Clement von Franckenstein

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For the German opera composer, see Clemens von und zu Franckenstein.

Clement von Franckenstein
Born28 May 1944[1][2]
Sunninghill, Berkshire, England
Died9 May 2019(2019-05-09) (aged 74)
Los Angeles, California, U.S.
Other namesClement St. George
OccupationActor
Years active1971–2019
TitleFreiherr von und zu Franckenstein
Relatives
FamilyFranckenstein

Clement George Freiherr von und zu Franckenstein[2] (28 May 1944 – 9 May 2019) was an English actor, best known for his film and television work in the United States.[3] A member of the Franckenstein family, he was the only son of Austrian diplomat and dissident Georg von und zu Franckenstein. Between 1975 and 1989, he was credited under the stage name Clement St. George.

Family[edit]

Franckenstein was the only child Editha and Georg von und zu Franckenstein. His father was an Austrian Reichsfreiherr and diplomat who stayed in England after the Anschluss and received a British knighthood and British nationality, becoming an active intelligence and field agent at the OSS. His paternal uncle was the philologist Joseph von Franckenstein, and his uncle was composer Clemens von und zu Franckenstein. After the death of his father, Franckenstein inherited the title of Freiherr von und zu Franckenstein.

Early life[edit]

Franckenstein was born in Sunninghill, then in Buckinghamshire, on 28 May 1944.[1][2] His parents died in an aircraft crash in Germany on 14 October 1953, and from the age of nine he was brought up by his parents' British friends. He was educated at Sunningdale School and Eton College.[4][5] He served in the British Army, in the Royal Scots Greys, for three years and was discharged as a Lieutenant.[6]

Career[edit]

With aspirations towards becoming an opera singer, Franckenstein trained as a tenor for three years and performed in cabarets and musicals, but ultimately decided to pursue acting instead.[6] He initially went to castings as Clement St George as he thought "his real name might scare people". He moved to California in 1972 and joined the gentleman-playboy expat Brits like David Niven.

Franckenstein appeared in some eighty films; sometimes as the debonair escort for the leading lady or just wearing a leather thong. He was in Young Frankenstein, Robin Hood: Men in Tights and The American President, but was often low down the cast list or uncredited. He appeared as a corpse in Murder She Wrote.[5]

He said that California changed between the 1970s and the 1990s, as he told the Daily Telegraph in 1994: "In the 1970s, life was easy, everyone was laid-back, everyone had a good time ... Now it has become oppressive, charmless. You can't smoke in restaurants, everyone is carrying around boxes of condoms, and at parties now there's this thing called the "no host bar" - you have to pay for your own bloody drinks. I mean it's just not on".

Franckenstein told stories from his life for the Joe Frank radio show, 'Clement at Christmas', from his childhood though his early days in Hollywood, the first half of the show.

Personal life[edit]

Playing with Hugh Grant and Mick Jagger, Franckenstein was a long-standing member of the Beverly Hills Cricket Club.[5]

He never married, and was devoted to his beloved cat Tallulah.

Death[edit]

Von Franckenstein died from hypoxia at the Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles, on 9 May 2019 at the age of 74.[5] He had been in an induced coma for ten days.[3]

Selected filmography[edit]

References[edit]

  1. ^ a b "Clement Von Franckenstein". www.bafta.org. 22 May 2019.
  2. ^ a b c "Baron Clement von Franckenstein obituary" – via www.thetimes.co.uk.
  3. ^ a b Barnes, Mike (11 May 2019). "Clement von Franckenstein, Actor in 'The American President,' Dies at 74".
  4. ^ "Old Boys' News". School Notes. Sunningdale School: 11. Summer 2019.
  5. ^ a b c d "Clement von Franckenstein", obituary in the Dominion Post (New Zealand) of 1 June 2019 page C5 from the Telegraph Group (UK)
  6. ^ a b Obituaries, Telegraph (29 May 2019). "Baron Clement von Franckenstein, gentleman-playboy expat and actor who appeared in dozens of Hollywood films – obituary". The Telegraph. ISSN 0307-1235. Retrieved 12 April 2024.
  7. ^ Krome Studios (2002). Ty the Tasmanian Tiger (PlayStation 2, GameCube, Xbox). Electronic Arts. Level/area: Credits.
  8. ^ InXile Entertainment. The Bard’s Tale. InXile Entertainment. Scene: Ending credits, 2:10:27 in, More Great Talent.
  9. ^ Krome Studios (2004). Ty the Tasmanian Tiger 2: Bush Rescue (PlayStation 2, GameCube, Xbox). Electronic Arts. Level/area: Credits.
  10. ^ Krome Studios (2005). Ty the Tasmanian Tiger 3: Night of the Quinkan (PlayStation 2, GameCube, Xbox). Activison. Level/area: Credits.

External links[edit]

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