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Thomas Fritsch (16 January 1944 – 21 April 2021) was a German film, television and dubbing actor and schlager singer. He was regarded as the "Sonnyboy"[a] in the German cinema of the 1960s,[2] and became one of the best-known actors by his presence in television series.[2] Later, he was the German voice of Russell Crowe, of Scar in The Lion King, and of Diego, a Smilodon, in Ice Age.
Fritsch was born in Dresden, the son of famous actor Willy Fritsch and dancer Dinah Grace.[2] The family moved to Hamburg after World War II.[3] Director and actor Gustaf Gründgens encouraged the 16-year-old Thomas to become an actor.[2] He trained at an acting school in Hamburg-Pöseldorf for three years.[4]
He played his first film role in the 1962 Austrian Julia, Du bist zauberhaft at age 17,[2] alongside Lilli Palmer. He starred opposite Daliah Lavi in Das schwarz-weiß-rote Himmelbett, and became a favourite of teenagers.[2] He was frequently featured as the cover image of the Bravo youth magazine.[4] He played in And So to Bed in 1963, alongside Hildegard Knef.[3] In 1964, he appeared in his only film together with his father, Das hab ich von Papa gelernt.[4] He played two more times with his father, in ZDF television shows, Das gibts doch zweimal in 1965, and Andere Zeiten, andere Sitten. Die Thomas-Fritsch-Show in 1967.[3] He had film roles in Drei Männer in Santa Cruz, Onkel Toms Hütte, and played one of the three men in the title of Drei Männer im Schnee, among many others.[5]
In the 1970s, Fritsch appeared in the television series Der Kommissar and Derrick several times. From 1977, Fritsch appeared in a leading role in the popular series Drei sind einer zuviel (Three are one too many) by Barbara Noack, portraying a man in a love triangle story. It made him one of Germany's most popular actors.[3] He also starred in the television series Rivalen der Rennbahn (1989).[2] In 2004, he made a return to cinema when he appeared as the villainous Earl of Cockwood in Der Wixxer, a comedy which spoofed the German Edgar Wallace films of the 1960s.[6]
Fritsch became known as a voice actor. He was the German voice of Russell Crowe in Gladiator, Master and Commander: The Far Side of the World and Proof of Life.[4] He starred voicing Scar in the German version of The Lion King in 1994,[7] and voiced many other animated lions as well, and Diego, a Smilodon, in Ice Age and sequels, beginning in 2002.[2][5] In the 2000s, he replaced the late Joachim Kemmer as Lumiere for the "Human Again" DVD feature of Beauty and the Beast.[2] His last role was the narrator in the 2018 children's film Jim Knopf und Lukas der Lokomotivführer, an adaption of Michael Ende's Jim Button and Luke the Engine Driver.[5]
Fritsch divided his time between his home in Munich and his home on the Greek island of Mykonos. He had been diagnosed with a brain tumour in 1990.[8] In 2006, Fritsch revealed he was bisexual.[9] In 2019, it was announced that Fritsch was diagnosed with dementia and was living in an assisted living facility.[10]
Fritsch died on 21 April 2021 in Berlin, aged 77.[2][5][11] He was given a burial at sea near the island of Sylt.[12]
Actor
Fritsch played in films and television (TV) series, including:[13][14][15]
- Adorable Julia (1962), as Roger, Julia's son
- Das schwarz-weiß-rote Himmelbett (1962), as Jean de Wehrt
- And So to Bed (1963), as High school student
- Full Hearts and Empty Pockets (1964), as Rick Hofer
- Drei Männer in Santa Cruz (The Last Ride to Santa Cruz, 1964), as Carlos
- Das hab ich von Papa gelernt (I Learned It from Father, 1964), as Andreas Andermann
