Heinrich Wilhelm "Heinz" Rühmann (; 7 March 1902 – 3 October 1994) was a German film
actor
An actor (masculine/gender-neutral), or actress (feminine), is a person who portrays a character in a production. The actor performs "in the flesh" in the traditional medium of the theatre or in modern media such as film, radio, and television. ...
who appeared in over 100 films between 1926 and 1993. He is one of the most famous and popular German actors of the 20th century, and is considered a German film legend. Rühmann is best known for playing the part of a comic ordinary citizen in film comedies such as ''
Three from the Filling Station'' and ''
The Punch Bowl''. During his later years, he was also a respected character actor in films such as ''
The Captain from Köpenick'' and ''
It Happened in Broad Daylight''. His only English-speaking movie was the 1965 ''
Ship of Fools''.
Biography
Early life
Rühmann was born in
Essen
Essen () is the central and, after Dortmund, second-largest city of the Ruhr, the largest urban area in Germany. Its population of makes it the fourth-largest city of North Rhine-Westphalia after Cologne, Düsseldorf and Dortmund, as well as ...
as the son of a restaurateur. His father Hermann Rühmann moved to Berlin in 1915, where he probably committed suicide a little later. The exact circumstances of death could never be clarified. His son Heinz began his acting career during the early 1920s and appeared in numerous theatres in Germany during the following years. His role in the 1930 movie ''Die Drei von der Tankstelle'' (''The Three from the Filling Station'') led him to film stardom. He remained highly popular as a comedic actor (and sometime singer) throughout the 1930s and early 1940s. He remained in Germany and continued to work during the Nazi period, as did his friend and colleague,
Hans Albers.
Career during the Third Reich
During the 1933-45 period, he acted in 37 films and directed four. After January 1933, Rühmann did not speak openly about German politics, but instead kept himself as neutral as possible. He never stated a word against or towards the Nazis in the press, although he had been a supporter of
democracy
Democracy (from , ''dēmos'' 'people' and ''kratos'' 'rule') is a form of government in which political power is vested in the people or the population of a state. Under a minimalist definition of democracy, rulers are elected through competitiv ...
. In 1938, he divorced his Jewish wife Maria Herbot, who then left Germany and traveled to Stockholm where she married a Swedish actor. The divorce caused Rühmann to be accused by some of wanting to secure his career; however, the marriage had probably already fallen apart, and some sources say that he wanted to protect his wife with the divorce. After 1945, Herbot defended her ex-husband against accusations of opportunism. His second wife,
Hertha Feiler, whom he married shortly after, had a Jewish grandfather, a fact that caused Rühmann problems with the Nazi cultural authorities. Rühmann retained his reputation as an apolitical star during the entire Nazi era.
During the war years, Rühmann, like others, was co-opted by the State in some films. His role as lead actor in the comedy ''
Quax the Crash Pilot'' was supposed to distract the populace from the war. In 1941, under the direction of
Reichsfilmkammer president
Carl Froelich, Rühmann played the title role in ''
Der Gasmann'', about a gas-meter reader who is suspected of foreign espionage. In 1944, the
premiere of ''
Die Feuerzangenbowle'' was forbidden by the Nazi film censor for "disrespect for authority". Through his good relationships with the regime, however, Rühmann was able to screen the film in public. He brought the film to the
Führerhauptquartier Wolfsschanze for a private screening for
Hermann Göring
Hermann Wilhelm Göring (or Goering; ; 12 January 1893 – 15 October 1946) was a German Nazism, Nazi politician, aviator, military leader, and convicted war criminal. He was one of the most powerful figures in the Nazi Party, which gov ...
and others. Afterward, Göring was able to get the ban on the film lifted by
Adolf Hitler
Adolf Hitler (20 April 1889 – 30 April 1945) was an Austrian-born German politician who was the dictator of Nazi Germany from 1933 until Death of Adolf Hitler, his suicide in 1945. Adolf Hitler's rise to power, He rose to power as the lea ...
. A nostalgic comedy of mistaken identities, the film was probably the most popular of his career and later became a cult hit among college students. As a "state actor", the highest title for an actor during the Nazi era, Rühmann was not drafted into the
Wehrmacht
The ''Wehrmacht'' (, ) were the unified armed forces of Nazi Germany from 1935 to 1945. It consisted of the German Army (1935–1945), ''Heer'' (army), the ''Kriegsmarine'' (navy) and the ''Luftwaffe'' (air force). The designation "''Wehrmac ...
