Christine Kaufmann
Encyclopedia
Christine Maria Kaufmann (born January 11, 1945) is a German
actress. In 1961 she won the Golden Globe Award for New Star Of The Year - Actress
, the only German to be so honoured.
Born to a German father and a French mother in Lengdorf
, Styria
, Kaufmann became a ballerina
at the Munich Opera
. She started her film career at the age of seven in the 1952 adaptation of Im weißen Rößl (White Horse Inn). The film which brought her fame was Rosen-Resli, released in 1954, when she was only nine. She gained international recognition when she starred with Steve Reeves
in The Last Days of Pompeii
(1959) and with Kirk Douglas
in Town Without Pity
(1961). The following year she appeared in Escape from East Berlin
.
In 1963 Kaufmann married Tony Curtis
, whom she had met during the filming of Taras Bulba
(1962). They had two daughters, Alexandra (born July 19, 1964) and Allegra (born July 11, 1966). They divorced in 1968. Kaufmann resumed her career, which she had interrupted during her marriage.
Kaufmann is also a successful businesswoman, promoting her own cosmetics
products line that sells well in Germany. She has written several books about beauty and health, as well as two autobiographies
. She speaks three languages: German
, English
, and French
.
Germans
The Germans are a Germanic ethnic group native to Central Europe. The English term Germans has referred to the German-speaking population of the Holy Roman Empire since the Late Middle Ages....
actress. In 1961 she won the Golden Globe Award for New Star Of The Year - Actress
Golden Globe Award for New Star Of The Year - Actress
The Golden Globe Award for New Star of the Year – Actress originated in 1948. Between 1954 and 1965, multiple winners were announced. The category was discontinued following the 1983 ceremonies.-Winners:*1948: Lois Maxwell*1950: Mercedes McCambridge...
, the only German to be so honoured.
Born to a German father and a French mother in Lengdorf
Lengdorf
Lengdorf is a municipality in the district of Erding in Bavaria in Germany....
, Styria
Styria (state)
Styria is a state or Bundesland, located in the southeast of Austria. In area it is the second largest of the nine Austrian federated states, covering 16,401 km². It borders Slovenia as well as the other Austrian states of Upper Austria, Lower Austria, Salzburg, Burgenland, and Carinthia. ...
, Kaufmann became a ballerina
Ballerina
A ballerina is a title used to describe a principal female professional ballet dancer in a large company; the male equivalent to this title is danseur or ballerino...
at the Munich Opera
Bavarian State Opera
The Bavarian State Opera is an opera company based in Munich, Germany.Its orchestra is the Bavarian State Orchestra.- History:The opera company which was founded under Princess Henriette Adelaide of Savoy has been in existence since 1653...
. She started her film career at the age of seven in the 1952 adaptation of Im weißen Rößl (White Horse Inn). The film which brought her fame was Rosen-Resli, released in 1954, when she was only nine. She gained international recognition when she starred with Steve Reeves
Steve Reeves
Stephen L. Reeves was an American bodybuilder and actor. At the peak of his career, he was the highest-paid actor in Europe.-Childhood:...
in The Last Days of Pompeii
The Last Days of Pompeii (1959 film)
The Last Days of Pompeii is an Italian sword and sandal action film, starring Steve Reeves, Christine Kaufmann and Fernando Rey, and directed by Sergio Leone...
(1959) and with Kirk Douglas
Kirk Douglas
Kirk Douglas is an American stage and film actor, film producer and author. His popular films include Out of the Past , Champion , Ace in the Hole , The Bad and the Beautiful , Lust for Life , Paths of Glory , Gunfight at the O.K...
in Town Without Pity
Town Without Pity
Town Without Pity is a 1961 American, Austrian and West German international co-production film drama starring Kirk Douglas, directed by Gottfried Reinhardt. It was made by Mirisch Productions for United Artists....
(1961). The following year she appeared in Escape from East Berlin
Escape from East Berlin
Escape from East Berlin is a 1962 film directed by Robert Siodmak and starring Don Murray.- Plot :The story occurs in East Berlin soon after the Berlin Wall is built, and is based on an actual escape on January 28, 1962. Kurt Schröder is a chauffeur to East German Major Eckhardt and his seductive...
.
In 1963 Kaufmann married Tony Curtis
Tony Curtis
Tony Curtis was an American film actor whose career spanned six decades, but had his greatest popularity during the 1950s and early 1960s. He acted in over 100 films in roles covering a wide range of genres, from light comedy to serious drama...
, whom she had met during the filming of Taras Bulba
Taras Bulba (film)
Taras Bulba is a 1962 film loosely based on Nikolai Gogol's short novel, Taras Bulba, starring Yul Brynner in the title role, and Tony Curtis as his son, Andrei, leaders of a Cossack clan on the Ukrainian steppes. The film was directed by J. Lee Thompson...
(1962). They had two daughters, Alexandra (born July 19, 1964) and Allegra (born July 11, 1966). They divorced in 1968. Kaufmann resumed her career, which she had interrupted during her marriage.
Kaufmann is also a successful businesswoman, promoting her own cosmetics
Cosmetics
Cosmetics are substances used to enhance the appearance or odor of the human body. Cosmetics include skin-care creams, lotions, powders, perfumes, lipsticks, fingernail and toe nail polish, eye and facial makeup, towelettes, permanent waves, colored contact lenses, hair colors, hair sprays and...
products line that sells well in Germany. She has written several books about beauty and health, as well as two autobiographies
Autobiography
An autobiography is a book about the life of a person, written by that person.-Origin of the term:...
. She speaks three languages: German
German language
German is a West Germanic language, related to and classified alongside English and Dutch. With an estimated 90 – 98 million native speakers, German is one of the world's major languages and is the most widely-spoken first language in the European Union....
, English
English language
English is a West Germanic language that arose in the Anglo-Saxon kingdoms of England and spread into what was to become south-east Scotland under the influence of the Anglian medieval kingdom of Northumbria...
, and French
French language
French is a Romance language spoken as a first language in France, the Romandy region in Switzerland, Wallonia and Brussels in Belgium, Monaco, the regions of Quebec and Acadia in Canada, and by various communities elsewhere. Second-language speakers of French are distributed throughout many parts...
.
Selected filmography
- Swordsman of SienaSwordsman of SienaSwordsman of Siena is a 1962 Italian adventure film directed by Baccio Bandini and starring Stewart Granger, Sylva Koscina and Christine Kaufmann...
(1962) - Taras Bulba (1962)
- Constantine and the CrossConstantine and the CrossConstantine and the Cross is a 1962 historical drama film about the early career of the emperor Constantine, who first legalized and then adopted Christianity in the early 4th century...
(1962) - DerrickDerrick (TV series)Derrick is a German TV series produced by Telenova Film und Fernsehproduktion in association with ZDF, ORF and SRG between 1974 and 1998 about Detective Chief Inspector Stephan Derrick and his loyal assistant Inspector Harry Klein , who solve murder cases in Munich and surroundings Derrick is a...
- Season 4, Episode 02: "Hals in der Schlinge" (1977) - Egon Schiele Exzess und BestrafungEgon Schiele Exzess und BestrafungEgon Schiele Exzess und Bestrafung, also known as Egon Schiele Excess and Punishment and Egon Schiele, enfer et passion is a 1980 film based on the life of the Austrian artist Egon Schiele. It stars Mathieu Carriere as Schiele with Jane Birkin as his artist muse Wally and Christine Kaufman as his...
(1980)