Ralf Wolter
Ralf Wolter was a German stage and screen actor. Wolter appeared in nearly 220 films and television series in his over 60 years as a character actor.
Life and career
Wolter began his long career on the Berlin stage and in cabaret during the late 1940s. He made his first film appearance in Die Frauen des Herrn S. and quickly achieved prominence as an actor for comedic supporting roles. In 1961, he appeared as the baldheaded Soviet agent Borodenko in Billy Wilder's comedy One, Two, Three with James Cagney and Horst Buchholz. Another Hollywood film with Wolter in a supporting role was Cabaret, where he played, alongside Liza Minnelli, the role of the neighbour Herr Ludwig, a publisher of pornographic books who later turns out to be a Nazi.In Germany, Wolter achieved his greatest fame as the eccentric but friendly trapper Sam Hawkens and as Hadschi Halef Omar in a number of highly successful Karl May film adaptations during the 1960s. He reprised his role as Sam Hawkens in a television series from 1980. He also appeared with Heinz Erhardt in the 1970 comedy What Is the Matter with Willi? and in a few musical films with singing child star Heintje Simons. As his film roles got more obscure during his later years, he turned more and more towards television since the 1970s. He appeared in some of the most successful German television series. As of 2014, Wolter still appeared as a stage and screen actor, one of his final films was , co-starring Otto Sander.
In May 2002, he caused a motorway accident on the Bundesautobahn 24 with three deaths. He was sentenced to ten months on conditional discharge.
Wolter was married with his wife Edith from 1959 until his death, they had two children. He died on 14 October 2022, at the age of 95.
Selected filmography
Die Frauen des Herrn S. – PachullesThe Phantom of the Big Tent – Motta, GeschäftsführerThe Captain and His Hero – Ängstlicher RekrutSergeant Borck – ZopferHotel Adlon – Mann vom Soldatencorps Vor Gott und den Menschen Your Life Guards – Bursche JonnyUrlaub auf Ehrenwort – Gefreiter Max SchmiedeckeThe Girl from Flanders – German SoldierA Thousand Melodies – Hugo PählerDer Glockengießer von Tirol – Aufnahmeleiter KnopfMy Father, the Actor – Lokal-BesucherThe Model Husband – TrainerLike Once Lili Marleen – Deutscher SoldatThe Old Forester House – MaxDer Adler vom Velsatal Jede Nacht in einem anderen Bett – PortierVictor and Victoria – Friseur Confessions of Felix Krull – GestellungspflichtigerTired Theodore – Gerichtsvollzieher StorchSpring in Berlin – Erklärer im RundfahrtbusThe Legs of Dolores – Mecki Wenzel, ein Alles-KönnerThe Spessart Inn – Räuber A Time to Love and a Time to Die – Feldmann the Taylor Schmutziger Engel – TurnlehrerGrabenplatz 17 – RingrichterThe Muzzle – ThürnagelWir Wunderkinder – Bathroom waiter Wenn die Conny mit dem Peter – Pedell HaberstockSchlag auf Schlag – Balduin BalgFreddy, the Guitar and the Sea – FietjeBobby Dodd greift ein Every Day Isn't Sunday – Dienstmann HuberOf Course, the Motorists – OberwachtmeisterRoses for the Prosecutor – HesselThe Beautiful Adventure – TaschendiebTwo Times Adam, One Time Eve – PaavoPeter Voss, Hero of the Day – Charley, der JockeyTriplets on Board – FriseurThe Goose of Sedan – Uhlan LehmannThe High Life – SchlotterWe Cellar Children – Kameramann Keschke der 'Neuen Deutschen Schau'Conny and Peter Make Music – Lehmann, Sulzbachs AssistantGrounds for Divorce – Dr. WaldgeistMal drunter - mal drüber – BuschbeckKauf dir einen bunten Luftballon – LuggiEine hübscher als die andere – StraßenkehrerImmer Ärger mit dem Bett – MeisterAdieu, Lebewohl, Goodbye Robert and Bertram – Toni KnauerBlind Justice – FotografOne, Two, Three – BorodenkoThe Liar – Ramona – DelonFreddy und das Lied der Südsee – HannesThe Post Has Gone – Herr RatsamTreasure of the Silver Lake – Sam HawkensLove Has to Be Learned – MüllerFerien wie noch nie ' – Juror 6 Apache Gold – Sam Hawkens- '