Thomas Fritsch (actor)

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Thomas Fritsch (born January 16, 1944 in Dresden , † April 21, 2021 in Munich ) was a German actor , voice actor and pop singer . The son of the actor Willy Fritsch was first known in the 1960s for leading roles in various films and for some time as a teenage idol, later he was mainly present through numerous series roles (including three are one too many , rivals of the racetrack ). As a speaker he was among other things as the German voice of Russell Croweand has worked on cartoons such as The Lion King and Ice Age .

life and career

Origin and beginnings

Thomas Fritsch was the son of the UFA film star Willy Fritsch and the dancer and actress Dinah Grace (actually Ilse Schmidt). At the end of the war, the family fled to Hamburg, where, after completing secondary school , Fritsch studied with Eduard Marks , the head of the acting class at the Hamburg University of Music and Theater , and also took singing and ballet lessons. Gustaf Gründgens advised the then 16-year-old to pursue an acting career.

theatre

Fritsch made his stage debut in 1964 at the Stadttheater Heidelberg as the young poet Eugene Marchbanks in George Bernhard Shaw's comedy Candida . This was followed by engagements at the Fritz Rémond Theater in Frankfurt , the Small Comedy at Max II in Munich, the Stuttgart Comedy at the Marquardt , at the Hamburger Kammerspiele and at the Komödie am Kurfürstendamm . In the season 1974/75 he was at the Wiener Theater in der Josefstadt in Ferenc Molnár's drama The Swan as fencing teacher Dr. To see agi. In the 1982/83 season he also took on the role of the young Venetian Florindo in the comedy Christina's journey home from Hugo von Hofmannsthal . However, Fritsch mainly appeared in tabloids, such as Colette's comedy Chéri or the musical Irma la Douce . In 1985 he played under the direction of Wolfgang Spier at the Komödie am Kurfürstendamm in Alan Ayckbourn's confusionary comedy Half Truths, the young boy boy Greg Pointer. In the 2003/04 season he was seen again in a stage production of Ayckbourn's comedy at the Theater an der Kö . He took on the role of secretly flinging macho husband Philip Carter.

Fritsch played his last role at the theater from 2006 to 2009 at the side of Karsten Speck in Michael Pertwees relationship comedy Sextett .

Movie and TV

While still at drama school, Fritsch was discovered for the film. His best-known films include Julia, You are magical , The black-white-red four-poster bed and The great love game . He played alongside the then most famous film actresses such as Lilli Palmer , Hildegard Knef , Daliah Lavi and Marie Versini . He and his father Willy Fritsch stood in front of the camera three times: in 1964 in the feature film That I learned from papa and for the ZDF television show That's Twice (1965) and Other Times - Other Customs. The Thomas Fritsch Show (1967).

After a temporary break in his career, Fritsch made a celebrated comeback in 1977 with his leading role in the television series Three Are One Too Many at the side of Jutta Speidel and Herbert Herrmann . As a result, he again became one of the most popular and popular German actors. In 1989, Fritsch was again seen alongside Jutta Speidel in the eleven-part ZDF series Rivals of the Racetrack (1989) as jockey Christian Adler in the lead role.

In addition to regular guest appearances in individual productions of crime series such as Derrick or Der Alte , he was a regular guest actor in television series such as Happy Journey (1992–1993), Unser Charly (2000–2003) and Hallo Robbie! (2004–2008), and he also frequently took on leading or guest roles in various novel adaptations by Rosamunde Pilcher (1997–2011).

In the role of Earl of Cockwood , Fritsch thrilled again in 2004 in the cinema production Der Wixxer , a parody of the Edgar Wallace films of the 1960s. From 2006 to 2007 he took on the role of the storyteller in four seasons of the ProSieben / ORF series Die Märchenstunde . In 2008 he was seen alongside Hans-Werner Meyer and Lisa Martinek in the German-Austrian fantasy film The Miracle of Loch Ness as the magician Merlin. In the seven-part ZDF film series My wonderful family , he took on the continuous role of Peter Engelmann alongside Tanja Wedhorn from 2008 to 2010. In the 1980s he promoted the Mon Chéri praline from the Italian manufacturer Ferrero .

synchronization

In addition to his activities in the theater and on television, Fritsch also worked as a voice actor . He dubbed Russell Crowe ( Gladiator , Master & Commander - To the End of the World , Proof of Life ) , Jeremy Irons ( Die Hard: Now All the More , Kingdom of Heaven , Eragon - The Legacy of the Dragon Riders ) , Aslan ( Die Chronicles of Narnia: The King of Narnia , The Chronicles of Narnia: Prince Caspian of Narnia and The Chronicles of Narnia: The Voyage of the Dawn ), Charles Shaughnessy ( The Nanny ) and Edward James Olmos ( Battlestar Galactica ) .

