Heinrich Schweiger
Encyclopedia
Heinrich Schweiger was a Viennese film and stage actor
who played leading roles at the Burgtheater
on the Ring beginning in 1949. Among the plays in which he starred were Schiller
’s Don Carlos
, Shakespeare
’s Othello
and Richard III
and Kurt Weill
’s The Threepenny Opera
.
The actor’s last roles were in Wallenstein
, Franz Lehár
’s Das Land des Lächelns
and in an ORF TV series.
, he debuted at the Burgtheater at the age of 18. His breakthrough role came at the age of 22 in Arthur Schnitzler
's Komtesse Mizzi.
He had roles in the 1960s at the Freien Volksbühne in Berlin
under Erwin Piscator
and the city’s Theater am Kurfürstendamm under Leonard Steckel
. In the 1970s he played at the Thalia Theater
in Hamburg
under Boy Gobert
.
Schweiger also took on the roles of the devil and mammon for 12 years in Jedermann at the Salzburg Festival
and had guest roles at the Akademietheater and the Perchtoldsdorf Summer Festival.
The actor also had roles in the TV series Kommisar Rex and Ringstraßenpalais, in the films Franz Schubert – ein Leben in zwei Sätzen
and Der Bockerer, and worked with the Austrian film-maker, Franz Antel
.
Schweiger successfully portrayed a variety of characters with leading roles in world literature and at the same time been at home in Vienna coffee-house literature.
Schweiger married former MEP and current Vienna first district leader Ursula Stenzel
in 1983. It was his third marriage. He died after suffering circulatory failure and a cerebral haemorrhage.
Archive footage
Actor
An actor is a person who acts in a dramatic production and who works in film, television, theatre, or radio in that capacity...
who played leading roles at the Burgtheater
Burgtheater
The Burgtheater , originally known as K.K. Theater an der Burg, then until 1918 as the K.K. Hofburgtheater, is the Austrian National Theatre in Vienna and one of the most important German language theatres in the world.The Burgtheater was created in 1741 and has become known as "die Burg" by the...
on the Ring beginning in 1949. Among the plays in which he starred were Schiller
Friedrich Schiller
Johann Christoph Friedrich von Schiller was a German poet, philosopher, historian, and playwright. During the last seventeen years of his life , Schiller struck up a productive, if complicated, friendship with already famous and influential Johann Wolfgang von Goethe...
’s Don Carlos
Don Carlos (play)
Don Carlos is a historical tragedy in five acts by Friedrich Schiller; it was written between 1783 and 1787 and first produced in Hamburg in 1787...
, Shakespeare
William Shakespeare
William Shakespeare was an English poet and playwright, widely regarded as the greatest writer in the English language and the world's pre-eminent dramatist. He is often called England's national poet and the "Bard of Avon"...
’s Othello
Othello
The Tragedy of Othello, the Moor of Venice is a tragedy by William Shakespeare, believed to have been written in approximately 1603, and based on the Italian short story "Un Capitano Moro" by Cinthio, a disciple of Boccaccio, first published in 1565...
and Richard III
Richard III (play)
Richard III is a history play by William Shakespeare, believed to have been written in approximately 1591. It depicts the Machiavellian rise to power and subsequent short reign of Richard III of England. The play is grouped among the histories in the First Folio and is most often classified...
and Kurt Weill
Kurt Weill
Kurt Julian Weill was a German-Jewish composer, active from the 1920s, and in his later years in the United States. He was a leading composer for the stage who was best known for his fruitful collaborations with Bertolt Brecht...
’s The Threepenny Opera
The Threepenny Opera
The Threepenny Opera is a musical by German dramatist Bertolt Brecht and composer Kurt Weill, in collaboration with translator Elisabeth Hauptmann and set designer Caspar Neher. It was adapted from an 18th-century English ballad opera, John Gay's The Beggar's Opera, and offers a Marxist critique...
.
The actor’s last roles were in Wallenstein
Wallenstein (play)
Wallenstein is the popular designation for a trilogy of dramas by German author Friedrich Schiller. It consists of the plays Wallenstein's Camp with a lengthy prologue, The Piccolomini , and Wallenstein's Death...
