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1-41 of 41
- Actress
- Make-Up Department
- Soundtrack
Heidi Brühl was born on 30 January 1942 in Gräfelfing, Bavaria, Germany. She was an actress, known for Hochzeit auf Immenhof (1956), Der Zigeunerbaron (1962) and Ferien auf Immenhof (1957). She was married to Brett Halsey. She died on 8 June 1991 in Starnberg, Bavaria, Germany.- Ellen Schwiers was born on 11 June 1930 in Stettin, Pomerania, Germany [now Szczecin, Zachodniopomorskie, Poland]. She was an actress, known for Arms and the Man (1958), 1900 (1976) and Doktor Martin (2007). She was married to Peter Jacob. She died on 26 April 2019 in Starnberg, Bavaria, Germany.
- Actor
- Soundtrack
Growing up as the youngest of four sons of the merchant Jacobus Heesters and his wife Gertruida, née van der Hoevel, he began a commercial apprenticeship after finishing school. He actually wanted to become a priest, but then began an apprenticeship in a bank. In 1920 he switched to acting. He initially completed singing and acting training in Amsterdam and had his first theater engagements there in 1921. He later also played on stages in The Hague, Brussels and Rotterdam. In 1924 he received a supporting role in his first silent film "Cirque Hollandais" directed by Theo Frenkel. In 1930 Heesters married Louisa H. Ghijs, with whom he had two daughters, Wiesje and Nicole. He was married to his wife for 53 years until her death in 1985. After appearances at theaters in the Netherlands, Belgium and Switzerland, he received his first engagement as a tenor in operetta in 1934 in Millöcker's "The Begging Student" at the Vienna Volksoper. A year later, in 1936, he went to Berlin.
Here Heesters celebrated his breakthrough, first at the Komische Oper and then at the Metropoltheater and the Admiralspalast. He also owed his nickname "Jopie" to the audience in the German capital. He was immediately discovered for the film. Numerous UFA productions followed, such as his first leading role in "The Bettelstudent" (1936) and "The Court Concert" (1936). With "Gasparone" (1937) alongside Marika Rökk, Heesters became a film star. In 1938 he sang the role of Count Danilo for the first time in the Franz Léhar operetta "The Merry Widow", a role that he developed into one of his signature roles for 35 years. This was followed by "The Adventure Continues - Every Woman Has a Sweet Secret", "My Aunt - Your Aunt" (1939) and "Love School" (1940). The Reich Ministry for Public Enlightenment and Propaganda soon included him on the so-called "God-Given List". His attitude towards Nazi Germany was contradictory. Although he owed his success primarily to the UFA, he also rejected German citizenship. He neither became a member of the NSDAP nor did he explicitly distance himself from National Socialism.
Despite a few encounters with Adolf Hitler, he performed in the Netherlands in 1938 with a Jewish theater group that had fled Germany. There was massive criticism from abroad, especially in Holland, where he was accused of being a collaborator who was in German service when his homeland was occupied by the Wehrmacht. He celebrated great successes during the war years with films such as "Hello Janine" with Marika Rökk, "It began so harmlessly" with Theo Lingen and "Roses in Tirol" with Hans Moser. Despite his success in film, Heesters returned to theater after the Second World War. His popularity remained unbroken. Count Danilo's entrance song "I'm going to Maxim" from the operetta "The Merry Widow" became an evergreen. He appeared on stage in this role over 1,600 times. In 1953, Otto Preminger hired him for the Hollywood film "The Virgin on the Roof". Meanwhile, Heesters had already been involved in around 50 film productions by 1961. In 1970, after a long break from filming, he appeared in "The Inspector: Parking Lot Hyenas". "The Beautiful Wilhelmine" followed in 1983.
In 1984 Johannes Heesters became an honorary member of the Vienna Volksoper. In 1985 the comedy film "Otto - The Film" followed. Heesters was also active in literature. He described his life in his 1993 autobiography entitled "Thank God I'm Not Young Anymore." In the 1990s he appeared in front of the camera for the television plays "Two Munichers in Hamburg", "Two Old Hands" and "Between Night and Day". In 1992 Heesters married the actress Simone Rethel, who was 46 years his junior. From 1996 to the summer of 2001 he played alongside his wife in the play "A Blessed Age" written for him by Curth Flatow. In 1999 he was awarded a "Bambi" for his life's work. In 1997, at the age of 94, Heesters celebrated his 75th stage anniversary and went on tour with the play "A Blessed Age". At the turn of the millennium, Heesters, who was fond of tobacco and whiskey until old age, became the oldest active entertainer in the world. In 2001 he was honored with the Platinum Romy for his life's work.
