German actors who were born in 1905
Here are 18 famous actors from Germany were born in 1905:
Wolfgang Liebeneiner
Wolfgang Liebeneiner (October 6, 1905 Lubawka-November 28, 1987 Vienna) a.k.a. Wolfgang Georg Louis Liebeneiner was a German film director, actor, screenwriter, theatre director and television director. His child is called Johanna Liebeneiner.
Born in Lubawka, Bohemia (then part of the Austrian Empire), Liebeneiner started his career as an actor in the 1920s before transitioning into directing in 1936. He became a prominent figure in the German film industry during the Nazi regime, with his films often reflecting Nazi propaganda. However, he later expressed regret for his involvement in Nazi propaganda films and worked to distance himself from his past.
After World War II, Liebeneiner continued his career in Austria and worked on numerous films and TV productions throughout his lifetime. He was also a respected theatre director, having worked at the Burgtheater in Vienna and the Deutsches Theater in Berlin.
In addition to his work in the entertainment industry, Liebeneiner was also an advocate for animal rights and founded the Wolfgang Liebeneiner Animal Welfare Foundation in 1970. He passed away in 1987 in Vienna at the age of 82.
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Max Schmeling
Max Schmeling (September 28, 1905 Klein Luckow-February 2, 2005 Wenzendorf) also known as Maximillian Adolph Otto Siegfried Schmeling, The Black Uhlan, Black Uhlan of the Rhine, Maximillian Adolph Otto Siegfried "Max" Schmeling, German Dempsey or Max was a German professional boxer, actor and businessperson.
Schmeling was one of the most famous boxers of the 20th century, having won both the heavyweight championship of the world and an Olympic gold medal in boxing for Germany. He is largely remembered for his two fights against Joe Louis, where he won the first match in a major upset but was defeated in a highly publicized rematch.
Outside of the ring, Schmeling was a controversial figure owing to his association with the Nazi party in Germany. However, he was later known for his efforts to protect and support two Jewish children during the Holocaust, and for his friendship with Joe Louis despite their differences in nationality and race.
After retiring from boxing, Schmeling worked as a businessperson and became a successful Coca-Cola executive in Germany. He was also involved in acting, and appeared in several films both in Germany and in the United States. Schmeling passed away at the age of 99 at his home in Wenzendorf, Germany.
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Wolfgang Lukschy
Wolfgang Lukschy (October 19, 1905 Berlin-July 10, 1983 Berlin) a.k.a. W. Lukschy was a German actor. He had three children, Wolfgang Lukschy, Stefan Lukschy and Mathias-Michael Lukschy.
Wolfgang Lukschy began his acting career in the 1930s with small roles in German films before becoming more prominent in the 1940s. He appeared in over 150 films throughout his career, including "The Great Escape" (1963) and "The Magnificent Seven" (1960). Lukschy was known for his versatility on screen, portraying a wide range of characters, from villains to diplomats. In addition to his film work, Lukschy also acted in theatrical productions and radio dramas. He was honored with several awards throughout his career, including the Filmband in Gold for his contributions to German cinema. Lukschy passed away in Berlin in 1983 at the age of 77.
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Walter Richter
Walter Richter (May 13, 1905 Berlin-July 26, 1985 Vienna) was a German actor.
He began his acting career in the 1920s in Berlin and went on to work in theaters across Germany, Austria, and Switzerland. Richter was known for his versatility and ability to play a wide range of characters in both drama and comedy. He appeared in over 100 films throughout his career and was a leading actor in many popular German films of the 1930s and 1940s. In addition to his work on stage and screen, Richter was also a successful voice actor and dubber, providing the German voice for actors such as Clark Gable and Humphrey Bogart. After World War II, he continued to work in the film industry and settled in Vienna, Austria, where he lived until his death in 1985.
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Karl John
Karl John (March 24, 1905 Cologne-December 22, 1977 Gütersloh) a.k.a. Johan Gangsater, Carl John or John Gangsater was a German actor and television director.
Karl John began his acting career in the 1920s and became known for his performances in German films. He appeared in over 70 films over the course of his career and was known for his versatility, playing a range of characters from villains to comedic roles. In addition to acting, John also worked as a television director in the 1950s, helping to shape the early days of German television. He won the German Film Award for Best Supporting Actor in 1956 for his role in the film "Kehraus". Karl John was married to actress Kathrin Clare Ward and they had two daughters together.
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Kurt Waitzmann
Kurt Waitzmann (January 30, 1905 Bitterfeld-May 21, 1985 Berlin) was a German actor.
He began his acting career in the late 1920s and appeared in over 100 German films throughout his career. Some of his notable film roles include "The White Spider" (1923), "Circus Saran" (1935), "Johannisnacht" (1956), and "The Adventures of Baron Munchausen" (1943). Waitzmann was also a theatre actor and appeared in various productions at the Deutsches Theater in Berlin. He was considered a leading character actor of his time and known for his versatility in portraying both comedic and dramatic roles. Waitzmann continued acting until his death in 1985 at the age of 80.
