supporting players in "Journey into Fear' ('43)

[Prof Steven P Hill]

Does any Welles expert out there know who plays a few of the
supporting players in "Journey into Fear" ('43)?

1. The 30ish (or 40ish) male member of the Turkish ship's higher
ranking crew who translates for Joseph Cotten when Cotten tries to
plead with the ship captain (Richard Bennett). (Unfortunately, the
captain merely roars with laughter and says "boom-boom!")
Could the translator be Stefan Schnabel? Or Robt. Meltzer? Herb
Drake? Bill Roberts?

2. The 2 Russian-speaking cleaning ladies in the Batumi hotel
who bring in fresh sheets just before the final thrilling shootout
on the hotel ledge in the blinding rain)?

3. Does "Waiter" Alex Melesh speak any dialog that would
identify him?

4. Does the familiar Torben Meyer really act the role of one
of the "waiters"? Or is that listing on IMDB a mistake? (The
"waiter" in question seems to me to resemble Mr Meyer only
slightly, but I'm not convinced it's really he.

Gratefully,
Prof Steven P Hill, Cinema Studies, University of Illinois (USA).
" S (DOT) HILL4 (AT) UIUC (DOT) EDU "

[Roger Ryan]

The answer to question #1 is definitely Stephen (or Stefan) Schnabel.

I'm afraid I don't have any other info regarding the supporting players you mentioned, apart from the fact that Robert Meltzer plays the mostly silent crewman with the dark moustache (he's the one who takes Cotten's bags when boarding the ship and is later seen serving food in the dining area).

An interesting aside: Welles scripted a new ending to JOURNEY INTO FEAR while in Brazil which he hoped to shoot in Rio and match with footage shot in Hollywood (this was never done). Since the new ending would feature Haki being interviewed by a number of journalists, Welles intended to cast his various IT'S ALL TRUE production assistants and crew as reporters. Richard Wilson would have played the lead journalist. In a handwritten note scribbled in the margin of the script, Welles comments that Meltzer could play another reporter "if he agrees to shave the moustache"!

[François Thomas]

Answer to question 2:

Sophia Doombadz and Anna Delinsky (according to an undated cast list held by the Lilly Library).

I have no clue regarding 3 and 4.

[Prof Steven P Hill]

Thanks a million to Roger Ryan and Francois Thomas for sending me rare information about supporting actors in "Journey into Fear." -- Prof Steven P Hill, University of Illinois " S (DASH) HILL4 (AT) UIUC (DOT) EDU "