In 2002, the 99-year-old Heesters was able to look back on 80 years on the stage. Another autobiographical work by Heesters followed in 2002 with the title "Even a hundred years are not enough". In 2003, Johannes Heesters received an honorary award from the "Bambi" for his life's work. In 2004, Heesters appeared four times in the role of the gentleman in Hofmannsthal's "Everyman". At the Wittenberge Elbland Festival he was awarded the title of "chamber singer". In August 2006, the first exhibition about Heesters took place in the Berlin Academy of Arts, which he personally opened with a song recital. In the year 2006 he received the "Honorary Radio Rainbow Award". In 2008, Heesters took on a supporting role in the Til Schweiger comedy "1 1/2 Knights - In Search of the Adorable Herzelinde". From July 2010, Heesters plays the king in Rolf Hochhuth's "Inselkomödie" in the Berliner Ensemble.
Johannes Heesters died on December 24, 2011 in Starnberg, at the age of 108.- Actor
- Additional Crew
- Director
One of the most popular and prolific character comedians of post-war German cinema, Georg Thomalla began his working life as an apprentice cook. In 1932, he joined a theatrical troupe and, before long, acted on stage in Berlin. After the war, he became a celebrated star of cabaret, an ensemble member of the 'Kabarett der Komiker'. In films from 1939, it took several years before his comic talent came to the fore. Stardom eventually arrived in the wake of Helmut Käutner's farce Fanfaren der Liebe (1951), in which the diminutive Thomalla appeared in drag as a member of a female orchestra. Thereafter, he remained consistently in demand for lightweight entertainments, which benefited from his considerable improvisational skills, quick wit and staccato delivery. His stock-in-trade screen personae were eccentric, befuddled and generally accident-prone bachelors, or out-of-their-depths fathers or husbands, who usually tended to fall victim to their own ineptitude.
In addition to numerous 'Paukerfilme' and 'Klamotten' (bawdy comedies, which may, or may not, be 'old hat'), Thomalla also played his fair share of comic sidekicks or friends of the hero, a noteworthy example being Kara Ben Nemsi's loquacious, but intensely loyal manservant and companion Hadschi Halef Omar in Karl May's Die Sklavenkarawane (1958). From 1961, Thomalla devoted more and more time to appearing in television and to voice-over work. He starred in his own half-hourly TV show, Komische Geschichten mit Georg Thomalla (1961), in which he played an average Joe afflicted by middle-age angst and confronted by a variety of everyday problems. This was essentially a German derivation from the British series Hancock (1961).
Though rarely seen in 'serious' roles, Thomalla did give at least one sensitive dramatic performance as a helpful truck driver in Käutner's East-West romance Sky Without Stars (1955).- Animation Department
- Writer
- Director
Loriot was once best known as a cartoonist, with the distinguishing feature that all his characters had potato-shaped noses. In the 1960s, he presented the TV series "Cartoon" which featured short animated cartoons from all over the world. In between the clips he acted in little funny sketches. These sketches were by a long way the funniest thing on German television and so Loriot was given his own TV show, only with sketches and no cartoons (except the odd one made by himself). This show turned out to be hugely successful and he was finally persuaded to lift this format to the feature film with Ödipussi (1988).- Actor
- Writer
- Director
Rolf Olsen was born on 26 December 1919 in Vienna, Austria. He was an actor and writer, known for Uneasy Summer (1967), Bloody Friday (1972) and Kompanie der Knallköppe (1971). He was married to Ilse Peternell. He died on 3 April 1998 in Starnberg, Bavaria, Germany.- German character actor on screen, TV and stage. Trained in Brunswick he had his stage debut in Freiburg. Later he was on stage in Frankfurt and since 1975 in Munich. After more and more bigger filmparts since 1949 he played his only leading role in The Kidnapping of Miss Nylon (1959). Then he became a very busy supporting actor in over fifty movies. Director Billy Wilder gave him the part as Chauffeur Fritz in One, Two, Three (1961) opposite James Cagney. He starred in several TV serials in Germany, best known as Inspector Janot in the longtime serial Dem Täter auf der Spur (1967) between 1967-73 and in Lutz & Hardy (1994). His most recognized and superb role was as Vater Kempowski in Tadellöser & Wolff (1975). He had his last appearance as guest-star in the final episode of Derrick (1974) in 1998.
