Rolf Kanies

Rolf Kanies (born 21 December 1957) is a German actor who played many high-profile roles on the stage before switching to a career in film and television in 1997. Since then Kanies has specialized in German and international film and television. Movies he has played in have been nominated for a variety of international awards, including an Oscar.

Early life and education Born in Bielefeld, Kanies studied at the Westfälische Schauspielschule Bochum and at the Universität der Künste (UdK) Berlin. Upon completing his studies, he embarked on a career in the theatre. His first engagement was at the Hebbel-Theater in Berlin, followed by other works at the Schauspielhaus Bochum, the Staatstheater Kassel and productions in Krefeld, Neuss, Cologne, Weimar, Graz (Austria), Basel (Switzerland) and at the Garsington Opera Festival (Oxford, England).

Career Kanies' roles have included many Shakespearean characters such as Hamlet, Romeo, Mercutio, Macbeth, Theseus/Oberon (A Midsummer Night's Dream), Sir Toby (Twelfth Night), Dromio of Ephesus (A Comedy of Errors) and Lucio (Measure for Measure). Other prominent roles were those of Faust, Orest (Iphigenia) and Biff (Death of a Salesman).

He also played several lead roles in musicals.

Starting in the 1990s, Kanies played in a large variety of German television series and movies and in eight feature films. His film debut was Dark Days, directed by Margarethe von Trotta. In 1998, Rolf had his first international appearance in the science fiction series Lexx, in which he played Reginald J. Priest, a troubled alien who is also the President of the United States. In the same year Kanies played Adolf Hitler in the American production Joe and Max directed by Steve James (STARZ! Pictures). In 2004, Kanies performed the role of Gen. Hans Krebs in Oliver Hirschbiegel's Downfall, which was nominated for an Oscar. In 2008, he played the war veteran Friedrich Hoch in A Woman In Berlin, directed by Max Färberböck, which won the Best International Feature Award at the Santa Barbara International Film Festival in 2009. In 2008 Rolf also appeared in the movie The Countess as Count Krajevo, a film by Julie Delpy.

Filmography Film 2000: Mister Boogie 2001: - Daniel's Father 2002: Joe and Max - Adolf Hitler 2003: Falling Grace - George 2004: Der Untergang - General Hans Krebs 2006: The Conclave - Cardinal Bessarion 2008: The Lord of Edessa - Eric Malik 2008: A Woman in Berlin - Friedrich Hoch 2008: 10 Sekunden - Ebi Koch 2009: The Countess - Count Krajevo 2009: Für Miriam - Martin Fleißer 2011: - Jürgen 2011: - Oberst Tapilin 2011: Blissestraße - Anton 2014: Sapphire Blue - William de Villiers 2015: Hitman: Agent 47 - Dr. Delriego 2016: - William de Villiers 2017: The Young Karl Marx - Moses Hess 2018: The Silent Revolution - Wardetzki

Television

1999: - Rolf 1999: Countdown at Sea - Kapitän zur See van Bergen 2000: Der Mörder in Dir - Herr Kowalsky 2001: - Vermieter Herr Wagner 2001: Wilsberg: Wilsberg und der Mord ohne Leiche - Herbert Schering 2002: Alibis for Sale - Arbeitsamtberater 2002: Joe and Max - Adolf Hitler 2002: Inspektor Ringo Rolle - Top oder Flop - Dr. Alexander Brombeck 2002: Lexx - Reginald J. Priest 2003: Der Fussfesselmörder - Professor 2003: - Staatssekretär Schuster 2003: Tatort - Atlantis - Peter Radke 2004: Kommissar Rex: "Nachts im Spital - Dr. Ballak 2004: Eva Blond - Emre Aslan 2004: München 7 - Mann am Rathausturm 2005: Mutter aus heiterem Himmel - Norbert Neumann 2005: Eine Liebe in Saigon - Werner Krantz 2005: Secret Love: The Schoolboy and the Mailwoman - Matthias Reinhardt 2005: Tatort - Im Alleingang - Heiko Eckermann 2006: Tatort - Der Lippenstiftmörder - Professor Klammroth 2006: Rapture of the Deep - Steve 2006: - Martin Degenhard 2006: - Prosecutor Dr. Edgar Fink 2007: - Georgios Vimbos 2007: KDD – Kriminaldauerdienst - Verwirrungen - Reimer 2007: Love on Loan - Uli 2007: Polizeiruf 110 - Tod in der Bank - Walter Conrad 2008: - Ministerpräsident Julius Schäfer 2008: - Andreas Imhof 2008: - Reibold 2008: Die Bienen – Tödliche Bedrohung - Dr. Alvarez 2008: - Lautenschläger 2009: - Onkel Jakub 2009: Das Paradies am Ende der Welt - Harry 2009: Eine Liebe in St. Petersburg - Boris Wronski (uncredited) 2009: Die kluge Bauerntochter - Hofrat von Müller 2009: Mein Flaschengeist und ich - Nidelöpfel 2009: Auftrag in Afrika - Van Heusen 2010: Blackout - Dr. Thomas Reinders 2010: Alpha 0.7 - Der Feind in dir - Uwe Gonzoldt 2010: Das Familiengeheimnis 2011: - Vollmer 2012: Rommel - Oberst Eberhard Finckh 2013: - Ernst Stahl-Nachbaur 2014: - Monsieur Chagall

Theater 1979 Schauspielhaus Bochum 1981 Schauspielhaus Bochum 1981 Hebbeltheater Berlin 1982–1986 Schauspielhaus Graz 1991 Schauspielhaus Bochum 1996–1997 Staatstheater Kassel 1997 RLT Neuss 1998 OD-Theater Basel "Don Carlos" 1998 Kunstfest Weimar " Sturm und Drang" 1999 Garsington Opera Festival "Entführung aus dem Serail" 2000 Schauspiel Berlin "Warten auf Godot"