Roman Bohnen

Actor: Roman Bohnen

Born: Nov 24, 1894 in St. Paul, Minnesota
Died: Feb 24, 1949 in Hollywood, California
Occupation: Actor
Active: '40s
Major Genres: Drama
Career Highlights: Of Mice and Men, The Strange Love of Martha Ivers, Kazan
First Major Screen Credit: Of Mice and Men (1939)

Biography

Roman Bohnen studied at the prestigious Munich Business School, then completed his education in his home state at the University of Minnesota. Rechannelled into an acting career, Bohnen worked in many a Broadway and Theatre Guild production before being brought to films by producer Walter Wanger in 1938. Generally cast as rheumy-eyed, defeated old men, Bohnen was brilliant as the pathetic Candy in Of Mice and Men (1939) and the disastrously well-intentioned prison warden in Brute Force (1947). His other screen roles included the title character's father in Song of Bernadette (1943), Captain Ernst Roehm in The Hitler Gang (1944) and Pat Denny in The Best Years of Our Lives. A co-founder of the politically controversial Actors Lab, Roman Bohnen died on stage while appearing in the Lab's production Distant Isle. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide