Skip to content
MovieCove
Karel Štěpánek

Karel Štěpánek

Actor · Died December 25, 1980, aged 81 · Brünn, Moravia, Austria-Hungary [now Brno, Czech Republic]

Though born in Czechoslovakia, actor Karel Stepanek was generally regarded as a German actor due to his extensive film work in Germany (as Karl Stepanek) in the years before World War II. Stepanek fled to England in 1940, where, like many European refugee actors, he specialized in portraying Teutonic villains. He tried to stay away from out-and-out Nazi roles, but his predilection for wearing black uniforms and barking out guttural commands left little doubt as to the political preferences of Stepanek's screen characters. One of his most typical characterizations could be found in the 1946 POW drama, The Captive Heart; Stepanek also registered well as a friendlier foreigner in The Fallen Idol (1949). Commuting between London and Hollywood, Karel Stepanek continued to fight World War II, usually on the wrong side, into such '60s films as Sink the Bismarck! (1960), I Aim at the Stars (1960) and Operation Crossbow (1965).

Read more

Biography from TMDB.

Born
October 27, 1899
Died
December 25, 1980 (aged 81)
From
Brünn, Moravia, Austria-Hungary [now Brno, Czech Republic]
Works as
Actor
Titles
28 on MovieCove · 75 credits in all
Links
IMDb (opens in a new tab)TMDB (opens in a new tab)Wikidata (opens in a new tab)

Known for

TMDB popularity, last 39 days to Oct 28Down 22% in 30 days

What are Karel Štěpánek's films like?

Across their 16 MovieCove titles with a thematic analysis, their films lean Morality and Bonds.

Genres

Drama6 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 61st percentile, at or above their average across these genres
: browse their Drama movies
Action2 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 53rd percentile, at or above their average across these genres
: browse their Action movies
Adventure2 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 41st percentile
: browse their Adventure movies
Comedy2 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 54th percentile, at or above their average across these genres
: browse their Comedy movies
Horror2 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 15th percentile
: browse their Horror movies

Their MovieCove films by primary genre. The badge is the typical Midcredits score of the genre's films, the median percentile; an up arrow marks a genre at or above their average across these genres.

Themes

share of theme weight
Morality
38%
Bonds
23%
Power
16%
Survival
10%
Self
9%
Ideas
2%
Society
2%
Romantic love5 titles, browse their movies with this themeDeception4 titles, browse their movies with this themeFamily bonds3 titles, browse their movies with this themeSurvival3 titles, browse their movies with this themeBetrayal3 titles, browse their movies with this themeFreedom3 titles, browse their movies with this themeDuty2 titles, browse their movies with this themeGreed2 titles, browse their movies with this theme

What they feel like to watch

their average across 16 films
ToneFeelDemandtheir average · filled zone: the category
Grounded: How far its world departs from everyday reality. Browse their grounded movies.
Tone · Style
naturalisticheightened

Grounded 11 · Stylized 5 · Heightened 0

Charged: How hard the emotional peaks hit while you watch. Browse their charged movies.
Feel · Intensity
gentleintense

Gentle 3 · Charged 9 · Intense 4

Steady: How much it swings between very different feelings. Browse their steady movies.
Feel · Swings
steadyswings

Steady 8 · Shifting 8 · Whiplash 0

Straight-faced: How much of the runtime is played for laughs. Browse their straight-faced movies.
Feel · Humor
noneconstant

Straight-faced 11 · Some laughs 4 · Funny 1

Even-paced: How fast it moves from scene to scene. Browse their even-paced movies.
Demand · Pace
slowrelentless

A split, not a type: Slow burn 8 · Even-paced 6 · Relentless 2

Engaged: How much focus it asks of you — look away and lose the thread? Browse their engaged movies.
Demand · Attention
casualfull focus

Casual 5 · Engaged 10 · Full focus 1

Resolved: How much is left for you to interpret. Browse their resolved movies.
Demand · Resolution
resolvedambiguous

Resolved 13 · Open-ended 2 · Ambiguous 1

Roles they play

5 analyzed roles

Usually the Shadow: 4 of 5 analyzed roles.

Shadow
4 of 5
Threshold guardian
1 of 5

Moods and endings

endings are an aggregate; no title is named

Dominant moods · mentions across their titles

Tense
13
Dread
4
Melancholic
4
Joyful
3
Romantic
3
Other
10

How their films linger

Bittersweet7 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteFeel-good5 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteHopeful4 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteHaunting4 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteRousing3 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteThought-provoking3 titles, browse their movies with this aftertaste

How their films end · 3 with a twist

  • Happy7
  • Bittersweet6
  • Tragic2
  • Other1

AI-generated from each title's plot synopsis and cast list, with extra plot summaries, reviews and Parents Guide notes for titles the model may not know, and the model's own knowledge of the ones it recognizes. Only analyzed titles count, so this covers part of the filmography; the feel axes count films only for now.

