Kurt Kasznar (August 13, 1913 – August 6, 1979) was a stage, film, and television actor.
Kasznar was born in Vienna, Austria. He emigrated to the United States in the mid-1930s for The Eternal Road in which he played 12 roles. In 1941, he was drafted into the United States Army. He was trained as a cinematographer and later served in the Pacific. He was assigned to an army photographic unit and was part of the team that filmed the signing of the Japanese surrender aboard the USS Missouri.
Kasznar's first major Broadway appearance was in The Happy Time. (He recreated his role for the film version and earned a Golden Globe nomination for his performance.) He also appeared on Broadway in Barefoot in the Park, Waiting for Godot, Six Characters in Search of an Author, and The Sound of Music, for which he was nominated for the Tony Award for Best Performance by a Featured Actor in a Musical.
Kasznar appeared in more than 80 films and television shows, and had a regular role in the television series Land of the Giants as Alexander Fitzhugh. His feature films included Lili, Kiss Me, Kate, The Last Time I Saw Paris, My Sister Eileen, A Farewell to Arms, and 55 Days at Peking.
Kasznar died of cancer in Santa Monica, California.
As a young man, Kurt Kasznar enrolled in Max Reinhardt's seminars. He came to the US in the mid-30s in "The Eternal Road" in which he played at least 12 roles. In 1941 he produced the New York show "Crazy With the Heat." That same year he was drafted into the army, where he was trained as a cinematographer and served in the Pacific. His first major Broadway role was "The Happy Time." Kasznar also played in "The Sound Of Music," "Barefoot in The Park," "Waiting for Godot" and "Six Characters In Search Of An Author." He appeared in many films.
