Otto Kruger (September 6, 1885 – September 6, 1974) was an American actor. Originally a Broadway matinée idol, he established a niche as a charming villain in films, such as in Alfred Hitchcock's Saboteur (1942) and Douglas Sirk's Magnificent Obsession (1954). He appeared in more than 120 film, television and stage roles between 1915 and 1965.

Early life and education Kruger was born in Toledo, Ohio, the son of Bernard Alben Kruger and Elizabeth Winers Kruger. His family was of German and South African descent; he was the grandnephew of South African president Paul Kruger.

Kruger was musically trained, but switched careers and became an actor after studying engineering at the University of Michigan, completing his studies at Columbia University.

Career Making his Broadway debut in 1915, Kruger quickly became a matinee idol. He played the leading man in Adam and Eva, which ran the entire 1919-1920 season on Broadway. Though he started to get noticed in the early 1920s, it was the 1930s when his career was at its height. His sound film debut came in Turn Back the Clock (1933) and he made an appearance in the film Chained (1934).

Though he played the hero on occasion, for most of his career, he played the main villain or a charming or corrupt businessman. One of his best known roles was in the Douglas Sirk film Magnificent Obsession (1954). Kruger played the supporting role of Judge Percy Mettrick, who unsuccessfully urges Will Kane to leave town in High Noon (1952). Kruger is also remembered for playing the villain Tobin in Alfred Hitchcock's spy film Saboteur (1942) and mob boss Stevens in the film noir 711 Ocean Drive (1950).

His television roles included those of Dr. Mumford in the 1959 episode "Experiments in Terror" of the NBC science fiction/adventure series The Man and the Challenge, as Ben Tully in "Gun City" of the ABC western series, The Rebel, as Franklyn Malleson Ghentin in the 1961 episode "A Fool for a Client" of James Whitmore ABC's legal drama, The Law and Mr. Jones, and as Karl in the episode "Quite a Woman" of the short-lived 1961 CBS series The Investigators starring James Franciscus.

Kruger made four guest appearances on CBS's Perry Mason. In his first two appearances, "The Case of the Grumbling Grandfather" (1961) and "The Case of the Counterfeit Crank" (1962), he was cast as Mason's client, and in both episodes was the title character. In his final appearance, he played Judge Norris in "The Case of the Missing Button" (1964).

In 1955, he appeared in the live telecast of The Desert Song as General Birabeau.

Personal life On September 30, 1919, Kruger married Broadway actress Susan "Sue" MacManamy. The marriage was kept secret until publicly reported on March 20, 1920. Their daughter, Ottilie Kruger (1926–2005), was also an actress and was the first wife of cinematographer Gayne Rescher. Ottilie portrayed Esther in Queen Esther: A Story from the Bible (1947).

In 1960, Kruger suffered a stroke. He continued his career, with some difficulty, for another four years before retiring from acting.

Kruger supported Thomas Dewey in the 1944 United States presidential election.

Death Kruger died at the Motion Picture and Television Country House in Woodland Hills, California, on his 89th birthday.

