Helmut Berger
Encyclopedia
Helmut Berger is an Austrian
-born German
film and television actor. He is most famous for his work with Luchino Visconti
, particularly in his performance as King Ludwig II of Bavaria in Ludwig
, for which he received a special David di Donatello
award.
He appears primarily in European cinema, but has also acted in films such as The Godfather Part III
and Iron Cross
.
, Austria, into a family of hoteliers. Berger initially trained and worked in this field, even though he had no interest in gastronomy
or the hospitality industry
. He was raised in Stuttgart
, Germany
. At age eighteen, he moved to London
, England
, where he did odd-jobs while taking acting classes. After studying languages in Perugia
, Italy
, Berger moved to Rome
, Italy.
, with whom he later had an intimate relationship. Visconti gave him his first acting role in the film Le streghe
(The Witches, 1967) (in the episode "La Strega Bruciata Viva"), but he gained international prominence as the amoral Martin von Essenbeck in Visconti's The Damned (1969). In that film, in what is perhaps his best-known scene, he mimics Marlene Dietrich
in the film The Blue Angel (1930). In Visconti's Ludwig
(1972), Berger portrays Ludwig II of Bavaria
from his blooming youth, to his dissolute final years. In 1974, Berger starred with Burt Lancaster
in Visconti's Conversation Piece
.
Berger has worked in television, most notably in the role of Peter De Vilbis in nine episodes (1983–1984) of the prime-time
soap opera
Dynasty
(1981–1989), which he did only for money (he would later call it "crying on the way to the set but laughing on the way to the bank"). This was his last appearance in a television series.
In the thriller film Iron Cross
(2009) he played Shrager, an aging character believed to be an old SS commander responsible for murdering Jews
during World War II
.
Berger has starred in two films directed by Peter Kern
– Blutsfreundschaft (shown at the 60th Berlin International Film Festival (2010)
, and Mörderschwestern (in post-production).
for his role in The Damned, and in 1973, he won a David di Donatello
– the Italian equivalent of an Academy Award – for his performance in Ludwig.
In 2007, he received a special Teddy Award
at the 57th Berlin International Film Festival (2007)
for his overall professional achievements.
In 2011, he received a Kristián Award, awarded at the Czech
film festival Febiofest
"for Contributions to World Cinema".
Austrians
Austrians are a nation and ethnic group, consisting of the population of the Republic of Austria and its historical predecessor states who share a common Austrian culture and Austrian descent....
-born German
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
film and television actor. He is most famous for his work with Luchino Visconti
Luchino Visconti
Luchino Visconti di Modrone, Count of Lonate Pozzolo was an Italian theatre, opera and cinema director, as well as a screenwriter. He is best known for his films The Leopard and Death in Venice .-Life:...
, particularly in his performance as King Ludwig II of Bavaria in Ludwig
Ludwig (film)
Ludwig is a 1972 film directed by Italian director Luchino Visconti about the life and death of King Ludwig II of Bavaria. Visconti's muse, Helmut Berger, stars as Ludwig, while Romy Schneider reprises her role as Empress Elisabeth of Austria in a very different portrayal compared to her role in...
, for which he received a special David di Donatello
David di Donatello
David di Donatello, named after Donatello's David, is a movie award assigned each year for cinematic performances and production by Ente David di Donatello, part of Accademia del Cinema Italiano. It is the Italian equivalent to the Academy Award. There are 24 categories as of 2006.- History :The...
award.
He appears primarily in European cinema, but has also acted in films such as The Godfather Part III
The Godfather Part III
The Godfather Part III is a 1990 American gangster film written by Mario Puzo and Francis Ford Coppola, and directed by Coppola. It completes the story of Michael Corleone, a Mafia kingpin who tries to legitimize his criminal empire...
and Iron Cross
Iron Cross (film)
Iron Cross is a 2011 British thriller film. The film is written and directed by British film director Joshua Newton and is slated for release in March 2011...
.
