Ivan Triesault
Ivan Triesault | |
|---|---|
Triesault in an episode of One Step Beyond (1959) | |
| Born | Johann Constantin Treisalt 13 July 1898 |
| Died | 3 January 1980 (aged 81) Los Angeles, California, U.S. |
| Other names | Juhan Treisalt |
| Occupation | Actor |
| Years active | 1942–1970 |
Ivan Triesault (born Johann Constantin Treisalt; 13 July [O.S. 1 July] 1898[1][2] – January 3, 1980) was an Estonian-American character actor[3] and dancer, who appeared in some 130 film and television productions between 1943 and 1969.
Early life
Triesault was born Johann Treisalt (rendered in Estonian as Juhan Treisalt) in Tallinn, the son of Baltic German parents from the island of Hiiumaa.[4] His father was a foreman in a furniture factory and his mother worked as an au pair for a wealthy family. Triesault's father died when he was five-years-old.[5]
He made his first stage appearance at the German Theatre in Tallinn aged 12,[6] before moving to the United States aged 18. He trained as a ballet dancer under famed choreographer Mikhail Fokine, and worked as his assistant for several years.[5][7] Working for Russian-born Fokine, he adopted 'Ivan' as his given name (Ivan [Иван] is the Russian form of 'Johann').
Career
Triesault worked as a dancer and mime at Radio City Music Hall. During the 1920s, he worked with a touring theatre company in Europe, and furthered his acting studies in London.[5] After returning to New York, he acted in various Broadway productions.[8]
He made his debut in 1943's Mission to Moscow, a pro-Soviet propaganda film by Warner Bros., playing Mikhail Tukhachevsky. His notable roles include appearances in Cry of the Werewolf (1944), The Story of Dr. Wassell (1944), A Song to Remember (1945), Notorious (1946), 5 Fingers (1952), Jet Pilot (1957), Journey to the Center of the Earth (1959), The 300 Spartans (1962), It Happened in Athens (1962), Von Ryan's Express (1965), Batman (1966) and the TV series The Wild Wild West.
According to film historian Pekka Linnainen, Triesault is "the most successful Estonian actor in Hollywood history," who is "still completely unknown even in his home country."[5] However, "fans of classic American cinema know his face".[5]
Death
Triesault died in Los Angeles in 1980, aged 81, from cardiac failure.[5]
Filmography
Film
| Year | Title | Role(s) | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1943 | Mission to Moscow | Marshal Mikhail Tukhachevsky | Uncredited |
| Hostages | Franta | ||
| The Strange Death of Adolf Hitler | Prince Hohenberg | ||
| 1944 | Five Were Chosen | ||
| Song of Russia | Comissar | Uncredited | |
| In Our Time | Bujanski | ||
| Uncertain Glory | Saboteur | ||
| The Hitler Gang | Martin Niemöller | ||
| The Story of Dr. Wassell | Janssen Pharmacist's Mate | Uncredited | |
| The Black Parachute | Colonel Pavlec | ||
| Days of Glory | German Lieutenant | Uncredited | |
| The Mummy's Ghost | Scripps Museum Guide | ||
| Cry of the Werewolf | Jan Spavero | ||
| Strange Affair | Dr. Igor Baumler | Uncredited | |
| 1945 | A Song to Remember | Nicolas Chopin | |
| Escape in the Fog | Hausmer | ||
| Counter-Attack | Sgt. Johann Grillparzer | ||
| 1946 | Notorious | Eric Mathi | |
| Crime Doctor's Man Hunt | Alfred 'Alfredi' Hempstead | Uncredited | |
| The Return of Monte Cristo | Major Chavet | ||
| 1947 | The Crimson Key | Peter Vandaman | |
| Golden Earrings | Maj. Reimann | ||
| Escape Me Never | Choreographer | Uncredited | |
| 1948 | The Woman from Tangier | Rocheau | |
| To the Ends of the Earth | Naftalie Vrandstadter | Uncredited | |
| 1949 | Outpost in Morocco | Tribal Leader | |
| Home in San Antone | Van Vliet, Jewel Thief | ||
| Johnny Allegro | Pelham Vetch | ||
| The Sickle or the Cross | I.V. Morse | ||
| Battleground | German Captain | Uncredited | |
| 1950 | D.O.A. | Photographer | |
| Spy Hunt | Assassin | ||
| Kim | The Russian | ||
| 1951 | Target Unknown | German Lieutenant | Uncredited |
| My True Story | Alexis Delios | ||
| The Lady and the Bandit | King George | ||
| The Desert Fox: The Story of Rommel | German Major | Uncredited | |
