Through the years, I have interviewed my share of Hollywood figures, but in terms of sheer powers of intimidation, none will ever top Norman Lloyd.

It wasn’t that Lloyd, who died May 11 at the age of 106, was a big star or even particularly well known; he was neither. What inspired my fear was the way in which Lloyd presented himself on-screen: his haughty tone of voice, his fierce intelligence, his seemingly unforgiving manner.