Biografia

During WWII, he escaped the Emslandlager labor camp near Papenburg by disguising himself as a German officer after he managed to grab a uniform from the audience cloakroom.

Fluent in Dutch, English, French, German and Italian.

Played Capt. Von Trapp in the first national tour of "The Sound of Music" opposite Jeannie Carson and later Barbara Meister. He was considered composer Richard Rodgers' first choice to play the movie role that eventually went to Christopher Plummer.

Was invited by Laurence Olivier to co-star in his 1950 production of "Daphne Laureola". He changed his name from Jacques van Drielen Gimberg to John Van Dreelen. Following a tour of England, the play landed briefly in New York. Restrictive immigration laws made it impossible for him to stay in the US and he went back to Europe. He returned years later and made his US film debut in Amar e Morrer (1958). Director Douglas Sirk was reportedly instrumental in helping Van Dreelen and his wife emigrate to the US.

Played Audrey Hepburn's husband in both the English and French versions of the little-seen Monte Carlo Baby (1953).