| My Favorite Spy | Gunman | ||
| 1952 | 5 Fingers | Steuben | |
| The Bad and the Beautiful | Von Ellstein | ||
| 1953 | Desert Legion | Cpl. H. Schmidt | Uncredited |
| Ma and Pa Kettle on Vacation | Henri Dupre | ||
| Scandal at Scourie | Father Barrett | Uncredited | |
| Young Bess | Danish Envoy | ||
| How to Marry a Millionaire | Phillip | Uncredited | |
| Back to God's Country | Reinhardt | ||
| 1954 | Border River | Baron Von Hollden | |
| Charge of the Lancers | Dr. Manus | ||
| The Student Prince | Prof. Klauber's Assistant | Uncredited | |
| The Gambler from Natchez | Raoul | ||
| Her Twelve Men | Erik Haldeman | ||
| 1955 | The Girl in the Red Velvet Swing | Ludwig | Uncredited |
| 1957 | Top Secret Affair | German Field Marshal | |
| The Buster Keaton Story | Duke Alexander Michael David | ||
| Silk Stockings | Russian Embassy Official | Uncredited | |
| Jet Pilot | Gen. Langrad | ||
| 1958 | The Young Lions | German Colonel | Uncredited |
| Fraulein | Prof. Julius Angermann | ||
| Me and the Colonel | Polish Vice Consul | Uncredited | |
| Mardi Gras | Bernard | ||
| 1959 | Journey to the Center of the Earth | Prof. Peter Göteborg | |
| 1960 | I'll Give My Life | Dr. Neuman | |
| The Amazing Transparent Man | Dr. Peter Ulof | ||
| Cimarron | Lewis Venable | Uncredited | |
| 1961 | Go Naked in the World | Mons. Jacques Vrey | |
| Barabbas | Emperor | ||
| 1962 | It Happened in Athens | Grandpa Loues/Mr. Trisapopolis | |
| The 300 Spartans | Demaratus | ||
| 1963 | The Prize | Mr. Lindquist | Uncredited |
| 1964 | Viva Las Vegas | Head Captain | |
| 1965 | Von Ryan's Express | SS-Obergruppenfuhrer Wilhelm von Kleist | |
| 1965 | Morituri | Lt. Brandt | |
| 1966 | Batman | West German Delegate | Uncredited |
| 1969 | The Search for the Evil One | ||
| 1970 | The Lady, or the Tiger? | The King | [9][10] |
Television
| Year | Title | Role(s) | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1952 | Dangerous Assignment | Dr. Anacos | Episode: "The Iron Banner Story" |
| 1953 | The Plymouth Playhouse | The President | Episode: "A Tale of Two Cities: Part 2" |
| Ford Television Theatre | Lt. Schinkel | Episode: "The Jewel" | |
| G.E. True Theater | Walter | Episode: "The Eye of the Beholder" | |
| 1954 | City Detective | Hans Orby | Episode: "The Blonde Orchid" |
| The Adventures of Falcon | Ernest Meckler | Episode: "Borderline Case" | |
| Mystery Is My Business | Episode: "Mardi Gras" | ||
| Climax! | Episode: "Epitaph for a Spy" | ||
| 1954–59 | Schlitz Playhouse | Dr. Colman | 2 Episodes: "At the Natchez Inn" and "And Practically Strangers" |
| 1955 | Passport to Danger | Hoenschen | Episode: "Rome" |
| Lux Video Theatre | Major Strasser | Episode: "Casablanca" | |
| Soldiers of Fortune | Dr. Harman | Episode: "The Honor of Dr. Mazaro" | |
| 1955–56 | Crusader | Thomas Ulm / August Bonner | 2 episodes: "The Bargain" and "Berlin Love Story" |
| 1956 | Four Star Playhouse | Volpe | Episode: "Safe Keeping" |
| Matinee Theater | Urbain | Episode: "The American" | |
| The Joseph Cotten Show: On Trial | Von Bering | Episode: "The Trial of Edward Pritchard" | |
| Playhouse 90 | Carl Kersch | Episode: "Confession" | |
| The 20th Century Fox Hour | Steuben | Episode: "Operation Cicero" | |
| 1956–57 | The Adventures of Jim Bowie | Maurice Toulouse | 5 episodes |
| 1956–57 | Navy Log | German Officer | 2 episodes: "The Helium Umbrella" and "After You, Ludwig" |
| 1958 | Jane Wyman Presents The Fireside Theatre | Ambassador | Episode: "Day of Glory" |
| Northwest Passage | Father Ricard | Episode: "The Hostage" | |
| Man with a Camera | Doctor Kolberg | Episode: "Lady on the Loose" | |
| 1959 | Alcoa Presents: One Step Beyond | Inspector | Episode: "The Dark Room" |
| The Third Man | Dr. Fourtier | Episode: "The Indispensable Man"[11] | |
| Markham | Stephen Saltzman | Episode: "Double Negative" | |
| World of Giants | Episode: "Gambling Story" | ||
| 1959–64 | Perry Mason | Fred Schoenbeck / Dr. Kleinman | 2 episodes: "The Case of the Shattered Dream" and "The Case of a Place Called Midnight" |
