Roland Varno

American actor (1908–1996)

Roland Varno
Varno in Flight to Nowhere (1946)
Born	(1908-03-15)March 15, 1908 Utrecht, Netherlands
Died	May 24, 1996(1996-05-24) (aged 88) Lancaster, California, U.S.
Occupation	Actor
Years active	1929–1959
Spouse	Elizabeth Alderson
Children	2

Roland Varno (March 15, 1908 – May 24, 1996) was an American character actor from Utrecht, Netherlands.^[1]

Varno's father was a tea planter, Martin Fredrick Vuerhard, and his mother was a concert pianist. Although they hoped for him to have a military career, he began acting when he was 16 years old, the youngest member of the royal Dutch theater at that time. After he graduated from college in Leyden, he traveled and continued to study dramatics. He went to Hollywood after a talent scout for MGM saw him in a German film in 1931.^[2]

Varno worked in vaudeville, performing and designing scenery.^[3]

He appeared in dozens of films in the 1930s and 1940s. During World War II, Varno served in the Office of Strategic Services, the predecessor to the Central Intelligence Agency.^[4]

Varno also appeared on TV series including Space Patrol, the Adventures of Wild Bill Hickok and 77 Sunset Strip.

Born Jacob Frederik Vuerhard, he was the father of Martin Varno, author of the 1958 science fiction film Night of the Blood Beast.^[5] He was married to Elizabeth Alderson. They also had a daughter, Jillian Mariana.^[2]

Varno died on May 24, 1996, in Lancaster, California.

Partial filmography

The First Kiss (1928) - Swimmer (film debut, uncredited)
Ein kleiner Vorschuß auf die Seligkeit (1929) - Eton boy
Zwischen vierzehn und siebzehn - Sexualnot der Jugend (1929) - Child
Tragedy of Youth (1929) - Peter
The Blue Angel (1930) - Gymnasiast Lohmann / Pupil
The Man in Search of His Murderer (1931)
Arsène Lupin (1932) - Jean Moucante (uncredited)
As You Desire Me (1932) - Albert
Private Jones (1933) - Lt. Brinkerhoff (uncredited)
Malle Gevallen (1934) - Student Boy
Het meisje met den blauwen hoed (1934) - Daantje
Three Live Ghosts (1936) - German Corporal (uncredited)
Sins of Man (1936) - Consul Clerk (uncredited)
Quality Street (1937) - Ens. Blades (uncredited)
The Woman I Love (1937) (uncredited)
The Emperor's Candlesticks (1937) - Czar's Officer (uncredited)
Conquest (1937) - Staos (uncredited)
The Great Waltz (1938) - Orderly (uncredited)
Gunga Din (1939) - Lt. Markham (uncredited)
Balalaika (1939) - Lt. Nikitin
The Fighting 69th (1940) - German Officer (uncredited)
Zanzibar (1940) - Reporter (uncredited)
Three Faces West (1940) - Dr. Eric Von Scherer
Mystery Sea Raider (1940) - Lt. Schmidt
Underground (1941) - Ernst Demmler
Our Wife (1941) - Steward (uncredited)
The Devil Pays Off (1941) - Ship's Doctor
The Corsican Brothers (1941) - De Revenau's Friend at Opera (uncredited)
Paris Calling (1941) - German Pilot (uncredited)
Nazi Agent (1942) - Bauer (uncredited)
To Be or Not to Be (1942) - Pilot (uncredited)
Eagle Squadron (1942) - Aide-de-camp (uncredited)
I Married an Angel (1942) - Man (uncredited)
Desperate Journey (1942) - Unteroffizier (uncredited)
Valley of Hunted Men (1942) - Carl Baum
Hitler's Children (1943) - Lieutenant S.A. (uncredited)
Edge of Darkness (1943) - German Lieutenant (uncredited)
Action in the North Atlantic (1943) - Gunnery Captain (uncredited)
Hostages (1943) - Jan Pavel
The Return of the Vampire (1943) - John Ainsley
Women in Bondage (1943) - Ernest Bracken
Our Hearts Were Young and Gay (1944) - Pierre Cambouille (uncredited)
The Unwritten Code (1944) - Cpl. Karl Richter
Betrayal from the East (1945) - Kurt Guenther
The Master Key (1945, Serial) - Arnold Hoffman - aka Hoff, M-3
Three's a Crowd (1945) - Ronald Drew
Paris Underground (1945) - Lieutenant Commander Stowe (uncredited)
My Name Is Julia Ross (1945) - Dennis Bruce
Follow That Woman (1945) - Minor Role
Flight to Nowhere (1946) - James Van Bush
Scared to Death (1947) - Ward Van Ee
Letter from an Unknown Woman (1948) - Stefan's Second (uncredited)
Act of Violence (1949) - German (voice, uncredited)
Battleground (1949) - German Lieutenant (uncredited)
Mask of the Avenger (1951) - Lieutenant (uncredited)
Adventures of Wild Bill Hickok (1951-1952, TV Series) - Cleary / Clem (uncredited)
Back at the Front (1952) - Smuggler Vishmirov (uncredited)
Dangerous Assignment (1952) - Manter/Bela (uncredited)
Space Patrol (1952-1953, TV Series) - Doc / Dr. S. Buehl (uncredited)
The Mad Magician (1954) - Master of Ceremonies (uncredited)
Topper (1954, TV Series) - Matre'd (uncredited)
Public Defender (1954, TV Series) - George Morgan
Cavalcade of America (1954) - Captain Von Holst
Jump Into Hell (1955) - Col. Lonjunier (uncredited)
Crusader (1955, TV Series) - MVD Man
You Are There (1956, TV Series) - Lt. Gerhardt
Science Fiction Theatre (1956, TV Series) - Scientist
Istanbul (1957) - Mr. Florian (final film)
77 Sunset Strip (1959, TV Series) - Rolfe Berne (final appearance)

References

^ "Roland Varno". Movies & TV Dept. The New York Times. 2012. Archived from the original on November 4, 2012. Retrieved May 1, 2011.
^ ^a ^b "Actor Speaks 7 Languages". St. Joseph News-Press. March 11, 1945. p. 14. Retrieved July 3, 2022 – via Newspapers.com.
^ "The Sideshow Influence -- Roland Varno and Klyde Kraft". Los Angeles Times. April 8, 1934. p. 40. Retrieved July 3, 2022 – via Newspapers.com.
^ Dutch actor Roland Varno retired to Ajijic after a glittering Hollywood career www.lakechapalaartists.com. Retrieved October 28, 2021.
^ Chiller Theatre magazine. 2002. p. 41.