Helmuth Lohner (24 April 1933 – 23 June 2015) was an Austrian actor, theatre director, and from 1997 to 2006 director of the

Theater in der Josefstadt The Theater in der Josefstadt is a theater in Vienna in the eighth district of Josefstadt. It was founded in 1788 and is the oldest still performing theater in Vienna. It is often referred to colloquially as simply ''Die Josefstadt''. Following ...

Early life

Born in

Vienna en, Viennese , iso_code = AT-9 , registration_plate = W , postal_code_type = Postal code , postal_code = , timezone = CET , utc_offset = +1 , timezone_DST ...

, Lohner initially trained as a commercial artist, while also taking private acting lessons. He made his acting début in 1952 at the municipal theatre in

Baden bei Wien Baden (German for " Baths"; Central Bavarian: ''Bodn''), unofficially distinguished from other Badens as Baden bei Wien (Baden near Vienna), is a spa town in Austria. It serves as the capital of Baden District in the state of Lower Austria. Loc ...

. He also appeared as

operetta Operetta is a form of theatre and a genre of light opera. It includes spoken dialogue, songs, and dances. It is lighter than opera in terms of its music, orchestral size, length of the work, and at face value, subject matter. Apart from its s ...

buffo ''Opera buffa'' (; "comic opera", plural: ''opere buffe'') is a genre of opera. It was first used as an informal description of Italian comic operas variously classified by their authors as ''commedia in musica'', ''commedia per musica'', ''dramm ...

at the Stadttheater

Klagenfurt Klagenfurt am WörtherseeLandesgesetzblatt 2008 vom 16. Jänner 2008, Stück 1, Nr. 1: ''Gesetz vom 25. Oktober 2007, mit dem die Kärntner Landesverfassung und das Klagenfurter Stadtrecht 1998 geändert werden.'/ref> (; ; sl, Celovec), usually ...

. From 1953 to 1963 he appeared in various productions of the Theater in der Josefstadt, as well as making numerous film appearances.

Career

Further engagements in Berlin, Munich, Hamburg, Düsseldorf and Zurich followed. Between them he appeared at the

Burgtheater The Burgtheater (literally:"Castle Theater" but alternatively translated as "(Imperial) Court Theater"), originally known as '' K.K. Theater an der Burg'', then until 1918 as the ''K.K. Hofburgtheater'', is the national theater of Austria in Vi ...

, and at the

Salzburg Festival The Salzburg Festival (german: Salzburger Festspiele) is a prominent festival of music and drama established in 1920. It is held each summer (for five weeks starting in late July) in the Austrian town of Salzburg, the birthplace of Wolfgang Amad ...

several times, taking the roles of "Death", "The Devil" and "Jedermann" in

Hugo von Hofmannsthal Hugo Laurenz August Hofmann von Hofmannsthal (; 1 February 1874 – 15 July 1929) was an Austrian novelist, librettist, poet, dramatist, narrator, and essayist. Early life Hofmannsthal was born in Landstraße, Vienna, the son of an upper-class ...

's play '' Jedermann'' (which by tradition is performed every year). He made his film debut in 1955 in

Josef von Báky Josef may refer to *Josef (given name) *Josef (surname) * ''Josef'' (film), a 2011 Croatian war film *Musik Josef Musik Josef is a Japanese manufacturer of musical instruments. It was founded by Yukio Nakamura, and is the only company in Japan spe ...

's ''

Hotel Adlon The Hotel Adlon Kempinski Berlin is a luxury hotel in Berlin, Germany. It is on Unter den Linden, the main boulevard in the central Mitte district, at the corner with Pariser Platz, directly opposite the Brandenburg Gate. The original Hotel Adlon ...

''. From 1963 he was active in television as actor and director.