Early life and education
He was born in Bad IschlBad Ischl
Bad Ischl is a spa town in Austria. It lies in the southern part of Upper Austria, at the Traun River in the centre of the Salzkammergut region. The town consists of the Katastralgemeinden Ahorn, Bad Ischl, Haiden, Jainzen, Kaltenbach, Lauffen, Lindau, Pfandl, Perneck, Reiterndorf and Rettenbach...
, Austria, into a family of hoteliers. Berger initially trained and worked in this field, even though he had no interest in gastronomy
Gastronomy
Gastronomy is the art or science of food eating. Also, it can be defined as the study of food and culture, with a particular focus on gourmet cuisine...
or the hospitality industry
Hospitality industry
The hospitality industry consists of broad category of fields within the service industry that includes lodging, restaurants, event planning, theme parks, transportation, cruise line, and additional fields within the tourism industry. The hospitality industry is a several billion dollar industry...
. He was raised in Stuttgart
Stuttgart
Stuttgart is the capital of the state of Baden-Württemberg in southern Germany. The sixth-largest city in Germany, Stuttgart has a population of 600,038 while the metropolitan area has a population of 5.3 million ....
, Germany
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
. At age eighteen, he moved to London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
, England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
, where he did odd-jobs while taking acting classes. After studying languages in Perugia
Perugia
Perugia is the capital city of the region of Umbria in central Italy, near the River Tiber, and the capital of the province of Perugia. The city is located about north of Rome. It covers a high hilltop and part of the valleys around the area....
, Italy
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
, Berger moved to Rome
Rome
Rome is the capital of Italy and the country's largest and most populated city and comune, with over 2.7 million residents in . The city is located in the central-western portion of the Italian Peninsula, on the Tiber River within the Lazio region of Italy.Rome's history spans two and a half...
, Italy.
Career
In 1964, he first met the film director Luchino ViscontiLuchino Visconti
Luchino Visconti di Modrone, Count of Lonate Pozzolo was an Italian theatre, opera and cinema director, as well as a screenwriter. He is best known for his films The Leopard and Death in Venice .-Life:...
, with whom he later had an intimate relationship. Visconti gave him his first acting role in the film Le streghe
Le streghe
Le streghe is a film produced by Dino De Laurentiis in 1965 and released in 1967. It consists of 5 short stories, directed by Franco Rossi, Luchino Visconti, Mauro Bolognini, Pier Paolo Pasolini and Vittorio De Sica...
(The Witches, 1967) (in the episode "La Strega Bruciata Viva"), but he gained international prominence as the amoral Martin von Essenbeck in Visconti's The Damned (1969). In that film, in what is perhaps his best-known scene, he mimics Marlene Dietrich
Marlene Dietrich
Marlene Dietrich was a German-American actress and singer.Dietrich remained popular throughout her long career by continually re-inventing herself, professionally and characteristically. In the Berlin of the 1920s, she acted on the stage and in silent films...
in the film The Blue Angel (1930). In Visconti's Ludwig
Ludwig (film)
Ludwig is a 1972 film directed by Italian director Luchino Visconti about the life and death of King Ludwig II of Bavaria. Visconti's muse, Helmut Berger, stars as Ludwig, while Romy Schneider reprises her role as Empress Elisabeth of Austria in a very different portrayal compared to her role in...
(1972), Berger portrays Ludwig II of Bavaria
Ludwig II of Bavaria
Ludwig II was King of Bavaria from 1864 until shortly before his death. He is sometimes called the Swan King and der Märchenkönig, the Fairy tale King...
from his blooming youth, to his dissolute final years. In 1974, Berger starred with Burt Lancaster
Burt Lancaster
Burton Stephen "Burt" Lancaster was an American film actor noted for his athletic physique and distinctive smile...
in Visconti's Conversation Piece
Conversation Piece (film)
Conversation Piece is an award-winning 1974 film by Italian director Luchino Visconti.The film features an international cast including the American actor Burt Lancaster, the Austrian Helmut Berger and the Italians Silvana Mangano and Claudia Cardinale and the French actress Dominique Sanda in a...
