--- name: "Herbert Lom" canonical: "https://film.one/person/herbert-lom" fi1m_id: "herbert-lom" imdb_id: "nm0007042" tmdb_id: 14503 wikidata_id: "Q165357" roles: ["Actor"] born: "12 September 1917" died: "27 September 2012" reviewed_on_fi1m: 3 average_fi1m_score: 67 average_as: "actor" average_over: 3 updated: "2026-10-01T00:13:11.765801+00:00" licence: "© Fi1m Ltd. Written by AI under a human editor; checked against sources before publication. Quote with attribution and a link to the canonical URL." --- # Herbert Lom ## Identity Herbert Lom - **Canonical:** https://film.one/person/herbert-lom - **Type:** Person - **Fi1m ID:** herbert-lom - **IMDb ID:** nm0007042 - **TMDB ID:** 14503 - **Wikidata ID:** Q165357 - **Same entity:** https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Herbert_Lom, https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q165357, https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0007042/, https://www.themoviedb.org/person/14503 Actor. Born 12 September 1917 in Prague, Bohemia, Austria-Hungary. Died 27 September 2012. ## Details - **Work:** Actor - **Born:** 12 September 1917, Prague, Bohemia, Austria-Hungary - **Died:** 27 September 2012 - **Active:** 1955–1983 - **Also known as:** Herbert Karel Kuchačevič ze Schluderpacheru, هربرت لوم - **Average Fi1m score:** 67, as actor, over 3 titles - **Fi1m score by decade:** 1950s 86 (1), 1980s 58 (2) - **Score spread:** 2 at 80+, 0 at 60–79, 1 under 60 - **Lead roles:** 0 of 3 acting credits billed first or second - **Genres:** Comedy 2, Crime 2, Horror 1, Mystery 1, Science Fiction 1, Thriller 1 - **Screen time:** 5 hours of reviewed films - **Box office:** $25m across 2 films with figures - **Elsewhere:** https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Herbert_Lom, https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q165357, https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0007042/, https://www.themoviedb.org/person/14503 ## Streaming the US now - **Pluto TV:** [*The Dead Zone*](https://film.one/film/the-dead-zone.md) (82), [*Curse of the Pink Panther*](https://film.one/film/curse-of-the-pink-panther.md) (34) For United States; add `?region=XX` for another country. ## Fi1m on Herbert Lom > Herbert Lom's precise speech made criminals convincing and policemen funny when they lost control. We like him best when he keeps the performance contained, though the later Dreyfus films made too much of his exasperation. Herbert Lom looks at the person speaking as though their explanation will need to be unusually good. His cool manner and precise enunciation make authority credible before the script has established whether he deserves it. British thrillers of the 1940s and 1950s repeatedly cast him as foreign criminals and sinister outsiders. Jules Dassin's *Night and the City* (1950), with Lom as the gangster Kristo, is one useful starting point. But treating him simply as a dependable heavy misses how readily that assurance could become funny. In *The Ladykillers* (1955), his Louis gives Alexander Mackendrick's comedy a credible criminal presence alongside Alec Guinness and Peter Sellers. We laughed, then felt uneasy about laughing, because Mackendrick keeps the threat to Katie Johnson's stubborn landlady close. Lom's coolness is useful here: menace need not be announced afresh whenever he appears. Guinness sometimes pushes too hard, but Lom's precise delivery gives the criminal business a seriousness the surrounding absurdity needs. He helps the ensemble without making the comedy depend on another conspicuously comic performance. *A Shot in the Dark* (1964) made that authority the thing to be tormented. As Chief Inspector Charles Dreyfus, Lom responds to Clouseau with the twitching distress of a senior officer losing control of himself. Blake Edwards found a comic use for the assurance that had made Lom such a reliable heavy, with Sellers supplying the provocation. The change is persuasive because we can still recognise the man who expects to be obeyed. The later Dreyfus appearances become more exaggerated as the scripts weaken, and there is only so much pleasure in waiting for the next spasm. *The Dead Zone* (1983) is a reason to look beyond that familiar routine. As