John Van Dreelen

[Guest]

John van Dreelen in The Man From U.N.C.L.E.

John van Dreelen (5 May 1922, Amsterdam – 4 September 1992, Cap d'Agde) was a Dutch actor who was a frequent performer on American television during the guest-star heyday of the 1960s and 70s. He was born Jacques van Drielen Gimberg and until 1950 his stage name was Jack Gimberg, at which time he changed it to John van Dreelen.

The son of Dutch actor and director Louis Gimberg and a member of the Dutch/French Labouchere family, van Dreelen may have developed his debonair countenance with help from his continental pedigree. Fluent in several languages, he escaped the Emslandlager labor camp near Papenburg by disguising himself as one of the German officers he would later play so often on both big and small screens. Though he appeared in many European films, van Dreelen is best remembered as an A-list guest star in dozens of American television shows from the early sixties to the mid-eighties.

Never a major player in American theatrical films, he nonetheless scored a few choice roles, including the Danish concert pianist who rescues and woos Lana Turner during an extended sequence in Madame X (1966). Van Dreelen also enjoyed an international stage career and starred in a Dutch staging of My Fair Lady as well as the original American touring production of The Sound of Music. (According to the actor, Richard Rodgers wanted van Dreelen and Audrey Hepburn to play the film's leads.

[Northern Lights]

THEATRICAL FILMS (English Language)

Becoming Colette (1991) as Albert
Mascara (1987) officially listed as "Minister Weinberger," but billed only
....in closing credits as "Old Man" as a dig by producers who were angered by
....his insistence that he dub his own lines for the English-language version--
....and be paid for it. As a result they cut his lines altogether, and he
....appears only in three quick and incongruous shots as an aristocrat
....admiring a transvestite performer.
Johann Strauss, The King Without A Crown (1987)
The Money Pit (1986) as Carlos
The Formula (1980) as Hans Lehman, Prefect of Police Berlin
Too Hot to Handle (1976) as MacKenzie Portman
Lost Horizon (1973) as Doctor Verden
The Big Game (1972) as Lee
Topaz (1969) as Claude Martin
I Deal In Danger (1966) as von Lindendorf (Theatrical release of compiled "Blue Light" TV episodes)
Madame X (1966) as Christian Torben
Von Ryan's Express (1965) as Colonel Gortz
The Enemy General (1960) as General Bruger
13 Ghosts (1960) as Van Allen
Beyond the Time Barrier (1960) as Dr. Bourman
The Leech Woman (1960) as David Garvey
The Wizard of Baghdad (1960) as Jullnar, Sultan of Cairo
Sex Kittens Go to College (1960)
The Flying Fontaines (1959) as Victor Fontaine
A Time to Love and a Time to Die (1958) as Political Officer
Monte Carlo Baby (1952) (English-language version of Nous irons a Monte Carlo)

THEATRICAL FILMS (Foreign Language)

Born to Fight (1989) as General Weber
Gummibarchen kusst man nicht (1989) as Geyer (Real Men Don't Eat Gummi Bears)
Zoeken naar Eileen (1987) as Philips Vader (Looking For Eileen)
Odyssee d'amour (1987) as Dr. Alexander De Winter (Love Odyssey)
Rufus (1975) as Marcel
Nachtschatten (1972) as Jan Eckmann (Nightshade)
Die Ente klingelt um halb acht (1968) as Rechtsanwalt Kellermann (The Duck Rings at Half Past Seven)
Hier Bin Ich, Hier Bleib Ich (1958)
In Hamburg sind die Nachte lang (1955)
Der Letzte Akt (1955) (Hitler: The Last Ten Days/The Last Act)
Ein Madchen aus Paris (1954) (A Girl From Paris)
Moselfahrt aus Liebeskummer (1953) as Bernd Zagler
Rote Rosen, rote Lippen, roter Wein (1953) as Hans Westhoff
Cara mia (1952)
Brelan d'as (1952) as Lemmy Caution (Full House; "Je suis un tendre" segment)
Nous irons a Monte Carlo (1952) as Rudy Walter (French-language version)
Niet Tevergeefs (1948) (But Not In Vain)
Gigi (1948) (uncredited)

MADE-FOR-TV MOVIES (American)

Noble House (1988) (mini-series) as Jacques DeVille
Windmills of the Gods (1988) (mini-series)
Covenant (1985) as Heinrich Bosch
Evita Peron (1981) as Captain von Weber
Swan Song (1980) as Bergstrom
The Ultimate Impostor (1979) as Ruben Parets
The Word (1978) (mini-series) as Dr. Fass
The Clone Master (1978) as Salt
The Great Wallendas (1978) as Herman Wallenda
The Rhinemann Exchange (1977) (mini-series) as Dietrich
My Dog, the Thief (1969) (2-part episode of The Wonderful World of Disney) as Travell
The Treasure of San Bosco Reef (1968) (2-part episode of Walt Disney's Wonderful World of Color)
See How They Run (1964)

MADE-FOR-TV MOVIES (Foreign Language)

Tatort: Nachtfrost (1974)
Diamantenparty (1973) as Konni (The Diamond Party)
Laura (1962) as Shelby Carpenter

