[1] Varno's father was a tea planter, Martin Fredrick Vuerhard, and his mother was a concert pianist.

Although they hoped for him to have a military career, he began acting when he was 16 years old, the youngest member of the royal Dutch theater at that time.

During World War II, Varno served in the Office of Strategic Services, the predecessor to the Central Intelligence Agency.

[4] Varno also appeared on TV series including Space Patrol, the Adventures of Wild Bill Hickok and 77 Sunset Strip.

Born Jacob Frederik Vuerhard, he was the father of Martin Varno, author of the 1958 science fiction film Night of the Blood Beast.