Helmut Berger was a 1960s and 1970s European cinema star. The actor, actual name Steinberger, was once regarded as the most attractive man in the world, but that was before scandals and the collapse. On May 29, the Bad Ischler native would have been 79 years old. Berger died "peacefully but unexpectedly" in Salzburg on Thursday, according to his agent Helmut Werner. Berger lived out his life philosophy "La Dolce Vita" to the fullest.
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| Helmut Berger with presenter Sylvia Serra Di Cassano in 2019 |
Berger was up in Salzburg and subsequently worked in Paris and London, first as a dresser and photo model, and then in commercials. Berger attended the "Central Drama School" in London from 1964 to 1966 but did not graduate. He moved to Perugia to study Italian at the university level. He had his first screen experience as an extra and in minor roles in Cinecitta, and was subsequently cast for the first time in 1966 by his discoverer Luchino Visconti in the film "The Witches of Today."
Berger ultimately broke through with performances in "Die Verdammten" (1969) and "Ludwig II." (1972), for which he received a Golden Globe nomination for best young actor. Visconti directed both movies. His spouse and "father substitute" was the 38-year-old Italian. In European film, Berger embodied the breaching of sexual taboos. He became well-known for his portrayals of narcissistic and bisexual characters.
In 1970, he featured in Massimo Dallamano's Oscar Wilde adaption The Picture of Dorian Gray as the titular character, a perpetually young dandy. Following Vittorio De Sica's "Der Garten der Finzi Contini" (1970), Sergio Gobbi's "Un beau monstre" (1970), and Duccio Tessari's thriller "Una Farfalla con le ali insanguinate" (1971), Visconti entrusted him with the tough part of Bavaria's schizophrenic monarch, Ludwig II, in 1972. Berger co-starred in Visconti's Violence and Passion with Burt Lancaster in 1974. Berger's first German film was Otto Schenk's adaptation of Arthur Schnitzler's "Reigen" in 1973.
When Visconti died in 1976, Berger was thrown into turmoil. Suicide attempts, excessive drinking, and living a lavish lifestyle ensued. Berger stated that after Visconti, he never fell in love with anybody else. He referred to himself as the "widow of Luchino Visconti" frequently. Berger went on to appear in lesser films and television shows, including "The Denver Clan" in the United States. Francis Ford Coppola hired him for "The Godfather III" in 1990. Berger appeared in the video for Madonna's "Erotica" in 1992.
Rather than acting, Berger is more well-known for his appearances on discussion shows. The media reported on his extensive use of alcohol and other drugs, as well as his numerous relationships. When he relocated to the RTL jungle camp in 2013, he attracted a lot of attention once more. Berger clashed in court with director Andreas Horvath, who showed him masturbating in the documentary "Helmut Berger, Actor." Some scenes were "embarrassing and disparaging," according to the claim.
Berger made a humble appearance on the red carpet at the Cannes Film Festival for the global premiere of "Saint Laurent" shortly before his 70th birthday in 2014, wobbly and in bad health. Berger made his stage debut at an elderly age in 2018, playing a baron of the Baroque era with Ingrid Caven at the Volksbühne Berlin.
Berger, who has garnered several accolades, was honored with the city's cultural decoration on his 75th birthday in Bad Ischl. A bust of the actor, depicting him in his main performance as Ludwig II, was presented on the courtyard of the Lehartheater. Valesca Peters' documentary "Helmut Berger, meine Mutter und ich" was published in 2019. "I don't give a shit," Berger responds to the filmmaker's question about what other people think of him.
Berger announced his retirement from acting in November 2019 after suffering from many bouts of pneumonia. He, like his role model Marlene Dietrich, want to spend the remainder of his life away from the spotlight. The former darling at all international jet set events "lived happily, contentedly, and in a good mood in Salzburg until the end," according to his agent Werner, who cited Berger: "I lived three lives." And in four different languages! "I have no regrets!
Source: APA.AT