.
Berger has worked in television, most notably in the role of Peter De Vilbis in nine episodes (1983–1984) of the prime-time
Prime time
Prime time or primetime is the block of broadcast programming during the middle of the evening for television programing.The term prime time is often defined in terms of a fixed time period—for example, from 19:00 to 22:00 or 20:00 to 23:00 Prime time or primetime is the block of broadcast...
soap opera
Soap opera
A soap opera, sometimes called "soap" for short, is an ongoing, episodic work of dramatic fiction presented in serial format on radio or as television programming. The name soap opera stems from the original dramatic serials broadcast on radio that had soap manufacturers, such as Procter & Gamble,...
Dynasty
Dynasty (TV series)
Dynasty is an American prime time television soap opera that aired on ABC from January 12, 1981 to May 11, 1989. It was created by Richard & Esther Shapiro and produced by Aaron Spelling, and revolved around the Carringtons, a wealthy oil family living in Denver, Colorado...
(1981–1989), which he did only for money (he would later call it "crying on the way to the set but laughing on the way to the bank"). This was his last appearance in a television series.
In the thriller film Iron Cross
Iron Cross (film)
Iron Cross is a 2011 British thriller film. The film is written and directed by British film director Joshua Newton and is slated for release in March 2011...
(2009) he played Shrager, an aging character believed to be an old SS commander responsible for murdering Jews
Jews
The Jews , also known as the Jewish people, are a nation and ethnoreligious group originating in the Israelites or Hebrews of the Ancient Near East. The Jewish ethnicity, nationality, and religion are strongly interrelated, as Judaism is the traditional faith of the Jewish nation...
during World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
.
Berger has starred in two films directed by Peter Kern
Peter Kern
Peter Kern is an Austrian actor, film director, screenwriter and producer. He has appeared in 70 films since 1957 and directed a further 23. He starred in the 1978 film Flaming Hearts, which was entered into the 28th Berlin International Film Festival...
– Blutsfreundschaft (shown at the 60th Berlin International Film Festival (2010)
60th Berlin International Film Festival
The 60th annual Berlin International Film Festival was held from February 11 to February 21, 2010, with Werner Herzog as President of the Jury. The opening film of the festival was Chinese director Wang Quan'an's romantic drama Apart Together, in competition, while the closing film is Japanese...
, and Mörderschwestern (in post-production).
Honors
In 1969, Berger was nominated for a Golden Globe AwardGolden Globe Award
The Golden Globe Award is an accolade bestowed by the 93 members of the Hollywood Foreign Press Association recognizing excellence in film and television, both domestic and foreign...
for his role in The Damned, and in 1973, he won a David di Donatello
David di Donatello
David di Donatello, named after Donatello's David, is a movie award assigned each year for cinematic performances and production by Ente David di Donatello, part of Accademia del Cinema Italiano. It is the Italian equivalent to the Academy Award. There are 24 categories as of 2006.- History :The...
– the Italian equivalent of an Academy Award – for his performance in Ludwig.
In 2007, he received a special Teddy Award
Teddy Award
The Teddy Award is an international film award for films with LGBT topics, presented by an independent jury as an official award of the Berlin International Film Festival . Here, an "independent jury" implies that its members are not officially selected by the committee of the Berlinale...
at the 57th Berlin International Film Festival (2007)
57th Berlin International Film Festival
The 57th annual Berlin International Film Festival was held from February 8 to February 18, 2007.- Jury :Paul Schrader - President of the JuryHiam AbbasMario AdorfWillem DafoeGael García BernalNansun ShiMolly Marlene StensgaardPeace Anyiam-FiberesimaRiina SildosYing Ning- In competition :*Angel by...
for his overall professional achievements.
In 2011, he received a Kristián Award, awarded at the Czech
Czech Republic
The Czech Republic is a landlocked country in Central Europe. The country is bordered by Poland to the northeast, Slovakia to the east, Austria to the south, and Germany to the west and northwest....
film festival Febiofest
Febiofest
Febiofest is the largest film festival in the Czech Republic and the second most prestigious festival in the country . The festival presents a wide spectrum of contemporary and retrospective examples of high-quality film including alternative, film-school and amateur works to a diverse viewing...