- Writer
- Actor
- Director
Lothar G. Buchheim was born on 6 February 1918 in Weimar, Germany. He was a writer and actor, known for Das Boot (1981), Das Boot (2018) and Das Boot (1985). He was married to Diethild Wickboldt and Geneviève Militon. He died on 22 February 2007 in Starnberg, Bavaria, Germany.- Composer
- Music Department
- Actor
Heinz Kiessling was born on 11 March 1926 in Nuremberg, Germany. He was a composer and actor, known for It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia (2005), Whatever Works (2009) and Fractured (2019). He died on 27 December 2003 in Starnberg, Germany.- Gerhard Freund was born on 5 September 1925 in Vienna, Austria. He was a producer, known for Ein Fall für Männdli (1973), Münchner Geschichten (1974) and Floris von Rosemund (1975). He was married to Petra Schürmann and Marianne Koch. He died on 9 August 2008 in Starnberg, Bavaria, Germany.
- Haide Lorenz was born on 15 January 1925. She was an actress, known for Dreizehn Briefe (1967), Napoleon in New Orleans (1959) and Die Münze (1979). She died in May 2004 in Starnberg, Bavaria, Germany.
- Ruth Kappelsberger was born on 13 November 1927 in Munich, Bavaria, Germany. She was an actress, known for Drei weiße Birken (1961), False Shame (1958) and Das Schweigen im Walde (1955). She was married to Fred Bertelmann. She died on 5 September 2014 in Berg am Starnberger See, Bavaria, Germany.
- Actress
- Writer
Hertha Droemer was born on 23 February 1923. She was an actress and writer, known for Im sechsten Stock (1954), Alles oder nichts (1956) and Kein schöner Land (1989). She was married to Heinz Rühmann and Willy Droemer. She died on 20 April 2016 in Aufkirchen, Starnberg, Bavaria, Germany.- Actor
- Soundtrack
Walter Müller was born on 6 May 1911 in Prague, Austria-Hungary [now Czech Republic]. He was an actor, known for Im Weissen Rössl (1952), Mask in Blue (1953) and Hoch klingt der Radetzkymarsch (1958). He was married to Lisa Helwig. He died on 2 March 1969 in Starnberg, Bavaria, West Germany.- Karin Andersen was born on 9 December 1927 in Brandenburg an der Havel, Germany. She was an actress, known for Ferien auf Immenhof (1957), Alle kann ich nicht heiraten (1952) and Hochzeit auf Immenhof (1956). She was married to Paul Klinger. She died on 3 July 2013 in Starnberg, Söcking, Bavaria, Germany.
- Actress
- Additional Crew
Marianne Wischmann was born on 20 October 1921 in Düsseldorf, Germany. She was an actress, known for Im Weissen Rössl (1952), Philomena Marturano (1960) and Der Tod des Präsidenten (1967). She was married to Erwin Linder and Oliver Hassencamp. She died on 6 November 2009 in Starnberg, Bavaria, Germany.- Actor
- Soundtrack
Dietrich Fischer-Dieskau was born on 28 May 1925 in Berlin, Germany. He was an actor, known for Children of Men (2006), The Talented Mr. Ripley (1999) and The Marriage of Figaro (1976). He was married to Julia Varady, Christina Pugel-Schule, Ruth Leuwerik and Irmgard Poppen. He died on 18 May 2012 in Starnberg, Bavaria, Germany.- Herbert Marcuse was born on 19 July 1898 in Berlin, Germany. He was a writer, known for Carnet de identidad (1970), Drux Flux (2008) and Vater und Sohn (1984). He was married to Erica Sherover, Inge Werner and Sophie Wertheim. He died on 29 July 1979 in Starnberg, Bavaria, West Germany.
