Mario Adorf

Mario Adorf (born 8 September 1930) is a German actor, considered to be one of the great veteran character actors of European cinema. Since 1954, he has played both leading and supporting roles in over 200 film and television productions, among them the 1979 Oscar-winning film The Tin Drum. He is also the author of several successful mostly autobiographical books.
Biography
Adorf was born in Zürich, Switzerland, the illegitimate child of Matteo Menniti, an Italian surgeon and Alice Adorf, a German medical assistant. He grew up in his maternal grandfather's hometown, Mayen, where he was raised by his unmarried mother. He rose to fame in Europe, and particularly Germany, and also made appearances in international films, including Ten Little Indians and Smilla's Sense of Snow. He also played a small role in the BBC adaptation of John le Carré's Smiley's People as a German club owner. In Italy he also played in a number of movies.
In the 1960s, he married Lis Verhoeven. The couple had a child, Stella, prior to their divorce. He starred with Barbara Bouchet in Milano Calibro 9 in 1972. In 1985, he married Monique Faye.
Adorf has expressed regret that he declined roles in Francis Ford Coppola's The Godfather (1972) and Billy Wilder's One, Two, Three (1961). He also turned down the role of General Mapache in Sam Peckinpah's The Wild Bunch (1969), because he felt the character was too violent. In 1996, he provided the German dubbing voice for the character Draco in Dragonheart, a role performed by Sean Connery.
Awards
Among many others:
2000 Bavarian Film Awards Honorary Award
2011 Best Human Brand Award
Selected filmography
08/15 (1954), as Wagner
(1955), as Unteroffizier Stamm
Fruit in the Neighbour's Garden (1956), as Landstreicher
The Girl and the Legend (1957), as Bertie
Sand, Love and Salt (1957, directed by František Čáp), as Coco
(1957)
The Devil Strikes at Night (1957, directed by Robert Siodmak), as Bruno Luedke
The Doctor of Stalingrad (1958, directed by Géza von Radványi), as Pelz, Sanitäter
Rosemary (1958, directed by Rolf Thiele), as Horst
The Death Ship (1959, directed by Georg Tressler), as Lawski, Polnischer Kohlenschlepper
The Day the Rains Came (1959, directed by Gerd Oswald), as Werner Maurer
Boomerang (1960, directed by Alfred Weidenmann), as Georg Kugler
My Schoolfriend (1960), as Niedermoser
Brainwashed (1960, directed by Gerd Oswald), as Mirko Centowic
Who Are You, Mr. Sorge? (1961), as Max Klausen
Le goût de la violence (1961), as Chamaco
On the Tiger's Back (1961, directed by Luigi Comencini), as Mario Tagliabue
Lulu (1962, directed by Rolf Thiele), as Rodrigo Quast
Freddy and the Song of the South Pacific (1962), as Cameo during brawl at harbour pub (uncredited)
The Last Charge (1962), as Nardone
Street of Temptation (1962), as Joe
Station Six-Sahara (1963, directed by Seth Holt), as Santos
Die endlose Nacht (1963), as Juanitas Bekannter
(1963), as Axel Rottmann, Reporter
(1963, TV film), as Juror 7
Apache Gold (1963, directed by Harald Reinl), as Frederick Santer
La visita (1963, directed by Antonio Pietrangeli), as Cucaracha
A Mission for Mr. Dodd (1964), as Buddy Herman
The Last Ride to Santa Cruz (1964, directed by Rolf Olsen), as Pedro Ortiz
Massacre at Marble City (1964, directed by Paul Martin), as Matt Ellis
Major Dundee (1965, directed by Sam Peckinpah), as Sgt. Gomez
The Dirty Game (1965, directed by Terence Young, Christian-Jaque, Carlo Lizzani, Werner Klingler), as Callaghan
The Camp Followers (1965, directed by Valerio Zurlini), as Sergeant Castagnoli
That Man in Istanbul (1965, directed by Antonio Isasi-Isasmendi), as Bill
The Gentlemen (1965, directed by Rolf Thiele, Alfred Weidenmann, Franz Seitz), as Verleger Blech – episode 'Die Intellektuellen'
Ten Little Indians (1965, directed by George Pollock), as Herr Grohmann
Tierra de fuego (1965), as Abel Dragna
I Knew Her Well (1965, directed by Antonio Pietrangeli), as Emilio Ricci, aka Bietolone
(1966, directed by Wolfgang Staudte), as Orje
