b. 3 May 1902, Vienna, Austria-Hungary, d. 21 April 1983, Flower Hill, New York, USA. The son of famous opera singer Leo Slezak, Walter was spotted by film director Miháli Kertész (later known as Michael Curtiz). Encouraged to become a stage and screen actor, he made his film debut in Kertész’s Sodom Und Gomorrha (1922). Usually playing romantic roles, Slezak was moderately successful and after making Eros En Ketten (1930) he emigrated to the USA where he played on Broadway in several dramas before making his first Hollywood film in 1942. Usually, he was cast as a heavy (matching his rapid weight gain) and made several dramas and comedy-dramas. Among the musicals in which he appeared is Step Lively (1944), starring Frank Sinatra and George Murphy, wherein Slezak had an opportunity to show his comedic skills. As Don Pedro, Slezak was the chief villain in The Pirate (1948), which starred Judy Garland and Gene Kelly. In Call Me Madam (1953), the film version of the Irving Berlin Broadway hit, Slezak gave sterling support to stars Ethel Merman, Donald O’Connor, George Sanders and Vera-Ellen. Slezak took a break from films to appear on Broadway in Fanny (1955), which starred Florence Henderson and Ezio Pinza. For his role as the selfless Panisse, Slezak won a Tony Award as Best Actor In A Musical. Also in New York, Slezak was in a 1957 performance of The Gypsy Baron at the New York Metropolitan Opera. In 1958 he co-starred with Jayne Meadows in The Gazebo, a mystery play that ran for 218 performances at Broadway’s Lyceum Theatre. His late 50s, 60s and early 70s films were a mix of comedies and dramas, including Ten Thousand Bedrooms (1957), The Wonderful World Of The Brothers Grimm (1962), Emil And The Detectives (1964), Dr. Coppelius (1966), Black Beauty (1971) and Treasure Island (1972). Most of his late films were made in Europe, which is where he was resident for some of his later years. Unhappy at his state of health, Slezak ended his life shortly before his 81st birthday.