Where can I watch Karel Štěpánek's films?

As of October 24, 2026, 11 of their 28 MovieCove titles stream on a subscription or free service, most on Tubi (6).

Also on these channels

Subscription and free streaming for Karel Štěpánek's titles on MovieCove; rent and buy are not counted. Titles are listed by Midcredits score, highest first, at most 12 per service; a dashed chip is a producer credit or a minor one, such as a thanks. A service opens the browse page, which counts movies only, so its number can differ.

Filmography

75 credits, 28 with a MovieCove page.

  • The Heroes of Telemark: Location report from Norway (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2003)

    Actor

  • The Games(1970)

    as Kubitsek

    Midcredits score: 54th percentile of all films

  • The File of the Golden Goose(1969)

    as Mueller

    Midcredits score: 24th percentile of all films

  • Before Winter Comes (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1969)

    as Count Kerassy

  • Murderers Club of Brooklyn (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1967)

    as Dyers

  • The Frozen Dead(1966)

    as General Lubeck

    Midcredits score: 15th percentile of all films

  • Sperrbezirk (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1966)

    as Inspector Wagner

  • The Heroes of Telemark(1965)

    as Hartmuller

    Midcredits score: 65th percentile of all films

  • Licensed to Kill (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1965)

    as Henrik Jacobsen

  • Operation Crossbow(1965)

    as Prof. Hoffer

    Midcredits score: 68th percentile of all films

  • Devil Doll(1964)

    as Dr. Heller

    Midcredits score: 14th percentile of all films

  • Aufstand der Gehorsamen (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1963)

    as Jawor Stranski

  • Das Kriminalmuseum (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1963)

    Show 1 episode · as Dr. Robert Großmann

  • Brainwashed(1960)

    as Baranow

    Midcredits score: 75th percentile of all films

  • I Aim at the Stars(1960)

    as Capt. Dornberger

    Midcredits score: 41st percentile of all films

  • Sink the Bismarck!(1960)

    as Admiral Lutjens - 'Bismarck'

    Midcredits score: 86th percentile of all films

  • Our Man in Havana(1959)

    as Dr. Braun

    Midcredits score: 85th percentile of all films

  • No Hiding Place (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1959)

    Show 1 episode · as Professor Remi

  • Operation Amsterdam(1959)

    as Diamond Merchant

    Midcredits score: 57th percentile of all films

  • Overseas Press Club - Exclusive! (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1957)

    Show 1 episode · as Rubici

  • The Accursed(1957)

    as Friederich Suderman

    Midcredits score: 30th percentile of all films

  • West of Suez (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1957)

    as Langford

  • Anastasia(1956)

    as Mikhail Vlados

    Midcredits score: 79th percentile of all films

  • Armchair Theatre (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1956)

    Show 1 episode · Actor

  • The Man in the Road (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1956)

    as Dmitri Balinkev

  • Man of the Moment(1955)

    as Lom

    Midcredits score: 54th percentile of all films

  • The Cockleshell Heroes(1955)

    as Assistant Gestapo Officer

    Midcredits score: 63rd percentile of all films

  • Secret Venture (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1955)

    as Zelinsky

  • A Prize of Gold(1955)

    as Dr. Zachmann

    Midcredits score: 32nd percentile of all films

  • Dangerous Cargo (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1954)

    as Pliny

  • Tale of Three Women (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1954)

    as Alfred Dykemann (segment "Final Twist' story)

  • City Beneath the Sea(1953)

    as Dwight Trevor

    Midcredits score: 20th percentile of all films

  • Rough Shoot (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1953)

    as Diss

  • Never Let Me Go(1953)

    as Commissar

    Midcredits score: 50th percentile of all films

  • Affair in Trinidad(1952)

    as Walters

    Midcredits score: 66th percentile of all films

  • Walk East on Beacon (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1952)

    as Alexi Laschenkov / Gregory Anders

  • No Highway in the Sky(1951)

    Actor

    Midcredits score: 85th percentile of all films

  • The Third Visitor (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1951)

    as Richard Carling

  • The Great Manhunt(1950)

    as Dr. Revo

    Midcredits score: 79th percentile of all films

  • Cairo Road (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1950)

    as Edouardo Pavlis

  • Golden Arrow (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1949)

    as Schroeder

  • Give Us This Day(1949)

    as Jaroslav

    Midcredits score: 80th percentile of all films

  • The Third Man(1949)

    as Actor at Josefstadt Theater (uncredited)

    Midcredits score: 98th percentile of all films

  • Conspirator(1949)

    as Radek

    Midcredits score: 41st percentile of all films

  • The Fallen Idol(1948)

    as First Secretary

    Midcredits score: 94th percentile of all films

  • Counterblast (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1948)

    as Professor Inman

  • Broken Journey (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1948)

    as Swiss Officer (uncredited)

