by Hal Erickson
biography
German actor Walter Rilla used the rise of Hitler as his cue to get out of his native country while the getting was good. Having no trouble establishing himself in British and French films after 1934 (he'd been on stage for 13 years at that time), Rilla specialized in sinister foreigners -- and, of course, Nazis during the war years. After the war, Rilla continued his evil film ways in a progression of appearances as sultans, megalomaniacs and corporate villains. Walter Rilla was the father of prominent British-based film director Wolf Rilla; the elder Rilla's own directorial career was confined to one film, 1951's Behold the Man, and several stage and TV productions.