Personal life

Lohner married and divorced the German actress

Susanne Cramer Susanne Cramer (3 December 1936 – 7 January 1969) was a German film and television actress. She was born in Frankfurt, Germany, and died in Hollywood, California, of pneumonia, at age 32. Biography At the age of 20, Cramer married the 37-year- ...

twice. Their daughter Konstanze Lohner is a pedagogue in Germany. He then married the German actress

Karin Baal Karin Baal (born 19 September 1940), real name Karin Blauermel, is a German film actress. She has appeared in more than 90 films since 1956. Filmography Films *1956: ''Teenage Wolfpack'' *1957: '' Tired Theodore'' *1957: ' *1957: ''The Heart o ...

, with whom he had a daughter, actress Therese Lohner. In 2011, he married Elisabeth Gürtler-Mauthner. The couple lived together for 19 years before their marriage.

Death

Helmuth Lohner died on 23 June 2015 at the age of 82.

Selected works

As opera director

* 1994: ''

La belle Hélène ''La belle Hélène'' (, ''The Beautiful Helen'') is an opéra bouffe in three acts, with music by Jacques Offenbach and words by Henri Meilhac and Ludovic Halévy. The piece parodies the story of Helen of Troy, Helen's elopement with Paris (myt ...

'' by

Jacques Offenbach Jacques Offenbach (, also , , ; 20 June 18195 October 1880) was a German-born French composer, cellist and impresario of the Romantic period. He is remembered for his nearly 100 operettas of the 1850s to the 1870s, and his uncompleted opera '' ...

* 1997: ''

The Merry Widow ''The Merry Widow'' (german: Die lustige Witwe, links=no ) is an operetta by the Austro-Hungarian composer Franz Lehár. The librettists, Viktor Léon and Leo Stein, based the story – concerning a rich widow, and her countrymen's attempt t ...

'' by

Franz Lehár Franz Lehár ( ; hu, Lehár Ferenc ; 30 April 1870 – 24 October 1948) was an Austro-Hungarian composer. He is mainly known for his operettas, of which the most successful and best known is ''The Merry Widow'' (''Die lustige Witwe''). Life ...

* 1999: ''

Eine Nacht in Venedig '' Eine Nacht in Venedig '' (''A Night in Venice'') is an operetta in three acts by Johann Strauss II. Its libretto was by F. Zell and Richard Genée based on ''Le Château Trompette'' by Eugène Cormon and Richard Genée. The farcical, romanti ...

'' by

Johann Strauss II Johann Baptist Strauss II (25 October 1825 – 3 June 1899), also known as Johann Strauss Jr., the Younger or the Son (german: links=no, Sohn), was an Austrian composer of light music, particularly dance music and operettas. He composed ov ...

* 2002: '' Die Csárdásfürstin'' by

Emmerich Kálmán Emmerich Kálmán ( hu, Kálmán Imre; 24 October 1882 – 30 October 1953) was a Hungarian composer of operettas and a prominent figure in the development of Viennese operetta in the 20th century. Among his most popular works are '' Die Csár ...

* 2005: ''

The Magic Flute ''The Magic Flute'' (German: , ), K. 620, is an opera in two acts by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart to a German libretto by Emanuel Schikaneder. The work is in the form of a ''Singspiel'', a popular form during the time it was written that inclu ...

'' by

Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart (27 January 17565 December 1791), baptised as Joannes Chrysostomus Wolfgangus Theophilus Mozart, was a prolific and influential composer of the Classical period. Despite his short life, his rapid pace of composition r ...

As theatre actor

* 1978: '' Das weite Land'' by

Arthur Schnitzler Arthur Schnitzler (15 May 1862 – 21 October 1931) was an Austrian author and dramatist. Biography Arthur Schnitzler was born at Praterstrasse 16, Leopoldstadt, Vienna, capital of the Austrian Empire (as of 1867, part of the dual monarchy ...

, directed by

Otto Schenk Otto Schenk (born 12 June 1930, in Vienna) is an Austrian actor, and theater and opera director. Life and career Schenk was born to Catholic parents. His father, a lawyer, had Jewish roots and therefore lost his job after the Anschluss in 1938. ...

