Rex Gildo
Encyclopedia
Rex Gildo was a German
singer of Schlager
ballads who reached the height of his popularity in the 1960s and 1970s, selling over 25 million records and starring in film
and television
roles.
Gildo was born Ludwig Franz Hirtreiter in Straubing
, Bavaria
; in the mid-fifties he adopted the stage name Alexander Gildo, later shortening it to Rex Gildo. For years he claimed that he had been a member of the Regensburger Domspatzen
choir before attending acting school, while a documentary on German TV in 2009 revealed that in fact he had worked in a decorating apprenticeship before he met Fred Miekley, who would become his manager and longtime companion and presumably paid for Gildo's acting, dancing and singing lessons. Gildo's first performance was with the Munich Kammerspiele
theatre
group in 1956, but he quickly moved into television and film, as well as performing as a singer, most famously duetting with Danish
singer Gitte Haenning as "Gitte & Rex".
His most popular songs, such as Speedy Gonzales
(1962), Goodbye Susanna (1965) and Fiesta Mexicana (1972), were popular during the 1960s and 1970s in Germany. His music and films sold well there but less so abroad. He also starred in his own television program, Gestatten - Rex Gildo.
In 1974, Gildo married his cousin Marion Ohlsen. The couple had no children and separated in 1990.
During the 1980s and 1990s, Gildo's popularity decreased. His appearances were mainly at folk festival
s, shopping centres and other similar venues; he was also reported to have problems with alcoholism
, although this may have been due to medication he was taking. His final performance, on the day of his suicide attempt, was in front of more than 3000 people at a furniture
shop outside Frankfurt
.
Gildo died in 1999 aged 63, having spent three days in an artificially-induced coma after attempting suicide by jumping from the window of his apartment building. He was said to have been suffering psychological problems. After his death, it was reported that he had been gay
and involved in a relationship with Dave Klingeberg, his secretary
with whom he lived, for seven years.
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...
singer of Schlager
Schlager
Schlager music is a style of popular music prevalent in Central and Northern Europe and the Balkans and also in France and Poland. In Portugal, it was adapted and became pimba music...
ballads who reached the height of his popularity in the 1960s and 1970s, selling over 25 million records and starring in film
Film
A film, also called a movie or motion picture, is a series of still or moving images. It is produced by recording photographic images with cameras, or by creating images using animation techniques or visual effects...
and television
Television
Television is a telecommunication medium for transmitting and receiving moving images that can be monochrome or colored, with accompanying sound...
roles.
Gildo was born Ludwig Franz Hirtreiter in Straubing
Straubing
Straubing is an independent city in Lower Bavaria, southern Germany. It is seat of the district of Straubing-Bogen. Annually in August the Gäubodenvolksfest, the second largest fair in Bavaria, is held....
, Bavaria
Bavaria
Bavaria, formally the Free State of Bavaria is a state of Germany, located in the southeast of Germany. With an area of , it is the largest state by area, forming almost 20% of the total land area of Germany...
; in the mid-fifties he adopted the stage name Alexander Gildo, later shortening it to Rex Gildo. For years he claimed that he had been a member of the Regensburger Domspatzen
Regensburger Domspatzen
The Regensburger Domspatzen is the official choir for the liturgical music at St Peter's Cathedral in Regensburg, Bavaria, Germany...
choir before attending acting school, while a documentary on German TV in 2009 revealed that in fact he had worked in a decorating apprenticeship before he met Fred Miekley, who would become his manager and longtime companion and presumably paid for Gildo's acting, dancing and singing lessons. Gildo's first performance was with the Munich Kammerspiele
Munich Kammerspiele
The Munich Kammerspiele is a successful German language theatre in Munich. The Schauspielhaus in the Maximilianstrasse is the major stage.-History:...
theatre
Theatre
Theatre is a collaborative form of fine art that uses live performers to present the experience of a real or imagined event before a live audience in a specific place. The performers may communicate this experience to the audience through combinations of gesture, speech, song, music or dance...
group in 1956, but he quickly moved into television and film, as well as performing as a singer, most famously duetting with Danish
Denmark
Denmark is a Scandinavian country in Northern Europe. The countries of Denmark and Greenland, as well as the Faroe Islands, constitute the Kingdom of Denmark . It is the southernmost of the Nordic countries, southwest of Sweden and south of Norway, and bordered to the south by Germany. Denmark...
singer Gitte Haenning as "Gitte & Rex".