. He did have to take the basic training to become a military pilot of the reserves (as he happened to be a hobbyist pilot anyway), but for the State, Rühmann was more valuable as an actor and he was spared having to take part in the war effort. In August 1944,
Joseph Goebbels put Rühmann on the
Gottbegnadeten list of indispensable actors.
Rühmann was a favorite actor of
Holocaust diarist
Anne Frank
Annelies Marie Frank (, ; 12 June 1929 – February or March 1945)Research by The Anne Frank House in 2015 revealed that Frank may have died in February 1945 rather than in March, as Dutch authorities had long assumed"New research sheds new li ...
, who pasted his picture on the wall of her room in her family's hiding place during the war, where it can still be seen today.
The enormous range of Rühmann's popularity during the Nazi era is illustrated by the fact that he was also a favorite actor of Adolf Hitler and his propaganda minister Joseph Goebbels.
Postwar career
Rühmann had a difficult time resuming his career after the war, but by the mid-1950s, the former comedian had established himself again as a star, only this time as
West Germany
West Germany was the common English name for the Federal Republic of Germany (FRG) from its formation on 23 May 1949 until German reunification, its reunification with East Germany on 3 October 1990. It is sometimes known as the Bonn Republi ...
's leading character actor. In 1956, Rühmann starred in the title role of the internationally acclaimed picture ''
Der Hauptmann von Köpenick'' (''The Captain of Köpenick''), the true story of a
Prussia
Prussia (; ; Old Prussian: ''Prūsija'') was a Germans, German state centred on the North European Plain that originated from the 1525 secularization of the Prussia (region), Prussian part of the State of the Teutonic Order. For centuries, ...
n cobbler,
Wilhelm Voigt, who dressed up as an army officer and took over the town hall in
Köpenick. In the days of the
German Empire
The German Empire (),; ; World Book, Inc. ''The World Book dictionary, Volume 1''. World Book, Inc., 2003. p. 572. States that Deutsches Reich translates as "German Realm" and was a former official name of Germany. also referred to as Imperia ...
, the army had an exalted status and Voigt embarrassed the army officers and civil servants who obeyed him without question. Rühmann was also the leading man in the 1960 film version of ''The Adventures of
the Good Soldier Schweik'', after the novel by Czech author
Jaroslav Hašek. He also played the role of
Father Brown in three West German films during the 1960s. In 1965, Rühmann was brought to Hollywood by producer
Stanley Kramer for a supporting role as a German Jew in his all-star movie ''
Ship of Fools''.
His wife Hertha Feiler died in 1970 and Rühmann married his third wife Hertha Droemer in 1974. In his later years, he also worked as a
recitator for West German television. His last film was ''
Faraway, So Close!'' (1993) by
Wim Wenders
Ernst Wilhelm "Wim" Wenders (; born 14 August 1945) is a German filmmaker and photographer, who is a major figure in New German Cinema. Among the honors he has received are prizes from the Cannes Film Festival, Cannes, Venice International Film ...
, in which he played an old fatherly chauffeur named Konrad. Rühmann died in October 1994, aged 92 years. He was buried in
Berg-Aufkirchen,
Bavaria
Bavaria, officially the Free State of Bavaria, is a States of Germany, state in the southeast of Germany. With an area of , it is the list of German states by area, largest German state by land area, comprising approximately 1/5 of the total l ...
. His popularity with German audiences continues: In 1995, he was posthumously awarded the
Goldene Kamera
The Goldene Kamera ("Golden Camera") is an annual German film and television award, awarded by the Funke Mediengruppe. The award show was usually held in early February in Hamburg, but also took place in Berlin on occasion. It has been paused ...
as the "Greatest German Actor of the Century"; in 2006, a poll voted him number one in the ZDF TV-show ''
Unsere Besten – Favorite German Actors''.
Awards
* 1938:
Venice Film Festival
The Venice Film Festival or Venice International Film Festival (, "International Exhibition of Cinematographic Art of the Venice Biennale") is an annual film festival held in Venice, Italy. It is the world's oldest film festival and one of the ...
