Raimund Harmstorf
Encyclopedia
Raimund Harmstorf was a German actor
. He became famous as the protagonist of a German TV mini series after Jack London's the Sea-Wolf
(which was sold into many countries) and starred later on successfully in another German TV series after Jules Verne's Michael Strogoff
.
. He then studied medicine, later music and performing arts. From the beginning of the 1960s he started performing in smaller TV productions. His breakthrough was in 1971 with the TV series The Sea-Wolf
, after Jack London
's novel, where he played the evil-minded Captain Larsen. Later he played in several spaghetti westerns along with Bud Spencer
, Franco Nero
and Charlton Heston
.
Toward the end of his career he was diagnosed with Parkinson's disease
and weakened by a regimen of heavy medication. His illness and vulnerability was greatly exploited by the tabloids. Like Princess Diana he eventually paid with his life for being haunted by paparazzi. His death caused a scandal
German tabloids were investigated by German police who consequently stated that Harmstorf's suicide had been substantially promoted by certain tabloids. In particuliar Bild was blamed because Bild had already published Harmstorf's suicide on its main page before his actual death. Harmstorf's girlfriend confirmed that the actor had obviously already been dismayed after he had read this article, even before these news had been patly quoted on Germany's popular TV channel RTL Television
.
Actor
An actor is a person who acts in a dramatic production and who works in film, television, theatre, or radio in that capacity...
. He became famous as the protagonist of a German TV mini series after Jack London's the Sea-Wolf
The Sea-Wolf
The Sea-Wolf is a 1904 psychological adventure novel by American novelist Jack London about a literary critic, survivor of an ocean collision who comes under the dominance of Wolf Larsen, the powerful and amoral sea captain who rescues him...
(which was sold into many countries) and starred later on successfully in another German TV series after Jules Verne's Michael Strogoff
Michael Strogoff
Michael Strogoff: The Courier of the Czar is a novel written by Jules Verne in 1876. Critics consider it one of Verne's best books. Unlike some of Verne's other famous novels, it is not science fiction, but a scientific phenomenon is a plot device. The book was later adapted to a play, by Verne...
.
Life
Harmstorf was the son of a medic from Hamburg. He started a sports career and early became a regional master of the decathlonDecathlon
The decathlon is a combined event in athletics consisting of ten track and field events. The word decathlon is of Greek origin . Events are held over two consecutive days and the winners are determined by the combined performance in all. Performance is judged on a points system in each event, not...
. He then studied medicine, later music and performing arts. From the beginning of the 1960s he started performing in smaller TV productions. His breakthrough was in 1971 with the TV series The Sea-Wolf
The Sea-Wolf
The Sea-Wolf is a 1904 psychological adventure novel by American novelist Jack London about a literary critic, survivor of an ocean collision who comes under the dominance of Wolf Larsen, the powerful and amoral sea captain who rescues him...
, after Jack London
Jack London
John Griffith "Jack" London was an American author, journalist, and social activist. He was a pioneer in the then-burgeoning world of commercial magazine fiction and was one of the first fiction writers to obtain worldwide celebrity and a large fortune from his fiction alone...
's novel, where he played the evil-minded Captain Larsen. Later he played in several spaghetti westerns along with Bud Spencer
Bud Spencer
Bud Spencer is an Italian actor, filmmaker and former swimmer . He is known for past roles in spaghetti westerns together with his long time filmpartner Terence Hill...
, Franco Nero
Franco Nero
Franco Nero is an Italian actor.-Early life:Nero was born Francesco Sparanero in San Prospero Parmense , the son of a sergeant in the...
and Charlton Heston
Charlton Heston
Charlton Heston was an American actor of film, theatre and television. Heston is known for heroic roles in films such as The Ten Commandments, Ben-Hur for which he won the Academy Award for Best Actor, El Cid, and Planet of the Apes...
.
Downfall
Early on tabloids learned that a substantial audience relished it when a man like Harmstorf was derided, as in this example: Harmstorf having to play a role where he is heavily ridiculed during arm-wrestlingToward the end of his career he was diagnosed with Parkinson's disease
Parkinson's disease
Parkinson's disease is a degenerative disorder of the central nervous system...
and weakened by a regimen of heavy medication. His illness and vulnerability was greatly exploited by the tabloids. Like Princess Diana he eventually paid with his life for being haunted by paparazzi. His death caused a scandal
German tabloids were investigated by German police who consequently stated that Harmstorf's suicide had been substantially promoted by certain tabloids. In particuliar Bild was blamed because Bild had already published Harmstorf's suicide on its main page before his actual death. Harmstorf's girlfriend confirmed that the actor had obviously already been dismayed after he had read this article, even before these news had been patly quoted on Germany's popular TV channel RTL Television
RTL Television
Rtl.de' redirects here. For other uses, see RTL.RTL Television , or simply RTL, is a German commercial television station distributed via cable and satellite along with DVB-T , in larger population centres...
.
Filmography
The following is a selection of Harmstorf's roles in film:- 1971: Der Seewolf (The Sea-WolfThe Sea-WolfThe Sea-Wolf is a 1904 psychological adventure novel by American novelist Jack London about a literary critic, survivor of an ocean collision who comes under the dominance of Wolf Larsen, the powerful and amoral sea captain who rescues him...
) - Wolf Larsen - 1971: Semesterferien (TV series)Semesterferien (TV series)Semesterferien , is a TV series broadcast in Germany on ZDF. It consisted of 13 episodes which were directed by Ernst Hofbauer, who had previously directed 26 episodes of Percy Stuart...
Paul - 1973: Zanna Bianca - Kurt Jansen
- 1975: Un genio, due compari, un pollo - Sergeant Milton
- 1975: 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 2, Episode 5: "Zeichen der Gewalt" - Günter Hausmann - 1976: Michel Strogoff - Michel Strogoff
- 1977: California - Rope Whittaker
- 1978: Quel maledetto treno blindato (The Inglorious Bastards) - Adolf Sachs
- 1978: Lo chiamavano Bulldozer - Sergeant Kempfer
- 1979: Uno sceriffo extraterrestre - poco extra e molto terrestre (The Sheriff and the Satellite KidThe Sheriff and the Satellite KidThe Sheriff and the Satellite Kid is a 1979 Italian children's comedy film starring Bud Spencer and child actor Cary Guffey that was released in cinemas in 1979...
) - Capt. Briggs - 1979: 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 6, Episode 6: "Tandem" - Rudolf Nolde - 1983: S.A.S. à San SalvadorS.A.S. à San SalvadorS.A.S. à San Salvador is a French-German film adaptation of Gérard de Villiers' novel of the same name, directed by Raoul Coutard...