Frederick Valk was born 10th June 1895 in Germany of Czech Jewish descent who fled to the United Kingdom in the late 1930s to escape Nazi persecution, and subsequently became a naturalised British citizen. The actor never received top-billing in films, but was happy to accept supporting roles in good screen productions, particularly if the role required a Germanic accent.
One of his first screen roles in the UK was in 1940 where he played the part of a Gestapo Officer (pictured) in Night Tran to Munich which starred Rex Harrison, Margaret Lockwood, Basil Radford and Naunton Wayne. He also appeared alongside the latter two actors in 1945’s Dead of Night – he played the part of Dr Van Straaten (2nd photo).
Some of the other films that he appeared include traitor Spy 1939, Gasbags 1941, Thunder Rock 1942, Latin Quarter 1945, A Matter of Life and Death 1946, Outcast of the Islands 1951, Top Secret 1952, Albert R.N. 1953, as the Kommandant in The Colditz Story 1955 and Secret Venture 1955.
He died suddenly at the age of 61 in London on 23rd July 1956.
One of his first screen roles in the UK was in 1940 where he played the part of a Gestapo Officer (pictured) in Night Tran to Munich which starred Rex Harrison, Margaret Lockwood, Basil Radford and Naunton Wayne. He also appeared alongside the latter two actors in 1945’s Dead of Night – he played the part of Dr Van Straaten (2nd photo).
Some of the other films that he appeared include traitor Spy 1939, Gasbags 1941, Thunder Rock 1942, Latin Quarter 1945, A Matter of Life and Death 1946, Outcast of the Islands 1951, Top Secret 1952, Albert R.N. 1953, as the Kommandant in The Colditz Story 1955 and Secret Venture 1955.
He died suddenly at the age of 61 in London on 23rd July 1956.
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