Reggie Nalder
Encyclopedia
Reggie Nalder was a prolific film and television character actor
from the late 1940s to the early 1990s. His distinctive features—partially the result of disfiguring burns—together with a haunting style and demeanor led to his being called "The Face That Launched a Thousand Trips".
Born Alfred Reginald Natzick in Vienna, Austria, Nalder is perhaps best remembered for his roles as an assassin in Alfred Hitchcock
's 1956 remake of The Man Who Knew Too Much
, the vampire Barlow in the 1979 filmed version of Stephen King
's Salem's Lot, and the Andorian
ambassador Shras in the Star Trek
episode "Journey to Babel." Nalder also appeared (at the request of star Frank Sinatra
) in a brief, uncredited role as a communist spymaster in John Frankenheimer
's 1962 film The Manchurian Candidate
. He also had a brief role in the 1981 Walt Disney film The Devil and Max Devlin
. In an interview, Nalder claimed that he couldn't stand working with Bill Cosby who was the star of the film. He called him "untalented", "rude" and a "pig".
Nalder's television work also included episodes of the series 77 Sunset Strip
, Surfside Six, Boris Karloff
's Thriller
("The Terror In Teakwood" and "The Return Of Andrew Bentley"), McCloud and I Spy.
His other films include:
In 1979 Nalder appeared as the lead vampire Kurt Barlow
in the TV adaptation of the Stephen King
novel Salem's Lot. This depiction of Barlow resembled the original Nosferatu, in being physically gruesome, bald, and sporting talons and gnarled fangs.
Nalder was also credited as "Detlef von Berg" in the X rated films Dracula Sucks (1979) and Blue Ice (1985). He died of bone cancer
in Santa Monica, California
.
Character actor
A character actor is one who predominantly plays unusual or eccentric characters. The Oxford English Dictionary defines a character actor as "an actor who specializes in character parts", defining character part in turn as "an acting role displaying pronounced or unusual characteristics or...
from the late 1940s to the early 1990s. His distinctive features—partially the result of disfiguring burns—together with a haunting style and demeanor led to his being called "The Face That Launched a Thousand Trips".
Born Alfred Reginald Natzick in Vienna, Austria, Nalder is perhaps best remembered for his roles as an assassin in Alfred Hitchcock
Alfred Hitchcock
Sir Alfred Joseph Hitchcock, KBE was a British film director and producer. He pioneered many techniques in the suspense and psychological thriller genres. After a successful career in British cinema in both silent films and early talkies, Hitchcock moved to Hollywood...
's 1956 remake of The Man Who Knew Too Much
The Man Who Knew Too Much (1956 film)
The Man Who Knew Too Much is a suspense film directed by Alfred Hitchcock, starring James Stewart and Doris Day. The film is a remake in widescreen VistaVision and Technicolor of Hitchcock's 1934 film of the same name....
, the vampire Barlow in the 1979 filmed version of Stephen King
Stephen King
Stephen Edwin King is an American author of contemporary horror, suspense, science fiction and fantasy fiction. His books have sold more than 350 million copies and have been adapted into a number of feature films, television movies and comic books...
's Salem's Lot, and the Andorian
Andorian
Andorians are a fictional race of humanoid extraterrestrials created by D. C. Fontana for the Star Trek universe. They are native to the icy M-class moon Andoria , which orbits a blue, ringed gas giant. Definitive traits include their blue skin, a pair of cranial antennae, and white hair...
ambassador Shras in the Star Trek
Star Trek
Star Trek is an American science fiction entertainment franchise created by Gene Roddenberry. The core of Star Trek is its six television series: The Original Series, The Animated Series, The Next Generation, Deep Space Nine, Voyager, and Enterprise...
episode "Journey to Babel." Nalder also appeared (at the request of star Frank Sinatra
Frank Sinatra
Francis Albert "Frank" Sinatra was an American singer and actor.Beginning his musical career in the swing era with Harry James and Tommy Dorsey, Sinatra became an unprecedentedly successful solo artist in the early to mid-1940s, after being signed to Columbia Records in 1943. Being the idol of the...
) in a brief, uncredited role as a communist spymaster in John Frankenheimer
John Frankenheimer
John Michael Frankenheimer was an American film and television director known for social dramas and action/suspense films...
's 1962 film The Manchurian Candidate
The Manchurian Candidate (1962 film)
The Manchurian Candidate is a 1962 American Cold War political thriller film starring Frank Sinatra, Laurence Harvey, Janet Leigh and Angela Lansbury, and featuring Henry Silva, James Gregory, Leslie Parrish and John McGiver...
. He also had a brief role in the 1981 Walt Disney film The Devil and Max Devlin
The Devil and Max Devlin
The Devil and Max Devlin is a Disney motion picture released by Buena Vista Distribution Company, directed by Steven Hilliard Stern and released in early 1981 starring Elliott Gould, Bill Cosby and Susan Anspach. Gould praised this film in interviews as the finest he ever did...
. In an interview, Nalder claimed that he couldn't stand working with Bill Cosby who was the star of the film. He called him "untalented", "rude" and a "pig".
Nalder's television work also included episodes of the series 77 Sunset Strip
77 Sunset Strip
77 Sunset Strip is an hour-length American television private detective series created by Roy Huggins and starring Efrem Zimbalist, Jr., Roger Smith, and Edd Byrnes....