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Fritz Genschow
Fritz Genschow (May 15, 1905 Berlin-June 21, 1977 Berlin) was a German film director, screenwriter, actor and film producer. He had three children, Heidi Genée, Marina Genschow and Gabriel Genschow.
Fritz Genschow began his career as an actor in the late 1920s, appearing in a number of German films during the silent era. During the 1930s, he transitioned to directing and producing films, and quickly became a prominent figure in the German film industry.
Despite his success, Genschow's career was interrupted by World War II, during which he served in the Wehrmacht. After the war, he faced criticism for his association with the Nazi party, but was eventually able to resume his work in the film industry.
Throughout his career, Genschow directed and produced a wide range of films, including comedies, dramas, and thrillers. He was known for his ability to work quickly and efficiently, and for his strong leadership skills on set.
In addition to his work in film, Genschow was a well-known figure in the German theater world, and directed a number of plays during his career. He was also active in politics, serving as a member of the German Bundestag in the 1950s.
Despite his accomplishments, Genschow's career was ultimately cut short by health problems in the 1960s. He died in 1977 at the age of 72.
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Werner Scharf
Werner Scharf (September 19, 1905 Leipzig-April 30, 1945 Rathenow) was a German actor.
Werner Scharf began his acting career in the early 1920s in various theaters throughout Germany. He made his film debut in 1931 in the movie "Der Draufgänger" (The Daredevil) and quickly became a popular actor in German cinema in the 1930s.
Despite his popularity, Scharf was drafted into the German military during World War II and served as a soldier on the eastern front. In April 1945, Scharf was killed in action in Rathenow, Germany, just days before the end of the war. He was 39 years old at the time of his death.
Scharf appeared in over 60 films during his career, including roles in "Zwei Welten" (Two Worlds), "Der Kaiser von Kalifornien" (The Emperor of California), and "Die 3 Codonas" (The Three Codonas).
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Bernhard Minetti
Bernhard Minetti (January 26, 1905 Kiel-October 12, 1998 Berlin) a.k.a. Martin Behindert or Bernhard Theodor Henry Minetti was a German actor. He had two children, Hans-Peter Minetti and Jennifer Minetti.
Minetti began his career on stage, performing in theaters across Germany. He was known for his incredibly versatile range and ability to bring complex characters to life on stage. In the 1950s, he became a well-known film actor, appearing in movies such as "The Tin Drum" and "Lola Montès".
Throughout his career, Minetti received numerous awards and recognition for his work, including the prestigious National Prize of East Germany for his contributions to the arts. He also served as a professor of acting at the Hanns Eisler College of Music in Berlin and wrote several books on theater and acting.
Despite his success, Minetti faced political controversy throughout his life due to his association with the East German government. He was accused of being a member of the communist party and faced censorship in his work. Despite this, Minetti remained a highly respected figure in the arts community until his death in 1998.
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Heinz Klingenberg
Heinz Klingenberg (April 6, 1905 Bielefeld-September 12, 1959 Schweinfurt) a.k.a. Heinrich August Klingenberg gen. Westerhaus was a German actor.
Heinz Klingenberg was an accomplished actor who began his career in the 1920s. He established himself as a versatile performer and appeared in over 30 films throughout his career. Klingenberg's most notable role was in the 1937 film "Der Mustergatte" which was directed by Wolfgang Liebeneiner. Apart from his work in films, Klingenberg was also a successful stage actor and performed in several productions throughout Germany. During World War II, he was enlisted in the army but was captured by the Soviet Union and was held as a prisoner of war until 1950. Upon his release, he returned to acting and appeared in several films before his untimely death in 1959 at the age of 54.
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Herbert Wilk
Herbert Wilk (May 10, 1905 Gnoien-November 2, 1977 West Berlin) also known as Herbert Wilck was a German actor.
Wilk began his career in theater, performing in various plays in Berlin in the 1920s. He later transitioned to film and appeared in over 60 movies throughout his career. Some of his notable film credits include "Die Drei von der Tankstelle" (The Three from the Filling Station), "Kleines Mädel - Großes Glück" (Little Girl, Big Luck), and "Der Mann, der seinen Mörder sucht" (The Man Who Seeks His Murderer). During the Nazi regime in Germany, Wilk was banned from acting due to his political views and Jewish ancestry. After World War II, he continued his acting career, appearing in West German films and television shows.
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Albert Bessler
Albert Bessler (February 15, 1905 Hamburg-December 4, 1975 Berlin) also known as Albert Ressler was a German actor, playwright, author and theatre director.
