Raimund Harmstorf

German actor (1939–1998)

Raimund Harmstorf

Born	(1939-10-07)7 October 1939 Hamburg, Germany
Died	3 May 1998(1998-05-03) (aged 58) Marktoberdorf, Germany
Occupation	Actor

Raimund Harmstorf (7 October 1939^[1] – 3 May 1998) was a German actor. He became famous as the protagonist of a German TV mini series based on Jack London's the Sea-Wolf (which was sold into many countries) and starred later on successfully in another German TV series based on Jules Verne's Michael Strogoff.^[2]

Life

Harmstorf was the son of a doctor from Hamburg. He started a sports career and soon became a regional master of the decathlon. 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 Der Seewolf, based on Jack London's novel The Sea-Wolf, where he played the evil-minded Captain Larsen. Later he played in several spaghetti westerns along with Bud Spencer, Franco Nero and Charlton Heston.

Death

Toward the end of his career he was affected by Parkinson's disease and weakened by a regimen of heavy medication. His illness and vulnerability was greatly exploited by the tabloids. He committed suicide by hanging himself.^[3] His death caused a scandal.^[4]

German tabloids were investigated; German police consequently stated that Harmstorf's suicide had been substantially promoted by certain articles.^[5] In particular Bild was blamed because Bild ^[6] had already published Harmstorf's suicide on its main page before his actual death.^[7] Harmstorf's girlfriend confirmed that the actor had obviously already been dismayed after he had read this article, even before the news had been partly quoted on Germany's popular TV channel RTL Television.^[8]

Filmography

The following is a selection of Harmstorf's roles in film:

1969: Donnerwetter! Donnerwetter! Bonifatius Kiesewetter - Stramm, Polizeileutnant
1971: The Long Swift Sword of Siegfried [de] - Siegfried
1971: Der Seewolf [de] (TV Mini-Series) - Wolf Larsen
1972: Semesterferien (TV Series) - Paul, ein Tramper
1972: Bloody Friday - Heinz Klett
1972: Cry of the Black Wolves - Jack Harper
1972: The Call of the Wild - Pete
1973: Der Seewolf - Wolf Larsen
1973: White Fang - Kurt Jansen
1974: Challenge to White Fang - Kurt Jansen
1975: Michel Strogoff (TV Mini-Series) - Michael Strogoff
1975: A Genius, Two Partners and a Dupe - Sergeant Milton
1975: Derrick (Season 2, Episode 5: "Zeichen der Gewalt") - Günter Hausmann
1977: California - Rope Whittaker
1978: Mr. Mean - Rommell
1978: The Inglorious Bastards - German soldier Adolf Sachs
1978: Lo chiamavano Bulldozer - Sergeant Kempfer
1979: Goetz von Berlichingen of the Iron Hand - Götz von Berlichingen
1979: The Sheriff and the Satellite Kid - Capt. Briggs
1979: Derrick (Season 6, Episode 6: "Tandem") - Rudolf Nolde
1980: L'empreinte des géants - Jo Hansen
1980: Why the UFOs Steal Our Lettuce [de] - Schiffskapitän
1983: S.A.S. à San Salvador - Enrique Chacon
1983: Deep Water [de] (TV film) - Anton Kameter
1983: Thunder Warrior - Deputy Barry Henson
1984: Man Hunt - Robson
1985: Das Wunder - Raphaela's Father
1986: Geld oder Leber! - Kapitän der 'Klagenfurt'
1987: Thunder Warrior II - Deputy Rusty Weissner
1987–1988: The Black Forest Clinic (TV Series) - Cousin Florian
1990: Café Europa [de] - Mr. Whiteman
1992–1994: African Skies (TV series) - Raimund
1995: The Viking Sagas - Valgard
1996: The Wolves - King
1997: Blutrausch - Profi

External links

Raimund Harmstorf at IMDb
Raimund Harmstorf on a page dedicated to Italian western films
Fanpage

References

^ "Raimund Harmstorf wurde laut Grabinschrift am 07.10.1939 (alle anderen Quellen besagten bislang, er sei am 07.10.1940 geboren worden) in Hamburg geboren, wo er auch seine Kindheit verlebte". Retrieved 2011-04-27.
^ "Eine Paraderolle hatte Harmstorf 1976 im Fernsehen: Hier glänzte er mit der Titelrolle in dem ZDF-Vierteiler "Michael Strogoff" nach dem Roman "Der Kurier des Zaren" von Jules Verne". Retrieved 2011-04-27.
^ IMDb - Raimund Harmstorf Biography
^ "Der Selbstmord von Raimund Harmstorf war auch ein Medienskandal". Retrieved 2011-04-27.
^ "Die Polizei machte die Boulevardpresse mit verantwortlich für den Suizid". Retrieved 2011-04-27.
^ "Der Selbstmord von Harmstorf ist für die Bild der Super-Gau", sagt ein leitender "Bild"-Redakteur im Rückblick". Retrieved 2011-04-27.
^ "RAIMUND HARMSTORF. ER ERHÄNGTE SICH AM 3. MAI 1998, EINEN TAG, NACHDEM BILD BERICHTET HATTE: "SEEWOLF RAIMUND HARMSTORF IN DER PSYCHIATRIE"". Retrieved 2011-04-27.
^ "Wie groß die Macht von "Bild" wirklich ist, zeigte sich wenig später, als das RTL-Magazin "Explosiv" den "Bild"-Artikel aufgriff und zweieinhalb Millionen Zuschauer wissen ließ, daß sich Harmstorf nach einem blutigen Selbstmordversuch in der Psychiatrie befindet". 25 November 2008. Retrieved 2011-04-27.