: Medal for his acting in ''Der Mustergatte''
* 1940: Appointed
Staatsschauspieler by the Third Reich
* 1940: Honorary Membership in the Danish Flight Club
* 1957: Golden Gate Award (Best Actor) for ''Der Hauptmann von Köpenick''
* 1957:
Kunstpreis der Stadt Berlin
* 1957:
Filmband in Gold as Best Leading Actor for ''Der Hauptmann von Köpenick''
* 1959:
Ernst-Lubitsch-Preis
* 1961: Preis der deutschen Filmkritik (Award of German Film Critics)''
* 1961: Filmband in Gold as Best Leading Actor for ''Das schwarze Schaf''
* 1962, 1963, 1964, 1965, 1967, 1968, 1969, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1978, 1984: A total of twelve
Bambi Awards
* 1965:
Großes Verdienstkreuz des Verdienstordens der Bundesrepublik Deutschland
* 1966: Silberner Bildschirm by the film magazine TV-Hören und Sehen
* 1967, 1968: Two
Goldener Bildschirm by the film magazine TV-Hören und Sehen
* 1972:
Großes Verdienstkreuz des Verdienstordens der Bundesrepublik Deutschland mit Stern
* 1972: Filmband in Gold for his "long and outstanding work" in German Film
* 1972:
Goldene Leinwand (Special Award) for extraordinary merits
* 1972: Honorary Medal by the Spitzenorganisation der Filmwirtschaft (
SPIO) for Lifetime Achievement
* 1977:
Großes Verdienstkreuz des Verdienstordens der Bundesrepublik Deutschland mit Stern und Schulterband
* 1977:
Cultural Honor Prize of the City of Munich
* 1981:
Bayerischer Maximiliansorden für Wissenschaft und Kunst
* 1982:
Chaplin Chaplin may refer to:
People
* Charlie Chaplin (1889–1977), English comedy film actor and director
* Chaplin (name), other people named Chaplin
Films
* ''Unknown Chaplin'' (1983)
* Chaplin (film), ''Chaplin'' (film) (1992)
* Chaplin (2011 fi ...
-Stock in Silver by the Association of German Film Critics
* 1982:
Goldene Ehrenmünze der Landeshauptstadt München
* 1986:
Bayerischer Filmpreis: Honorary Award
* 1989: Appointment as Professor ''
honoris causa'' by the Kunst und Wissenschaft of
North Rhine-Westphalia
North Rhine-Westphalia or North-Rhine/Westphalia, commonly shortened to NRW, is a States of Germany, state () in Old states of Germany, Western Germany. With more than 18 million inhabitants, it is the List of German states by population, most ...
* 1990: Goldene Berolina
* 1992: Magdeburger Otto for Lifetime Achievement
* 1995:
Goldene Kamera
The Goldene Kamera ("Golden Camera") is an annual German film and television award, awarded by the Funke Mediengruppe. The award show was usually held in early February in Hamburg, but also took place in Berlin on occasion. It has been paused ...
as the Greatest German Actor of the Century (posthumous)
* 2006: Voted No. 1 in the
ZDF TV-show ''
Unsere Besten – Favorite German Actors'' (results by a poll)
Filmography
Film
*''
The Heart of a German Mother'' (1926) (with
Margarete Kupfer) as Oscar
*''
The Girl with the Five Zeros'' (1927, screenplay by
Béla Balázs, directed by
Curtis Bernhardt) (with
Adele Sandrock)
*''
The Three from the Filling Station'' (1930) (with
Lilian Harvey,
Willy Fritsch,
Olga Chekhova,
Oskar Karlweis, and the
Comedian Harmonists) as Hans
*''
Burglars'' (1930) (with Lilian Harvey, Willy Fritsch,
Ralph Arthur Roberts, and
Oskar Sima) as Victor Sérigny
*''
The Man in Search of His Murderer
''The Man in Search of His Murderer'' () is a 1931 Cinema of Germany, German comedy film directed by Robert Siodmak and starring Heinz Rühmann, Lien Deyers and Hans Leibelt.Hardt p. 239 The film is partially lost; of the original 9 acts, only fi ...
'' (1931, directed by
Robert Siodmak
Robert Siodmak (; 8 August 1900 – 10 March 1973) was a German Jewish film director. His career spanned some 40 years, working extensively in the United States and France, as well as in his native country. Though he worked in many genres, he was ...
) as Hans Herfort
*''
Bombs on Monte Carlo'' (1931) (with
Hans Albers,
Anna Sten, and
Peter Lorre) as First Officer Lt. Peter Schmidt
*''
My Wife, the Impostor'' (1931) (with
Käthe von Nagy,
Fritz Grünbaum,
Theo Lingen, and
Fritz Alberti
Fritz Alberti (born Friedrich Wilhelm Alberti; 22 October 1877 – 15 September 1954) was a German actor.