"for Contributions to World Cinema".
Filmography
(director in parentheses; all films except as noted)- 1967 – Le stregheLe stregheLe streghe is a film produced by Dino De Laurentiis in 1965 and released in 1967. It consists of 5 short stories, directed by Franco Rossi, Luchino Visconti, Mauro Bolognini, Pier Paolo Pasolini and Vittorio De Sica...
(The Witches) (Luchino ViscontiLuchino ViscontiLuchino Visconti di Modrone, Count of Lonate Pozzolo was an Italian theatre, opera and cinema director, as well as a screenwriter. He is best known for his films The Leopard and Death in Venice .-Life:...
) - 1968 – The Young Tigers (Antonio Leonviola)
- 1968 – Sai cosa faceva Stalin alle donne? (Maurizio Liverani)
- 1969 – The Damned (Luchino ViscontiLuchino ViscontiLuchino Visconti di Modrone, Count of Lonate Pozzolo was an Italian theatre, opera and cinema director, as well as a screenwriter. He is best known for his films The Leopard and Death in Venice .-Life:...
) - 1970 – Dorian GrayDorian Gray (1970 film)Dorian Gray is a 1970 movie adaptation of Oscar Wilde's novel The Picture of Dorian Gray starring Helmut Berger. Directed by Massimo Dallamano, the film stresses the decadence and eroticism of the story and changes the setting to early 1970s London...
(Massimo Dallamano) - 1970 – The Garden of the Finzi-ContinisThe Garden of the Finzi-Continis (film)The Garden of the Finzi-Continis is a 1970 Italian film, directed by Vittorio de Sica. It stars Lino Capolicchio, Dominique Sanda and Helmut Berger. The film is based upon Giorgio Bassani's novel of the same name.-Plot:...
(Vittorio De SicaVittorio de SicaVittorio De Sica was an Italian director and actor, a leading figure in the neorealist movement....
) - 1971 – Un beau monstre (Sergio Gobbi)
- 1971 – The Bloodstained Butterfly (Duccio Tessari)
- 1972 – LudwigLudwig (film)Ludwig is a 1972 film directed by Italian director Luchino Visconti about the life and death of King Ludwig II of Bavaria. Visconti's muse, Helmut Berger, stars as Ludwig, while Romy Schneider reprises her role as Empress Elisabeth of Austria in a very different portrayal compared to her role in...
(Luchino ViscontiLuchino ViscontiLuchino Visconti di Modrone, Count of Lonate Pozzolo was an Italian theatre, opera and cinema director, as well as a screenwriter. He is best known for his films The Leopard and Death in Venice .-Life:...
) - 1972 – La colonna infame (Nelo RisiNelo RisiNelo Risi is an Italian poet and film director, brother of cinematographer Fernando Risi and director Dino Risi.-External links:...
) - 1973 – Les Voraces (Sergio Gobbi)
- 1973 – Ash WednesdayAsh Wednesday (1973 film)Ash Wednesday is a 1973 American drama film directed by Larry Peerce. The screenplay by Jean-Claude Tramont focuses on the effect that extensive cosmetic surgery has on the life of a middle-aged married woman.-Plot:...
(Larry PeerceLarry PeerceLarry Peerce is an American film and TV director whose work includes the theatrical feature Goodbye, Columbus, the early rock and roll concert film The Big T.N.T. Show, and One Potato, Two Potato , the first U.S...
) - 1973 – Reigen (Otto SchenkOtto SchenkOtto Schenk is an Austrian actor, and theater and opera director.-Life and career:Schenk was born to Catholic parents. His father, a lawyer, had Jewish roots and therefore lost his job after the Anschluss in 1938...
