Klaus Kinski: biography and creativity

2024 Author: Leah Sherlock | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-17 05:25

In this article we will tell you who Klaus Kinski is. His biography will be discussed in detail later. We are talking about a German film and theater actor of Polish origin. He played a large number of psychopathic roles. Thanks to them, he managed to achieve international recognition. As a result, he became one of the most famous German actors. The most significant works of this man are considered to be films created jointly with Werner Herzog.

Early years

Klaus Kinski is an actor who was born in Zoppot. He comes from the family of the pharmacist Bruno Nakszynski. His mother Susanna Lutze is the daughter of a German pastor. There were three other children in this family. In 1931 the family went to Berlin. The parents of the future actor rented an apartment, which was located at 3 Wartburgstrasse. Since 1936, Klaus Kinski attended the Prince Heinrich Gymnasium, which was located in Schöneberg. He was expelled from this educational institution,because he skipped classes for 7 months.

First activity and army

Klaus Kinski continued his studies at the Bismarck Gymnasium. There he stayed twice in the second year. During this period, according to personal memories, the future actor worked as a corpse washer, a janitor, a shoe shiner, and a messenger. In 1943, a 16-year-old boy was drafted into the army. He was sent to a Hitler Youth camp in Holland. In his memoirs, the actor claims that in 1944 he left the unit, but was caught, after which he was sentenced to death for desertion.

The young man managed to escape shortly before the execution of this decision. In 1944, near Arnhem, he was taken prisoner by the British. In 1945, the future actor was sent to England. He ended up in a POW camp. He spent over a year in prison. In the POW camp, he first appeared on the stage, which was based on amateur performances. Mainly played female roles. After his release, he settled in West Germany. He played first in provincial, and later in Berlin theaters.

Became famous as a reciter of monologues. He recited the New Testament, Kurt Tucholsky, Francois Villon, Arthur Rimbaud, Nietzsche. Readings of the works of Bertolt Brecht, Friedrich Schiller and Goethe have appeared on numerous phonograph records. He portrayed Jesus Christ on stage, showing him as a psychopathic adventurer.

Film career

Klaus Kinski first appeared in a film in 1947. His debut picture is called Morituri. Actoractively participated in commercial films with a low artistic level. He explained this by the desire to earn more. In 1963 alone, he starred in 10 films. The actor refused to cooperate with well-known directors, including Steven Spielberg and Federico Fellini, if the reward in low-quality films turned out to be higher. The exceptions were the films “For a Few Dollars More” and “Doctor Zhivago” by Sergio Leone, filmed in 1965

In 1972, the actor began working with a director named Werner Herzog. The latter invited him to play a role in the film "Aguirre, the wrath of God." The theme of the film is the expedition of the Spanish conquistadors in the Amazonian jungle.

Private life

Klaus Kinski was married four times. In 1951 he made an acquaintance with Gizlinde Külbeck. They married after the birth of their daughter Paula, who was born in 1952 on March 23. The family broke up in 1955. In 1960, he met twenty-year-old Ruth Bridget Tokki in Berlin. They soon got married. In this marriage, in 1961, on January 24, a daughter was born, who was named Nastasya. The family broke up in 1968. At a party in Rome in a country house, the actor met Minha, a nineteen-year-old Vietnamese student.

They got married in 1969. In this marriage, in 1976, on July 30, the actor had a son, who was named Nikolai. In 1979, the couple divorced. Klaus was married to actress Deborah Caprioglio from 1987 to 1989.

A few words about children should be said. They all became actors. At the same time, Nastassja Kinski gained worldwide fame.

In the life of an actor, there was a shockingbehavior. For example, a case is known when he threw candelabra from the stage, on which there were burning candles, directing them to the audience, thereby responding to the "ungratefulness" of the audience. As a result, the theater burned out.

In his memoirs, the actor talked about his family in an offensive tone. The elder brothers described this composition as “a shameful outrageous lie.”

In 1980, the actor moved to the city of Lagunitas. He died at age 65 in 1991 from a myocardial infarction.

Filmography

Now you know who Klaus Kinski is. Films with his participation will be given below. In 1947, he played in the film Morituri. The actor also starred in the following films: "Ludwig II: The Shine and the Fall of the King", "The Secret of the Red Orchid", "Scotland Yard vs. Dr. Mabuse", "The Black Abbot", "Doctor Zhivago", "A Few Dollars More", " El Chuncho, Who Knows Him", "The Silent One", "Two-Face", "Justine, or the Misfortunes of Virtue", "Venus in Furs", "A Coffin Full of Dollars", "Aguirre, God's Wrath", "The Breath of Death", " Imprints, Love Matters, Golden Night, Jack the Ripper, Operation Jonathan, Death of a Scoundrel, Song of Roland, Nosferatu - Ghost of the Night, Woyzeck, Passion Fruit”, “Soldier”, “Android”, “Fitzcaraldo”, “Love and Money”, “Hitchhiker”, “Creature”, “Star Knight”, “Hidden”, “Cobra Verde”, “Vampire in Venice”, “Paganini "".