Selected filmography
* ''People in Ecstasy'' (1921)
* ''The Other Woman (1924 film), The Other Woman'' (1924)
* ''The Blackguard'' (1925)
* ...
) as Peter Bergmann, Bankbeamter
*''
The Virtuous Sinner'' (1931, directed by
Fritz Kortner) (with
Max Pallenberg and
Dolly Haas) as Wittek
*''
No Money Needed'' (1931) (with
Hans Moser and
Hedy Lamarr) as Heinz Schmidt
*''
The Pride of Company Three'' (1932) (with
Anton Walbrook and
Rudolf Platte) as Gustav Diestelbeck
*''
Things Are Getting Better Already'' (1932) (with
Dolly Haas and
Fritz Grünbaum) as Ingenieur Fred Holmer
*''
Spoiling the Game'' (1932) as Willy Streblow, Rennfahrer
*''
The Empress and I'' (1933, directed by
Friedrich Hollaender) (with
Conrad Veidt, Lilian Harvey and
Mady Christians) as Didier
*''
Laughing Heirs'' (1933, directed by
Max Ophüls) (with
Max Adalbert) as Peter Frank
*''
Homecoming to Happiness'' (1933) (with
Luise Ullrich and
Paul Hörbiger) as Amadori
*''
Three Bluejackets, One Blonde Girl'' (1933) as Kadett Heini Jäger
* ''
There Is Only One Love'' (1933) (with
Louis Graveure and
Jenny Jugo) as Ballettmeister Eddy Blattner
*''
The Grand Duke's Finances'' (1934, Directed by
Gustaf Gründgens) (with
Viktor de Kowa,
Fritz Alberti
Fritz Alberti (born Friedrich Wilhelm Alberti; 22 October 1877 – 15 September 1954) was a German actor.
Selected filmography
* ''People in Ecstasy'' (1921)
* ''The Other Woman (1924 film), The Other Woman'' (1924)
* ''The Blackguard'' (1925)
* ...
, and
Theo Lingen) as Pelotard
* ''
Such a Rascal
''Such a Rascal'' (German: ''So ein Flegel'') is a 1934 German comedy film and starring Heinz Rühmann, Ellen Frank (actress), Ellen Frank and Annemarie Sörensen. It was shot at the EFA Studios in Berlin. The film's sets were designed by the art ...
'' (1934) (with ) as Dr. Hans Pfeiffer / Erich Pfeiffer
*' (1934) as August Pipin
*' (1934) (with
Louis Graveure,
Camilla Horn,
Adele Sandrock, and Theo Lingen) as Benjamin Cortes, Komponist
*''
Heinz in the Moon'' (1934) (with
Annemarie Sörensen,
Rudolf Platte, Oskar Sima, and
Jarmila Novotná and Hans Moser) as Aristides Nessel
*''
Frasquita'' (Austria, 1934) as Hippolit
*''
Heaven on Earth'' (Austria, 1935) (with Theo Lingen, Hans Moser,
Adele Sandrock,
Hermann Thimig,
Rudolf Carl, and
Lizzi Holzschuh) as Peter Hilpert
*' (1935) as Paul Normann, der kleine Angestellte
*' (Austria, 1935) (with
Magda Schneider,
Hans Söhnker, Hans Moser, and Adele Sandrock) as Willibald Riegele
*''Der Außenseiter'' (1935), as Peter Bang
*''
Ungeküsst soll man nicht schlafen gehn'' (Austria, 1936) (with Theo Lingen, Hans Moser, and
Liane Haid) as Franz Angerer
*''
Tomfoolery'' (1936, directed by
Willi Forst) (with
Anton Walbrook,
Renate Müller, and
Jenny Jugo) as David
*''
If We All Were Angels'' (1936) as Christian Kempenich
*''
Lumpaci the Vagabond'' (Austria, 1936, based on a play by
Johann Nestroy) (with
Paul Hörbiger,
Hans Holt,
Hilde Krahl, and
Fritz Imhoff) as Schneidergeselle Zwirn
*' (Austria, 1937) (with Hans Moser, Theo Lingen, and
Gusti Huber) as Toni Mathis
*''
The Man Who Was Sherlock Holmes'' (1937, directed by
Karl Hartl) (with Hans Albers) as Macky McPherson
*''
The Model Husband'' (1937) (with
Leny Marenbach and
Hans Söhnker) as Billy Bartlett
*''
The Roundabouts of Handsome Karl'' (1938) (with
Sybille Schmitz) as Karl Kramer, Kellner
*''
Five Million Look for an Heir'' (1938) (with
Leny Marenbach, , and Oskar Sima) as Peter Pett / Patrick Pett
*''
Thirteen Chairs'' (1938, based on the novel ''"
The Twelve Chairs"'') (with Hans Moser) as Friseur Felix Rabe
*''
So You Don't Know Korff Yet?'' (1938) (with
Victor Janson,
Fritz Rasp) as Niels Korff
*''
The Leghorn Hat'' (1939) as Theo Farina
*''
Bachelor's Paradise'' (1939) (with
Hans Brausewetter and
Josef Sieber) as Hugo Bartels, Standesbeamter
*''
Hurrah! I'm a Father
''Hurrah! I'm a Father'' or ''Hurrah! I'm a Papa'' () is a 1939 German comedy film directed by Kurt Hoffmann and starring Heinz Rühmann, Albert Florath, and Carola Höhn.
