Walter Slezak 3 May 1902 21 April 1983 was a portly Austrian character actor who appeared in numerous Hollywood films Slezak often portrayed villains or thugs most notably the German Uboat captain in Alfred Hitchcocks 1944 Lifeboat but occasionally he got to play lighter roles as in 1962s The Wonderful World of the Brothers Grimm He also played a cheerfully corrupt and philosophical private detective in the 1947 film noir Born to Kill and appeared as Squire Trelawney in the 1972 version of Treasure Island