Gerhard Steffen

Gerhard Walter Steffen (born December 3, 1933 in Baghdad , † November 18, 2000 in Vienna ) was an Austrian cabaret artist and actor .

Life

Steffen grew up in Mosul , Baghdad , Berlin and Graz . After graduating from high school , he began studying biology in Graz and was involved in the student cabaret there.

In 1959 he co-founded the student cabaret “Der Würfel” in Graz with the composer, writer, chansonnier Dieter Gogg , Kuno Knöbl and Udo Simonitsch. Gerhard Bronner then engaged him in 1961 together with Eva Pilz, Isa Franke, Erich Frank, Felix Dvorak , Kuno Knöbl, Peter Orthofer for the New Theater at the Kärntnertor in Walfischgasse in Vienna , which was newly built in October 1959 . There Steffen appeared in the program "Weh dem, der Rügen!", Which was broadcast on August 25, 1961, also in the 2nd program of the ARD .

At the beginning of 1966, Steffen moved to the theater Die Tribüne , which was founded in 1953 and is located in the basement of Café Landtmann . This theater, in which he appeared in “1913 - The Year Before Sarajevo” by Rudolf Weys and in “Bank Robbery for Beginners” by Michael André, became a springboard for his career. He stayed there until 1967 and then appeared in the Simplicissimus cabaret, which was initially directed by the cabaret artist Karl Farkas , in Wollzeile in Vienna's 1st district . At the same time he could be seen in programs of the “Theater der Jugend” in the Renaissance theater and in the Theater an der Wien . He received engagements for the summer festival in Porcia Castle , in the Perchtoldsdorf courtyard , the Carnuntum World Theater Festival and in Stockerau .

In 1975 the Volkstheater Vienna appointed him a member of the ensemble. Here he made a name for himself as a character actor , also in plays by Johann Nepomuk Nestroy . At the Volkstheater he was in Nikolai Gogol's Der Revisor , in Karl Schönherr's “Faith and Home” and in František Langer's “The Camel Goes Through the Eye of the Needle”, in Peter Turrini's “The Greatest Day”, in Johann Nestroys “ Tangled story! ”, Can be seen in Lotte Ingrisch's “ Lambert Veigerl makes his will ”. In 1990/1991 Steffen appeared in Ödön von Horváth's “Figaro lets divorce” and in “Back and forth”. He then played in Felix Mitterer's “The Devil's Children”, appeared in Gabriela Zapolska's “Die Moral der Frau Dulska” as Mr. Dulski and played the hooked finger Jakob in “ The Threepenny Opera ”. In the following season he appeared as Lukas Laban in Dusan Kovacevic's “The Professional”, played the fireman in Biedermann and the arsonist in Max Frisch and played the pilgrim in Franz Grillparzer's “Woe to him who lies!”. Steffen also played Ferdinand Liechtl in The Broken Jug by Heinrich von Kleist and the Marchese Vincelli in Nestroy's " Liebesgeschichten und Heurathssachen ". In his last season 1993/1994 he could be seen as Ernst in Kerstin Specht's "Lila" and as Bäci in Heinrich Spoerl's "Der Mulkorb".

Steffen was the second of three sons from Willi Georg Steffen's first marriage with Erna Steffen, nee. Pentecost (1906–1979). He was married to Heimgard Bendl (* 1938 in Vienna), with whom he has two daughters: Angelica and Regina Steffen (both * 1962 in Vienna).

Gerhard Steffen was buried at the Vienna Central Cemetery (group 2, row 13, number 52).

Filmography

Steffen played repeatedly in roles in TV productions of the Austrian Broadcasting Corporation (ORF). In 1966 he was seen under his own name in "Donaug'schichten, WM und die kleine Gauner". In 1969 he appeared in an episode of the series “Balance of the Season” and in “The Big Bell” as well as in the children's film “The Belt of Namajok ... Kid Falcon's Eye - Master Detective”.

In 1972 he appeared in " The funny four from the gas station " and in two episodes of The Adventures of the Good Soldier Schwejk with Fritz Muliar , then in 1973 in "The three fathers of Romy Schröder" and in two episodes of "Hallo - Hotel Sacher ... Porter! ”. In 1978 he played the Dr. Rieger in "Mord im Krankenhaus" and played Johann in 13 episodes from 1980 to 1982 in the TV series Ringstrasse Palace . Steffen appeared in "Mord in der Oper" in 1981, appeared in two episodes of the crime series Tatort in 1978 and 1987 and was one of the actors in Peter Weck's 1988 TV series "Heiteres Bezirksgericht" .

Cabaret performances

"New Theater at the Kärntnertor"

• Spring 1961: "Woe to him who reprimands"
• Autumn 1961: "Wedel be man"
• Spring 1962: "Sumper fidelis"
• Spring 1963: "The hot iron"
• Autumn 1963: "Nowak's Ark"
• Spring 1964: "Never again cabaret"
• Autumn 1964: "Compagnero olé"
• Spring 1965: "Vienna Test Weeks"
• Autumn 1965: "Who is afraid of the time valve"
• Winter 1965: "The Romantics"
• February 1966: "Pianolastory"

Cabaret Simplicissimus "Simpl"

• Spring 1966: "With red ink"
• Fall 1967: "Everyone against everyone"
• Spring 1968: "With an iron hand"
• Autumn 1968: "cheerful to wolking"
• Spring 1969: "Amor - go home!"
• Autumn 1969: "Gangsters over Vienna!"
• Spring 1970: "Before and After"
• Fall 1970: "Back to the future"
• Spring 1971: "Pop and Porn"
• Autumn 1971: "Some like it romantic"
• Spring 1972: "60 years young"
• Fall 1972: "It could be ...!"
• Spring 1973: "Behind Open Doors"
• Spring 1974: "Fuel in the Fire"
• Autumn 1974: "Devil, come out!"

Honors

• Austrian Cross of Honor for Science and Art , 1989
• Karl Skraup Prize , for overall acting performance, 1993

Web links

• Gerhard Steffen in the Internet Movie Database (English)
• Obituary of Gerhard Steffens