It was shot at the Marienfelde and Tempelhof Studios in Berlin
...
'' (1939) as Student Peter Ohlsen
*''
Clothes Make the Man'' (1940, based on a short story by
Gottfried Keller, directed by
Helmut Käutner) (with Hertha Feiler and
Erich Ponto) as Schneidergeselle Wenzel
*''
Happiness Is the Main Thing'' (1941) (directed by Theo Lingen) as Axel Roth
*''
The Gasman'' (1941) (with
Anny Ondra) as Hermann Knittel
*''
Quax the Crash Pilot'' (1941) as Otto Groschenbügel, 'Quax'
*''
Front Theatre'' (1942) as Himself (uncredited)
*''
I Entrust My Wife to You'' (1943) as Peter Trost
* ''
Sophienlund'' (1943) as Director
*''
Die Feuerzangenbowle'' (1944) (with Erich Ponto (Professor Crey, ''Schnauz''),
Paul Henckels
Paul Henckels (9 September 1885 – 27 May 1967) was a German film and stage actor. He appeared in more than 230 films between 1921 and 1965. Paul Henckels had started his acting career on the stage in the 1900s.
He was well known for his eccen ...
(Professor Bömmel),
Hans Leibelt (Direktor Knauer, ''Zeus''),
Karin Himboldt (Eva Knauer), and
Hilde Sessak (Marion)) as Dr. Johannes Pfeiffer / Hans Pfeiffer
*''
Quax in Afrika'' (1945) (directed by
Helmut Weiss, book:
Hermann Grote) (with
Bruni Löbel and
Beppo Brem) as Otto Groschenbügel, 'Quax', Fluglehrer
*''
Tell the Truth'' (1946) (with
Georg Thomalla and
Susanne von Almassy) (unfinished film)
*' (1948, directed by
Heinz Hilpert) (with
Anneliese Römer,
Hans Cossy) as Herr vom anderen Stern
* ''
The Secret of the Red Cat'' (1949, directed by
Helmut Weiss) (with
Gustav Knuth) as André
* ''
I'll Make You Happy'' (1949, directed by
Sándor Szlatinay) as Peter Krüger
*''
That Can Happen to Anyone'' (1952, directed by
Paul Verhoeven) (with
Gustav Knuth,
Gisela Schmidting, and
Liesl Karlstadt) as Hugo Brinkmeyer
* ''
Shame on You, Brigitte!'' (1952) (with Hans Moser, Theo Lingen,
Nadja Tiller,
Margarete Slezak, and
Hilde Berndt) as Dr. Felix Schneider
*''
Not Afraid of Big Animals'' (1953) (with
Gustav Knuth) as Emil Keller
*''
Mailman Mueller'' (1953, directed by Heinz Rühmann) (with
Heli Finkenzeller) as Titus Müller
*''
On the Reeperbahn at Half Past Midnight'' (1954) (with Hans Albers and Gustav Knuth) as Pittes Breuer
* ''
Stopover in Orly'' (1955, directed by
Jean Dréville) (with
Dany Robin,
Dieter Borsche,
Simone Renant, and
Claus Biederstaedt) as Albert Petit
*''
Wenn der Vater mit dem Sohne'' (1955) (with
Oliver Grimm and
Waltraut Haas) as Teddy Lemke
*''
Charley's Aunt'' (1956) (with Hertha Feiler,
Claus Biederstaedt,
Walter Giller, and
Paul Hörbiger) as Dr. Otto Dernburg
*''
The Captain from Köpenick'' (1956, based upon the play by
Carl Zuckmayer
Carl Zuckmayer (27 December 1896 – 18 January 1977) was a German writer and playwright. His older brother was the pedagogue, composer, conductor, and pianist Eduard Zuckmayer.
