Biography
Charles Puffy, also credited as Károly Huszár, Karl Huszár-Puffy and similar variants, was a Hungarian film actor. Born Károly Hochstein in Budapest on 3 November 1884, he began his career in Hungarian theatre and silent films around 1914, becoming the country's leading slapstick comedian under the name Pufi. He appeared in more than 130 films between 1914 and 1938.
Puffy worked extensively in Germany, with notable roles as Hawasch in Fritz Lang's Dr. Mabuse, the Gambler (1922) and the Emperor of China in Destiny (1921). In the United States he starred in Universal comedy shorts as Charles Puffy from 1925 to 1928, and later played supporting parts in films including The Man Who Laughs (1928) and Mockery (1927). He returned to Europe for the sound era, appearing as the proprietor in Josef von Sternberg's The Blue Angel (1930) and in several Hungarian productions. Jewish by background, he attempted to flee persecution during the Second World War but died in 1942 or 1943, reportedly in a Soviet internment camp.
