Frederick Stafford: Difference between revisions
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'''Frederick Stafford''' (11 March 1928 – 28 July 1979) was a [[Czech people|Czech]]-born actor. Born '''Friedrich Strobel von Stein''', he spoke fluent Czech, German, English, French and Italian, and was a leading man in European spy-movies. |
'''Frederick Stafford''' (11 March 1928 – 28 July 1979) was a [[Czech people|Czech]]-born actor. Born '''Friedrich Strobel von Stein''', he spoke fluent Czech, German, English, French and Italian, and was a leading man in European spy-movies. |
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==Biography== |
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===Early Life=== |
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By some accounts, Stafford claimed to have played [[water polo]] at the [[1948 Summer Olympics]]. |
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He was the son of a Slovak factory owner. He studied chemistry and spent time in Switzerland. He was worried about the Russians taking over Czechoslovakia and in 1948 decided to leave. It would take too long to move to the US or Canada so he went to Australia in 1949.<ref name="china">...and Hitchcock's new star: 'I've been watching you' Change is the essence |
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By Kimmis Hendrick. The Christian Science Monitor (1908-Current file); Boston, Mass. [Boston, Mass]22 Mar 1969: 4. </ref> While there he changed his name to "Frederick Stafford". "I always liked the name," he later said.<ref name="la"/> |
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| ⚫ | In 1964 French director [[André Hunebelle]] discovered Stafford on holiday at a hotel in Bangkok and asked him "How would you like to make movies with me?" Stafford replied, "Why not? |
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He became a taxi driver, a lumberjack and a businessman.<ref name="la">'Topaz' Star Chemist With AllIngredients |
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Blume, Mary. Los Angeles Times (1923-Current File); Los Angeles, Calif. [Los Angeles, Calif]07 Oct 1968: c26</ref> |
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By 1962 he was a regional manager for [[Bristol Meyers]] headquartered in Hong Kong. Two years later in Bangkok he met an Austrian actress Marianne Hold and married her seven days later.<ref name="la"/> |
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| ⚫ | In 1964 French director [[André Hunebelle]] discovered Stafford on holiday at a hotel in Bangkok and asked him "How would you like to make movies with me?" Stafford replied, "Why not?" He played a starring role in his first film, replacing [[Kerwin Mathews]] as an agent code-named ''[[OSS 117]]'' in ''[[OSS 117 Mission for a Killer]]'' (1965) with [[Mylène Demongeot]]. The film was the eleventh biggest movie of the year in France.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.boxofficestory.com/france-1965-c22750429/2|title=French box office 1965|website=Box Office Story}}</ref> |
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"Getting into a different industry didn't have a big effect on me," said Stafford later."I don't think it made a difference because I didn't get into business at an early age when a man is still being formed... I don't know if there is such a thing as luck... Maybe in a lottery but you have to get out and buy the ticket first."<ref name="la"/> |
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He followed this with the similar ''[[Agent 505: Death Trap in Beirut]]'' (1965) and a second OSS117 film, ''[[Atout cœur à Tokyo pour OSS 117]]'' (1965). |
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Stafford made a [[macaroni combat]] war film in Italy, ''[[Dirty Heroes]]'' (1967) with [[John Ireland]]. He followed it with ''[[Estouffade à la Caraïbe]]'' (1967), and ''[[ L'Homme qui valait des milliards]]'' (1967). |
Stafford made a [[macaroni combat]] war film in Italy, ''[[Dirty Heroes]]'' (1967) with [[John Ireland]]. He followed it with ''[[Estouffade à la Caraïbe]]'' (1967), and ''[[ L'Homme qui valait des milliards]]'' (1967). |
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Stafford made two more Italian war films, ''[[The Battle of El Alamein (film)|The Battle of El Alamein]]'' (1969) with [[Michael Rennie |
Stafford made two more Italian war films, ''[[The Battle of El Alamein (film)|The Battle of El Alamein]]'' (1969) with [[Michael Rennie]]. |
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===''Topaz''=== |
===''Topaz''=== |
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These movies brought the attention of [[Alfred Hitchcock]], who signed him in 1968 to play the leading role as agent André Devereaux in ''[[Topaz (1969 film)|Topaz]]'' (1969).<ref>Stafford Signed for 'Topaz' |
These movies brought the attention of [[Alfred Hitchcock]], who signed him in 1968 to play the leading role as agent André Devereaux in ''[[Topaz (1969 film)|Topaz]]'' (1969).<ref>Stafford Signed for 'Topaz' |
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Martin, Betty. Los Angeles Times (1923-Current File); Los Angeles, Calif. [Los Angeles, Calif]24 Sep 1968: f17. </ref> The film was not a success. The casting of Stafford, whose performance was found lacking by critics,{{weasel inline|date=September 2012}} was largely blamed for its failure. [[Channel4]] claimed, "Heading the international cast is a very wooden Stafford, who is no Cary Grant." |
Martin, Betty. Los Angeles Times (1923-Current File); Los Angeles, Calif. [Los Angeles, Calif]24 Sep 1968: f17. </ref> Universal signed him to a non exclusive contract for seven years.<ref>MOVIE CALL SHEET: Show Biz Novel to Be Shot |
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Martin, Betty. Los Angeles Times (1923-Current File); Los Angeles, Calif. [Los Angeles, Calif]28 Mar 1969: i23. The film was not a success. The casting of Stafford, whose performance was found lacking by critics,{{weasel inline|date=September 2012}} was largely blamed for its failure. [[Channel4]] claimed, "Heading the international cast is a very wooden Stafford, who is no Cary Grant." |
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He made ''[[Eagles Over London]]'' (1969) with [[Van Johnson]]. |
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===Later Career=== |
===Later Career=== |
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<!-- Commented out because image was deleted: [[Image:Claudejadetv2 008.jpg|thumb|left|180px|Stafford with [[Claude Jade]] in ''La ragazza di via Condotti'', 1974]] --> |
<!-- Commented out because image was deleted: [[Image:Claudejadetv2 008.jpg|thumb|left|180px|Stafford with [[Claude Jade]] in ''La ragazza di via Condotti'', 1974]] --> |
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Revision as of 23:56, 3 October 2017
 | This article includes a list of general references, but it lacks sufficient corresponding inline citations. (March 2013) |
Frederick Stafford | |
|---|---|
| Born | Friedrich Strobel von Stein March 11, 1928 |
| Died | July 28, 1979 (aged 51) |
| Occupation | actor |
| Years active | 1965–1977 |
| Spouse | Marianne Hold (1964-1979) (his death) (1 child) |
Frederick Stafford (11 March 1928 – 28 July 1979) was a Czech-born actor. Born Friedrich Strobel von Stein, he spoke fluent Czech, German, English, French and Italian, and was a leading man in European spy-movies.