His first two dramas were failures. In 1929, he wrote the script ...
) (directed by
Helmut Käutner) as Wilhelm Voigt
*' (1956, directed by
Kurt Meisel) (with
Walter Giller,
Günther Lüders,
Werner Peters, and
Siegfried Lowitz) as Anton Wibbel
*''
Vater sein dagegen sehr'' (1957, directed by Kurt Meisel) (with
Marianne Koch) as Lutz Ventura
*''
It Happened in Broad Daylight'' (1958, screenplay by
Friedrich Dürrenmatt, directed by
Ladislao Vajda) (with
Gert Fröbe,
Michel Simon,
Siegfried Lowitz,
Ewald Balser,
Berta Drews, and
Sigfrit Steiner) as Oberleutnant Matthäi
* ''
The Man Who Couldn't Say No'' (1958) (with
Hannelore Schroth and
Siegfried Lowitz) as Thomas Träumer
*''
The Crammer'' (1958, directed by
Axel von Ambesser) (with
Wera Frydtberg,
Gert Fröbe,
Klaus Löwitsch, and
Peter Kraus) as Dr. Hermann Seidel
* ''
Iron Gustav'' (1958, directed by
Georg Hurdalek) (with
Lucie Mannheim,
Ernst Schröder,
Karin Baal,
Ingrid van Bergen) as Gustav Hartmann
*''
Menschen im Hotel'' (1959, based on a novel by
Vicki Baum, directed by
Gottfried Reinhardt) (with
Michèle Morgan,
O. W. Fischer,
Gert Fröbe, and
Sonja Ziemann) as Carl Kringelein
*''
The Man Who Walked Through the Wall'' (1959, directed by
Ladislao Vajda) (with
Nicole Courcel and
Hubert von Meyerinck) as Herr Buchsbaum
*''
The Juvenile Judge'' (1960) (with
Karin Baal) as Judge Dr. Ferdinand Bluhme
* ''
My Schoolfriend'' (1960, directed by
Robert Siodmak
Robert Siodmak (; 8 August 1900 – 10 March 1973) was a German Jewish film director. His career spanned some 40 years, working extensively in the United States and France, as well as in his native country. Though he worked in many genres, he was ...
) (with
Robert Graf,
Ernst Schröder,
Mario Adorf,
Loni von Friedl, and
Fritz Wepper) as Ludwig Fuchs
*''
The Good Soldier Schweik'' (1960, based on the novel ''
The Good Soldier Švejk'' by
Jaroslav Hašek, directed by
Axel von Ambesser) (with
Ernst Stankovski,
Senta Berger,
Jane Tilden,
Fritz Eckhardt
Fritz Eckhardt (born Linz, 30 November 1907; died Klosterneuburg, 31 December 1995) was an Austrian actor, director, and writer. He is remembered for playing the lead role as ''chief inspector Marek'' in the Österreichischer Rundfunk version ...