) - 1974 – Conversation PieceConversation Piece (film)Conversation Piece is an award-winning 1974 film by Italian director Luchino Visconti.The film features an international cast including the American actor Burt Lancaster, the Austrian Helmut Berger and the Italians Silvana Mangano and Claudia Cardinale and the French actress Dominique Sanda in a...
(Luchino ViscontiLuchino ViscontiLuchino Visconti di Modrone, Count of Lonate Pozzolo was an Italian theatre, opera and cinema director, as well as a screenwriter. He is best known for his films The Leopard and Death in Venice .-Life:...
) - 1975 – Order to Kill (José G. Maesso)
- 1975 – The Romantic EnglishwomanThe Romantic EnglishwomanThe Romantic Englishwoman is a 1975 British film directed by Joseph Losey. It stars Michael Caine, Glenda Jackson, Helmut Berger, and marks the feature-length screen debut for Kate Nelligan...
(Joseph LoseyJoseph LoseyJoseph Walton Losey was an American theater and film director. After studying in Germany with Bertolt Brecht, Losey returned to the United States, eventually making his way to Hollywood...
) - 1976 – Salon KittySalon KittySalon Kitty was a Berlin brothel used by the SD for espionage purposes before and during World War II.In the 1930s Berlin, Salon Kitty was a high-class brothel in 11 Giesebrechtstrasse. Its usual clientele included German dignitaries and foreign diplomats...
(Tinto BrassTinto BrassGiovanni Brass , better known as Tinto Brass, is an Italian filmmaker. He is noted especially for his work in the erotic genre, with films such as Così fan tutte , Paprika, Monella and Trasgredire...
) - 1976 – Victory at EntebbeVictory at EntebbeVictory at Entebbe is a made-for-television film from 1976 based on an actual event: Operation Entebbe and the freeing of Israeli hostages at Entebbe Airport in Uganda...
(Marvin ChomskyMarvin J. ChomskyMarvin J. Chomsky is an American television and film director. He has also worked as a producer. He is a cousin of academic Noam Chomsky....
) - 1977 – Beast with a Gun (Sergio GriecoSergio GriecoSergio Grieco was an Italian film director and screenwriter.He directed nearly 40 films between 1950 and 1977...
) - 1978 – Il quinto comandamento (Duccio Tessari)
- 1978 – The Biggest Battle (Umberto LenziUmberto LenziUmberto Lenzi , is an Italian film director who was very active in low budget crime films, peplums, spaghetti westerns, war movies, cannibal films and giallo murder mysteries ....
) - 1979 – Le rose di DanzicaLe rose di DanzicaLe rose di Danzica is an Italian television series....
(Alberto BevilacquaAlberto BevilacquaAlberto Bevilacqua is an Italian writer and filmmaker. Leonardo Sciascia, an Italian writer and politician, read Bevilacqua's first collection of stories, The Dust on the Grass , was impressed and published it...
) - 1980 – Fantômas (Claude ChabrolClaude ChabrolClaude Chabrol was a French film director, a member of the French New Wave group of filmmakers who first came to prominence at the end of the 1950s...
) - 1981 – Mia moglie è una strega (Castellano & Pipolo)
- 1982 – Deadly Game (Károly Makk)
- 1982 – Victoria! La gran aventura de un poble (A. Ribas)
- 1983 – Eroina (Massimo Pirri)
- 1983 – Femmes (T. Kaleya)
- 1983 – Victoria! 2: El frenesì del 17 (A. Ribas)
- 1983 – Veliki Transport (V. Bulajic)
- 1983–1984 – DynastyDynasty (TV series)Dynasty is an American prime time television soap opera that aired on ABC from January 12, 1981 to May 11, 1989. It was created by Richard & Esther Shapiro and produced by Aaron Spelling, and revolved around the Carringtons, a wealthy oil family living in Denver, Colorado...
(television series) - 1984 – Victoria! 3: La razon y el arrebato (A. Ribas)
- 1985 – Code Name: EmeraldCode Name: EmeraldCode Name: Emerald is a 1985 action-drama film about a spy for the Allies working undercover in Nazi Germany during World War II. The film was directed by Jonathan Sanger, and stars Ed Harris, Max von Sydow, Eric Stoltz, and Patrick Stewart...