Biography
Early Life
By some accounts, Stafford claimed to have played water polo at the 1948 Summer Olympics.
He was the son of a Slovak factory owner. He studied chemistry and spent time in Switzerland. He was worried about the Russians taking over Czechoslovakia and in 1948 decided to leave. It would take too long to move to the US or Canada so he went to Australia in 1949.[1] While there he changed his name to "Frederick Stafford". "I always liked the name," he later said.[2]
He became a taxi driver, a lumberjack and a businessman.[2]
Fluent in five languages, in the 1950s he held a series of positions in the pharmaceutical industry.[3]
By 1962 he was a regional manager for Bristol Meyers headquartered in Hong Kong. Two years later in Bangkok he met an Austrian actress Marianne Hold and married her seven days later.[2]
Film Career
In 1964 French director André Hunebelle discovered Stafford on holiday at a hotel in Bangkok and asked him "How would you like to make movies with me?" Stafford replied, "Why not?" He played a starring role in his first film, replacing Kerwin Mathews as an agent code-named OSS 117 in OSS 117 Mission for a Killer (1965) with Mylène Demongeot. The film was the eleventh biggest movie of the year in France.[4]
"Getting into a different industry didn't have a big effect on me," said Stafford later."I don't think it made a difference because I didn't get into business at an early age when a man is still being formed... I don't know if there is such a thing as luck... Maybe in a lottery but you have to get out and buy the ticket first."[2]
He followed this with the similar Agent 505: Death Trap in Beirut (1965) and a second OSS117 film, Atout cœur à Tokyo pour OSS 117 (1965).
Stafford made a macaroni combat war film in Italy, Dirty Heroes (1967) with John Ireland. He followed it with Estouffade à la Caraïbe (1967), and L'Homme qui valait des milliards (1967).
Stafford made two more Italian war films, The Battle of El Alamein (1969) with Michael Rennie.
Topaz
These movies brought the attention of Alfred Hitchcock, who signed him in 1968 to play the leading role as agent André Devereaux in Topaz (1969).[5] Universal signed him to a non exclusive contract for seven years.Cite error: A <ref> tag is missing the closing </ref> (see the help page). He announced he intended to make four films in Australia including one about the pyjama girl murder; Our Man in Sydney, a detective thriller' and Andamooka about life on the Australian opal fields.[6]
Personal life
He married German actress Marianne Hold who he met whilst both of them were in Bangkok. His son is the singer Roderick Stafford, who was born in 1964.
Death
Stafford died in 1979 in a collision of two aircraft above Lake Sarnen, Switzerland. A Morane-Saulnier Rallye piloted by Czech-born Pavel Krahulec, M.D., and in which Stafford was a passenger collided with a Piper aircraft, piloted by businessman Alois Fischer of Thoune, Switzerland[7]
Films
References
- ^ ...and Hitchcock's new star: 'I've been watching you' Change is the essence By Kimmis Hendrick. The Christian Science Monitor (1908-Current file); Boston, Mass. [Boston, Mass]22 Mar 1969: 4.
- ^ a b c d 'Topaz' Star Chemist With AllIngredients Blume, Mary. Los Angeles Times (1923-Current File); Los Angeles, Calif. [Los Angeles, Calif]07 Oct 1968: c26
- ^ p, 238 Magazanik, Michael Silent Shock: The Men Behind the Thalidomide Scandal and an Australian Family's Long Road to Justice Text Publishing, 22 May 2015
- ^ "French box office 1965". Box Office Story.
- ^ Stafford Signed for 'Topaz' Martin, Betty. Los Angeles Times (1923-Current File); Los Angeles, Calif. [Los Angeles, Calif]24 Sep 1968: f17.
- ^ "Murder film plan". The Canberra Times. Vol. 51, , no. 14, 590. Australian Capital Territory, Australia. 22 January 1977. p. 17. Retrieved 4 October 2017 – via National Library of Australia.
{{cite news}}: CS1 maint: extra punctuation (link) - ^ "Marianne Hold - The Private Life and Times of Marianne Hold. Marianne Hold Pictures". www.glamourgirlsofthesilverscreen.com. Retrieved 29 July 2017.