Filmography

Film Year Film Role Director Notes 1915 A Mother's Confession Harold Patterson Ivan Abramson 1923 Under the Red Robe Henri de Cocheforet Alan Crosland 1933 Turn Back the Clock Ted Wright Edgar Selwyn Beauty for Sale Mr. Sherwood Richard Boleslawski Ever in My Heart Hugo Wilbrandt Archie Mayo The Prizefighter and the Lady Willie Ryan W. S. Van Dyke Gallant Lady Phillip Lawrence Gregory La Cava The Women in His Life Kent 'Barry' Barringer George B. Seitz 1934 The Crime Doctor Dan Gifford Charles Kerr Men in White Dr. Levine Ryszard Bolesławski Paris Interlude Sam Edwin L. Marin Treasure Island Dr. Livesey Victor Fleming Springtime for Henry Henry Dewlip Frank Tuttle Chained Richard I. Field Clarence Brown 1935 Vanessa: Her Love Story Ellis Herries William K. Howard Two Sinners Henry Vane Arthur Lubin 1936 Living Dangerously Dr. Stanley Norton Herbert Brenon Dracula's Daughter Jeffrey Garth Lambert Hillyer 1937 The Barrier Stark Lesley Selander Glamorous Night King Stefan Brian Desmond Hurst They Won't Forget Gleason Mervyn LeRoy Counsel for Crime William Mellon John Brahm 1938 Housemaster Charles Donkin Herbert Brenon Star of the Circus Garvin Albert de Courville I Am the Law Eugene Ferguson Alexander Hall Exposed William Reardon Harold D. Schuster Thanks for the Memory Gil Morrell George Archainbaud 1939 Disbarred Tyler Craden Robert Florey The Gang's All Here Mike Chadwick Thornton Freeland Black Eyes Ivan Ivanovich Petroff Herbert Brenon The Zero Hour Julian Forbes Sidney Salkow Scandal Sheet Jim Stevenson Nick Grinde A Woman Is the Judge Steven Graham Nick Grinde Another Thin Man Van Slack W. S. Van Dyke 1940 Dr. Ehrlich's Magic Bullet Dr. Emil von Behring William Dieterle Seventeen Sylvanus Baxter Louis King The Man I Married Heinrich Hoffman Irving Pichel A Dispatch from Reuter's Dr. Magnus William Dieterle 1941 Mercy Island Dr. Sanderson William Morgan The Men in Her Life Victor Gregory Ratoff 1942 Saboteur Charles Tobin Alfred Hitchcock Friendly Enemies Anton Miller Allan Dwan 1943 Hitler's Children Albert Pasavy Edward Dmytryk Power of the Press Howard Rankin Lew Landers Corregidor Dr. Jan Stockman William Nigh Night Plane from Chungking Colonel Henkel Ralph Murphy Stage Door Canteen Himself Frank Borzage Tarzan's Desert Mystery Paul Hendrix Wilhelm Thiele 1944 Knickerbocker Holiday Roosevelt Harry Joe Brown Cover Girl John Coudair Charles Vidor Storm Over Lisbon Alexis Vanderlyn George Sherman They Live in Fear Matthew Van Camp Josef Berne Murder, My Sweet Jules Amthor Edward Dmytryk 1945 Escape in the Fog Paul Devon Budd Boetticher The Great John L. Richard Martin Frank Tuttle Wonder Man District Attorney H. Bruce Humberstone The Chicago Kid John Mitchell Frank McDonald Jungle Captive Mr. Stendahl Harold Young On Stage Everybody James Carlton Jean Yarbrough Allotment Wives Whitey Colton William Nigh The Woman Who Came Back Rev. Jim Stevens Walter Colmes 1946 The Fabulous Suzanne Hendrick Courtney Sr. Steve Sekely Duel in the Sun Mr. Langford King Vidor 1947 Love and Learn Andrew Wyngate Frederick de Cordova 1948 Smart Woman D.A. Bradley Wayne Edward A. Blatt Lulu Belle Harry Randolph Leslie Fenton Romance on the High Seas Wedding Guest Michael Curtiz Uncredited 1950 711 Ocean Drive Carl Stephans Joseph M. Newman 1951 Payment on Demand Ted Prescott Curtis Bernhardt Valentino Mark Towers Lewis Allen 1952 High Noon Judge Percy Mettrick Fred Zinnemann 1953 Schlagerparade Remer Erik Ode 1954 Magnificent Obsession Edward Randolph Douglas Sirk Black Widow Gordon Ling Nunnally Johnson 1955 The Last Command Stephen F. Austin Frank Lloyd 1958 The Colossus of New York Dr. William Spensser Eugène Lourié 1959 The Young Philadelphians John Marshall Wharton Vincent Sherman 1960 Cash McCall Will Atherson Joseph Pevney 1962 The Wonderful World of the Brothers Grimm The King Henry Levin, George Pal 1964 Sex and the Single Girl Dr. Anderson Richard Quine Della Walter Garrick Robert Gist

Television

The Nash Airflyte Theater (November 23, 1950) in "Suppressed Desires" Lights Out (1951) as Carlton Dane The Desert Song (1955) as General Birabeau Lux Video Theatre (1955–1956) as Host The Rebel (1959) as Ben Tully Perry Mason (1961–1964) as Judge Norris/Timothy Balfour Sr./August Dalgran/J. J. Gideon The Law and Mr. Jones (1961) as Franklyn Malleson Ghent Frontier Circus (1961) as General Frederic Jellich The Investigators (1961) as Karl (episode "Quite a Woman") Thriller (1962) as Bert Farrington Checkmate (1962) as George Emory Dr. Kildare (1962) as Louis Conrad Bonanza (1963) as Judge Whitaker

Partial list of appearances on radio Kruger appeared as Mr. Hardecker in "After Dinner Story" (airdate October 26, 1943; story by Cornell Woolrich) from the Suspense radio program series.

Awards and honors Kruger was honored with two stars on the Hollywood Walk of Fame; one for TV and one for film.

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