, Franz Lehár
Franz Lehár
Franz Lehár was an Austrian-Hungarian composer. He is mainly known for his operettas of which the most successful and best known is The Merry Widow .-Biography:...
’s Das Land des Lächelns
The Land of Smiles
The Land of Smiles is a romantic operetta in three acts by Franz Lehár. The German language libretto was by Ludwig Herzer and Fritz Löhner. The performance time is about 100 minutes....
and in an ORF TV series.
Early life and career
After studying at the Max Reinhardt SeminarMax Reinhardt Seminar
The Max Reinhardt Seminar is the School of Drama at the University of Music and Performing Arts in Vienna, Austria. It is located in the Palais Cumberland, Penzingerstraße 9, in Vienna's 14th district - History :...
, he debuted at the Burgtheater at the age of 18. His breakthrough role came at the age of 22 in Arthur Schnitzler
Arthur Schnitzler
Dr. Arthur Schnitzler was an Austrian author and dramatist.- Biography :Arthur Schnitzler, son of a prominent Hungarian-Jewish laryngologist Johann Schnitzler and Luise Markbreiter , was born in Praterstraße 16, Leopoldstadt, Vienna, in the Austro-Hungarian...
's Komtesse Mizzi.
He had roles in the 1960s at the Freien Volksbühne in Berlin
Berlin
Berlin is the capital city of Germany and is one of the 16 states of Germany. With a population of 3.45 million people, Berlin is Germany's largest city. It is the second most populous city proper and the seventh most populous urban area in the European Union...
under Erwin Piscator
Erwin Piscator
Erwin Friedrich Maximilian Piscator was a German theatre director and producer and, with Bertolt Brecht, the foremost exponent of epic theatre, a form that emphasizes the socio-political content of drama, rather than its emotional manipulation of the audience or on the production's formal...
and the city’s Theater am Kurfürstendamm under Leonard Steckel
Leonard Steckel
Leonard Steckel was a German actor and director of stage and screen. He began his career as a stage actor, and spent the duration of World War II in exile in Zürich, where he had gone to work at the Schauspielhaus...
. In the 1970s he played at the Thalia Theater
Thalia Theater (Hamburg)
The Thalia Theater is one of the three state-owned theatres in Hamburg, Germany. It was founded in 1843 by Charles Maurice Schwartzenberger and named after the muse Thalia...
in Hamburg
Hamburg
-History:The first historic name for the city was, according to Claudius Ptolemy's reports, Treva.But the city takes its modern name, Hamburg, from the first permanent building on the site, a castle whose construction was ordered by the Emperor Charlemagne in AD 808...
under Boy Gobert
Boy Gobert
-Selected filmography:* The Ideal Woman * Die Fledermaus * Emma Hamilton * Shadow of Angels * The Roaring Fifties -External links:...
.
Schweiger also took on the roles of the devil and mammon for 12 years in Jedermann at the Salzburg Festival
Salzburg Festival
The Salzburg Festival is a prominent festival of music and drama established in 1920. It is held each summer within the Austrian town of Salzburg, the birthplace of Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart...
and had guest roles at the Akademietheater and the Perchtoldsdorf Summer Festival.
The actor also had roles in the TV series Kommisar Rex and Ringstraßenpalais, in the films Franz Schubert – ein Leben in zwei Sätzen
Franz Schubert (film)
Franz Schubert is a 1953 Austrian film depicting composer Franz Schubert's life and work.- Plot :Franz Schubert works as an assistant teacher in the school led by his father...
and Der Bockerer, and worked with the Austrian film-maker, Franz Antel
Franz Antel
Franz Antel was a veteran Austrian filmmaker.Born in Vienna, Antel worked mainly as a film producer in the interwar years. After World War II, he began writing and directing films on a large scale...
.
Schweiger successfully portrayed a variety of characters with leading roles in world literature and at the same time been at home in Vienna coffee-house literature.