Born into a family of stage actors, Bessler began his career on stage at the age of seventeen. He worked in various theatres across Germany, gaining recognition for his powerful and charismatic performances. In addition to acting, Bessler wrote several plays and novels, and also directed theatre productions.
Bessler's career hit a high point in the 1940s when he became a leading actor in Nazi propaganda films. However, after the war, Bessler distanced himself from his earlier work and focused on more serious roles. He became a respected character actor and frequently collaborated with director Wolfgang Staudte.
Bessler's successful career lasted until his death in 1975. He left behind a legacy of great performances, influential plays and a deep passion for the art of theatre.
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Karl Klüsner
Karl Klüsner (August 2, 1905 Kiel-July 25, 1960 Wannsee) was a German actor.
He started his acting career in the 1920s and is best known for his work in the German film industry during the Third Reich. Despite his success as an actor, Klüsner was arrested in 1944 for expressing criticism of the government and was sent to a concentration camp. After the war, he returned to acting and appeared in several films and stage productions. He was also a founding member of the Berliner Ensemble, a theater company founded by Bertolt Brecht. Klüsner continued to act until his death in 1960 from a heart attack.
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Günther Lüders
Günther Lüders (March 5, 1905 Lübeck-March 1, 1975 Düsseldorf) was a German actor and film director.
He began his career in theatre in 1929 and made his film debut in 1931. Lüders appeared in over 100 films throughout his career, including the 1933 propaganda film "The Kaiser's Lackey". He also directed several films, such as "Eyes Behind the Wall" (1977) and "The Two-Headed Spy" (1958). Despite his success in film, Lüders continued to act in theatre throughout his career. He was awarded the German Film Award for Best Supporting Actor for his role in the film "Sky without Stars" (1955). Lüders passed away in Düsseldorf at the age of 69.
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Alexander Golling
Alexander Golling (August 2, 1905 Munich-February 26, 1989 Rottach-Egern) was a German actor. He had one child, Claudia Golling.
Golling began his acting career on stage in the 1930s and later transitioned to film in the 1940s. He appeared in numerous German films throughout his career, including the popular Heimatfilm genre. Golling was also known for his work as a voice actor, lending his deep, distinctive voice to dubbing foreign films into German. He is perhaps best known for his role as King Leonidas in the 1962 film "The 300 Spartans." Despite his success as an actor, Golling remained a private person and little is known about his personal life outside of his daughter Claudia.
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Peter Kreuder
Peter Kreuder (August 18, 1905 Aachen-June 28, 1981 Salzburg) a.k.a. Peter Paul Kreuder, Kreuder, Peter or das Peter-Kreuder-Ensemble was a German film score composer, pianist, conductor, actor and composer.
He was an incredibly talented musician who started playing the piano at a young age and quickly gained recognition for his skills. Kreuder went on to compose music for over 170 films in his career, working with some of the biggest names in the German film industry. He was also a skilled conductor, leading orchestras across Europe in performances of his own compositions as well as classic works by other famous composers.
In addition to his work in film and music, Kreuder was also an accomplished actor, appearing in several movies and television shows over the years. He was considered one of the most popular and influential musicians of his time, and his music continues to be celebrated and enjoyed by people all around the world. Kreuder passed away in Salzburg in 1981, but his legacy lives on through his beautiful musical compositions and his lasting impact on the world of music.
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Fernando Wagner
Fernando Wagner (November 7, 1905 Göttingen-October 20, 1973 Cuernavaca) otherwise known as Ferdinand Wagner was a German film director, actor, television director and cinematographer.
He started his career in the film industry during the Weimar Republic, making his first feature film in 1933. In the 1940s, he moved to Mexico to work in the Mexican film industry and continued to direct and act in numerous films. His most notable works include "Los Olvidados" (1950), a social commentary on poverty and crime in Mexico City, and "El ángel exterminador" (1962), a surrealist film about a group of wealthy people trapped in a room. In addition to his film work, Wagner also directed and acted in Mexican television programs. He passed away in 1973 at the age of 67.
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Friedrich Benfer
Friedrich Benfer (August 28, 1905 Naples-January 30, 1996 Milan) also known as Enrico Benfer, Federico Benfer or Friederich Benfer was a German actor.
Born in Naples, Italy, Friedrich Benfer grew up in Germany where he pursued a career in acting. He made his first stage appearance in Berlin in the late 1920s and went on to perform in various theater productions throughout Europe. Benfer also appeared in more than 80 films, including several Hollywood productions, where he often played supporting roles. Some of his notable film credits include "Grand Illusion" (1937), "The Adventures of Robin Hood" (1938) and "The African Queen" (1951). In addition to his work on stage and screen, Benfer was also an accomplished voice actor, lending his voice to numerous radio dramas and documentaries. He continued to act well into his 80s and passed away in Milan, Italy at the age of 90.
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