Götz Kauffmann

Götz Kauffmann (15 January 1949 – 26 January 2010) was an Austrian stage, film and television actor, cabaret artist and writer.

Life Gottfried Maria Kauffman was born in the fifteenth district of Vienna. His father was the noted Vienna organ builder, Johann M. Kauffmann (1910-1965). The Kauffmanns had indeed been active in Vienna as organ builders since 1877: between 1964 and 1968 Götz Kauffmann also studied as an apprentice to master the craft. Early theatre engagements took him to the Salzburger Landestheater and then, in 1977, to the Raimund Theater and the Theater in der Josefstadt in Vienna.

He reached a wider audience through appearances in several long running television series such as "Ein echter Wiener geht nicht unter" (loosely "You can't knock a true Viennese down", 1975-1979) in which he featured as the concierge, "Kurt Blahovec". There were also "Mozart und Meisel" (1987), in which he played the leading part and "Kaisermühlen Blues" (1992-1999) in which he also took one of the lead roles. He was also becoming known in film roles, featuring in numerous national and international cinema productions. He played the part of Oskar in "Tales from the Vienna Woods" directed by Maximilian Schell and was a member of the cast of "Verlassen Sie bitte Ihren Mann!" ("Please leave your husband", 1993) directed by Reinhard Schwabenitzky, and starring Reinhard Schwabenitzky's wife, Elfi Eschke, Wolfgang Böck and Helmut Griem. More recently, in 2008, he appeared in "Echte Wiener – Die Sackbauer-Saga" (2008), a successful cinema reprise of the 1970s television series.

Alongside his film career Kauffman continued to sustain his career as a theatre performer, and also pursued his interest in cabaret. In 1980 he founded the "Arge Kabarett" and in 1983 he presented his first solo programme, "Götz-Zitate". During his final years he worked as a freelance performer in Vienna, also reprising various lead roles in the Gloria-Theater.

Götz Kauffmann was honoured with the Goldener Rathausmann award by the city of Vienna. He was also a notable freemason.

His strikingly confessional autobiography, "Meine Abrechnung. Zwischen Kaisermühlen-Blues und Suff", appeared in 1999. It disclosed a sometimes difficult life, featuring three broken marriages, depression and alcohol issues. For many years he was also badly affected by diabetes.

Theatre roles (selection)

1970–1972: Die Zwillinge von Venedig, Bauernhof-Theater in Meggenhofen (OÖ) 1970–1972: Das Kaffeehaus von Carlo Goldoni, Bauernhof-Theater in Meggenhofen (OÖ) 1970–1972: Urfaust, Bauernhof-Theater in Meggenhofen (OÖ) 1972: Wie es Euch gefällt (Probstein), Landestheater Salzburg 1972: Wiener Blut (Kagler), Landestheater Salzburg 1972: Lumpazivagabundus (Knieriem), Landestheater Salzburg 1978: Tscharlie der Kegel: Der uneheliche Sohn des Herrn Karl, one person piece by Herwig Seeböck, written for Götz Kauffmann 1978: Der tolle Tag oder die Hochzeit des Figaro, Salzburger Festspiele 1979: Die Heirat, Volkstheater Wien 1980: Die letzten Tag der Menschheit, Wiener Festwochen 1981–1982: Professuren, Theater der Courage 1981–1982: Mir san net aso, Theater in der Drachengasse 1981–1982: Der Talisman, Theater in der Josefstadt 1981–1982: Liliom, Theater in der Josefstadt 1985–1986: Turnhalle, Theater in der Drachengasse 1989: Das vierte Gebot, Sommerfestspiele Berndorf/Stadttheater 1990: Haben Sie nichts zu verzollen, Theater in der Josefstadt 1991: Orpheus in der Unterwelt, Wiener Kammeroper 2005: Wiener Blut, Musik Theater Schönbrunn 2007: Die Fledermaus, Musik Theater Schönbrunn

Film roles (selection)

1971: Tatort - Mordverdacht, at that times till identified as Gottfried Kauffmann 1975–1979: Ein echter Wiener geht nicht unter 1976: Die Alpensaga, Teil 1 – Liebe im Dorf 1977: Tatort – Der vergessene Mord 1977: Die Alpensaga, Teil 3 – Das große Fest 1978: Aus dem Leben eines Dicken 1978: Singles 1979: Tales from the Vienna Woods 1980: Car-napping 1981: Kottan ermittelt – Die Beförderung 1984: 1987: Mozart und Meisel 1992–1999: Kaisermühlen Blues 1993: Verlassen Sie bitte Ihren Mann! 1993: Die Rebellion 1995: Schwarze Tage 1995: Tödliche Liebe 1995: El Chicko – der Verdacht 1996: Der See 1996: 1999: Fink fährt ab 2001–2002: Dolce Vita & Co 2001: Ene mene muh – und tot bist du 2008:

Cabaret (selection)

1977: Stichwort über … 1983: Götz-Zitate (first solo programme) 1987: Aber der Kopf is’ no oben 1988: Geschafft 1988: Duell/Duett 1988: Alles Theater 1991: Mir stinkt’s 1999: Tick Tak Talk 1999: Warten auf die Talkshow

Books

Meine Abrechnung. Zwischen Kaisermühlen-Blues und Suff. Ueberreuter, Wien 1999. Küss die Hand? Mein Wiener Wörterbuch. Verlag 66, Amstetten 2003.