, Surfside Six, Boris Karloff
Boris Karloff
William Henry Pratt , better known by his stage name Boris Karloff, was an English actor.Karloff is best remembered for his roles in horror films and his portrayal of Frankenstein's monster in Frankenstein , Bride of Frankenstein , and Son of Frankenstein...
's Thriller
Thriller (US TV series)
Thriller is an anthology television series that aired during the 1960–61 and 1961–62 seasons on NBC. The show featured host Boris Karloff introducing a mix of macabre horror tales and suspense thrillers....
("The Terror In Teakwood" and "The Return Of Andrew Bentley"), McCloud and I Spy.
His other films include:
- 1962 – The Spiral RoadThe Spiral RoadThe Spiral Road is a 1962 American drama starring Rock Hudson, Gena Rowlands, Burl Ives, Reggie Nalder and Neva Patterson. It was directed by Robert Mulligan with a screenplay by John Lee Mahin and Neil Paterson adapted from the novel by Jan de Hartog. It also featured an early score by composer...
directed by Robert MulliganRobert MulliganRobert Mulligan was an American film and television director best known as the director of humanistic American dramas, including To Kill A Mockingbird , Summer of '42 , The Other , Same Time, Next Year and The Man in the Moon...
. - 1962 – Convicts 4Convicts 4Convicts 4 is a 1962 prison film drama starring Ben Gazzara and directed by Millard Kaufman. A true story, it is based on the autobiography of John Resko, Reprieve.- Plot summary :...
with Ben GazzaraBen Gazzara-Early life:Gazzara was born Biagio Anthony Gazzara in New York City, the son of Italian immigrants Angelina and Antonio Gazzara, who was a laborer and carpenter. Gazzara grew up on New York's tough Lower East Side. He actually lived on E. 29th Street and participated in the drama program at...
, directed by Millard KaufmanMillard KaufmanMillard Kaufman was an American screenwriter and novelist. His works include the Academy Award-nominated Bad Day at Black Rock . He was also one of the creators of Mr. Magoo.-Life:... - 1969 – The Bird with the Crystal PlumageThe Bird with the Crystal PlumageThe Bird with the Crystal Plumage is a 1970 giallo suspense thriller directed by Dario Argento . The film is considered a landmark in the Italian giallo genre...
directed by Dario ArgentoDario ArgentoDario Argento is an Italian film director, producer and screenwriter. He is best known for his work in the horror film genre, particularly in the subgenre known as giallo, and for his influence on modern horror and slasher movies.... - 1970 – Mark of the Devil directed by Adrian HovenAdrian HovenAdrian Hoven was an Austrian actor, producer and film director. He appeared in 100 films between 1947 and 1981.He was born in Wöllersdorf, Austria as Wilhelm Arpad Hofkirchner and died in Tegernsee, Germany....
- 1972 – Mark of the Devil Part IIMark of the Devil Part IIMark of the Devil Part II, or in original German Hexen geschändet und zu Tode gequält is a German horror film released in 1973. It is a sequel to Mark of the Devil.-Plot:...
directed by Adrian HovenAdrian HovenAdrian Hoven was an Austrian actor, producer and film director. He appeared in 100 films between 1947 and 1981.He was born in Wöllersdorf, Austria as Wilhelm Arpad Hofkirchner and died in Tegernsee, Germany.... - 1976 – CasanovaFellini's CasanovaFellini's Casanova is a 1976 Italian film by director Federico Fellini, adapted from the autobiography of Giacomo Casanova, the 18th century adventurer and writer....
directed by Federico FelliniFederico FelliniFederico Fellini, Cavaliere di Gran Croce OMRI , was an Italian film director and scriptwriter. Known for a distinct style that blends fantasy and baroque images, he is considered one of the most influential and widely revered filmmakers of the 20th century... - 1978 – Zoltan, Hound of DraculaZoltan, Hound of Dracula (film)Zoltan, Hound of Dracula is a 1978 film in which a 17th century innkeeper, played by Reggie Nalder, becomes the willing thrall to the line of Dracula.-Plot:...
In 1979 Nalder appeared as the lead vampire Kurt Barlow
Kurt Barlow
Kurt Barlow is a fictional character in Stephen King's 1975 horror novel, Salem's Lot. The character is a master vampire, who terrorizes the small Maine town of Jerusalem's Lot...
in the TV adaptation of the Stephen King
Stephen King
Stephen Edwin King is an American author of contemporary horror, suspense, science fiction and fantasy fiction. His books have sold more than 350 million copies and have been adapted into a number of feature films, television movies and comic books...
novel Salem's Lot. This depiction of Barlow resembled the original Nosferatu, in being physically gruesome, bald, and sporting talons and gnarled fangs.
Nalder was also credited as "Detlef von Berg" in the X rated films Dracula Sucks (1979) and Blue Ice (1985). He died of bone cancer
Osteosarcoma
Osteosarcoma is an aggressive cancerous neoplasm arising from primitive transformed cells of mesenchymal origin that exhibit osteoblastic differentiation and produce malignant osteoid...
in Santa Monica, California
Santa Monica, California
Santa Monica is a beachfront city in western Los Angeles County, California, US. Situated on Santa Monica Bay, it is surrounded on three sides by the city of Los Angeles — Pacific Palisades on the northwest, Brentwood on the north, West Los Angeles on the northeast, Mar Vista on the east, and...
.