Günter Meisner

Career Born in Bremen, Meisner briefly worked at a steel foundry before training as a radio operator with the Luftwaffe's Fallschirmjäger (paratroopers). After the war, though Meisner was interested in a career in sculpture and painting, in 1948 he switched to drama and studied under Gustaf Gründgens at Düsseldorf's State Conservatory, where he also got his first job at the local Schauspielhaus.

Film and TV Meisner often played stock character Nazi officers and other sinister characters. He portrayed Hitler in the 1982 Franco-German action comedy, L'as des as (Ace of Aces). Funeral in Berlin, and The Boys from Brazil. He was Mr. Slugworth/Mr. Wilkinson in the 1971 film version of Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory. He also appeared in several television commercials.

Theatre Meisner founded the Gallery Diogenes in Berlin in 1959, and in 1961 he founded the International Association for Arts and Sciences. In 1962 Meisner established the Diogenes Studio Theater.

Africa From 1967 to 1969 Meisner participated in relief efforts in Biafra, Nigeria. He also produced two films: Don't Look for Me in Places Where I Can't Be Found and Bega Dwa Bega (One for All), a Swahili-language film for the Tanzanian Film Unit.

Death

Meisner died in Berlin on 5 December 1994 at the age of 68 of heart failure. He is buried in Berlin's Friedhof Heerstrasse.

Selected filmography

1957: A Time to Love and a Time to Die (uncredited) 1957: Kopf oder Zahl, as Kid 1958: Viel Lärm um nichts 1958: Here I Am, Here I Stay (Hier bin ich – hier bleib ich) 1959: Aus dem Tagebuch eines Frauenarztes 1959: Babette Goes to War (Babette s'en va-t-en guerre) 1959: The Death Ship (Das Totenschiff), as Paul, Trimmer auf der Yorikke 1959: The Black Chapel, as 1. Killer 1961: Question 7, as Schmidt 1961: The Miracle of Father Malachia (Das Wunder des Malachias), as Crazy Preacher 1961: It Can't Always Be Caviar, as Redner Meetingsaal 1961: This Time It Must Be Caviar, as Redner (uncredited) 1962: The Counterfeit Traitor, as Priest (uncredited) 1962: Das Testament des Dr. Mabuse, as Kurzschluß-Henry (uncredited) 1963: The Black Cobra (Die schwarze Kobra), as Wunderlich ('Mr. Green') 1963: Hafenpolizei - Der blaue Brief (TV series), as Johnny Massels 1964: Murderer in the Fog, as Kriminalassistent Behrend 1965: Code Name: Jaguar, as Russian Officer 1966: (1966, TV miniseries), as Smiler Jackson 1966: Is Paris Burning? (Paris brûle-t-il?), as Commandant SS à Pantin 1966: The Quiller Memorandum, as Hassler 1966: Funeral in Berlin, as Kreutzman 1967: The College Girl Murders, as Greaves 1969: The Bridge at Remagen, as SS Gen. Gerlach 1970: Hauser's Memory, as Korowiew 1970: Poker - Poker (Short) 1971: Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory, as Arthur Slugworth 1971: Ludwig L (Short film), as Der Betrunkene 1973: The Battle of Sutjeska, as Rudolf Lüters 1973: Werwölfe 1974: Die Verrohung des Franz Blum, as Borsig 1974: The Odessa File, as General Greifer 1974: Borsalino & Co., as Le médecin 1974: Between Wars, as Karl Schneider 1975: La Chair de l'orchidée, as L'avocat-conseil 1975: A Happy Family Life, as Hektiker 1975: Inside Out, as Schmidt 1976: Voyage of the Damned, as Robert Hoffman 1977: , as Pfarrer 1977: 1977: The Serpent's Egg, as Convict 1978: The Boys from Brazil, as Farnbach 1978: When Hitler Stole Pink Rabbit (TV film), as Berg 1979: Schöner Gigolo, armer Gigolo, as Betrunkener Arbeiter (uncredited) 1979: Breakthrough, as SS-Offizier 1979: Avalanche Express, as Rudi Muehler 1979: Ticket of No Return (Bildnis einer Trinkerin), as Direktor Willi 1979: (TV miniseries) 1980: The American Success Company, as Maitre d' 1980: , as Patient 1980: , as Grimme 1980: Winston Churchill: The Wilderness Years (TV Series), as Adolf Hitler 1981: Silas (TV miniseries), as Fabian Fedder 1982: Night Crossing, as Major Koerner 1982: Blood and Honor: Youth Under Hitler (TV Series), as Schneider 1982: Rom ist in der kleinsten Hütte (TV Series) 1982: , as Dr. Steiner 1982: L'As des as, as Adolf Hitler / Angela Hitler 1982: Zwei Tote im Sender und Don Carlos im Pogl (TV Movie), as Maskenbildner 1983: The Winds of War, as Adolf Hitler 1983: Plem, Plem - Die Schule brennt 1983: Chamäleon (TV Series) 1984: Under the Volcano, as Herr Krausberg - the German Attaché (uncredited) 1984: Der Mord mit der Schere (Short) 1985: , as Prof. Holl 1986: Close Up (Short film), as KGB-Chef 1986: Tras el cristal, as Klaus 1986: Das Geheimnis von Lismore Castle (TV Movie), as Sir Ralph Whitecombe 1986: Gestatten, Bestatter, as Herr Abendroth 1987: Die Saat des Hasses (Visperas) (TV Series) 1987: Indras Rache (Tout est dans la fin), as Hamerstein 1987: Der elegante Hund (TV Series) 1988: , as Bobby Steinbeck 1989: Magdalene, as Prior 1989: Bride of the Orient (La Fiancée thaïlandaise / Gekauftes Glück), as Pfarrer Barmettler 1989: Roselyne and the Lions, as Klint 1989: The Saint: The Big Bang (TV Series), as Kuhler 1989: Moon Child (El niño de la luna), as Abuelo militar 1990: Estación Central, as Alex' friend 1990: The Man Inside, as Judge 1990: Il piccolo popolo (TV Movie), as Schneider 1990: Te Rua, as Prof. Biederstedt 1991: Leporella 1992: Ruby Cairo, as Herr Bruchner, EDK Executive 1993: Faraway, So Close! (In weiter Ferne, so nah!), as Fälscher 1993: Posthuman, as Doctor 1993: Harry & Sunny (TV Series), as Kneipenwirt 1994: The Violin Player (Le joueur de violon) 1994: Air Albatros (TV Series), as Lauffendingk Sr. 1994: Eine Mutter kämpft um ihren Sohn, as Wegener