Schweiger married former MEP and current Vienna first district leader Ursula Stenzel
Ursula Stenzel
Ursula Stenzel is an Austrian politician and was a Member of the European Parliament until 2006...
in 1983. It was his third marriage. He died after suffering circulatory failure and a cerebral haemorrhage.
Part-time photography
An amateur photographer, Heinrich released the photo book Images of an actor, which was a collection of photographs started in 1983.Awards
Schweiger was awarded the Austrian Cross of Honor for Arts and Science, the Kainz Medal, and the Golden Medal of the City of Vienna.2000s
- Der Winzerkönig, 1 episode
- Kommissar Rex, two episodes
- Der Bockerer IV – Prager Frühling (2003), Novotny
- Ein Hund kam in die Küche (2002) (TV), Vater Blum
- Edelweiss (2001) (TV), Erich Drofmeister
- Der Bockerer III – Die Brücke von Andau (2000), Oberst Novotny
1990s
- Schloßhotel Orth, 1 episode
- Der Unfisch (1997), Herr Fink
- Die Schuld der Liebe (1997), Dr. Bredow
- Der Bockerer 2 (1996), Major Franz Nowotny
- Ein Richter zum Küssen (1995) (TV)
- Der zerbrochene KrugThe Broken JugThe Broken Jug is a comedy written by the German playwright Heinrich von Kleist. Kleist first conceived the idea for the play in 1801, upon looking at a copper engraving in Heinrich Zschokke's house entitled "Le juge, ou la cruche cassée." In 1803, challenged over his ability to write comedy,...
(1995) (TV), Adam - 'The Mixer, 1 episode
- 'Strauss Dynasty (1991) TV mini-series
- Die Kaffeehaus-Clique (1990) (TV)
1980s
- 16. "Heiteres Bezirksgericht" (1988) TV series
- 17. Der Madonna-Mann (1987) .... Arthur/Otto Weigand
- 18. "Tatort" .... Enzo Neumeier / ... (4 episodes, 1975–1987)- Wunschlos tot (1987) TV episode .... Peischl - Blütenträume (1983) TV episode .... Enzo Neumeier - Der King (1979) TV episode .... Königsmann - Urlaubsmord (1975) TV episode .... Tornay
- 19. Echo Park (1986) .... August's father
- 20. Erdsegen (1986) (TV) .... Dr. von Stein... aka Blessings of the Earth (US)
- 21. Flucht ohne Ende (1985) (TV) .... Iwan
- 22. "Milionite na Privalov" (1983) TV series... aka "Милионите на Привалов" (Bulgaria: Bulgarian title)... aka "Privalov's Millions" (Europe: English title)
- 23. "Ringstraßenpalais" .... Eduard Baumann / ... (10 episodes, 1981–1983)- Der Staatsvertrag (1983) TV episode .... Eduard Baumann - Die Aussteiger (1983) TV episode .... Eduard Baumann - Die Entscheidung (1983) TV episode .... Eduard Baumann - Leben auf Abruf (1983) TV episode .... Eduard Baumann - Im Schatten von Königgrätz (1981) TV episode .... Eduard Baumann (5 more)
- 24. Mrs. Harris - Ein Kleid von Dior (1982) (TV) .... Peter Wallace
- 25. Jägerschlacht (1982) .... J.B. Mayer... aka Der Rächer vom Schallerhof (West Germany)
- 26. Georg Friedrich Händels Auferstehung (1980) (TV)
1970s
- 27. Die großen Sebastians (1979) (TV) .... General Zadok
- 28. Der Mann im Schilf (1978) .... Mostbaumer... aka The Man in the Rushes
- 29. Iphigenia auf Tauris (1978) (TV)
- 30. "Hiob" (1978) TV mini-series
- 31. Die Elixiere des Teufels (1976) .... Papst... aka The Elixirs of the Devil (International: English title)
- 32. Bomber & Paganini (1976) .... Mr. Dobermann
- 33. Übernachtung in Tirol (1974) (TV) .... Strupp
- 34. Verurteilt 1910 (1974) (TV) .... Max Winter
