Handsome Hungarian actor, one of the greatest silent stars of his country and the first Hungarian to make a film in the USA (for Cecil B.DeMille).

Varconi became a matinée idol on stage and made his Hungarian screen debut in 1913. 1920 saw him in his first major German/Austrian co-production, starring opposite Pola Negri in Camille (1920).
In 1924 Varconi sailed to America to try his luck in Hollywood. Based on his exceptional work as the "Angel of the Lord" in the German/Austrian version of Sodom und Gomorrha (1922), Cecil B. DeMille cast him in his first U.S. film opposite established star Leatrice Joy in Triumph (1924). He worked for DeMille on a number of silent films, including Changing Husbands (1924), Feet of Clay (1924), The Volga Boatman (1926) and The King of Kings (as Pontius Pilate,1927)

Elegant and with impeccable manners, Varconi went on to share the screen with some of silent film's loveliest and talented ladies, including Agnes Ayres, Marie Prevost and Jetta Goudal. His performance as the cuckolded husband of Phyllis Haver's flashy jailbird Roxie Hart in the silent version of Chicago (1927) was exceptional. His last major silent role was that of Nelson in The Divine Lady (1929) co-starring Oscar-nominated Corinne Griffith as Emma Hamilton.

The arrival of sound caused major problems for Varconi, who had a thick accent, and he regressed to ethnic character roles - often playing foreign or royal dignitaries, continental cads or cultivated villains. The forced move probably added years to his Hollywood life. World War II used his talents playing nefarious Axis commanders in spy intrigue and war dramas. In The Hitler Gang (1944), he played an excellent Rudolf Hess. Varconi also appeared in many of DeMille's talking epics such as The Plainsman (as an Indian chief, 1936), Reap the Wild Wind (1942), Unconquered (1947) and Samson and Delilah (1949).