Dr. Sam Weizak, the sympathetic doctor to Christopher Walken's psychic, Lom makes room for concern in a manner often used to suggest danger. David Cronenberg's restrained handling of the supernatural gives that quieter performance somewhere to belong, even when the storytelling becomes disjointed. We value the film for the sadness Walken brings to its dangers, and Lom's doctor fits a drama in which the people matter as much as the premise. Start with *The Ladykillers*, then try *The Dead Zone* before reaching for another of the later Dreyfus comedies. ## Biography Herbert Lom was a Czech-born British actor. Born in Prague in 1917, he moved to the United Kingdom in 1939 and appeared in films and on stage for more than 60 years. He is known for roles including Louis in *The Ladykillers* (1955), Ben Yussuf in *El Cid* (1961), Tigranes Levantus in *Spartacus* (1960), and Chief Inspector Charles Dreyfus in several *Pink Panther* films from *A Shot in the Dark* (1964) onwards. He played Dr. Sam Weizak in *The Dead Zone* (1983). Lom also originated the role of the King of Siam in the West End production of *The King and I* and starred in the 1960s television series *The Human Jungle*. *Sources: en.wikipedia.org, imdb.com.* ## On Fi1m (3) - *Curse of the Pink Panther* (1983), Fi1m 34, as Chief Insp. Charles LaRousse Dreyfus — [page](https://film.one/film/curse-of-the-pink-panther.md) - *The Dead Zone* (1983), Fi1m 82, as Dr. Sam Weizak — [page](https://film.one/film/the-dead-zone.md) - *The Ladykillers* (1955), Fi1m 86, as Louis, alias 'Mr. Harvey' — [page](https://film.one/film/the-ladykillers.md) ## Complete filmography (113) Every credit, newest first. Titles without a page can be requested for review on the HTML page. - *Dracula vs. Vampir* (2012), Actor - *Beloved Count* (2007), as (archive footage) - *Son of the Pink Panther* (1993), as Police Commisioner Charles Dreyfus - *The Detectives* (1993), series, as Van der Dyck - *The Pope Must Die* (1991), as Vittorio Corelli - *The Sect* (1991), as Moebius Kelly - *The Masque of the Red Death* (1989), as Ludwig - *River of Death* (1989), as Colonel Ricardo Diaz - *Ten Little Indians* (1989), as Gen. Brancko Romensky - *Skeleton Coast* (1988), as Elia - *Going Bananas* (1987), as Captain Mackintosh - *Master of Dragonard Hill* (1987), as Le Farge - *Whoops Apocalypse* (1986), as Gen. Mosquera - *King Solomon's Mines* (1985), as Colonel Bockner - *Memed My Hawk* (1984), as Ali Safa Bey - *Lace* (1984), series, as Monsier Chardin - *James Mason: The Star They Loved to Hate* (1984), as Dr. Larsen (archive footage) (uncredited) - *The Dead Zone* (1983), as Dr. Sam Weizak — Fi1m 82, [page](https://film.one/film/the-dead-zone.md) - *Curse of the Pink Panther* (1983), as Chief Insp. Charles LaRousse Dreyfus — Fi1m 34, [page](https://film.one/film/curse-of-the-pink-panther.md) - *Trail of the Pink Panther* (1982), as Chef Inspektor Charles Dreyfus - *I Have Been Here Before* (1982), as Dr. Görtler - *Darkroom* (1981), series, as The Phantom of the Opera (archive footage) - *Peter and Paul* (1981), series, as Barnabas - *The Man with Bogart's Face* (1980), as Mr. Zebra - *Hopscotch* (1980), as Yaskov - *The Lady Vanishes* (1979), as Dr. Egon Hartz - *Revenge of the Pink Panther* (1978), as Chief Inspector Dreyfus - *Charleston* (1977), as Inspector Watkins - *The Pink Panther Strikes Again* (1976), as Dreyfus - *Uncle Tom's Cabin* (1976), as Simon Legree (archive) - *The Return of the Pink Panther* (1975), as Chief Inspector Dreyfus - *And Then There Were None* (1974), as Dr. Edward Armstrong - *Dark Places* (1973), as Prescot - *And Now the Screaming Starts!* (1973), as Henry Fengriffen - *Asylum* (1972), as Byron - *Murders in the Rue Morgue* (1971), as Rene Marot - *Dorian Gray* (1970), as Henry Wotton - *Count Dracula* (1970), as Van Helsing - *Mister Jerico* (1970), as Victor Russo - *Mark of the Devil* (1970), as Lord Cumberland - *Doppelgänger* (1969), as Doctor Hassler - *Hawaii Five-O* (1969), series, as Mondrago - *99 Women* (1969), as Governor Santos - *The Face of Eve* (1968), as Diego - *Villa Rides* (1968), as General Huerta - *Assignment to Kill* (1968), as Matt Wilson - *The Karate Killers* (1967), as Randolph - *Whom the Gods Wish to Destroy 2* (1967), as Etzel - *Gambit* (1966), as Shahbandar - *Our Man in Marrakesh* (1966), as Mr. Casimir - *Return from the Ashes* (1965), as Dr. Charles Bovard - *BBC Play of the Month* (1965), series, as Dr. Görtler - *Uncle Tom's Cabin* (1965), as Simon Legree - *The Man from U.N.C.L.E.