, and
Fritz Muliar) as Josef Schwejk
*''
The Black Sheep'' (1960, a
Father Brown film) (with
Karl Schönböck,
Maria Sebaldt, and
Siegfried Lowitz) as Pater Brown
*''
The Liar'' (1961, directed by
Ladislao Vajda) (with Gustav Knuth) as Sebastian Schumann
*''
Max the Pickpocket'' (1962) (with
Elfie Pertramer,
Hans Clarin, and
Ruth Stephan) as Max Schilling
* ''
He Can't Stop Doing It'' (1962) (a Father Brown film, directed by
Axel von Ambesser) (with
Rudolf Forster,
Grit Boettcher,
Ruth Maria Kubitschek, and
Horst Tappert) as Pater Brown
* ''
My Daughter and I'' (1963) (with
Gertraud Jesserer, Gustav Knuth,
Agnes Windeck, and
Herta Staal) as Dr. Robert Stegemann
*''
The House in Montevideo'' (1963, based on a play by
Curt Goetz, directed by
Helmut Käutner) (with
Ruth Leuwerik and
Paul Dahlke) as Prof. Dr. Traugott Hermann Nägler
*''
A Mission for Mr. Dodd'' (1964) (with
Anton Diffring and
Mario Adorf) as Dr. Lancelot Dodd / Dr. Ivor Marmion
*''
Praetorius'' (1965, based on a play by
Curt Goetz) (with
Liselotte Pulver) as Dr. Hiob Prätorius
*''
Ship of Fools'' (1965, directed by
Stanley Kramer) (with
Vivien Leigh,
Simone Signoret,
Oskar Werner,
Lee Marvin,
José Ferrer, and
George Segal) as Julius Lowenthal
*''
Who Wants to Sleep?'' (1965,
anthology film) (with
Curd Jürgens,
Nadja Tiller,
Ivan Desny,
Letícia Román,
Gert Fröbe,
Catherine Deneuve,
Johanna von Koczian,
Richard Münch,
Anita Ekberg,
Peter Alexander, and
Axel von Ambesser) as Professor Hellberg
*''
Hocuspocus'' (1966, based on a play by
Curt Goetz) (with
Liselotte Pulver and
Richard Münch) as Peer Bille
*''
Your Money or Your Life'' (1966, directed by
Jean-Pierre Mocky) (with
Fernandel) as Henry Schmidt
*''
Once a Greek'' (1966, based on the novel ''
Once a Greek'' by
Friedrich Dürrenmatt) (with
Irina Demick,
Hannes Messemer, and
Charles Régnier), as Archilochos
* ''
Maigret and His Greatest Case'' (1966, based on a novel by
Georges Simenon) (with
Françoise Prévost,
Günter Strack,
Eddi Arent, and
Ulli Lommel) as Kommissar Maigret
*''
Operation St. Peter's'' (1967, directed by
Lucio Fulci) (with
Edward G. Robinson,
Jean-Claude Brialy, and
Lando Buzzanca) as Cardinal Erik Braun
*' (1968) (with
Charles Régnier) as Dr. Alexander
*''
The Captain'' (1971) (with
Johanna Matz,
Horst Tappert,
Ernst Stankovski,
Horst Janson,
Günter Pfitzmann, and
Teri Tordai, music:
James Last) as Wilhelm Ebbs
*' (1973) (with
Paul Dahlke,
Peter Fricke, and
Franziska Oehme) as Konsul Jonathan Reynold
*''Heinz Rühmann erzählt Märchen'' (1975) as Narrator
*' (1977) (with
Senta Berger,
Harald Leipnitz,
Peter Pasetti, and
Christian Kohlund) as Poliakoff
*' (1977, directed by
Michael Verhoeven) (with
Mario Adorf,
René Deltgen,
Elisabeth Volkmann,
Karin Baal, and
Joachim Fuchsberger) as Alfred Eisenhardt
*''
Faraway, So Close!'' (1993, directed by
Wim Wenders
Ernst Wilhelm "Wim" Wenders (; born 14 August 1945) is a German filmmaker and photographer, who is a major figure in New German Cinema. Among the honors he has received are prizes from the Cannes Film Festival, Cannes, Venice International Film ...
) (with
Otto Sander,
Bruno Ganz,
Nastassja Kinski,
Willem Dafoe,
Peter Falk
Peter Michael Falk (September 16, 1927 – June 23, 2011) was an American film and television actor. He is best known for his role as Columbo (character), Lieutenant Columbo on the NBC/American Broadcasting Company, ABC series ''Columbo'' (196 ...
,
Horst Buchholz, and
Solveig Dommartin) as Konrad (final film role)
Television
*' (1968, based on ''
Death of a Salesman'' by
Arthur Miller, directed by
Gerhard Klingenberg) (with
Käthe Gold), as Willy Loman
*' (1969, based on a play by
Derek Bond), as Leslie Darwin
*' (1970, based on ''
Harvey'' by
Mary Chase) (with
Susi Nicoletti and
Charles Régnier), as Elwood Dowd
*' (1970, based on ''Photo Finish'' by
Peter Ustinov) (with
Hans Söhnker,
Harry Meyen, and
Erika Pluhar), as Sam Kinsale, 80 years old
*' (1971, based on ''Angel in a Pawnshop'' by
A. B. Shiffrin) (with
Sabine Sinjen), as Hilary
*' (1973, based on ''
The Caretaker'' by
Harold Pinter
Harold Pinter (; 10 October 1930 – 24 December 2008) was a British playwright, screenwriter, director and actor. A List of Nobel laureates in Literature, Nobel Prize winner, Pinter was one of the most influential modern British dramat ...