* 1987: '' Der einsame Weg'' by Arthur Schnitzler, directed by Thomas Langhoff * 1991–1993: ''Ein Jedermann'' (Salzburg festival) * 1999: ''Figaro lässt sich scheiden'' by

Ödön von Horváth Edmund Josef von Horváth (9 December 1901, Sušak, Rijeka, Austria-Hungary – 1 June 1938, Paris France) was an Austro-Hungarian playwright and novelist who wrote in German, and went by the name of ''nom de guerre'' Ödön von Horváth. He was ...

, directed by

Luc Bondy Luc Bondy (17 July 1948 – 28 November 2015) was a Swiss theatre and film director. Life and career upright=1.3, '' Charlotte Salomon'' at the Salzburg Festival 2014 Trained in Paris with the theatre teacher Jacques Lecoq, he received a job ...

Partial filmography

* ''Das Licht der Liebe'' (1954) – (uncredited) * ''An der schönen blauen Donau'' (1955) * ''

'' (1955) – Erzherzog Karl * '' Urlaub auf Ehrenwort'' (1956) Grenadier Richard Hellwig * ''Meine 16 Söhne'' (1956) * ''

King in Shadow ''King in Shadow'' (german: Herrscher ohne Krone) is a 1957 Western German historical drama film directed by Harald Braun and starring O. W. Fischer, Odile Versois and Horst Buchholz.Klossner, Michael. ''The Europe of 1500–1815 on Film and Tel ...

'' (1957) – Count Holck * ''

Salzburg Stories ''Salzburg Stories'' (German: ''Salzburger Geschichten'') is a 1957 West German romantic comedy film directed by Kurt Hoffmann and starring Marianne Koch, Paul Hubschmid and Peter Mosbacher.Bock & Bergfelder p.253 It was shot at the Bavaria Studios ...

'' (1957) – Franz * ''Wie schön, daß es dich gibt'' (1957) – Rainer * ''

Widower with Five Daughters ''Widower with Five Daughters'' (german: Witwer mit 5 Töchtern) is a 1957 West German comedy film directed by Erich Engels and starring Heinz Erhardt, Susanne Cramer, and Helmuth Lohner. It was shot at Göttingen Studios, with location shootin ...

'' (1957) – Dr. Klaus Hellmann * ''

The Spessart Inn ''The Spessart Inn'' (german: Das Wirtshaus im Spessart) is a 1958 West German musical comedy film directed by Kurt Hoffmann. It starred Liselotte Pulver and Carlos Thompson. Plot In the late years of the 18th century, Felix and Peter, two jo ...

'' (1958) – Felix * '' Stefanie'' (1958) * '' The House of Three Girls'' (1958) – Moritz von Schwind * ''

Eva Eva or EVA may refer to: * Eva (name), a feminine given name Arts, entertainment, and media Fictional characters * Eva (Dynamite Entertainment), a comic book character by Dynamite Entertainment * Eva (''Devil May Cry''), Dante's mother in t ...

'' (1959) – Ein Student * ' (1959) – Martin Graf Waldau / Count Waldau * '' Marili'' (1959) – Peter Markwart * ''

Mrs. Warren's Profession ''Mrs. Warren's Profession'' is a play written by George Bernard Shaw in 1893, and first performed in London in 1902. The play is about a former prostitute, now a madam (brothel proprietor), who attempts to come to terms with her disapproving ...

'' (1960) – Frank Gardner * '' Pension Schöller'' (1960) – Peter Klapproth * ''Immer will ich dir gehören'' (1960) – Klaus Stettner * ''

My Husband, the Economic Miracle ''My Husband, the Economic Miracle'' (german: Mein Mann, das Wirtschaftswunder) is a 1961 West German comedy film directed by Ulrich Erfurth and starring Marika Rökk, Fritz Tillmann and Cornelia Froboess.Wiesen p.272 The film portrays the econo ...

