Lovsky, interview, May 12, 1977.
215 “goosepimplers … all chiller-dillers”: “This Will Do It,” Variety, June 9, 1943.
215 “Casablanca Kids”: David Lardner, “Passage to Marseille,” New Yorker, Feb. 19, 1944.
216 “the worst rogue of the lot”: Charles Nordhoff and James Norman Hall, “Men without a Country,” Atlantic Monthly, June 1942, p. 785.
216 “I am very … picture with doubles”: Eric Stacey, interoffice communication to T.C. Wright, Sept. 18, 1943, WBA USC.
216 “interesting and (pathetic) … Forget it”: Bessie, Inquisition into Eden, pp. 108–11.
217 “Take it to … page by page”: Negulesco, Things I Did, p. 116.
217 “respected character actors … to it, boys”: Negulesco, interview.
217 “I saw the … picture proceeded smoothly”: Higham and Greenberg, Celluloid Muse, pp. 187–88.
218 “It’s hard to … making better time”: “Shadow Threat Puts Actor in New Light,” The Mask of Dimitrios, pressbook, 1944.
218 “Lorre was the … I scare you”: Higham and Greenberg, Celluloid Muse, p. 188.
218 “had to make … sense of heat”: Goff, interview, Nov. 16, 1928.
218 “a strange, absorbing … intrigue and vengeance”: “The Mask of Dimitrios,” HR, June 6, 1944.
218 “it wasn’t that … were almost good”: Ambler, Here Lies, p. 225.
219 “who is so … can play anything”: Sara Hamilton, “‘Mask of Dimitrios’ Real Mystery Drama Thriller,” Los Angeles Examiner, July 1, 1944.
219 “There seemed to … from the outset”: Peter Lorre, interv
iew, “Dick Strout with Hollywood Profiles.”
219 “was that they … and opposites attract”: Siegel, interview.
219 “So this is the script”: ibid.
219 “He used to … to the picture”: Matheson, interview, Dec. 6, 1994.
220 “It was all … had studied it”: Siegel, interview.
220 “Fine, then I’ll … the whole show”: Cheatham, “Gruesome Twosome.”
220 “Hey, Sydney … pair of tits”: I. Yergin, interview, June 23, 1976.
220 “Pekingese and a … for a romp”: Los Angeles Examiner, July 1, 1944.
220 “One afternoon … all broke up”: Astor, Life on Film, p. 169.
220 “Sydney Greenstreet was … of our time”: Peter Lorre, interview, “Dick Strout with Hollywood Profiles.”
220 “which sought out … same wave-length”: Lorring, interview.
220 “It’s fun to … of his shadow”: Cheatham, “Gruesome Twosome.”
221 “I have just … a straight face”: Frederic Prokosch, “Is Hollywood Dying?” New Republic, Nov. 13, 1944.
221 “It was a … that was enough”: Fehr, interview.
221 “What would you be comfortable doing”: Daves, interview.
222 “It shall be … of the performer”: “Warners to Shelve ‘H’wood Canteen’ if SAG Rules Full Scale for Stars,” Variety, Dec. 15, 1943.
223 “this very pathetic … for more money’”: King, interview by Katz.
223 “It’s so-o-o-o nice … when I’m around”: “Peter Lorre Scares Fans in Stage Show at Earle,” Philadelphia Inquirer, April 23, 1949.
224 “favorite hobby … favorite color, black”: Boyd Martin, “‘Sinister’ Peter Lorre Displays New Facet at National—As Comic,” Louisville (KY) Courier-Journal, Oct. 21, 1944.
224 “What I would … in the dark”: script, British Broadcasting Corporation, Written Archives Centre, London.
225 “some time figuring … do it well”: “RKO, Boston,” Variety, Sept. 13, 1944.
225 “the audience sat … and absolutely still”: M.O.C., “Lorre, Kenton Head Strong Bill on State Stage,” Hartford (CT) Daily Courant, Sept. 23, 1944.
225 “demanded Mr. Lorre’s continuous curtain calls”: “Peter Lorre Makes an Important Debut on the State Stage,” Hartford (CT) Times, Sept. 23, 1944.
225 “with great dignity … or E.H. Southern”: Martin, “‘Sinister’ Peter Lorre Displays New Facet.”
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