Josef Meinrad


Josef Meinrad was an Austrian actor. From 1959 until his death in 1996, Meinrad held the Republic of Austria's Iffland-Ring, which passes from actor to actor — each bequeathing the ring to the next holder, judging that actor to be the "most significant and most worthy actor of the German-speaking theatre".

Life

Josef Meinrad was born Josef Moučka in Vienna, as the fourth and youngest child of the tram driver Franz Moučka and his second wife Katharina. For his secondary education, he received a scholarship in a school run by Redemptorists in Katzelsdorf near Wiener Neustadt. At first, he wanted to become a priest, but he left the boarding school in 1929 and began a commercial apprenticeship, while taking acting lessons.
He made his public acting debut during a theatre festival at Korneuburg in 1930, by which time he called himself Josef Meinrad. Nevertheless, he finished his training and worked as a commercial clerk until 1935. From that time on, he performed on various smaller stages, passing his acting exam in 1937. His first brief engagement at the Vienna Burgtheater was in 1939, he then played at the German Theatre in Metz, mainly in front of Wehrmacht soldiers.
After the war, Meinrad again performed in Vienna. At the Salzburg Festival in 1947 he appeared in Jedermann. Later that year, Meinrad became a full-time permanent member of the Burgtheater company and was part of that ensemble until his 65th birthday in 1978. He played 195 roles on that stage and was famous for his performances in comedies by Johann Nestroy and Ferdinand Raimund. In 1968 he played the title role in the German-language premiere of Dale Wasserman's musical Man of La Mancha at the Theater an der Wien. He also appeared in several Films and TV series, chiefly known for his role as an adjutant in the Sissi trilogy starring Romy Schneider.
Meinrad was the keeper of the Iffland-Ring, which for 200 years has been given to the most important actor of the German-speaking theatre; he passed the ring on to Bruno Ganz.
From 1950 until his death he was married to Germaine Renée Clement, who died in 2006. Meinrad died in 1996 from cancer, aged 82, in Großgmain and is buried there.

Honours and awards

  • 1955: Appointed Kammerschauspieler
  • 1959: Received the Iffland-Ring
  • 1961: Blue Ribbon Award from the National Council Screen
  • 1963: Kainz Medal
  • 1963: Austrian Cross of Honour for Science and Art, 1st class
  • 1973: Honorary Member of the Vienna Burgtheater
  • 1980: Honorary Ring of the city of Bregenz
  • 1983: Raymund Ring of the Federal Ministry for Education, Arts and Culture
  • 1983: Honorary Ring of the Vienna
  • 1985: Nestroy Ring
  • 1997: Josef Meinrad-Platz near the Vienna Burgtheater

    Films

  • ' as Agha
  • Triumph der Liebe as Kinesias
  • The Trial as Bary, investigating judge
  • Rendezvous im Salzkammergut as Peter Baumkirchner
  • Anni as Heinrich Buchgraber
  • Fregola as Dr. Wegscheider
  • Das Siegel Gottes as Father Clemens
  • Nothing But Coincidence as Willy Wendel
  • Mein Freund, der nicht nein sagen konnte as Dr. Leopold Bachmann
  • Bonus on Death as Seaman Matrose
  • Theodore the Goalkeeper as Theo Haslinger Jr.
  • ' as Dr. Mario Jaconis
  • Archduke Johann's Great Love as A friend of Archduke Johann
  • Der Wallnerbub as Karl
  • Love and Blood as Otto Schulz
  • Shadows Over Naples as Otto Schulz
  • Eva erbt das Paradies... ein Abenteuer im Salzkammergut as Hans Holzinger
  • The Colourful Dream as Tobby Busch
  • 1. April 2000 as Prime Minister of Austria
  • ' as Rolf Reimann
  • The Spendthrift as Valentin
  • Money from the Air as Stefan Gregor
  • Kaisermanöver as Wondrasch
  • Walking Back into the Past as Franz Nägele
  • Die Deutschmeister as Hofrat Hofwirt
  • Don Juan as Leporello
  • His Daughter is Called Peter as Dr. Felix Weininger
  • Sarajevo as Chauffeur
  • The Congress Dances as Franzl Eder
  • Sissi as Major Böckl
  • Ein tolles Hotel as Edi Schlawinsky
  • Opera Ball as Paul Hollinger
  • Die Trapp-Familie as Dr. Franz Wasner
  • Sissi – Die junge Kaiserin as Major Böckl
  • August, der Halbstarke as August Rums, genannt Gustl, Boxer
  • The Schimeck Family as Baumann
  • The Unexcused Hour as Fabian
  • Goodbye, Franziska as Dr. Leitner
  • Sissi – Schicksalsjahre einer Kaiserin as Lieutenant Colonel Böckl
  • Man ist nur zweimal jung
  • Solang' die Sterne glüh'n as Karl Eibisch
  • The Trapp Family in America as Dr. Franz Wasner
  • ' as Ferdinand Windberger - Legationsrat
  • Eva as Mr. Dassau
  • ' as Baron Hager
  • Adorable Arabella as Archibald Duncan
  • Napoleon II, the Eagle as Emperor Francis II
  • Der Bauer als Millionär as Fortunatus Wurzel
  • Liliom as Liliom
  • The Cardinal as Cardinal Innitzer
  • The Spendthrift as Valentin
  • ' as Don Quixote
  • Father Brown as Father Brown
  • ' as Gaston
  • Was ihr wollt as Malvolio
  • ' as Magician Petrosilius Zwackelmann
  • Die schöne Helena as Menelaus
  • as Jack Manningham
  • Es war einmal der Mensch as Narrator
  • Ringstraßenpalais as Emil Hoffeneder
  • Waldheimat as Pfarrer
  • Die Fledermaus as Frosch
  • Der Sonne entgegen as Luca
  • Der Unbestechliche as Theodor
  • Der Vorhang fällt as Jakob
  • Herschel und die Musik der Sterne as Joseph Haydn
He appeared twice in the German TV series, Der Kommissar.