Klaus Maria Brandauer Biography

Acclaimed actor Klaus-Maria Brandauer is quite well-known in Germany and in his native Austria for his work in theater and films such as Mephisto (1981). For his leading role in that film, he won the Best Actor award at Cannes. In the United States, Brandauer is best known for his memorable role as Meryl Streep's neer-do-well husband in Out of Africa for which he was given an Oscar nomination for Best Supporting Actor. Born Klaus Maria Stenji, he was educated at the Stuttgart Academy of Music and Dramatic Arts in Germany. Upon graduation, he began working in repertory theater in well-known companies such as Tubingen and Dusseldorf until he was hired into the troupe at Burgtheater in Vienna, one of Austria's best known theaters. By 1970, Brandauer had become one of the most famous stage actors in the German-speaking world, known for his range and charisma on stage. He made his film debut in the French TV mini-series Jean Christophe. He later debuted in cinema playing a villain in The Salzburg Connection(1982), which bombed critically, but lead him to play a series of villains including the deliciously evil Largo in the 1983 Bond thriller Never Say Never Again. His best films have been made with Hungarian director Istvan Szabo including Colonel Redl (1985). - Sandra Brennan, Rovi

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