'' (1961) – Tommy Schiller – ein Journalist * ''Mann im Schatten'' (1961) – Franz Villinger * ''

You Must Be Blonde on Capri ''You Must Be Blonde on Capri'' (German: ''Blond muß man sein auf Capri'') is a 1961 West German comedy film directed by Wolfgang Schleif and starring Karin Baal, Helmuth Lohner and Maurizio Arena. Schildt & Siegfried p.151-52 It was shot at Wes ...

'' (1961) – Hannes Niklas * ' (1961) – Oliver Fleming * ''Im sechsten Stock'' (1961) – Jojo, Arbeiter * ''So toll wie anno dazumal'' (1962) – Susannes Traummann #3 (uncredited) * ' (1962) – Nikolaus Tschinderle * ''

The Seventh Victim ''The Seventh Victim'' is a 1943 American horror film noir directed by Mark Robson and starring Tom Conway, Jean Brooks, Isabel Jewell, Kim Hunter, and Hugh Beaumont. Written by DeWitt Bodeen and Charles O'Neal, and produced by Val Lewton f ...

'' (1964) – Gerald Mant * ' (1968, TV Mini-Series) – Manfred Krupka * '' Hannibal Brooks'' (1969) – Willi * ''

Liliom ''Liliom'' is a 1909 play by the Hungarian playwright Ferenc Molnár. It was well known in its own right during the early to mid-20th century, but is best known today as the basis for the Rodgers and Hammerstein 1945 musical ''Carousel''. P ...

'' (1971, TV Movie, directed by

) – Liliom * ''Der Paukenspieler'' (1971) – Friedrich Hofstetter * ' (1973, directed by

) – The Count * ''

Derrick A derrick is a lifting device composed at minimum of one guyed mast, as in a gin pole, which may be articulated over a load by adjusting its guys. Most derricks have at least two components, either a guyed mast or self-supporting tower, and a ...

'' (1974, TV Series) – Alfred Balke * ''Aus nichtigem Anlass'' (1976, TV film) – Ullrich Wältzing * ' (1981, TV film) – Fedor Protasov * ''Shalom Pharao'' (1982) – Joseph (voice) * ''Der elegante Hund'' (1987–1988, TV Series) – Alois Stange * '' Zucker'' (1989, TV Movie) – Leo Kaminski * ''Mozart und da Ponte'' (1989) – Narrator * ' (1990, TV film) – Gottfried von Yosch * ''Harms'' (2013) – Onkel

Decorations and awards

* 1980

Kainz Medal Kainz is an Austrian and German surname. Notable people with the surname include: * Florian Kainz (born 1992), Austrian football midfielder * Howard P. Kainz (born 1933), American professor emeritus * Tobias Kainz (born 1992), Austrian footballe ...

* 1988

Nestroy Ring Johann Nepomuk Eduard Ambrosius Nestroy (; 7 December 1801 – 25 May 1862) was a singer, actor and playwright in the popular Austrian tradition of the Biedermeier period and its immediate aftermath. He participated in the 1848 revolutions and ...

* 1991 Gold Honorary Medal of Vienna * 1992 Kammerschauspieler * 2001 Nestroy nomination for Best Actor * 2003 Honorary Member of the

* 2003

Austrian Cross of Honour for Science and Art, 1st class The Austrian Decoration for Science and Art (german: Österreichisches Ehrenzeichen für Wissenschaft und Kunst) is a state decoration of the Republic of Austria and forms part of the Austrian national honours system. History The "Austrian D ...

* 2006 Gold Medal for services to the City of Vienna

References

External links

* {{DEFAULTSORT:Lohner, Helmuth 1933 births 2015 deaths Male actors from Vienna Austrian theatre directors Austrian male musical theatre actors Austrian male film actors Austrian male television actors 20th-century Austrian male actors 21st-century Austrian male actors Recipients of the Austrian Cross of Honour for Science and Art, 1st class