German actors who deceased at age 77
Here are 14 famous actors from Germany died at 77:
Wolfgang Staudte
Wolfgang Staudte (October 9, 1906 Saarbrücken-January 19, 1984 Maribor) also known as Staudte, charge, Wolfgang Georg Friedrich Staudte, Georg Friedrich Staudte, Wolfgang (Georg Friedrich) Staudte or Georg Friedrich Wolfgang Staudt was a German film director, screenwriter, actor, television director, film producer, film editor and voice actor.
Staudte was considered one of the most important filmmakers of post-war German cinema. He began his career as an actor in the 1920s, but later turned to directing and became known for his anti-Nazi films, such as "The Murderers Are Among Us" (1946), which was the first film made in Germany after World War II. Staudte was also one of the founders of DEFA, the state-owned film studio in East Germany. He made numerous films in both East and West Germany, and won several awards for his work. In addition to his film career, Staudte also worked in television, producing and directing programs for both East and West German television. He died in 1984 while on vacation in Yugoslavia.
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Henry Brandon
Henry Brandon (June 8, 1912 Berlin-February 15, 1990 Los Angeles) also known as Heinrich von Kleinbach, Harry Kleinbach, Henry Kleinbach, Harry Brandon or Brandon was a German actor.
He died in myocardial infarction.
Brandon began his career in Germany and later moved to Hollywood where he played various roles in the Golden Age of Hollywood. He is best known for his roles in John Ford's westerns such as "The Searchers" and "Rio Grande". Brandon had a powerful and commanding presence onscreen that made him a popular villain in films. Outside of acting, he was also known for his passion for sailing and was a skilled sailor who competed in several yachting races. Despite being typecast as a villain, Brandon was admired by his peers for his professionalism and dedication to his craft.
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Willy Kaiser-Heyl
Willy Kaiser-Heyl (August 4, 1876 Frankfurt-December 2, 1953 Berlin) otherwise known as Wilhelm Kaiser-Heyl or Willi Kaiser-Heyl was a German actor and opera singer.
He began his career as a baritone in several opera houses in Germany before transitioning into acting in the early 1900s. Kaiser-Heyl appeared in over 100 films between 1913 and 1953, often portraying authoritative figures such as judges and military officers. He worked with notable directors such as Fritz Lang and G.W. Pabst, and was a regular collaborator with actress Marlene Dietrich. Kaiser-Heyl was a member of the Nazi party and continued to work in films during the Third Reich era. After World War II, he was briefly imprisoned by the Soviet Union for his affiliation with the party but was released after eight months. Kaiser-Heyl died in Berlin at the age of 77.
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Joachim Hansen
Joachim Hansen (June 28, 1930 Frankfurt (Oder)-September 13, 2007 Berlin) otherwise known as Joachim Spieler or Hans Joachim Hansen was a German actor.
He began his acting career on stage in the 1950s and made his film debut in 1961. Hansen starred in over 100 films and television shows throughout his career, including the Academy Award-winning film, The Tin Drum (1979). He also worked as a voice actor, lending his voice to several German dubbed versions of foreign films. In addition to his acting work, Hansen was a member of the Berliner Ensemble, a renowned theater company founded by Bertolt Brecht. He was awarded the National Prize of East Germany in 1964 for his contributions to the performing arts.
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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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Otto Lang
Otto Lang (August 24, 1906-June 24, 1984) was a German actor.
He was born in Würzburg, Germany and began his acting career in the 1920s in German films. In 1933, Lang fled Germany due to the rise of the Nazi regime and relocated to Hollywood, where he continued his acting career in American films. Lang appeared in over 70 films, including Mata Hari (1931), Let's Make a Million (1937), and Hangmen Also Die! (1943). After his retirement from acting in the 1950s, Lang became a successful skiing filmmaker and instructor. He was inducted into the U.S. Ski and Snowboard Hall of Fame in 1983. Lang passed away the following year in Sun Valley, Idaho.
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Ludwig Berger
Ludwig Berger (January 6, 1892 Mainz-May 18, 1969 Schlangenbad) also known as Dr. Ludwig Berger or Ludwig Gottfried Heinrich Bamberger was a German cinematographer, screenwriter, film director, actor and film producer.
He died in heart failure.
Berger began his career in the film industry during the silent era and worked on several notable films such as the silent epic "Metropolis" directed by Fritz Lang. He later went on to direct several films himself, including "The Thief of Bagdad" (1940), which was nominated for four Academy Awards.
He also worked in Hollywood and collaborated with prominent figures such as Marlene Dietrich and Billy Wilder. However, due to his Jewish background, he was forced to flee Germany during the rise of the Nazi party and eventually settled in the United States where he continued his work in the film industry.
Berger was known for his visually stunning films and innovative techniques, which contributed to the development of German expressionist cinema. He also contributed to the advancement of sound in films, serving as a consultant for several sound companies in the 1930s.
Despite his significant contributions to the film industry, Berger's career was impacted by the political turmoil of the time, but his work continues to be studied and celebrated by film scholars and enthusiasts today.
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Erich Dunskus
Erich Dunskus (July 27, 1890 East Prussia-November 25, 1967 Hagen) a.k.a. Erich Adolf Dunskus was a German actor and voice actor.