- Legend of a Gunfighter (1964), as Chris Harper
- Halløj i himmelsengen (1965), as Pierre de Sauterne
- Onkel Toms Hütte (Uncle Tom's Cabin, 1965), as George Shelby
- Die schwedische Jungfrau (1965), as Philipp
- Das gibt's nur zweimal (1965, TV)
- Apollo Goes on Holiday (1968)
- Der Kommissar (TV series)
- Der Papierblumenmörder (episode 15) – (1970)
- Mord nach der Uhr (episode 94) – (1975)
- Drei Männer im Schnee (Three Men in the Snow) (1974)
- Hoftheater (1975, TV series)
- Derrick (TV series):
- Nur Aufregungen für Rohn (1975)
- Abendfrieden (1977)
- Ein Todesengel (1979)
- Der Charme der Bahamas (1986)
- Anruf in der Nacht (1986)
- Tossners Ende (1989)
- Drei sind einer zuviel (1977, TV series)
- Rivalen der Rennbahn (1989, TV series)
- At Your Own Risk (1995)
- Rosamunde Pilcher: Federn im Wind (2004)
- Der Wixxer (2004)
- Das total verrückte Wunderauto (2006)
- Die ProSieben Märchenstunde (2006, TV series)
- Meine wunderbare Familie (2007)
- The Secret of Loch Ness (2008)
Voice
Fritsch voiced the following productions, among others:[16]
- The Good, the Bad and the Ugly- Tuco (Pro 7 dub)
- Apocalypse Now (1979)
- The Three Musketeers (1993)
- The Nanny (1993–1999) – Maxwell Sheffield
- The Lion King (1994) – Scar
- Gargoyles (1994–1996) – Goliath
- Felidae (1994)
- The Pebble and the Penguin (1995)
- Die Hard with a Vengeance (1995) – Simon Gruber
- Balto (1995) – Steele
- Mega Man (1995–1996)
- White Squall (1996)
- Jim Button and Luke the Engine Driver (1996) – Luke
- Titanic (1997)
- Doctor Dolittle (1998)
- Lost in Space (1998)
- The Lion King II: Simba's Pride (1998) – Scar
- Das Dschungelbuch, Mowglis Abenteuer (1998)
- Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer: The Movie (1999) - Slyly the fox
- Gladiator (2000) – Maximus
- Help! I'm a Fish (2000) – Joe, the pilotfish
- Thomas and the Magic Railroad (2000) – Mr. Conductor
- Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone (2001) – Garrick Ollivander
- Ice Age (2002) – Diego
- Treasure Planet (2002) – Dr. Delbert Doppler
- The Cat Returns (2002)
- Raining Cats and Frogs (2003)
- Finding Nemo (2003) – Nigel
- South Park (2003) - Russell Crowe and Steven Spielberg
- Master and Commander: The Far Side of the World (2003)
- The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King (extended edition) – (2003)
- Lemony Snicket's A Series of Unfortunate Events (2004)
- Steamboy (2005)
- Kingdom of Heaven (2005)
- Corpse Bride (2005) – Bonejangles
- Cinderella Man (2005)
- The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe (2005) – Aslan
- Battlestar Galactica (2006)
- Ice Age: The Meltdown (2006) – Diego
- Copying Beethoven (2006)
- Eragon (2006)
- Herr Figo und das Geheimnis der Perlenfabrik (2007)
- Surf's Up (2007) - Big Z
- 3:10 to Yuma (2007 film) (2007) - Ben Wade
- Astérix at the Olympic Games (2007)
- Terry Pratchett's The Colour of Magic – Lord Vetinari
- Snow Buddies (2008)
- Kung Fu Panda (2008) – Tai Lung
- The Chronicles of Narnia: Prince Caspian (2008)
- The Dark Knight (2008)
- Sacred 2 (2008)
- The Incredible Hulk (2008)
- Ice Age: Dawn of the Dinosaurs (2009) – Diego
- Risen (2009)
- Diablo 3 (2012)
- Ice Age: Continental Drift (2012) - Diego
- Ice Age: Collision Course (2016) - Diego
- 1963: Bambi Award, Bambi Award 1963, as the best newcomer for Das schwarz-weiß-rote Himmelbett[17]
- 2002: Deutscher Preis für Synchron for Second Chance – Alles wird gut[18][19]
- A young man who radiates charm and a carefree cheerfulness, which produces sympathy from others. (Junger Mann, der Charme und eine unbeschwerte Fröhlichkeit ausstrahlt, dem die Sympathien zufliegen.)[1]
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