Olaf Richter

 was a German actor in the 1920s.

Richter was lined up to play the starring role in Fritz Lang's science fiction epic Metropolis. However, in August 1925, when the Ninth Doctor visited Babelsberg Studio in Berlin, he claimed the role was meant to be played by Gustav Fröhlich, and that he had never heard of Richter.

During a break in the filming, Richter confronted Dieter Jovanovic's "puppet" that had been brought on to act as the Machine Man, the robot in the film. He grew jealous at the thought of it overshadowing his performance. However, the puppet was in fact a Cyberman under Jovanovic's control that he intended to use to sabotage the film's production. Compelled to follow Jovanovic's orders. the Cyberman murdered Richter.

The Doctor eventually dealt with the Cyberman and Jovanovic. Lang was able to keep the incident under wraps and it received little coverage in the press. Once production of the film resumed, Gustav Fröhlich was chosen to replace Richter in the lead role.

Anna Dreyfus, Lang's assistant, later confronted the Doctor about how he knew Fröhlich would take over from Richter, but he did not give her an answer. (AUDIO: Monsters in Metropolis)