[Northern Lights]

TV SERIES (American)

Airwolf (10/26/85) "Crossover" as Victor Janek
Dynasty (9/25/85) "The Aftermath" as Archbishop of Moldavia
Dynasty (5/15/85) "Royal Wedding" as Archbishop of Moldavia
Knight Rider (2/10/85) "Buyout" as Hans Kleiser
Cover-Up (11/24/84) "Writer's Block" as Malcolm Caine
Paper Dolls (10/23/84) as Dr. Zwan
Falcon Crest (10/5/84) "Father's Day" as Johan Riebmann
Falcon Crest (9/28/84) "Requiem" as Johan Riebmann
Remington Steele (12/13/83) "Steele Threads" as Francois Periot
Hart to Hart (2/15/83) "Harts on the Scent" as Henri Beaumont
Hagen (4/17/80) "Nightmare"
House Calls (12/79) "Side by Side"
Time Express (5/19/78) "Death" as Dr. Val
Wonder Woman (2/24/78) "Flight to Oblivion" as Dante
The Hardy Boys/Nancy Drew Mysteries (9/11/77) "...Meet Dracula" as Mayor Haufmann
Charlie's Angels (2/23/77) "Dancing in the Dark" as Alexander Cruz
The Six Million Dollar Man (10/24/76) "H+2+O = Death" as Matheson
Police Story (2/4/75) "To Steal a Million" as John Vander Veer
Barnaby Jones (10/15/74) "Forfeit by Death" as Victor Sonderheim
The Six Million Dollar Man (3/29/74) "Dr. Wells is Missing" as Alfredo Tucelli
The Sandy Duncan Show (11/26/72)
Man and the City (11/10/71) "Deadly Fountain"
Marcus Welby, M.D. (2/23/71) "Cynthia" as Frederick Bramstedt
Ironside (10/29 & 11/5/70) "Check, Mate, and Murder, Parts 1 and 2"
McCloud (10/21/70) "Our Man in Paris"
Get Smart (4/24/70) "What's It All About, Algie?" as Algernon DeGrasse
Paris 7000 (2/12/70) "Journey to Nowhere"
The F.B.I. (1/25/70) "Deadly Reunion" as Conrad
Bracken's World (10/24/69) "Closed Set"
It Takes a Thief (10/9/69) "The Beautiful People" as General Alekseiko
The Wild, Wild West (3/21/69) "The Night of the Cossacks" as Count Balkovitch
The Mod Squad (11/19/68) "Find Tara Chapman" as Karl
Name of the Game (10/25/68) "Incident in Berlin" as Karl Diest
It Takes a Thief (10/8/68) "The Bill is in Committee" as Valdone
Green Acres (10/2/68) "The Rummage Sale" as Count Freidmeister
Run for Your Life (2/28/68) "Beware My Love" as Henrik Verbek
It Takes a Thief (2/20/68) "Totally By Design" as Hosseine
Ironside (12/28/67) "The Fourteenth Runner"
The F.B.I. (11/5/67) "A Sleeper Wakes" as Stanley Brown
Garrison's Gorillas (9/13/67) "Breakout" as Col. Mantfreeling
Tarzan (2/24/67) "To Steal the Rising Sun"
Run for Your Life (2/20/67) "The Calculus of Chaos" as Jan Vlasek
Mission: Impossible (2/4/67) "The Diamond" as Prime Minister Henrik Durvard
Combat! (1/24/67) "Anniversary" as Lt. Kramer
Voyage to the Bottom of the Sea (1/8/67) "Death From the Past" as Adm. Von Neuberg
Insight (1967) "Trial by Fire"
Three for Danger (1967) (pilot)
The F.B.I. (11/20/66) "Vendetta" as Karl Schindler
The Wild, Wild West (11/11/66) "The Night of the Watery Death" as Marquis Philippe de La Mer
12 O'Clock High (10/24/66) "Practice to Deceive" as Colonel von Datz
Jericho (10/13/66) "Panic in the Piazza" as Colonel Gunther
Man Who Never Was (9/21/66) "Search for a Bent Twig"
12 O'Clock High (3/28/66) "Day of Reckoning" as Major Schindler
The F.B.I. (3/27 & 4/3/66) "The Defector, Parts 1 and 2" as Alex Yustov
Blue Light (1/26/66) "The Fortress Below" as von Lindendorf
Blue Light (1/19/66) "Target: David March" as von Lindendorf
12 O'Clock High (1/10/66) "The Slaughter Pen" as General Reger
Blue Light (1/5/66) "The Last Man" as von Lindendorf
I Spy (11/3/65) "Time of the Knife" as Kraft
12 O'Clock High (4/23 & 4/30/65) "P.O.W., Parts 1 and 2" as Captain Staufman
Bob Hope Chrysler Theatre (4/7/65) "Memorandum for a Spy" as Strellin
Perry Mason (2/11/1965) "The Case of the Feather Cloak" as Jarvis Logan
Voyage to the Bottom of the Sea (1/4/65) "The Last Battle" as Schroder
The Man from U.N.C.L.E. (11/10/64) "The Giuoco Piano Affair" as Harold Bufferton