The Treasure of San Gennaro (1966, directed by Dino Risi), as Sciascillo
A Rose for Everyone (1967, directed by Franco Rossi), as Paolo
Zärtliche Haie (1967, directed by Michel Deville), as Spion SB 3
Ghosts – Italian Style (1967, directed by Renato Castellani), as Alfredo Mariano
Anyone Can Play (1968, directed by Luigi Zampa), as Traffic cop
A Sky Full of Stars for a Roof (1968, directed by Giulio Petroni), as Harry
Up the Establishment (1969, directed by Michael Verhoeven), as Augustin 'Gustl' Wohlfahrt
Gli specialisti (1969, directed by Sergio Corbucci), as El Diablo
The Red Tent (1969, directed by Mikhail Kalatozov), as Biagi
Safety Catch (1970), as Le sadique aux cheveux longs
The Bird with the Crystal Plumage (1970, directed by Dario Argento), as Berto Consalvi
Gentlemen in White Vests (1970, directed by Wolfgang Staudte), as Bruno 'Dandy' Stiegler
Deadlock (1970, directed by Roland Klick), as Charles Dump
Long Live Robin Hood (1971), as Brother Tuck
Million Dollar Eel (1971), as Nane Mora – the Guardiapesca
Short Night of Glass Dolls (1971, directed by Aldo Lado), as Jacques Versain
The Sicilian Checkmate (1972, directed by Florestano Vancini), as Amedeo Barrese
Caliber 9 (1972, directed by Fernando Di Leo), as Rocco Musco
When Women Lost Their Tails (1972), as Pap
Execution Squad (1972, directed by Steno), as District Attorney Ricciuti
King, Queen, Knave (1972, directed by Jerzy Skolimowski), as Prof. Ritter
The Italian Connection (La mala ordina) (1972, directed by Fernando Di Leo), as Luca Canali
The Adventures of Pinocchio (1972, TV miniseries, directed by Luigi Comencini), as Circus Director
(1973, directed by Bruno Gantillon), as L'ex-commandant Pierre Capra
The Assassination of Matteotti (1973, directed by Florestano Vancini), as Benito Mussolini
Trip to Vienna (1973, directed by Edgar Reitz), as Fred Scheuermann – Ortsgruppenleiter
Brigitte, Laura, Ursula, Monica, Raquel, Litz, Florinda, Barbara, Claudia, e Sofia le chiamo tutte... anima mia (1974), as Il commissario Marzoli
What Have They Done to Your Daughters? (1974, directed by Massimo Dallamano), as Insp. Valentini
Processo per direttissima (1974, directed by Lucio De Caro), as Procuratore Benedikter
Weak Spot (1975, directed by Peter Fleischmann), as Manager
The Lost Honour of Katharina Blum (1975, directed by Volker Schlöndorff), as Kommissar Beizmenne
(1976, directed by Michael Verhoeven), as Edgar Burgmann
Dog's Heart (1976, directed by Alberto Lattuada), as Bormenthàl
Bomber & Paganini (1976), as Bomber
(1977), as Police Officer Erwin
I Am Afraid (1977, directed by Damiano Damiani), as Judge Moser
(1977, directed by Wolf Gremm), as Max
(1977, directed by Reinhard Hauff), as Schikowski – der Vater
Difficile morire (1977)
(1978), as Drunken Poet
Germany in Autumn (1978, directed by Volker Schlöndorff, Rainer Werner Fassbinder), as Member of the board of TV producers
Fedora (1978, directed by Billy Wilder), as Hotel Manager
The Tin Drum (1979, directed by Volker Schlöndorff), as Alfred Matzerath
(1979), as Thanasis
L'empreinte des géants (1980), as Meru
The Little World of Don Camillo (1981, TV miniseries, directed by Peter Hammond), as Don Camillo
La disubbidienza (1981, directed by Aldo Lado), as Mr. Manzi
Lola (1981, directed by Rainer Werner Fassbinder), as Schuckert
Invitation au voyage (1982, directed by Peter Del Monte), as Timour
Smiley's People (1982, TV miniseries, directed by Simon Langton), as Claus Kretzschmar
La côte d'amour (1982), as Louis Zannella
Marco Polo (1982–1983, TV miniseries, directed by Giuliano Montaldo), as Giovanni
State buoni se potete (1983, directed by Luigi Magni), as Pope Sixtus V
Klassenverhältnisse (1984, directed by Straub-Huillet), as Karl Roßmann's Uncle
(1985), as Siemann
(1985), as Pope Urban VIII
The Holcroft Covenant (1985, directed by John Frankenheimer), as Erich Kessler / Jürgen Mass
Via Mala (1985, TV miniseries, directed by ), as Jonas Lauretz
Momo (1986, directed by Johannes Schaaf), as Nicola