* (1964), series, as Randolph - *A Shot in the Dark* (1964), as Charles Dreyfus - *The Horse Without a Head* (1964), as Schiapa - *The Human Jungle* (1963), series, as Doctor Roger Corder M. D., D. P. M. - *Treasure of Silver Lake* (1962), as Colonel Brinkley - *Tiara Tahiti* (1962), as Chong Sing - *The Phantom of the Opera* (1962), as The Phantom (Prof. L. Petrie) - *Mysterious Island* (1961), as Captain Nemo - *El Cid* (1961), as Ben Yussuf - *The Frightened City* (1961), as Waldo Zhernikov - *Mr. Topaze* (1961), as Castel Benac - *Spartacus* (1960), as Tigranes Levantus - *I Aim at the Stars* (1960), as Anton Reger - *Third Man on the Mountain* (1959), as Emil Saxo - *North West Frontier* (1959), as Van Layden - *The Big Fisherman* (1959), as Herod Antipas - *No Trees in the Street* (1959), as Wilkie - *Passport to Shame* (1958), as Nick Biaggi - *The Roots of Heaven* (1958), as Orsini - *Intent to Kill* (1958), as Juan Menda - *I Accuse!* (1958), as Maj. DuPaty de Clam - *Chase a Crooked Shadow* (1958), as Police Commissar Vargas - *Action of the Tiger* (1957), as Trifon, Albania Bandit - *Hell Drivers* (1957), as Gino Rossi - *Fire Down Below* (1957), as Harbour Master - *War and Peace* (1956), as Napoleon - *The Ladykillers* (1955), as Louis, alias 'Mr. Harvey' — Fi1m 86, [page](https://film.one/film/the-ladykillers.md) - *Beautiful Stranger* (1954), as Emil Landosh - *The Love Lottery* (1954), as André Amico - *Star of India* (1954), as Governor Narbonne - *Rough Shoot* (1953), as Sandorski - *The Net* (1953), as Dr. Alex Leon - *The Man Who Watched Trains Go By* (1952), as Julius de Koster, Jr. - *The Ringer* (1952), as Maurice Meister - *Whispering Smith vs. Scotland Yard* (1952), as Roger Ford - *Mr. Denning Drives North* (1951), as Mados - *Two on the Tiles* (1951), as Ford - *Hell Is Sold Out* (1951), as Dominic Danges - *Cage of Gold* (1950), as Rahman - *State Secret* (1950), as Karl Theodor - *The Black Rose* (1950), as Anthemus - *Night and the City* (1950), as Kristo - *Golden Salamander* (1950), as Rankl - *Portrait from Life* (1948), as Fritz Kottler Hendlemann - *Brass Monkey* (1948), as Peter Hobart - *Good-Time Girl* (1948), as Max Vine - *Snowbound* (1948), as Von Kellerman, alias Keramikos - *Dual Alibi* (1947), as Jules de Lisle / Georges de Lisle - *Appointment with Crime* (1946), as Gregory Lang - *Night Boat to Dublin* (1946), as Keitel - *The Seventh Veil* (1945), as Dr. Larsen - *Hotel Reserve* (1944), as Andre Roux - *The Dark Tower* (1943), as Stephen Torg - *Tomorrow We Live* (1943), as Kurtz - *Secret Mission* (1942), as Medical Officer - *The Young Mr. Pitt* (1942), as Napoleon - *After Mein Kampf* (1940), Actor - *Dad for a Day* (1939), as Gas Station Patron - *Boží mlýny* (1938), Actor - *Žena pod křížem* (1937), as Gustav ## Gallery - ![Herbert Lom](https://film.one/media/person/118059/gallery-3ecf7a6bda93.jpg) Herbert Lom — Image via TMDB - ![Herbert Lom](https://film.one/media/person/118059/gallery-b3c33dc13336.jpg) Herbert Lom — Image via TMDB - ![Herbert Lom](https://film.one/media/person/118059/gallery-5fa8c304aad1.jpg) Herbert Lom — Image via TMDB - ![Herbert Lom](https://film.one/media/person/118059/gallery-f909517dd82d.jpg) Herbert Lom — Image via TMDB - ![Herbert Lom](https://film.one/media/person/118059/gallery-500da48f5b79.jpg) Herbert Lom — Image via TMDB ## Awards ### Other awards — 1 won, 1 nominated - Artis Bohemiae Amicis Medal 2001: Artis Bohemiae Amicis Medal (won) - Golden Raspberry Award for Worst Supporting Actor - Razzie Award 1986: Golden Raspberry Award for Worst Supporting Actor - Razzie Award (nominated), for *King Solomon's Mines* *From Wikidata, which records wins more completely than nominations.* --- © Fi1m Ltd. Written by AI under a human editor; checked against sources before publication. Quote with attribution and a link to the canonical URL. Canonical: https://film.one/person/herbert-lom