12 O'Clock High (11/6/64) "Decision" as General Hoeptner
The Man from U.N.C.L.E. (10/6/64) "The Quadripartite Affair" as Harold Bufferton
The Twilight Zone (4/17/1964) "The Jeopardy Room" as Vassiloff
My Three Sons (3/19/64) "What's the Princess Really Like?" as Prince Sandro
Walt Disney's Wonderful World of Color (3/1/64) "The Legend of Two Gypsy Dogs" (narrator)
Perry Mason (2/6/1964) "The Case of the Bountiful Beauty" as Gideon Long
Kraft Suspense Theatre (1/30/64) "Leviathan Five" as Dr. Eduardo Lenzi
Bob Hope Chrysler Theatre (11/1/63) "Four Kings" as Col. Nauman
Grindl (10/6/63) "The Ghastly Honeymoon" as Antoine
Gallant Men (4/27/63) "Lesson for a Lover" as Francioso Cardinale
77 Sunset Strip (6/13/62) "Upbeat" as Hendrick van Horn
Thriller (4/2/62) "Man of Mystery" as Joel Stone
Rawhide (3/16/1962) "The Immigrants" as Count Ulrich
Hawaiian Eye (1/31/62) "My Love but Lightly" as Curt Viner
77 Sunset Strip (1/26/62) "The Diplomatic Caper" as Volta
King of Diamonds (1962) "Carla"
Dick Powell Show (10/31/61) "Out of the Night"
Gunsmoke (5/20/61) "Chester's Dilemma" as Hans Gruber
Hawaiian Eye (5/17/61) "The Big Dealer" as Hilary Kane
Surfside 6 (5/8/61) "Spinout at Sebring" as Martin Harriby
Assignment Underwater (5/5/61) "Rescue at Diamond Shoal" as Jacques Blanchard
77 Sunset Strip (4/7/61) "Vamp Til Ready" as Max Comstock
77 Sunset Strip (3/3/61) "Tiger by the Tail" as Padi Shah of Benar
Lawman (2/19/61) "The Promoter" as Malcolm Tyler DeVries
Adventures in Paradise (2/9/61) "The Good Killing" as Caret
Roaring 20's (2/4/61) "Two a Day" as Alonzo the Great
Hawaiian Eye (12/7/60) "Swan Song for a Hero" as Otto von Helgren
Surfside 6 (12/5/60) "The International Net" as Fredrik Lundstrom
77 Sunset Strip (12/2/60) "The Antwerp Caper" as Alexis Manet
Hawaiian Eye (9/21/60) "Princess from Manhattan" as Prince Abdur Rahman
Men into Space (5/25/60) "Mission to Mars" as Col. Tolchek
The Detectives Starring Robert Taylor (5/20/60) "The Retirement of Maria Muir" as Dr. David Fredericks
77 Sunset Strip (5/13/60) "Spark of Freedom" as Colonel Szatmar
Overland Trail (4/24/60) "Mission Into Mexico" as Capt. Fortesque
Adventures in Paradise (4/11/60) "Passage to Tua" as Charles Arnoux
Hawaiian Eye (3/23/60) "Second Fiddle" as Gregor Kandinsky
Adventures in Paradise (2/8/60) "The Color of Venom" as Lt. Truveaux
Oh! Susanna (The Gale Storm Show) (10/29/59) "Calling Scotland Yard" as Thorbury
The Man and the Challenge (10/3/59) "Sky Diving" as Georges Bolet
The Millionaire (5/13/59) "Millionaire Bill Franklin" as Hugh Wilson
77 Sunset Strip (5/8/59) "Downbeat" as Hendrick van Horn
World of Giants (1959) "Chemical Story"/"Ice Chamber"
The Clock (12/29/50) "The New Year Caper"
Somerset Maugham Theatre (11/29/50) "The String of Beads"
Studio One (11/27/50) "The Shadow of a Man"

TV SERIES (Foreign Language)

Unsere Hagenbecks (1990) as Sir Henry (recurring) (The Hagenbeck Family)
Ons Soort Mensen (c.1990) (Our Kind of People)
Beppie (1989)
L'Heure Simenon (1988) "La Maison du Canal" as Uncle Louis (The Simenon Hour)
Lessen in Liefde (c.1980) (Lessons in Life)
Hamburg Transit (1970) "Wie ihr das macht, ist eure Sache" as Van Drees
Ehen vor Gericht (1970) (Couples in Court)
De Kleine Zielen (1969) as Henri van der Welcke (series lead) (The Small Souls)
Von 0 Uhr 1 Bis Mitternacht (1967) as Mark Lissen (series lead)
Stille Waters (c.1966) (Still Waters)
Vadertje Langbeen (c.1964)

Unverified credits include appearances on the TV series "Robert Montgomery's Lucky Strike Theatre" and "Paris Precinct"; the TV-movie "The Quest" (1976); and the theatrical film "Dirty Business" (1972).

[Guest]

Lol, looking at all those different shows, the tag 'Guest star' would certainly apply to him! Impressive resumé.