Theo Mezger

Theo Mezger , pseudonym WG Larsen , (born August 10, 1923 ) is a German screenwriter and director .

Career

Mezger's career began when he directed the ARD series Funkstreife Isar 12 several times in the early 1960s and also wrote the scripts for several episodes of this series. Before that, in 1959 he assisted director Rainer Wolffhardt on the film When Calling Murder . In 1960 he directed the film adaptation of Wolf Durian Kai 's bestseller children's book with Stephan Kayser in the lead role. From 1963, Mezger directed all episodes of the TV series Fernfahrer . Mezger also wrote some of the scripts for the series, which was produced in twelve episodes until 1967.

Mezger became known when he wrote the screenplay based on Arthur Hailey's novel in 1964 for the TV production Flight in Danger with Günther Neutze and Hanns Lothar and also directed it. The television game Zeitsperre followed in 1965 , also based on Arthur Hailey. Other well-known German TV series were added later, in which he directed episodes, such as B. at Raumschiff Orion , The Strange Methods of Franz Josef Wanninger , sixteen times at the crime scene in the 1970s and 1980s and mainly eleven times at Schwarz Rot Gold in the 1990s .

Mezger's documentary film LH 615 - Operation Munich , which deals with the dramatic hijacking of a Lufthansa plane by Palestinian terrorists in October 1972 , also attracted attention .

In 2016 Joachim Stall shot an interview documentary about Theo Mezger as a contemporary witness in the film for the House of Documentary. In this film, director Mezger speaks for the first time about his life at the age of 93.

Mezger is married for the second time and lives in Stuttgart. From 1961 to 1972/73 he was married to the former Swiss program spokeswoman and actress, and later TV presenter Eva Mezger-Haefeli ; the marriage resulted in three children and ten grandchildren.

Filmography (selection)

As a performer

• 1974: In the forecourt of truth - Director: Fritz Umgelter
• 2016: Contemporary Witnesses in Film - Documentary by Joachim Stall

As a director

• 2003: Raumpatrouille - The fantastic adventures of the Orion spaceship
• 1984–1996: Schwarz Rot Gold (TV series) (11 episodes)
• 1994: The King (TV series) (2 episodes)
• 1989: Le Retour d'Arsène Lupine (TV series) (2 episodes)
• 1988: Oh God, Mr. Pastor (TV series) (13 episodes)
• 1971–1987: Tatort (TV series) (16 episodes):
  • 1987: a million mice
  • 1986: One saw the killer
  • 1985: lousy tricks
  • 1984: Undercover investigation
  • 1983: Murder is not a business
  • 1982: blind rage
  • 1980: Not child's play
  • 1979: Two knots
  • 1978: red - red - dead
  • 1977: sky blue with silver stripes
  • 1976: eyewitness
  • 1975: Beautiful Belinda
  • 1974: Dangerous bedbugs
  • 1973: Stuttgart flowers
  • 1972: Password ferry
  • 1971: On the open road
• 1982–1986: Der Eugen (TV series) (20 episodes)
• 1986: Detective Office Roth (TV series) (9 episodes)
• 1982–1983: A Case for Two (TV series) (3 episodes)
• 1980–1982: The immortal methods of Franz Josef Wanninger (series)
• 1982: Profiles (TV series) (1 episode)
• 1981: Attention, customs! (TV series) (5 episodes)
• 1979: Captured in France: Theodor Fontane in the war of 1870/71 (TV film)
• 1975: LH 615 - Operation Munich (TV movie)
• 1974: Penalty! Penalty! (TV movie)
• 1973: Avalanche patrol (TV series) (7 episodes)
• 1972: Knast (TV movie)
• 1971: Who call themselves Christians (TV movie)
• 1970: Neighbors (TV movie)
• 1970: Days of Vengeance (TV series) (2 episodes)
• 1968–1970: The Strange Methods of Franz Josef Wanninger (TV series)
• 1969: The Dam (TV series) (13 episodes)
• 1969: Goldmacher Thousand (TV movie)
• 1969: Fememord (TV movie)
• 1969: The fight for the dance (TV movie)
• 1969: The Liebknecht-Luxemburg case (TV film)
• 1968: The Suction (TV movie)
• 1967: Love Stories (TV Series) (1 episode)
• 1963–1967: Truck Driver (TV series) (12 episodes)
• 1966: Raumpatrouille - Raumschiff Orion (TV series) (4 episodes):
  • 1966: The space trap
  • 1966: deserters
  • 1966: Guardian of the Law
  • 1966: Planet out of course
• 1966: Ten percent (TV movie)
• 1966: Escape attempt (TV movie)
• 1966: Sleeps for Germany (TV movie)
• 1965: Time lock (TV movie)
• 1964: Flight in Danger (TV movie)
• 1964: The Silver Flute (TV movie)
• 1963: Swabian Stories (TV series) (2 episodes)
• 1963: Detective Story (TV movie)
• 1962: Funny stories with Georg Thomalla (TV series) (1 episode)
• 1961: Children's Lesson (TV series) (1 episode): Luggage receipt 666 (1961)
• 1961: Steps in the Night (TV Movie)
• 1961: The Safe Tip (short film)
• 1961: The Little Relatives (short film)
• 1961: The visit to the detention center (short film)
• 1960: Kai out of the box (TV movie)
• 1960: Guests at Woodcastle (TV movie)

As a screenwriter

• 2003: Raumpatrouille - The fantastic adventures of the Orion spaceship
• 1973: Avalanche Patrol (TV series)
• 1969: The Visit (TV film) (as WG Larsen)
• 1963–1967: Fernfahrer (TV series) (screenplay - 8 episodes)
• 1966: Raumpatrouille - The fantastic adventures of the Orion spaceship (TV series) (Screenplay - 7 episodes under the pseudonym WGLarsen)
• 1964: Flight in Danger (TV play)
• 1961: Steps in the Night (TV play)
• 1961: The visit to the detention center (short film) (screenplay)
• 1960: The Lady in the Black Robe (TV movie) (as WG Larsen)
• 1960: Guests at Woodcastle (TV play)

As assistant director

• 1960: The great anger of Philipp Hotz (TV movie)
• 1959: account balanced (TV movie)
• 1959: On Call - Murder (TV movie)
• 1958: The Death of the Salesman (TV movie)

Web links

• Theo Mezger in the Internet Movie Database (English)
• Theo Mezger at filmportal.de
• Image by Theo Mezger on orionspace.de

Individual evidence

1. ↑ From his entry in the IMDb
2. ^ Entry on Funkstreife Isar 12 on BR-Online from September 15, 2006 ( Memento from September 16, 2007 in the Internet Archive ), accessed on February 8, 2010
3. ↑ Theo Mezger on Kino.de scripts are listed there for 1963, 1964 and 1967 , accessed on February 8, 2010