Francis Lederer

Francis Lederer (November 6, 1899 Prague – May 25, 2000) was an Austro-Hungarian Empire-born American film and stage actor with a successful career, first in Europe, then in the United States. His original name was Franz (Czech František) Lederer.
Lederer grew up in a poor section of Prague, where his only recreation was wrestling. His parents separated when he was nine years old, and his brother died in a war. He worked in a store that sold dry goods, and his first theatrical experience came when he was tasked with cleaning shelves in the background in a play while the main actors performed their roles. He lost that role when he drew attention away from the stars and to himself.
Lederer started acting when he was young and was trained at the Academy of Music and Academy of Dramatic Art in Prague. After service in the Austrian-Hungarian Imperial Army in World War I, he made his stage deb…