# Dieter Hallervorden

Dieter "Didi" Hallervorden (born 5 September 1935) is a German comedian, actor, singer, and cabaret artist. He achieved great popularity in German-speaking countries in the mid-1970s with the slapstick series Nonstop Nonsens and his character Didi.
In the early 2010s, he was able to increasingly establish himself as a character actor of serious roles in films such as Back on Track (2013) and Head Full of Honey (2014).

## Biography

Dieter Hallervorden's mother was a physician's assistant and his father a graduate engineer employed by German aircraft maker Junkers. His siblings are called Renate and Margot. Dieter Hallervorden has two children (Dieter Hallervorden Jr. and Nathalie Hallervorden) from his marriage to Rotraud Schindler, a daughter (Laura) from another relationship, and a son (Johannes) from his current wife Elena Blume.
Dieter Hallervorden Jr. appeared in the movies Darf ich Sie zur Mutter machen (1968) and The Wedding Trip (1969) and was creator, co-writer and leading actor of the comedy show Nonstop Nonsens (1974–1980). Nathalie Hallervorden co-starred in the TV series Die Nervensäge (1985–1986) and had a brief appearance together with her parents in Nonstop Nonsens. Hallervorden's first wife, Rotraud Schindler, co-starred in several TV shows and some movies. Johannes Hallervorden plays the part of Melchior von und zu Panke, the ghost from the TV series Binny and the Ghost.
Hallervorden starred as a bumbling, Clouseau-like detective in the German television show Die Didi-Show. The show was dubbed into English, retitled Didi's Comedy Show, and shown in various countries. Hallervorden also released a number of music singles, often parodies of popular songs, among them "Du, die Wanne ist voll", a very successful parody cover of "You're the One That I Want".
An Afrikaans-subtitled version of the comedy sketch-show, Nonstop Nonsens (1975), starring Hallervorden, was broadcast in South Africa in the early 1980s under the title Grapjas Didi ("Didi the Joker" or alternatively "Didi the Prankster"). Also a Spanish-dubbed version was also distributed for Latin America under the name Las Locuras de Didí ("The Madnesses of Didi").
In recent years, Hallervorden was popular with the leading roles in the comedy-drama films Back on Track and Head Full of Honey. He provided the voice for Vlad in the German dub of Hotel Transylvania 2.
Since 1988, Dieter Hallervorden has lived in Trégastel (France) in the castle, Château de Costaérès. In 2007 he was announced as an honorary citizen of his birthtown Dessau-Roßlau. On 4 September 2022 he opened the "Mitteldeutsches Theater" in Dessau-Roßlau. The theater showcases Hallervorden's own productions as well as guest performances and readings by German artists, comedians and actors.

## Filmography

| Date | Film | International Title |
| 2019 | Mein Freund, das Ekel [de] | Befriending the Grouch |
| 2017 | Rock My Heart – Mein wildes Herz | Rock My Heart |
| 2015 | Chuzpe – Klops braucht der Mensch! [de] | You Gotta Have Balls |
| 2014 | Honig im Kopf | Head Full of Honey |
| 2013 | Sein letztes Rennen | Back on Track |
| 2012 | Het meisje en de dood | The Girl and Death |
| 2012 | Das Kind [de] | The Child |
| 2011 | Die zertanzten Schuhe [de] | The Twelve Dancing Princesses |
| 2008 | 1½ Ritter – Auf der Suche nach der hinreißenden Herzelinde | 1½ Knights: In Search of the Ravishing Princess Herzelinde |
| 2006 | La Isla Bonita – Armee der Stille | La Isla Bonita |
| 1992 | Alles Lüge [de] | All Lies |
| 1990 | Bei mir liegen Sie richtig [de] | Non-Stop Trouble in the Hospital |
| 1988 | Didi – Der Experte [de] | Non-Stop Trouble with the Experts |
| 1986 | Didi auf vollen Touren [de] | Didi Drives Me Crazy |
| 1985 | Didi und die Rache der Enterbten [de] | Non-Stop Trouble with the Family |
| 1984 | Is was, Kanzler? [de] (Cameo) | What's Up, Chancellor? |
| 1984 | Didi – Der Doppelgänger [de] | Non-Stop Trouble with My Double |
| 1983 | Der Schnüffler [de] | Non-Stop Trouble with Spies |
| 1981 | Alles im Eimer [de] | Up the Creek |
| 1981 | Stachel im Fleisch [de] (Cameo) | Sting in the Flesh |
| 1981 | Ach du lieber Harry | Oh My Dearest Harry |
| 1980 | Mein Gott, Willi! [de] | My God, Willi! |
| 1974 | Der Springteufel | The Devil's Jump |
| 1972 | Che? | What? |
| 1973 | Mein Onkel Benjamin [de] | My Uncle Benjamin |
| 1972 | Tatort: Rattennest [de] | Rat's Nest |
| 1971 | Mister Tingling stellt ein | Mister Tingling Is Hiring |
| 1970 | Das Millionenspiel | The Millions Game |
| 1969 | Die Hochzeitsreise | The Wedding Trip |
| 1968 | Mehrmals täglich [de] | Several Times Daily |
| 1967 | Seltsame Begegnungen (short) | Strange Encounters (short) |
| 1960 | Die 1000 Augen des Dr. Mabuse | The Thousand Eyes of Dr. Mabuse |