La ragazza dei lillà (1986), as Albert
Kir Royal (1986, TV series, 1 episode, directed by Helmut Dietl), as Generaldirektor Heinrich 'Heini' Haffenloher
Mino (1986, TV miniseries, directed by ), as Maggiore Lupo
(1987, directed by Vadim Glowna), as Schomberg
The Second Victory (1987, directed by Gerald Thomas), as Dr. Sepp Kunzli
Italian Night (1987, directed by Carlo Mazzacurati), as Alvise Tornov
Vado a riprendermi il gatto (1987, directed by Giuliano Biagetti)
(1988, TV miniseries, directed by Egon Günther), as Alfons Rogalla
The Post Office Girl (1988, TV film, directed by Édouard Molinaro), as Anthony van Boolen
Incident at Twilight (1988, TV film, directed by August Everding), as Maximilian Friedrich Korbes
La piovra, (1989, TV series, directed by ), as Salvatore 'Acidduzzu' Frolo
I ragazzi di via Panisperna (1989, directed by Gianni Amelio), as Orso Mario Corbino
Francesco (1989, directed by Liliana Cavani), as Cardinal Ugolino
La luna negra (1989), as Padre
Try This One for Size (1989), as Radnitz
Ocean (1989, TV miniseries), as Damian Centeno
(1990, directed by Egon Günther), as Levin Austerlitz
The Bachelor (1990, directed by Roberto Faenza), as Gräsler's Friend
Présumé dangereux (1990), as Radnitz
Quiet Days in Clichy (1990, directed by Claude Chabrol), as Ernest Regentag
Mother (1990, directed by Gleb Panfilov)
(1990), as Mikis
(1991, TV film, directed by Andy Bausch), as Heinrich Hartholz
(1991, TV film, directed by ), as Istvan Kaltenbach
Money (1991, directed by Steven Hilliard Stern), as The Turk
(1991), as Francesco Serboli
Fantaghirò (1991, TV film, directed by Lamberto Bava), as The King
(1992, TV miniseries, directed by Dieter Wedel), as Peter Bellheim
Abissinia (1993), as Enzo Pagnini
(1993, TV film, directed by ), as Franz Graf Waldeck
Amigomío (1994), as Grandfather
(1996, TV miniseries, directed by Dieter Wedel), as Janusz 'Jan' Herzog
Life Is a Bluff (1996), as Willi Butzbach
Schwarzmüller (1996)
(1997, directed by Helmut Dietl), as Paolo Rossini
Smilla's Sense of Snow (1997, directed by Bille August), as Capt. Sigmund Lukas
Alle für die Mafia (1998), as Don Michele
(1999, TV miniseries, directed by Lamberto Bava), as Coda del diavolo
Die Affäre Semmeling (2002, TV miniseries, directed by Dieter Wedel), as Walter 'Beton-Walter' Wegener
(2002), as Jochen Epstein
(2005, TV film, directed by Volker Schlöndorff), as Abel Znorko
(2005, directed by Ben Verbong), as Santa Claus
(2008), as Fisherman Gorian
Rebecca Ryman: Olivia and Jai (2008, TV film), as Sir Joshua Templewood
Same Same But Different (2009), as Publishing Director Mr. Behr
Das Geheimnis der Wale (2010, TV film, directed by Philipp Kadelbach), as Prof. Johannes 'Joe' Waldmann
(2010, TV film), as Konrad Hansen
Gegengerade (2011), as Baldu
(2012, TV film, directed by ), as Martin Burian
(2012, directed by Lola Randl), as Nino Winter
(2013), as Hermann von Kirsch
(2013, directed by ), as Marcus Schwarz
(2014), as Johann Schäfer
Schubert in Love: Vater werden ist (nicht) schwer (2016), as Professor Schubert
Winnetou (2016), as Frederick Louis Santer
Einmal Sohn, immer Sohn (2018, TV film)
Alte Bande (2019, TV film)
Real Fight (2021), as Wechselburg
German-language voice acting
The Brave Little Toaster (1987), as Kirby (German version)
Felidae (1994), as Bluebeard
Dragonheart (1996), as Draco (German version)
The Fearless Four (1997), as Fred the Donkey
Jester Till (2003), as Bürgermeister
Racing Stripes (2005), as Tucker (German version)
Little Dodo (2008), as Darwin
References
External links
Official website
Photographs and literature
1930 births
Living people
Male actors from Zürich
German male film actors
German people of Calabrian descent
German male stage actors
German male television actors
Swiss emigrants to Germany
Commanders Crosses of the Order of Merit of the Federal Republic of Germany
Male Spaghetti Western actors
20th-century German male actors
21st-century German male actors
German Film Award winners