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IMDbPro

Helmut Berger(1944-2023)

  • Actor
  • Soundtrack
IMDbProStarmeterTop 5,000622
Helmut Berger at an event for Saint Laurent (2014)
Official Trailer for The Devil's Violinist
Play trailer1:57
The Devil's Violinist (2013)
11 Videos
99+ Photos
Helmut Berger - Austrian born film actor, mostly known for starring in Luchino Visconti's films, which are now considered modern classics. Born Helmut Steinberger in Salzburg in 1944, he turned down a prospect of running a family hotel business and went to London where he worked as waiter to pay his way through drama school. Later he attended the University of Perugia in Italy and spent some time in France. His acting career began with French and Italian commercials and showed no signs of progress until he was picked up by Luchino Visconti out of pool of "extras" during the shooting of Vague Stars of Ursa... (1965) in 1964. Berger's relationships with Visconti, whose partner he remained for 12 years, brought him to the attention of press and allowed him to act in some Visconti's films such as The Damned (1969), Ludwig (1973) and Conversation Piece (1974). Visconti is said to view Berger as the very image of his idea of a "demonic, insane and sexually perverted" man. As a matter of fact Berger often portrayed anguished souls and sinister villains. His acting career continued throughout the 1970s but was temporarily broken up in the early 80s when he battled alcohol problem. He appeared in numerous French, Italian, German films and spent one season on American soap Dynasty (1981) but few directors used his gifts with the same skill as Visconti. His autobiography "Ich" (Me), in which he famously referred to his relationships with Visconti as "marriage" and claimed to be the director's widow, appeared in 1998. Berger is still very active appearing in TV series regularly. He also very modestly attributed his acting achievements to Visconti's directing.
BornMay 29, 1944
DiedMay 18, 2023(78)
BornMay 29, 1944
DiedMay 18, 2023(78)
IMDbProStarmeterTop 5,000622
  • Awards
    • 3 wins & 4 nominations

Photos114

Helmut Berger in Ludwig (1973)
Helmut Berger and Heinz Moog in Ludwig (1973)
Helmut Berger in Ludwig (1973)
Helmut Berger in Ludwig (1973)
Helmut Berger in Ludwig (1973)
Helmut Berger and Bert Bloch in Ludwig (1973)
Helmut Berger in Ludwig (1973)
Helmut Berger and Maurizio Bonuglia in Ludwig (1973)
Helmut Berger and Folker Bohnet in Ludwig (1973)
Helmut Berger and Folker Bohnet in Ludwig (1973)
Helmut Berger in Ludwig (1973)
Helmut Berger and John Moulder-Brown in Ludwig (1973)

Known for

Al Pacino, Andy Garcia, Sofia Coppola, and Talia Shire in The Godfather Part III (1990)
The Godfather Part III
7.6
  • Frederick Keinszig
  • 1990
Ludwig (1973)
Ludwig
7.5
  • Ludwig
  • 1973
Helmut Berger in The Damned (1969)
The Damned
7.4
  • Martin Von Essenbeck
  • 1969
The Romantic Englishwoman (1975)
The Romantic Englishwoman
6.1
  • Thomas
  • 1975

Credits

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IMDbPro

Actor

  • Revolution!
    • Professor Martin
    • In Production
  • Portae Infernales (2019)
    Portae Infernales
    • Professor Schneider (Segment "Die Bruderschaft des östlichen Tores")
    • 2019
  • Die Bruderschaft des östlichen Tores (2019)
    Die Bruderschaft des östlichen Tores
    • Professor Schneider
    • Short
    • 2019
  • Liberté (2019)
    Liberté
    • Duc de Walchen
    • 2019
  • Alexander Tuschinski and Barbara Kling in Timeless (2016)
    Timeless
    • Professor Martin
    • 2016
  • Art! The official poster
    Art!
    • Professor Martin
    • Short
    • 2015
  • Gaspard Ulliel in Saint Laurent (2014)
    Saint Laurent
    • Yves Saint Laurent en 1989
    • 2014
  • Jared Harris and David Garrett in The Devil's Violinist (2013)
    The Devil's Violinist
    • Lord Burghersh
    • 2013
  • Nena: Besser gehts nicht
    • Regisseur
    • Narrator
    • Music Video
    • 2013
  • Murder Sisters (2011)
    Murder Sisters
    • Dr. Schleier
    • 2011
  • Beautiful Blue Eyes (2009)
    Beautiful Blue Eyes
    • Shrager
    • 2009
  • Zapping-Alien@Mozart-Balls
    • Jack
    • 00Y
    • Georg II
    • 2009
  • Initiation (2009)
    Initiation
    • Gustav Tritzinsky
    • 2009
  • Damals warst Du still
    • Fabian Plessen
    • TV Movie
    • 2005
  • Honey Baby (2004)
    Honey Baby
    • Karl
    • Hades
    • 2004
  • Unter den Palmen (1999)
    Unter den Palmen
    • David
    • 1999

Soundtrack

  • Helmut Berger in The Damned (1969)
    The Damned
    • performer: "Kinder, heut' abend, da such ich mir was aus" (uncredited)
    • 1969

Videos15

Ludwig
Clip 2:17
Ludwig
Official Teaser Trailer
Trailer 0:28
Official Teaser Trailer
Trailer
Trailer 2:28
Trailer
Trailer
Trailer 2:44
Trailer
Official Trailer
Trailer 2:44
Official Trailer
Bande-annonce [OV]
Trailer 1:32
Bande-annonce [OV]
Trailer originale italiano [OV]
Trailer 3:44
Trailer originale italiano [OV]
Liberté
Trailer 1:42
Liberté
The Garden of the Finzi-Continis
Trailer 1:13
The Garden of the Finzi-Continis
Faceless
Trailer 1:27
Faceless
Faceless
Trailer 1:28
Faceless
Initiation
Trailer 1:46
Initiation

Personal details

Edit
  • Official site
    • Official Site
  • Alternative name
    • Helmut Steinbergher
  • Height
    • 6′ 0½″ (1.84 m)
  • Born
    • May 29, 1944
    • Bad Ischl, Upper Austria, Austria
  • Died
    • May 18, 2023
    • Salzburg, Austria
  • Spouses
      Florian WessJuly 2015 - September 2015 (separated)
  • Parents
      Hedwig Steinberger
  • Other works
    1999: Featured in the music video "Tausend Tränen tief" ("A thousand tears deep") by German band Blumfeld.
  • Publicity listings
    • 1 Print Biography
    • 1 Interview
    • 8 Articles
    • 3 Pictorials
    • 2 Magazine Cover Photos

Did you know

Edit
  • Trivia
    Longtime companion of Luchino Visconti from 1964 until the director's death in 1976.
  • Quotes
    [on working with Michael Caine and Glenda Jackson on The Romantic Englishwoman (1975)] I admire Michael Caine in this film and have great respect for Glenda Jackson. She is of a different generation to mine and a different theatrical background. She can be like a bird. I have to run after her. She is so exciting, she gives so much.
  • Nickname
    • Heli

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