| 1960 | Not for Hire | Masters / Mueller / Schoenberg | 3 episodes |
| 1962 | Walt Disney's Wonderful World of Color | Professor Levenson | 2 episodes: "Escapade in Florence: Part 1" and "Escapade in Florence: Part 2" |
| 1964–66 | Voyage to the Bottom of the Sea | Commander / Klaus | 2 episodes: "The Price of Doom" and "The Death Ship" |
| 1965 | The Rogues | Mitter | Episode: "Run for the Money" |
| Combat! | Doctor | Episode: "Odyssey" | |
| Bob Hope Presents the Chrysler Theatre | Baron | Episode: "The Game" | |
| Burke's Law | Wexler | Episode: "The Man with the Power" | |
| Honey West | Lazlo Shatzi | Episode: "Rockabye the Hard Way" | |
| 1966 | Batman | Parkhurst | Episode: "The Clock King's Crazy Crimes" |
| The Girl from U.N.C.L.E. | Professor Voltan | Episode: "The Danish Blue Affair" | |
| 12 O'Clock High | Tanzman | Episode: "To Seek and Destroy" | |
| 1967 | Mission: Impossible | Plantinov | Episode: "The Trial" |
| Hogan's Heroes | General von Katz | Episode: "D–Day at Stalag 13" | |
| Felony Squad | Mannheim | Episode: "The Pat Hand of Death" | |
| 1967–69 | The Wild Wild West | Ambassador / Bishop Kucharyk | 2 episodes: "The Night of the Cossacks" and "The Night of the Surreal McCoy", (final appearance) |
| 1968 | Garrison's Gorillas | Dr. Bergholtz / Dr. Moletti | 2 episodes: "Time Bomb" and "The Big Lie" |
| Bonanza | Thad Borchik | Episode: "Commitment at Angelus" | |
| It Takes a Thief | Kruger / Maitre | 2 episodes: "Get Me to the Revolution on Time" and "It Takes One to Know One" | |
| 1969 | Ironside | Dr. Driscoll | Episode: "In Search of an Artist" |
Partial stage credits
| Year | Title | Role(s) | Venue | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1926 | The Jeweled Tree | Face-Turned-Backward, Ahmes | 48th Street Theatre, New York | [8] |
| 1927–28 | Harry Delmar's Revels | Performer | Shubert Theatre, New York | [8] |
| 1933 | Marathon | Luis Borkofski | Mansfield Theatre, New York | [8] |
| 1936 | Star Spangled | Prof. Jake Niebieski | John Golden Theatre, New York | [8] |
| 1936–37 | Hamlet | Ensemble member | Empire Theatre, New York | [8] |
| St. James Theatre, New York | [8] | |||
| 1939 | Foreigners | The Russian | Belasco Theatre, New York | [8] |
| 1940 | The Burning Deck | Nicholas | Maxine Elliott's Theatre, New York | [8] |
| Russian Bank | Revolutionary | St. James Theatre, New York | [8] | |
| 1941 | The Walrus and the Carpenter | Corder | Cort Theatre, New York | [8] |
References
- ^ Tallinn St. John's Church's congregation. "E.E.L Kiriku Tallinna Jaani Koguduse I pihtkonna Personaalraamat. V". National Archives of Estonia. p. 188. Retrieved 27 February 2013.
- ^ "III pihtkonna I personaalraamat". National Archives of Estonia. p. 9. Retrieved 27 February 2013.
- ^ "Character Portrayer Invents Own Accents". Courier-Post. Camden, NJ. January 17, 1959. p. 26. Retrieved April 18, 2023 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ "Juhan Treisalt, hiidlane Hollywoodis" [A Hiiu Man in Hollywood] (in Estonian). Estofennia. December 29, 2013. Retrieved February 17, 2014.
- ^ a b c d e f Linnainen, Pekka (2018-05-21). "Ivan Triesault – Hollywoodin kuuluisin virolainen". Estofennia (in Finnish). Retrieved 2026-01-04.
- ^ Johnsson, Hazel K. (December 4, 1958). "Triesault Is Last Hollywood Foreign-Villain Type". The Charlotte Observer. Charlotte, NC. p. 48. Retrieved April 18, 2023 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ "Eestlased on tegijad" (in Estonian). Stemugram. Archived from the original on 8 June 2012. Retrieved 20 May 2011.
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j k "Ivan Triesault – Broadway Cast & Staff | IBDB". www.ibdb.com. Retrieved 2026-01-04.
- ^ The lady or the tiger?; and, A Discussion of Frank Stockton's The Lady, or the tiger?. OCLC 422754519.
- ^ "Frank Stockton's story". Britannica Kids. Retrieved 2018-05-23.
- ^ "Action TV Online - The Third Man episode guide". Startrader.co.uk, from Radio Times. September 25, 1959. Retrieved 22 November 2015.
External links
Wikimedia Commons has media related to Ivan Triesault.