Frank Reicher

Biography

Frank Reicher (December 2, 1875 – January 19, 1965) was a prominent stage and film actor, director, and producer who emigrated from Germany to the United States. He gained widespread recognition for his portrayal of Captain Englehorn in the iconic 1933 film King Kong.

Reicher made his Broadway debut shortly after arriving in America, taking on the role of Lord Tarquin in Harrison Fiske's production of Becky Sharp, a comedy adapted from William Makepeace Thackeray’s Vanity Fair. He dedicated much of his early career to legitimate theater, frequently appearing on and off Broadway. Notably, he led the Brooklyn Stock Company during a groundbreaking performance of The Merchant of Venice in Yiddish, while the rest of the cast performed in English. For several years, he was associated with the Little Theatre on West Forty-Fourth Street, serving as both an actor and manager, and remained active on Broadway as a performer, director, and producer through the 1920s. His stage credits include notable works such as the first Broadway production of Georg Kaiser's From Morning to Midnight and Percy MacKaye's The Scarecrow.

In the realm of cinema, Reicher transitioned to film with an uncredited part in the 1915 movie The Case for Becky, ultimately appearing in over 200 films. Beyond King Kong, his filmography includes The Secret Life of Walter Mitty (1947) and Kiss Tomorrow Goodbye (1950). His final role was in the 1951 film Superman and the Mole Men. Frank Reicher passed away at the age of 89 in Inglewood, California, leaving behind a sister and a brother. He was laid to rest at Inglewood Park Cemetery.