(J. Sanger) - 1988 – FacelessFacelessUK bonus tracks-Personnel:* Sully Erna - rhythm guitar, vocals, producer* Tony Rombola - lead guitar, back-up vocals* Robbie Merrill - bass, back-up vocals* Shannon Larkin - drums, percussion* Tommy Stewart - Drums on "I Stand Alone"...
(Jess Franco) - 1988 – Act of Revenge (Salvatore Nocita)
- 1989 – La Puritana (Nini Grassia)
- 1990 – The Godfather Part IIIThe Godfather Part IIIThe Godfather Part III is a 1990 American gangster film written by Mario Puzo and Francis Ford Coppola, and directed by Coppola. It completes the story of Michael Corleone, a Mafia kingpin who tries to legitimize his criminal empire...
(Francis Ford CoppolaFrancis Ford CoppolaFrancis Ford Coppola is an American film director, producer and screenwriter. He is widely acclaimed as one of Hollywood's most innovative and influential film directors...
) - 1992 – AdelaideAdelaideAdelaide is the capital city of South Australia and the fifth-largest city in Australia. Adelaide has an estimated population of more than 1.2 million...
(Lucio Gaudino) - 1993 – BoomtownBoomtownA boomtown is a community that experiences sudden and rapid population and economic growth. The growth is normally attributed to the nearby discovery of a precious resource such as gold, silver, or oil, although the term can also be applied to communities growing very rapidly for different reasons,...
(Ch. Schrewe) - 1993 – Ludwig 1881 (F. Dubini / D. Dubini)
- 1995 – L'affaire Dreyfuss (Y. Boisset)
- 1996 – Teo (Cinzia TH Torrini)
- 1996 – L'ombra del faraone (S. Ben Barka)
- 1996 – Last Cut (Marcello Avallone)
- 1997 – Die 120 Tage von Bottrop (Ch. Schlingensief)
- 1999 – Under the PalmsUnder the PalmsUnder the Palms or Unter den Palmen is a 1999 Dutch drama film directed by Miriam Kruishoop.-Cast:*Helmut Berger ... David*Sheri Hagen ... Tanya*Udo Kier ... Ludwig*Thom Hoffman ... Thomas*Willem Nijholt ... Willem...
(M. Kruishoop) - 2002 – Zapping Alien (V. Zeplichal)
- 2004 – Honey Baby (Mika KaurismäkiMika KaurismäkiMika Juhani Kaurismäki is a Finnish film director.He is the elder brother of Aki Kaurismäki, and the father of Maria Kaurismäki who graduated from Tampere School of Art and Media in 2008 with her movie Sideline.Mika Kaurismäki has lived in Brazil since approximately 1992 and has made several...
) - 2005 – Damals warst du still (R. Matsutani)
- 2008 – Blutsfreundschaft (Peter KernPeter KernPeter Kern is an Austrian actor, film director, screenwriter and producer. He has appeared in 70 films since 1957 and directed a further 23. He starred in the 1978 film Flaming Hearts, which was entered into the 28th Berlin International Film Festival...
) - 2010 – Iron CrossIron Cross (film)Iron Cross is a 2011 British thriller film. The film is written and directed by British film director Joshua Newton and is slated for release in March 2011...
(Joshua Newton) – post-production - 2010 – Mörderschwestern (Peter KernPeter KernPeter Kern is an Austrian actor, film director, screenwriter and producer. He has appeared in 70 films since 1957 and directed a further 23. He starred in the 1978 film Flaming Hearts, which was entered into the 28th Berlin International Film Festival...
)
External links
- Salon for Helmut Berger, unofficial fan site in JapaneseJapanese languageis a language spoken by over 130 million people in Japan and in Japanese emigrant communities. It is a member of the Japonic language family, which has a number of proposed relationships with other languages, none of which has gained wide acceptance among historical linguists .Japanese is an...
and English