About

Known credits:
65
Birthday:
1928-10-08
Place of birth:
Vienna, Austria
Website:
N/A

Helmut Qualtinger

Overview

Helmut Qualtinger was born in Vienna, Austria. He initially studied medicine, but quit university to become a newspaper reporter and film critic for local press, while beginning to write texts for cabaret performances and theater plays. Qualtinger debuted as an actor at a student theater and attended the Max Reinhardt Seminar as a guest student.

Beginning in 1947, he appeared in cabaret performances. In 1949, Qualtinger's first theatrical play, Jugend vor den Schranken, was staged in Graz. Up to 1960, Qualtinger collaborated on various cabaret programmes with the Namenlosen Ensemble made up of Gerhard Bronner, Carl Merz, Louise Martini, Peter Wehle, Georg Kreisler, and Michael Kehlmann.

Qualtinger was famous for his practical jokes. In 1951, he managed to launch a false report in several newspapers announcing a visit to Vienna of a (fictional) famous Inuit poet named Kobuk (author of "The Burning Igloo"). The reporters who assembled at the railway station however were to witness Qualtinger, in fur coat and cap, stepping from the train. Asked about his "first impressions of Vienna", the "Inuit poet" commented in broad Viennese dialect, "Haaaßis'sdo - [It's hot here]".

The short one-man play Der Herr Karl, written by Qualtinger and Carl Merz and performed by Qualtinger in 1961, made the author known across German-speaking countries. "Herr Karl", a grocery store clerk, tells the story of his life to an imaginary colleague - from the days of the Habsburg empire, the First Austrian Republic, the Austrofascist regime leading up to the Anschluss (annexation) by Nazi Germany, World War II and finally military occupation by Allied forces in the 1950s, seen from the perspective of a one who is a prototypical opportunist. Qualtinger's portrayal of the petit-bourgeois Nazi collaborator came at a time when "normality" had just been restored and Austrians' involvement in the Nazi movement was being downplayed and "forgotten", making many enemies for the author, who even received anonymous threats of murder.

Beginning in the 1970s, Qualtinger frequently performed recitals of his own and other texts, including excerpts from Adolf Hitler's Mein Kampf and Karl Kraus' Die letzten Tage der Menschheit (The Last Days of Mankind). These recitals were highly popular and resulted in several records being published.

Qualtinger played countless theater, TV and film parts, making his final appearance in The Name of the Rose in 1986, along with Sean Connery.

Qualtinger died in Vienna on 29 September 1986, of a liver condition.

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Known for

Acting
2011 Qualtinger Actor 59
Average
1986 The Abbey of Crime: Umberto Eco's 'The Name of the Rose' Actor Self 59
Average
1986 The Name of the Rose Actor Remigio da Varagine 72
Good
1986 The Diary of Dr. Döblinger Actor Dr. Döblinger N/A
N/A
1985 Cat's Game Actor Viktor N/A
N/A
1985 Helmut Qualtinger liest Mein Kampf Actor N/A
N/A
1981 Die Hinrichtung Actor N/A
N/A
1979 Tales from the Vienna Woods Actor Zauberkönig 59
Average
1978 Feuerwasser Actor Sepp O'Brian N/A
N/A
1978 End of the Game Actor Von Schwendi 58
Average
1978 Grandison Actor Dr. Ludwig Pfister N/A
N/A
1977 Abelard - Die Entmannung Actor 58
Average
1977 Mulligans Rückkehr Actor Mulligan N/A
N/A
1976 Die Alpensaga Actor Allinger 70
Good
1976 Mitgift Actor Huck 58
Average
1975 Eiszeit Actor Offizier N/A
N/A
1975 Von und mit....Helmut Qualtinger Actor N/A
N/A
1974 Krankensaal 6 Actor Ragin N/A
N/A
1974 Der Kulterer Actor Kulterer 58
Average
1973 Der große Zauberer - Max Reinhardt Actor Self N/A
N/A
1973 Weights and Measures Actor Anselm Eibenschütz 58
Average
1972 Wer war Andre Heller? Actor Himself 59
Average
1971 Die heilige Johanna Actor Soldat N/A
N/A
1971 Geschäfte mit Plückhahn Actor Erwin Plückhahn N/A
N/A
1971 König Johann Actor Johann Plantagenet, König von England N/A
N/A
1970 Passion eines Politkers Actor Nationalrat Bröschl 59
Average
1970 Das weite Land Actor Natter N/A
N/A
1970 Das weite Land Actor Natter N/A
N/A
1969 Die Geschichte der 1002. Nacht Actor Ignaz Trummer N/A
N/A
1969 Diary of a Serial Killer Actor Rudi Böhm N/A
N/A
1968 Das vierte Gebot Actor Schalanter N/A
N/A
1968 The Castle Actor Bürgel 59
Average
1967 Der Paukenspieler Actor Ferry N/A
N/A
1967 Kurzer Prozeß Actor Inspektor Pokorny 59
Average
1967 Umsonst Actor Pitzl N/A
N/A
1967 Der Herr Karl Actor Herr Karl 59
Average
1966 Der Fall Bohr Actor Matzenauer N/A
N/A
1966 Samba Actor Capitano Agamemnon Heredia N/A
N/A
1966 Die Hinrichtung Actor Scharfrichter Engel N/A
N/A
1965 Lumpazivagabundus Actor Knieriem, ein Schustergeselle N/A
N/A
1965 Der Himbeerpflücker Actor Konrad Steisshäuptl N/A
N/A
1965 Radetzkymarsch Actor Kapturak 59
Average
1963 Biedermann und die Brandstifter Actor Schmitz - ein Ringer N/A
N/A
1962 Einen Jux will er sich machen Actor Melchior - Hausknecht N/A
N/A
1961 Geschichten aus dem Wienerwald Actor Oskar 59
Average
1961 Mann im Schatten Actor Oberpolizeirat Dr. Radosch 59
Average
1961 Die Kurve Actor Ministerialdirigent Kriegbaum N/A
N/A
1960 The Magnificent Rogue Actor Seppl Reber 58
Average
1959 Die schöne Lügnerin Actor Detective Zawadil 59
Average
1959 Mikosch im Geheimdienst Actor Oberst Fedor Fedorowitsch Ganiew 59
Average
1958 Man müßte nochmal zwanzig sein Actor Kanzakis 58
Average
1957 Das Abgründige in Herrn Gerstenberg Actor Der Schlechtere N/A
N/A
1957 Scherben bringen Glück Actor Wollner 59
Average
1955 Hanussen Actor Ernst Röhm N/A
N/A
1955 Sonnenschein und Wolkenbruch Actor Werbefachmann 59
Average
1955 Du bist die Richtige Actor Orientalischer Fürst N/A
N/A
1954 König der Manege Actor Mirko N/A
N/A
1953 Hab’ ich nur Deine Liebe Actor Direktor Pokorny N/A
N/A
1953 Einmal keine Sorgen haben Actor Kraps 59
Average
1952 April 1, 2000 Actor 59
Average

Writing
2023 Der Herr Karl Writing Writer N/A
N/A
2022 Der Herr Karl Writing Writer N/A
N/A
1967 Der Paukenspieler Writing Writer N/A
N/A
1967 Der Herr Karl Writing Writer 59
Average
1963 And So to Bed Writing Writer 59
Average