Peter Lorre, born László Löwenstein (1904-1964), was a Hungarian-American character actor of Jewish descent from Rózsahegy (now Ružomberok, Slovakia). His portrayal of a child murderer in Fritz Lang's M (1931) brought him international fame and is still ranked among the greatest screen performances ever. Fleeing Nazi Germany, he settled in Hollywood and became a fixture of film noir alongside Humphrey Bogart - most memorably in The Maltese Falcon (1941) and Casablanca (1942). His distinctive voice and bulging eyes made him one of the most imitated and caricatured actors of the 20th century.
Turner Classic Movies included Lorre in the August birthday program TCM Birthday Tribute (August 12, 2026).
The encyclopedia The Animated Peter Lorre by Matthew Hahn was published, which covers over 700 references, imitations and parodies of the actor in popular media.