He also worked in the German versions of a number of well-known Disney cartoons, including as Scar in The Lion King and Niels (Nigel) in Finding Nemo . He voiced the cartoon character of Russell Crowe on the South Park episode The Russell Crowe Show . In addition, he was also in the role of Diego in Ice Age , Ice Age 2 - Now thaws , Ice Age 3 - The dinosaurs are on the loose , Ice Age 4 - Fully postponed and Ice Age - Collision ahead! to listen. In the HBO series Game of Thrones , he dubbed James Faulkner in the role of Randyll Tarly. In the cartoon adaptation of Jim Button and Lukas the Engine Driver, he played the role of Lukas . In the two real-life adaptations of Jim Knopf , the films Jim Knopf and Lukas der Lokomotivführer from 2018 and Jim Knopf und die Wilde 13 from 2020, he gave the narrator his voice - his last work as a speaker.

Speaking activities

In addition to acting and his dubbing work, Fritsch regularly worked as a radio play speaker. From 2002 to March 2017 he took on the part of the narrator in the radio play series Die drei ??? (in the meantime: DiE DR3i ), which he also performed in front of 12,000 spectators at the live performance Super Parrot 2004 . In 2008 he took on the lead role of the shadow warrior Garlan in the multi-part radio play series for the computer game Sacred 2 .

He was also involved in the German version of the computer game Civilization IV ; he set to music those texts that were originally spoken by Leonard Nimoy .

Pop singer

In the 1960s Fritsch was active as a pop singer and graced the cover of the youth magazine Bravo several times as a teenage idol in the 1960s . In December 1963 he made his first and highest entry into the German single charts with the single If the moonlight weren't so romantic, at number 13 . In 1964 and 1965 he took with him That I learned from dad and that there are two LPs together with his father.

He worked several times with the songwriter Suzanne Doucet .

Private matters and death

Fritsch was actively involved in animal welfare . In 1990 he was diagnosed with a brain tumor. In 2006 he professed his bisexuality . In 2019 it became known that Fritsch had dementia .

Thomas Fritsch died on April 21, 2021 at the age of 77. For many years he lived alternately in Munich and on the Greek island of Mykonos . He spent the last years of his life in a retirement home .

Filmography (selection)

actor

Synchronous rollers (selection)

William Hurt

Jeremy Irons

Russell Crowe

John Hurt

Tim Curry

Movies

Series

Live shows

  • 2004: The three ??? - The super parrot live from the Color Line Arena, Hamburg ... as a narrator

Discography (selection)

Chart placements
Explanation of the data
Singles
If the moonlight weren't so romantic
  DE 13th December 01, 1963 (12 weeks)
Tales of a Twen
  DE 43 03/01/1964 (8 weeks)
Rosie
  DE 50 09/01/1964 (4 weeks)

Albums

  • 1964: I learned that from dad (LP together with his father) (Polydor)
  • 1965: That's twice (LP together with his father) (Polydor)
  • 1965: Alone and yet not Alone LP (Polydor)
  • 1967: With Thomas Fritsch in the moonlight (carousel 635146)
  • 1968: Girls like velvet and silk LP (EMI) / Tommy und die Girls (Volksplatte 1C048-28117) identical to girls like velvet and silk
  • 1969: Rendezvous with Thomas LP (Columbia C 062-28373)
  • 1980s: Tell me something (fairy tale) (MC Dolby System)
  • 2002–2017, 2020: The Three ??? (CD / MC / LP)
  • 2006: The Christmas Pony CD / MC (Coppenrath)

EP

  • 1964: Secret Romances (Polydor)

Singles

  • 1963: If the moonlight weren't so romantic / Yokohama baby (Polydor)
  • 1964: Tales of a Twen / Why Don't You Stay (Polydor)
  • 1964: Rosie / Sad Eyes (Polydor)
  • 1965: I release your heart again / Secret romances (Polydor)
  • 1965: That's what I like so much about you / Nobody can take that away from us (Polydor)
  • 1965: Please don't look at me so sadly / Mr. Dreammaker (Polydor 52570)
  • 1966: When friendship becomes love / My melody (Polydor)
  • 1966: I was so looking forward to it / Alone and yet not alone (Polydor)
  • 1967: You have to be in love / It's not that easy to be an adult (Polydor)
  • 1967: Once in a Lifetime / When Miracles Happen (Polydor)
  • 1968: Susann turns 21 / Forgive the mistake (EMI)
  • 1968: Be True / Call Me (Columbia)
  • 1969: I'm dreaming of you tonight / You are too young (EMI)
  • 1970: Feverish / Tell Babette I Love Her (EMI)
  • 1971: The Wire in the Sun / Cover version of the song Wichita Lineman from the year 1968, interpreted by Glen Campbell