Dunskus started his career in the entertainment industry in the 1920s and appeared in over 120 films. He was known for his vocal range and often dubbed numerous foreign language films into German. Dunskus also worked as a theater actor and performed in various plays in Germany. He was highly respected in the industry for his versatility and skill in portraying a wide range of characters. In addition to his work on stage and screen, Dunskus also lent his voice to German radio programs. After World War II, he continued to act in films and on stage, but his career was cut short by his death in 1967 at the age of 77. Despite his relatively short life, Erich Dunskus left a lasting legacy in the German entertainment industry.
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Hans Söhnker
Hans Söhnker (October 11, 1903 Kiel-April 20, 1981 Berlin) also known as Hans Soehnker, Hans Sohnker or Hans Sonker was a German actor.
He started his acting career on stage and later transitioned to film. Söhnker appeared in over 150 films throughout his career and was known for his roles in popular German films such as "Die Feuerzangenbowle" (1944) and "Die Zürcher Verlobung" (1957). He was also a successful voice actor and dubbed the German voices of many famous Hollywood actors, including Gary Cooper and Clark Gable, into German-language versions of their films. Söhnker received numerous awards for his contributions to German cinema, including the Order of Merit of Berlin and the Bambi award.
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Peter Schamoni
Peter Schamoni (March 27, 1934 Berlin-June 14, 2011 Munich) was a German film producer, film director, screenwriter, actor and film editor.
He died as a result of pancreatic cancer.
Schamoni grew up in Munich and began making films in the 1950s. One of his early works, "Münchner Bilderbogen" (Munich Pictorial Pages), was a documentary about the city of Munich. He went on to produce and direct numerous films throughout his career, including the acclaimed documentaries "The Will to Create" and "Germany in Autumn". Schamoni was also known for his collaboration with German actor, writer and director Rainer Werner Fassbinder, serving as film editor on several of Fassbinder's films. In addition to filmmaking, Schamoni was involved in politics and was a member of the Green Party in Germany.
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Michael Bohnen
Michael Bohnen (May 2, 1887 Cologne-April 26, 1965 Berlin) also known as Franz Michael Bohnen was a German actor, opera singer and film producer.
He died caused by myocardial infarction.
Bohnen began his career in the opera world and quickly gained recognition for his powerful bass voice. He performed in a number of roles, most notably as the Dutchman in Wagner's "The Flying Dutchman." However, he also appeared in a number of films, beginning in the silent era and continuing through the 1940s.
During the Nazi era, Bohnen became involved in the film industry as a producer and also appeared in a number of Nazi propaganda films. After the war, he was arrested and interned for several years as a result of his association with the Nazi regime.
Despite this controversial period of his life, Bohnen's contributions to German culture are still recognized today, particularly his legacy as a celebrated opera singer.
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Dmitri Nabokov
Dmitri Nabokov (May 10, 1934 Berlin-February 22, 2012) also known as Dimitri Vladimirovich Nabokov was a German singer, translator and actor.
He was the son of the famous Russian writer Vladimir Nabokov, the author of the celebrated novel "Lolita". Dmitri Nabokov spent his early years in Europe, but his family emigrated to the United States in 1940. He graduated from Harvard University and then pursued a career in music and literature. In the 1950s, Nabokov sang in nightclubs and recorded several singles under the name "Walker Dunn". He also translated his father's works into English, including the novel "The Enchanter", which was originally written in Russian. In addition, he acted in a few films and televisions shows, including "Miami Vice" and "The Manchurian Candidate". Nabokov was known for his wit and charm, and he maintained close friendships with many famous writers and musicians, including Truman Capote and John Lennon. He passed away in Switzerland in 2012 at the age of 77.
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Arik Lavie
Arik Lavie (March 9, 1927 Leipzig-June 29, 2004 Tel Aviv) also known as Lavie, Arik, Arich Lavi or Leo Alexander Inselsbacher was a German actor.
Born to a Jewish family, Lavie’s family fled Germany in 1933 and settled in Palestine. In his early years, Lavie worked in a variety of jobs before becoming a successful singer and songwriter. During the 1960s and 1970s, he wrote several hit songs, which became popular not only in Israel but also internationally.
Aside from his musical career, Lavie was also involved in theater and film. He acted in numerous productions, including the Israeli film “Sallah Shabati,” which was nominated for an Academy Award in 1964. He later went on to direct and produce a number of films and plays.
Throughout his career, Lavie was honored with several awards including the prestigious Israel Prize, the country’s highest cultural honor, which he received in 1998. Despite suffering from Parkinson’s disease later in life, Lavie continued to perform and inspire others with his music and talent until his death in 2004.
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Josef Peterhans
Josef Peterhans (December 4, 1882 Cologne-April 5, 1960 Berlin) a.k.a. Joseph Thomas Peter Hans or Josef Peter Hans was a German actor.
Peterhans appeared in over 70 films during his career, beginning in the silent era and continuing through the Nazi-era Third Reich cinema. He was known for his performances in both comedic and dramatic roles. In addition to his work in film, he also worked on stage productions and was a voice actor. Peterhans was considered part of the "old guard" of German cinema, having worked alongside famous filmmakers such as Fritz Lang and Marlene Dietrich. Despite his prolific career, he is considered to be somewhat forgotten in the history of German cinema.
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