Acting
Oct 16, 1916
Sorau, Germany [now Zary, Lubuskie, Poland]
Friedrich Schoenfelder
Acting
Biography
Friedrich Wilhelm Schoenfelder (born October 17, 1916, in Sorau, Lower Lusatia; died August 14, 2011, in Berlin) was a German actor and voice-over artist. Friedrich Schoenfelder received his acting training under Gustaf Gründgens at the Prussian State Theater in Berlin, where he made his stage debut in 1936. After World War II, he performed at major theaters in Stuttgart, Frankfurt am Main, and Berlin, later working as a freelance actor at numerous German-language theaters. He became particularly well known for his elegant stage presence in boulevard plays and musicals. Among his greatest theatrical successes was *My Fair Lady*, in which he appeared approximately 1,200 times over the course of many years. From the late 1940s onward, Schoenfelder also appeared regularly in film and television productions. He acted in numerous light entertainment films, Edgar Wallace adaptations, and TV series, and participated in projects such as *Otto – Der neue Film* and, as the narrator, *Der Schuh des Manitu*. With over 140 film and television roles to his name, he remained one of the defining character actors of German popular cinema and television for decades. His work as a voice-over artist was also of particular significance. In more than 400 productions, Schoenfelder lent his distinctive voice to international actors such as David Niven, John Gielgud, Rex Harrison, Vincent Price, and Alec Guinness. He also enjoyed a successful career as a radio drama actor, narrator, and radio host, working on projects including *Sesame Street*, *Little Britain*, and numerous audio drama productions for the labels Europa and Titania Medien. Even in his advanced years, Schoenfelder continued to appear regularly on stage; in 1996, he published his memoirs, titled *Ich war doch immer ich* ("I Was Always Just Me"). He passed away in Berlin in 2011 at the age of 94.
Feature Films (84)
Several employees on a nobleman's estate show up at a former abbey, reputed to be haunted, to search for a hidden treasure. Howver, a mysterious hooded figure begins killing off those who may have figured out where the treasure is hidden.
The Black Abbot
Gustav Hartmann is in trouble. Because of the new taxis he doesn't get many passengers in his horse-drawn carriage. To prove what he and his horse are capable of, he starts a trip from Berlin to Paris.
Der eiserne Gustav
Willi Winzig is a small tax officer with a big heart. He sometimes lets the tax files of his insolvent fellow citizens disappear into the air shaft. But shortly before his retirement, the shaft is so full that Willi has to dispose of the file of a penniless taxpayer in the wastepaper basket. The scam is promptly discovered and Willi is threatened with a hefty fine - even dishonorable dismissal from the civil service. Fortunately, friend and colleague Felix Klein knows what to do.
Was ist denn bloß mit Willi los?
Otto is Friesland's answer to Rambo and stands between two worlds, two women and two animals. While he's trying to cure a dog with bite inhibition and a cat with suicidal tendencies, the dream of his sleepless nights crosses his path: Gaby. Otto falls instantly in love, but Gaby thinks only of Amboss, a real guy with muscles of steel and a brain of rubber. Well, Otto on the other hand is not exactly well built and attractive. But he's determined to get the lady's attention, even if it means taking part in body-building competitions...
Otto – The New Movie
The two friends Little Tiger and Little Bear live happily together in a little house by the lake. But when they find a strange wooden crate from Panama, they both fantasise about a beautiful place where everything is bigger, better and more beautiful.
The Trip to Panama
Television & Series (45)
Engineer Morrison returns to England after a long stay in America. Terrible news awaits him: his sister Alice is said to have committed suicide.
Death Runs After Them
Ein Fall für zwei is a German television series, which premiered on September 11, 1981 on ZDF. The series, located in Frankfurt am Main, features two main characters who solve crimes: a defense attorney and a private investigator. Josef Matula, a former German police officer, has gone into private business. His method of investigation is very effective and direct, and he sometimes even resorts to dirty tricks. Claus Theo Gärtner has portrayed the role since the start of the series.
