Margrit Rainer

Margrit Rainer (born Margrit Rosa Sandmeier, 9 February 1914 – 10 February 1982) was a Swiss comedian, radio personality, and actress. She starred primarily in Swiss- and German-language film, television, and stage productions.

Early life and education Born and raised in Zürich-Oerlikon, Canton of Zürich in Switzerland, to Elise née Boller and Johannes Rudolf,

Theater, film and television and children's voice actress After first appearances at the Schweizerisches Volkstheater in 1938, Rainer debuted as chinesische Mutter ("Chinese mother") at the Cabaret Cornichon. Engagements at the Corso Theater Zürich and on occasion of the Swiss National Exhibition Landi'39 at Zürichhorn as Mäiti in the Swiss-German play "Steibruch", brought her artistic breakthrough. In the meanwhile, she also staged on the cabarets Resslirytti in Basel and Nebelhorn in Zürich, She also played in various radio plays, among others in Regenpfeifer by Jürg Amstein and Artur Beul in 1948.

After participation in the musical "Eusi chliini Stadt" at the opening of the Theater am Hechtplatz in Zürich in 1959, Rainer staged there in the 1960s on a regular basis, so in several musicals such as "Bibi Balù" and "Golden Girl". In 1969 Rainer played at the Basler Theater the role of mother in the dialect version of Edward Bond's "Saved".

Margrit Rainer, Ruedi Walter and Inigo Gallo

Margrit Rainer first appeared with Ruedi Walter as cabaret duo in 1951, first among others in a dialect version of Jan de Hartog's "Das Himmelbett", then in numerous popular dialect farces. both directed by Rainer's spouse Inigo Gallo. Rainer, Gallo and Walter worked in a variety of dialect plays and musicals. Gallo directed, among other things his own Swiss German versions of farces like "Hurra, en Bueb!" "D'Mutter wott nur s'Bescht" and "Potz Millione", that became in 1980 a great success, touring with Rainer, Walter, Gallo and Ines Torelli.

Personal life and Death Born in Zürich, Margrit Rainer was a citizen of Seengen, by first marriage of Richterswil, and since 1975 also a citizen of Zürich.

Aftermath Margrit Rainer became very popular as she often played the role of the petty-bourgeois housewife and wife, and was to the early 1980s the most popular Swiss folk actress, the "Mother of the Nation";

Adjacent to the Ruedi-Walter-Strasse in Zürich-Oerlikon where she was born, the Margrit-Rainer-Strasse was named after the popular actress. At the Theater Rigiblick, on occasion of the artist's 100th birthday, in September 2014 premiered Euse Rainer chönnt das au!, a play respectively musical dedicated to Margrit Rainer, who's still popular although she died 32 years ago.

Filmography (selected works)

1935: Zyt ischt Gält - Gritli Honegger 1941: De Hotelportier 1951: Wahrheit oder Schwindel 1952: Palace Hotel - Hilde Staub - Telefonistin 1952: Heidi - Peter's mother 1955: Heidi und Peter (Heidi and Peter) 1955: Polizischt Wäckerli - Hedwig Wäckerli 1956: Oberstadtgass - Frieda Jucker 1957: Der 10. Mai (The Tenth of May) - Frau Wyss 1957: Glück mues me ha - Margrit Baumann 1958: Zum goldenen Ochsen (Golden Ox Inn) - Marie Egli 1958: Die Käserei in der Vehfreude (aka The Fear of Power) - Eisi / Zenzi 1959: Hinter den sieben Gleisen - Frau Herzog - Bahnwärterin 1960: Anne Bäbi Jowäger - I. Teil: Wie Jakobli zu einer Frau kommt - Mädi 1960: An heiligen Wassern (Sacred Waters) - Creszenz Waldisch - die Bärenwirtin 1961: Demokrat Läppli - Agathe - Läpplis Schwester 1962: Der 42. Himmel (The 42nd Heaven) - Frau Beilfleiss 1962: Anne Bäbi Jowäger - II. Teil: Jakobli und Meyeli - Mädi 1964: Geld und Geist (Money and Spirit) - Dorngrütbäuerin 1967: Polizist Wäckerli in Gefahr (Policeman Waeckerli in Danger) - Hedwig Wäckerli 1968: Die sechs Kummerbuben - Bäbi 1968: Sommersprossen (aka Beyond Control, Sex and Violence Beyond Control, aka What a Way to Die) 1969: Pfarrer Iseli - Haushälterin Regula 1971: Der Kapitän (The Captain) - Elsie Haas 1972: Gute Abig, Signor Steiger (TV Movie) - Frau Murer 1972: Nid jetz, Schatz! (TV Movie) - Ambrosia Hug 1973-1975: Ein Fall für Männdli (TV Series, 25 episodes) - Rosa Emmenegger 1978: Anne Bäbi Jowäger - Mädi 1980: Der Erfinder (The Inventor) - Herta 1981: Potz Millione (TV Movie, broadcast of the theater play) - Leni Hugentobler (final film role)

Awards 1978: Prix Walo 1958: Movie award of the city of Zürich (Filmpreis der Stadt Zürich)

Literature Ernst Reinhardt: Ruedi Walter. Spuren eines Schauspielerlebens. Friedrich Reinhardt Verlag, Basel 1984.