Anecdotes

Appeared in the pilot, Hack Prine (1956), for the Gunsmoke (1955) TV series. CBS decided to air a different show for the premiere, however, and this episode was aired later in the first season.

After overcoming a drinking problem, he played few drunks in his career. The few exceptions were Boulevard des passions (1949) and Le Loup-garou (1956). In Une femme en enfer (1955) he plays a member of A.A.

Never appeared in a film or TV show with his son Michael F. Blake as a father and son, although they both appeared in one episode of Kung Fu (1972) and in the film Le Dernier Train pour Frisco (1971).

While under contract at Universal, the studio was eager to have him do his vaudeville act in part of a movie. Blake refused, stating that to do so would devalue his act, making it worthless when he wanted to play vaudeville dates between films (many vaudeville acts were quick to appear in films, only to see their stage popularity disappear virtually overnight). Sadly, no film ever captured his unique act, although his screen test for Universal gives a hint of what it may have been like.

He was the first actor to appear in an American film as Adolf Hitler. Universal's Après (1937) was cut heavily to appease the German government. However, in September of 1939, just days after Germany invaded Poland, Universal added additional footage, using Blake made up as Hitler for additional scenes and quickly rushed the film into theaters. It did not make any impact on the box office. Blake also played Max Weil in the film.

Father of Michael F. Blake

Probably best remembered by sci-fi fans as the policeman drawn up into the alien spaceship who has his brain zapped and his body thrown out of the craft, in Les soucoupes volantes attaquent (1956).