  • The Captive Heart (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1946)

    as Forster

  • Escape to Danger (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1943)

    as Franz von Brinkman

  • They Met in the Dark (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1943)

    as Riccardo

  • Tomorrow We Live(1942)

    as Seitz

    Midcredits score: 43rd percentile of all films

  • Secret Mission(1942)

    as Major Lang

    Midcredits score: 19th percentile of all films

  • Our Film (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1942)

    as Soviet Visitor

  • Alles Schwindel (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1940)

    as Clubdiener

  • Drei Väter um Anna(1939)

    as Matschek

  • The Leghorn Hat (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1939)

    as Felix, Diener bei Farina

  • Hotel Sacher (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1939)

    as Franz

  • Another Experience (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1939)

    as Rechtsanwalt

  • War es der im 3. Stock? (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1939)

    as Georg Kilby

  • Narren im Schnee (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1938)

    as Rolf Pinkenkötter

  • Klatovští dragouni (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1938)

    Actor

  • The Bat (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1937)

    as Attaché Baranoff / Orlovsky

  • The Unknown (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1936)

    as Manager at Regina's

  • Stronger Than Paragraphs (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1936)

    as Robert Wendland

  • Der Außenseiter (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1935)

    as Otto Burian

  • The Grey Pikes Wharf (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1935)

    as Ladewig

  • Pozdní láska (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1935)

    Actor

  • Na růžích ustláno (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1935)

    Actor

  • Hermine and the Seven Upright Men (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1935)

    as Ruckstuhl

  • Waltz War (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1933)

    as Kellner Leopold

  • A Song for You (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1933)

    as Theo Bruckner

  • Spione im Savoy-Hotel (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1932)

    as Jackson

  • Five from the Jazzband (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1932)

    as Jean

  • Here's Berlin (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1932)

    as Max

  • Berlin-Alexanderplatz: The Story of Franz Biberkopf (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1931)

    Actor

Career shape

Star power in the 90th percentile of 239,109 people with a billed film role, over a full career of 75 titles from 1931 to 2003; peak year 1966.

Biggest box office

The Fallen Idol (1948)

$373K worldwide

Highest rated

The Fallen Idol (1948)

Midcredits 94th

Most popular right now

Sink the Bismarck! (1960)

Film career

19312003

Peak 1966 · at the high point of their film career. Film roles by billing, audience size and rating; 25+ votes. A show carries a single first-air date, so shows are not on the curve.

  • 1946Screen debut· The Captive Heart

By role

only this rolewith another role
Acting75 of 75: 75 only acting, 0 with another role · typical Midcredits score57th

By decade

1930s21 · acting1940s14 · acting1950s23 · acting1960s15 · acting1970s1 · acting2000s1 · acting

Billing

usually 11th · top billed in 0% of 12 roles
4656

Counts from TMDB across their full career, self appearances out; a title counts in every role they held on it. The ring is the typical Midcredits score (the median percentile) of the role's titles that are on MovieCove, shown from 5 scored. Billing is TMDB cast order for roles with 25+ votes, billed in the top 30; the columns are the share of top-billed roles in each era, 5-year spans from the year on the label, merged until each holds at least 5 roles.

How do Karel Štěpánek's films land?

Their typical MovieCove film has a Midcredits score in the 57th percentile, the median of the 27 of 28 with a score; across their 16 films with reception data, the typical film sits in the 45th percentile for acclaim.

Acclaim · how much people like their films

45thpercentile
Typical film, the median of 16

Approval · how many liked their films

44thpercentile
Typical film, the median of 16

Reach · how many have seen their films

39thpercentile
Typical film, the median of 16

Midcredits score across 27 titles, by percentile

  • 75th and up9
  • 50th to 74th8
  • 25th to 49th5
  • Below 25th5

Shape of the crowd

14 of their 27 titles are Crowd Pleasers.

  • Universally Loved2
  • Crowd Pleaser14
  • Broadly Agreed8
  • Mixed3

Most divisive · actor

Devil Doll (1964)

68th percentile spread · 46% rated it 4 or lower

Most loved · actor

The Third Man (1949)

Midcredits 98th · 86% liked

Reviewers score the acting 64/100 in their films, across 15 reviewed titles; fans 74, detractors 39. The element that speaks to their work as an actor.

Percentiles are each film's standing among all films on MovieCove; the typical film is the median, so one outlier cannot drag it. Percentiles and reviewer scores count the films IMDb credits them on, for now; the Midcredits score bands, the shape of the crowd and the two cards count their MovieCove titles, shows included (a show ranked among shows), appearances as themselves left out. A descriptor is the shape of a title's IMDb rating distribution against the catalog; "most divisive" needs a spread wider than half of all titles, and a card names only a principal credit: a craft role, and on a show a crew role or a run of episodes, never a courtesy credit or a one-off guest spot.

Who does Karel Štěpánek work with?

People who share at least 2 of Karel Štěpánek's MovieCove titles, grouped by what they did on them; Herbert Lom shares the most, 3.

Writers

Actors

Composers and cinematographers