Actor. Although he made his film debut in France as early as 1910 (as Shylock in a one-reel version of “The Merchant of Venice”), he did not become a star until the 1930’s, playing Jean Valjean in “Les Miserables” (1934), the title characters in “Rothschild” (1933), “Taras Bulba” (1936),  “The Great Love of Beethoven” (1936),  and “Volpone” (1939).  With the Nazi occupation of France in 1940,  Baur made public pro-French statements and as punishment was forced into making films in Germany.  In Berlin in 1942 Baur’s Jewish wife was arrested on false charges of espionage,  and when he tried to secure her release he was arrested himself and tortured by the Gestapo.  He was subsequently sent to the concentration camp at Drancy,  on the outskirts of Paris.  In April of 1943 Baur was released but died mysteriously in Paris a few days later.  His death further inflamed anti-German sentiment and his funeral was the occasion of a huge public demonstration. (bio by: Bobb Edwards)