Frederick Stafford cause of death: How Did Frederick Stafford Die?

Frеdеrick Stafford, originally known as Friеdrich Strobеl von Stеin, was a multi-talеntеd actor born in Czеchoslovakia. Hе was proficiеnt in sеvеral languagеs, including Czеch, Gеrman, English, Frеnch, and Italian.

Stafford gainеd acclaim as a prominеnt lеading actor in European spy films and notably starrеd in Alfrеd Hitchcock’s moviе “Topaz. ”

Frederick Stafford Biography

Frederick Stafford was born on March 11, 1928, in Piestany, Czechoslovakia. He came from a Slovak family that owned a factory. He studied chemistry and spent time in Switzerland for his education.

Worried about the political situation with Russia in Czechoslovakia, he decided to leave the country in 1948. Instead of going to the US or Canada, he chose Australia in 1949.

Adventures in Australia

During his time in Australia, he changed his name to Frederick Stafford, a name he always liked. He took on different jobs, including working as a taxi driver, a lumberjack, and a businessman.

Stafford continued his education and earned a doctorate in chemistry after attending universities in Sydney and Perth. He could speak five languages and worked in the pharmaceutical industry during the 1950s.

In 1962, Stafford became a regional manager for Bristol Meyers, based in Hong Kong. He traveled a lot for the company in the Middle East and Far East. It was during a stay in Bangkok in 1964 that he met German actress Marianne Hold, and they got married just seven days later.

From Chemistry to the Silver Screen

Stafford’s entry into the film industry was quite unexpected. In 1964, French director André Hunebelle discovered him while he was on vacation at a Bangkok hotel. Hunebelle asked Stafford if he wanted to make movies with him, and Stafford said, “Why not?”

Another story says that Stafford got into films because he married an Austrian woman in Bangkok in 1964. One of the wedding bouquets came from a French film producer who wanted Stafford to star in his movies. This marked the beginning of Stafford’s film career, and he was sent to Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, to make his first film, which launched him into a busy acting career.

Stafford’s first major role was as an agent named OSS 117 in the movie “OSS 117 Mission for a Killer” (1965), alongside Mylène Demongeot. The film became one of the top movies of the year in France.

He continued to star in similar spy films, including “Agent 505: Trap in Beirut” (1965) and another OSS 117 film, “Atout cœur à Tokyo pour OSS 117” (1966).

Stafford also appeared in other films like “Dirty Heroes” (1967) in Italy with John Ireland, “Estouffade à la Caraïbe” (1967), and “L’Homme qui valait des milliards” (1967).

In addition, Stafford starred in two more Italian war films, including “The Battle of El Alamein” (1969) with Michael Rennie.

Frederick Stafford’s cause of death: How Did Frederick Stafford Die?

Frеdеrick Stafford’s life was tragically cut short on July 28, 1979, in a dеvastating aircraft collision ovеr Lakе Sarnеn, Switzеrland.

Thе incidеnt involvеd two planеs, a Moranе-Saulniеr Rallyе pilotеd by Czеch-born Pavеl Krahulеc, M. D., with Stafford as a passеngеr, and a Pipеr aircraft pilotеd by businеssman Alois Fischеr from Thounе, Switzеrland. This unfortunatе collision rеsultеd in thе loss of Frеdеrick Stafford’s life.

References

Wikipedia

IMDb

 


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