, directed by
August Everding) (with
Gerd Baltus), as Davies
*' (1976, directed by
Hermann Leitner) (with Peter Ustinov), as Roeder, Antiquitätenhändler
*''Summa Summarum'' (1977), as Himself
*' (1978,
anthology film, directed by
Wolfgang Glück) (with
Ferdy Mayne), as Kirchendiener / Butler / Edward / Ehemann
*' (1979, based on a story by
Heinz Erhardt) (with
Rudolf Schock,
Margit Schramm,
Benno Kusche,
Grit Boettcher,
Gert Fröbe,
Inge Meysel,
Hans-Joachim Kulenkampff,
Heidi Kabel,
Vicco von Bülow, and
Heinz Erhardt), as Golfspieler
*' (1979, anthology film, directed by
Rudolf Jugert) (with
Cornelia Froboess and ), as Taxi driver Lefèvre / Taxi driver Balthasar van Krogg / Taxi driver Lord Barclay / Station master Brown
*' (1979, anthology film, directed by
Rolf von Sydow
Rolf von Sydow (18 June 1924 – 16 June 2019) was a German film director and author.
Life
Von Sydow worked as a film director in Germany. He married on three occasions. As an author, Sydow wrote several books and audible books.
Works by Syd ...
) (with
Günter Strack), as Friebe / Eberts / Weber
*' (1981, based on ''
Holiday Song'' by
Paddy Chayefsky, directed by
Rolf von Sydow
Rolf von Sydow (18 June 1924 – 16 June 2019) was a German film director and author.
Life
Von Sydow worked as a film director in Germany. He married on three occasions. As an author, Sydow wrote several books and audible books.
Works by Syd ...
) (with , ,
Hans Hessling, and
Bruni Löbel), as Kantor Leon Sternberger
*' (1983, based on ' by
Georges Simenon, directed by
Vojtěch Jasný
Vojtěch Jasný (30 November 1925 – 15 November 2019) was a Czech director, screenwriter and professor who has written and directed over 50 films. Jasný made feature and documentary films in Czechoslovakia, Germany, Austria, USA & Canada, and ...
) (with
Katharina Böhm,
Marion Kracht,
Luitgard Im,
Anneliese Uhlig, and ), as Perret-Latour
As director
*''
All Lies'' (1938)
*' (1940)
*''
Sophienlund'' (1943)
*' (1944)
*''Die kupferne Hochzeit'' (1948)
Autobiography
*''Das war's. Erinnerungen''. Ullstein, Berlin 1994,
Sources
* Franz J. Görtz, Hans Sarkowicz: ''Heinz Rühmann 1902 - 1994. Der Schauspieler und sein Jahrhundert''. Beck, Munich (2001)
* Torsten Körner: ''Ein guter Freund: Heinz Rühmann''. Aufbau-Verlag, Berlin (2003)
* Hans-Ulrich Prost: ''Das war Heinz Rühmann''. Bastei, Bergisch Gladbach (1994)
* Fred Sellin: ''Ich brech die Herzen..., das Leben des Heinz Rühmann''. Rowohlt, Reinbek (2001)
* Gregor Ball, Eberhard Spiess, (Hrsg.): ''Heinz Rühmann und seine Filme''. Goldmann, Munich (1985)
*
Hans Hellmut Kirst, Mathias Forster, et al.: ''Das große Heinz Rühmann Buch''. Naumann & Göbel / VEMAG, Cologne o.J.,
References
External links
*
Fan site
Rühmann biographical timelineGerman Historical Museum
Heinz Rühmann memorial book
Bibliography and photographs
{{DEFAULTSORT:Ruhmann, Heinz
1902 births
1994 deaths
Male actors from Essen
Actors from the Rhine Province
German male film actors
Film directors from North Rhine-Westphalia
German male silent film actors
Grand Crosses with Star and Sash of the Order of Merit of the Federal Republic of Germany
20th-century German male actors
German Film Award winners
German male comedians
Comedians from North Rhine-Westphalia