Born in Vienna, a city that would forever hold a special place in his heart and career. He began his journey as an entertainer at the renowned Reiss Bar in Vienna, honing his skills and building a reputation that would take him to the stages of Europe and beyond.
As his talents flourished, he found himself frequently appearing at the still-existing Raimund-Theater, a testament to his enduring popularity. It was during this time that he met his future wife, Liselotte, on stage in Brno, now part of the Czech Republic. Their chance encounter would blossom into a lifelong partnership.
In 1938, Liselotte escaped to London, followed by her husband in 1939, where they would marry later that year. The war years would see him frequent the German BBC, sharing his talents with a wider audience. He would also appear on the British stage, including notable productions such as "Point of Departure" alongside Dirk Bogarde, Mai Zetterling, and Brenda de Banzie, as well as "Settled out of Court" with Nigel Patrick and "The Threepenny Opera" alongside Bill Owen, Georgia Brown, George A. Cooper, and Lisa Lee, taking on the iconic role of Peachum.
Television would also become a significant platform for him, with appearances in episodes of "The Saint" in 1962 and "The Avengers" in 1961. As the war came to a close, he would resume his German-speaking career, starring in "Das Feuerwerk" in Munich, a production that would give rise to the popular song "Oh My Papa".
His stage appearances in Germany would continue to be numerous, with notable productions including "Der Talisman" and "Der Entertainer". He would also return to his hometown of Vienna, gracing the stage of the Theater an der Wien in a variety of musicals, including "Das Apartment", "Billy", and "Die Graefin von Naschmarkt", alongside the legendary Marika Rökk.
The 1970s would see him starring in his final film, "Tales from the Vienna Woods", directed by the renowned Maximilian Schell and included in the 1979 London Film Festival. Tragically, he would pass away during the final rehearsals for his second appearance at the Salzburg Festival, where he was set to play the role of the Dicke Fetter in the traditional production of "Jederman", alongside Schell once more.