## TV shows

| 2024 | Queen of Tears | Sanssouci Park groundskeeper (episode 6) |
| 2020 | The Masked Singer | Chamäleon (Season 2) |
| 2004 | Sesamstraße | Sesamstraße is the German equivalent to Sesame Street; Dieter Hallervorden had a guest role as Karl Kaputt. |
| 2000–2001 | Zebralla! [de] | Hallervorden plays Jürgen Zebralla, an old divorced pensioner, who attends a university and lives with his wealthy son because of lack of money. Sitcom, 11 Episodes. |
| 1996–1997 | Verstehen Sie Spaß? | Hallervorden was the host of this show about pranks. |
| 1994–2003 | Hallervordens Spott-Light | Cabaret |
| 1993 | Sachen zum Lachen | Staged comic acts. |
| 1993 | Klipp-Klapp, der Clip Club | Hallervorden hosted the show |
| 1992–1993 | Spottschau | Cabaret |
| 1989 | Die Didi-Show | Short comic clips and comic acts. Also titled Didi's Comedy Show in English. 10 Episodes |
| 1987 | Laus im Pelz | A televised stage play. |
| 1985–1986 | Die Nervensäge aka. Der Untermieter | TV series, 26 Episodes |
| 1983–1984 | Zelleriesalat und Gitterspeise | TV show equivalent to Die Didi-Show with Hallervorden as a convict. 4 Episodes |
| 1983 | Wunderland [de] | |
| 1982 | Grand Gala – 3 mal klingeln | Hallervorden was a host. 6 Episodes |
| 1982 | Welle Wahnsinn | Music show, 2 Episodes |
| 1981 | Onkel & Co | Hallervorden was a clumsy detective. 2 Episodes, 60 minutes each. |
| 1975–1978 | Lästerlexikon | 3 Episodes |
| 1974–1980 | Nonstop Nonsens | Well-known slapstick show. 20 Episodes |
| 1973 | Kara Ben Nemsi Effendi | TV series based on the Karl May books. 26 Episodes |
| 1972 | Vorsicht! – Stellenweise tief | Satire |
| 1970–1976 | Abramakabra | TV series, 10 Episodes |
| 1971 | Von Liebe keine Rede | |
| 1971 | Hei-Wi-Tip-Top | |
| 1970–1974 | Die Kriminalerzählung | 26 Episodes |
| 1970 | Ti vor Tu | |
| 1961–1962 | Die Rückblende |

## Awards

* 1981 Bambi (for his role in Nonstop Nonsens)
* 1996 Telestar (Best Host in "Verstehen Sie Spaß?")
* 2003 Deutscher Comedypreis (Honorary Award)
* 2005 Bayerischer Kabarettpreis (Honorary Award)
* 2006 Honorary Citizen of the German city Dessau
* 2013 Goldene Kamera (for his lifework, Honorary Award)