Audio books and games (selection)

  • 2006: TC Boyle : Wassermusik Der Hörverlag, ISBN 9783899405163 .
  • 2012: Volker Präkelt : Zicke Zacke Dinokacke !: What researchers find in huge heaps and what they know about the terrible lizards , audio media verlag, ISBN 978-3868042733
  • 2013: Judith Ruyters: The Robber School - Director: Thomas Werner (Children's radio play (3 parts) - WDR )

Awards (selection)

literature

Web links

Individual evidence

  1. ↑ Regina Goldlücke: Not a young lover. Retrieved April 21, 2021 .
  2. ^ Sextet. Retrieved April 21, 2021 .
  3. ↑ A sextet on stage with Thomas Fritsch. Retrieved April 21, 2021 .
  4. ^ Markenmuseum.de - Brand history: Mon Cheri. In: www.markenmuseum.de. Retrieved May 5, 2016 .
  5. ↑ Randyll Tarly. Retrieved April 22, 2021 .
  6. ↑ Review of the radio play Sacred 2 - Der Schattenkrieger (2): Das trügerische Paradies ( German ) Popshot.Over-Blog.de. Retrieved July 8, 2015.
  7. ↑ Thomas Fritsch on suzannedoucet.com. Retrieved July 23, 2010.
  8. ↑ Narrator of the three "???": Actor Thomas Fritsch has died. Retrieved April 21, 2021 .
  9. ↑ The bisexual confessions of TV star Thomas Fritsch. Retrieved January 22, 2021 .
  10. ↑ Actor and voice actor: Thomas Fritsch is dead. Accessed April 21, 2021 .
  11. ↑ Thomas Fritsch: BUNTE exclusive: The actor died at the age of 77. Retrieved April 21, 2021 .
  12. ↑ Chart sources: DE .
  13. ↑ Willy and Thomas Fritsch - I learned that from dad at memoryradio.de .
  14. ↑ Willy and Thomas Fritsch - You can find that twice at discogs.com/de .
  15. ↑ Songs by Thomas Fritsch at germancharts.com .
  16. ↑ With Thomas Fritsch in the moonlight ( memento from November 12, 2013 in the Internet Archive ) at tonvinyl.de . Retrieved May 2, 2013.
  17. ↑ With Thomas Fritsch in the moonlight at discogs.com .
  18. ↑ Girls like velvet and silk at memoryradio.de .
  19. ↑ LP music from the most beautiful time of your life Thomas Fritsch at playitagainsam-online.de . Retrieved May 2, 2013.
  20. ↑ Rendezvous with Thomas at discogs.com.Retrieved March 25, 2016.
  21. ↑ The Christmas Pony / The Sky Workshop at mediabiz.de .
  22. ^ Secret romances at secondhandlps.de .
  23. ↑ If the moonlight weren't so romantic at discogs.com .
  24. ↑ Tales of a Twenties at discogs.com .
  25. ↑ Rosie / Sad Eyes at discogs.com .
  26. ↑ I'll set your heart free again / Secret romances at discogs.com .
  27. ↑ That's what I love about you / Nobody can take that away from us at discogs.com Songs by Thomas Fritsch at germancharts.com .
  28. ↑ Musikforum Thomas Fritsch ( Memento from September 13, 2014 in the Internet Archive ) at covergalerie.org . Retrieved May 2, 2013.
  29. ↑ Please don't look at me so sadly at discogs.com .
  30. ↑ When friendship becomes love / My tune at discogs.com .
  31. ↑ I was looking forward to it so much / Alone and yet not alone at discogs.com .
  32. ↑ You have to be in love / It's not that easy to be an adult at germancharts.com .
  33. ↑ Once in a lifetime / When miracles happen Songs by Thomas Fritsch at germancharts.com .
  34. ↑ 21 the Susann / Forgive the mistake at discogs.com .
  35. ↑ Be true to yourself / call me at discogs.com .
  36. ↑ I'm dreaming about you tonight / You are too young from musik-sammler.de .
  37. ↑ Feverish / Tell Babette I Love Her at discogs.com .
  38. ↑ Feverish - Tell Babette ... at rateyourmusic.com . Retrieved May 2, 2013.
  39. ↑ The wire in the sun at coverinfo.de .
personal data
SURNAME Fritsch, Thomas
BRIEF DESCRIPTION German film and television actor, voice actor and pop singer
DATE OF BIRTH January 16, 1944
PLACE OF BIRTH Dresden
DATE OF DEATH April 21, 2021
PLACE OF DEATH Munich