His most popular songs, such as Speedy Gonzales
Speedy Gonzales (song)
"Speedy Gonzales" is a 1961 David Dante song about Speedy Gonzales, "the fastest mouse in all Mexico". It was written by Buddy Kaye, Ethel Lee and David Hess...
(1962), Goodbye Susanna (1965) and Fiesta Mexicana (1972), were popular during the 1960s and 1970s in Germany. His music and films sold well there but less so abroad. He also starred in his own television program, Gestatten - Rex Gildo.
In 1974, Gildo married his cousin Marion Ohlsen. The couple had no children and separated in 1990.
During the 1980s and 1990s, Gildo's popularity decreased. His appearances were mainly at folk festival
Folk festival
A Folk festival celebrates traditional folk crafts and folk music.-Canada:Alberta*Calgary Folk Music Festival*Canmore Folk Music Festival*Edmonton Folk Music Festival*Jasper Folk Festival*Wild Mountain Music FestOntario*Barriefolk...
s, shopping centres and other similar venues; he was also reported to have problems with alcoholism
Alcoholism
Alcoholism is a broad term for problems with alcohol, and is generally used to mean compulsive and uncontrolled consumption of alcoholic beverages, usually to the detriment of the drinker's health, personal relationships, and social standing...
, although this may have been due to medication he was taking. His final performance, on the day of his suicide attempt, was in front of more than 3000 people at a furniture
Furniture
Furniture is the mass noun for the movable objects intended to support various human activities such as seating and sleeping in beds, to hold objects at a convenient height for work using horizontal surfaces above the ground, or to store things...
shop outside Frankfurt
Frankfurt
Frankfurt am Main , commonly known simply as Frankfurt, is the largest city in the German state of Hesse and the fifth-largest city in Germany, with a 2010 population of 688,249. The urban area had an estimated population of 2,300,000 in 2010...
.
Gildo died in 1999 aged 63, having spent three days in an artificially-induced coma after attempting suicide by jumping from the window of his apartment building. He was said to have been suffering psychological problems. After his death, it was reported that he had been gay
Gay
Gay is a word that refers to a homosexual person, especially a homosexual male. For homosexual women the specific term is "lesbian"....
and involved in a relationship with Dave Klingeberg, his secretary
Secretary
A secretary, or administrative assistant, is a person whose work consists of supporting management, including executives, using a variety of project management, communication & organizational skills. These functions may be entirely carried out to assist one other employee or may be for the benefit...
with whom he lived, for seven years.
Discography
- Das Ende der Liebe (Tell Laura I love You)/Minnetonka Mädi (1959)
- Sieben Wochen nach Bombay (1960)
- Yes My Darling (1960), together with Conny Froboess
- Speedy Gonzales (1962)
- Zwei blaue Vergißmeinnicht (1963)
- Vom Stadtpark die Laternen (1963), together with Gitte Haenning
- Zwei auf einer Bank (1964), together with Gitte Haenning
- Jetzt dreht die Welt sich nur um dich (1964), together with Gitte Haenning
- Hokuspokus (1964), together with Gitte Haenning
- Dein Glück ist mein Glück (1965), together with Gitte Haenning
- Goodbye Susanna (1965)
- Augen wie zwei Sterne (1966)
- Der Mond hat seine Schuldigkeit getan (1967)
- Ein Ring aus Gold (1968)
- Dondolo (1969)
- Memories (1971)
- Fiesta Mexicana (1972)
- Der Sommer ist vorbei (1973)
- Marie der letzte Tanz (1974)
- Der letzte Sirtaki (1975)
- Küsse von dir (1976)
- Love Is In The Air (1978)
- Sally komm wieder (1978)
- Saragossa (1979)
- Holly ho Havanna (1979)
- La Bandita (1980)
- Wenn ich je deine Liebe verlier (1981)
- Und sie hieß Julie (1983)
- Und plötzlich ist es wieder da (1983)
- Dir fehlt Liebe (1984)
- Rendezvous auf spanisch (1984)
- Mamma mia (1985)
- Du ich lieb Dich (1985)
- Was ist schon eine Nacht (1986)
- Mexicanische Nacht (1989)
- Margarita (1991)
- HOSSA! HOSSA! HOSSA! (2008)
External Links
- Rex Gildo; the fall of a schmalz king Documentary film. Director: Hans Heijnen, 2003.