- Actor
- Writer
Helmut Brasch was born on 15 August 1912 in Berlin, Germany. He was an actor and writer, known for The Tin Drum (1979), Tales of the Vikings (1959) and Sommerliebe am Bodensee (1957). He died on 2 July 1987 in Starnberg, Bavaria, West Germany.- After graduating from high school in Breslau in 1920, he joined the German army. In 1923 Gehlen was promoted to lieutenant and in 1934 he was promoted to captain. In the meantime, Gehlen began studying at the War Academy in 1933, which he completed in 1935. Under the National Socialist government of Adolf Hitler he was appointed to the general staff in 1935/36. In 1939 Gehlen was promoted to major. He took part in the German attack on Poland that began in 1939 as first general staff officer of an infantry division. Gehlen also took part in the campaign against France and was appointed adjutant to Chief of General Staff Halder in October 1940. In April 1942, Gehlen was appointed head of the "Foreign Armies East" department in the General Staff of the German Army, where he was responsible for military reconnaissance in the East until 1945. In December 1942 Gehlen was promoted to colonel and towards the end of 1944 to major general.
From 1942 to 1945, Gehlen built up an extensive intelligence network in order to collect the necessary information, especially about the Red Army. However, in view of the German defeats in the Russian campaign, Gehlen's work increasingly lost credibility in Hitler's eyes, so he was replaced in April 1945 shortly before the German surrender. After the end of the war, Gehlen handed over his information network with extensive National Socialist intelligence material to the American occupying forces in 1945. Gehlen, who is said to have never been involved in politics during the Nazi regime in Germany despite his military career, was classified as not incriminated by the military tribunal in 1946. With the approval of the United States, the military expert was able to set up a foreign intelligence service in post-war Germany under the project name "Organization Gehlen", initially in Oberursel. In 1947 the organization moved to Pullach near Munich in order to be physically distant from the German seat of government. In 1955, the organization was officially handed over to the Federal Republic under the government of Konrad Adenauer.
On April 1, 1956, the Gehlen organization began its official work under the name "Federal Intelligence Service" (BND), which from then on was subordinate to the Federal Chancellery as an office. At the same time, the BND network in the GDR was dismantled towards the end of the 1950s. The infiltration of the BND by eastern agendas also cast a spectacular light on the organization and Gehlen. Domestic intelligence and his ideas about the meaning and function of the BND in the democratizing West German Republic also increasingly came under public criticism.
Nevertheless, Gehlen was able to continue to lead the successor organization BND as president beyond retirement age until May 1, 1968. In 1971 his book "The Service. Memories 1942-1971" was published.
Reinhard Gehlen died on June 8, 1979 in Berg, Starnberg district. - Gustav Meyrink was born on 19 January 1868 in Vienna, Austria-Hungary [now Austria]. He was a writer, known for Der Mann auf der Flasche (1920), Der Schwarze Meister (1919) and Das ganze Sein ist flammend Leid (1920). He was married to Philomene Bernt and Hedwig Aloysia Certl. He died on 4 December 1932 in Starnberg, Germany.
- Rudolf G. Binding was born on 13 August 1867 in Basel, Switzerland. He was a writer, known for Moselfahrt aus Liebeskummer (1953), Opfergang (1944) and Reitvorschrift für eine Geliebte (1963). He was married to Hedwig Blaser-Blanc and Helene Wirsing. He died on 4 August 1938 in Starnberg, Bavaria, Germany.
- Director
- Writer
- Actor
Dieter Pröttel was born on 31 October 1933 in Offenburg, Baden [now Baden-Württemberg], German Reich [now Germany]. He was a director and writer, known for Geld oder Leber! (1986), Europarty (1967) and Hätten Sie heut' Zeit für mich? (1972). He was married to Birte Pröttel. He died on 26 December 2022 in Starnberg, Bavaria, Germany.- Erwin Piscator was born on 17 December 1893 in Ulm, Greifenstein, Hesse, Germany. He was a director and writer, known for In der Sache J. Robert Oppenheimer (1964), Vosstaniye rybakov (1934) and Hoppla, wir leben! (1927). He was married to Maria Ley and Hildegard Jurczyk. He died on 30 March 1966 in Starnberg, Bavaria, West Germany.
- Lilo Fürst-Ramdohr was born on 11 October 1913 in Aschersleben, Germany. She was married to Carl Gebhard Fuerst and Otto Berndl. She died on 13 May 2013 in Starnberg, Bavaria, Germany.