- 35. Zwei im siebenten Himmel (1974) .... Oskar Ritz... aka Two in Seventh Heaven
- 36. Traumstadt (1973) .... Mr. Gautsch... aka Dream City (US)... aka Dream Town
- 37. Crazy - total verrückt (1973) .... Abdullah.. aka Rudi, laß das Mausen sein (West Germany)
- 38. Blau blüht der Enzian (1973) .... Hans-Karl 'Hazy' Morton
- 39. Briefe von gestern (1972) (TV) .... Josef Uhlier
- 40. Der Schrei der schwarzen Wölfe (1972) .... Sam Jenkins... aka The Cry of the Black Wolves
- 41. Meine Tochter - Deine Tochter (1972) .... Polizeihauptmann Rausch
- 42. À la guerre comme à la guerre (1972) .... Pavel... aka Le eccitanti guerre di Adeline (Italy)... aka War Is Hell (US)... aka War Is War (International: English title)... aka Wie bitte werde ich ein Held? (West Germany)
- 43. Kinderarzt Dr. Fröhlich (1972) .... Professor Rodenburg
- 44. Was geschah auf Schloß Wildberg (1972)... aka Sie nannten ihn Krambambuli
- 45. "Die Abenteuer des braven Soldaten Schwejk" .... Bretschneider (3 episodes, 1972) - Episode #1.2 (1972) TV episode .... Bretschneider - Episode #1.1 (1972) TV episode .... Bretschneider - Episode #1.13 (????) TV episode
- 46. Die heilige Johanna (1971) (TV) .... Der Erzbischof von Reims
- 47. Change (1971) (TV) .... Antoine
- 48. Ein gebildeter Hausknecht (1970) (TV) .... Knitsch
- 49. Jedermann (1970) (TV)
- 50. Das Bastardzeichen (1970) (TV) .... Paduk... aka Bend Sinister (International: English title)
1960s
- 51. Frau Wirtin hat auch eine Nichte (1969) .... Napoleon Bonaparte... aka House of Pleasure (UK) (US: video title)... aka Il trionfo della casta Susanna (Italy)
- 52. Frau Wirtin hat auch einen Grafen (1968) .... Napoleon... aka Sexy Susan Sins Again (UK: dubbed version) (US)... aka A fogadósnénak is van egy (Hungary)... aka Oui à l'amour, non à la guerre (France)... aka Susanna... ed i suoi dolci vizi alla corte del re (Italy)... aka The Hostess Also Has a Count (International: English title: literal title)
- 53. Tragödie auf der Jagd (1968) (TV) .... Graf
- 54. Postlagernd Opernball - Die Affäre Redl (1967) (TV) .... Egon Erwin Kisch
- 55. Der rasende Reporter - Egon Erwin Kisch (1967) (TV) .... Egon Erwin Kisch... aka Der rasende Reporter (West Germany: short title)
- 56. Professor Bernhardi (1964) (TV)
- 57. Elf Jahre und ein Tag (1963) .... Stumpf... aka Eleven Years and One Day (International: English title)
- 58. Deutschland - deine Sternchen (1962) .... Klamm... aka Die ihre Haut zu Markte tragen (West Germany)
- 59. Becket oder Die Ehre Gottes (1962) (TV) .... Der König
- 60. Jedermann (1961) .... Teufel... aka Everyman (US)
1950s
- 61. Das schöne Abenteuer (1959) .... César... aka Beautiful Adventure (International: English title)
- 62. Das Licht der Liebe (1954) .... Paul Zeller
- 63. Franz SchubertFranz Schubert (film)Franz Schubert is a 1953 Austrian film depicting composer Franz Schubert's life and work.- Plot :Franz Schubert works as an assistant teacher in the school led by his father...
(1953) .... Franz Schubert - 64. Eine Nacht in Venedig (1953) .... Enrico... aka A Night in Venice (US)... aka Komm in die Gondel
Archive footage
- 1. "Ringstraßenpalais – Schlusskonzert (1983) TV episode (uncredited) .... Baron Eduard Baumann – Das Familientreffen (1981) TV episode (uncredited) .... Eduard Baumann