Actor Horst Sachtleben died | free press

by time news
München.

For more than half a century, Horst Sachtleben has shaped numerous television and theater productions with his acting skills.

Whether family series, drama, romance or crime – the native of Berlin convinced in different genres. The best known is probably the character of Bishop Rossbauer, which he took on in the ARD series “Um Himmels Willen”. For 18 years he was part of the ensemble of the TV long-running hit alongside Fritz Wepper. Horst Sachtleben has now died at the age of 91, as his agency announced on Tuesday. He lived near Munich.

Sachtleben only retired from professional life in old age, and with a heavy heart, as he told the German Press Agency shortly before his 90th birthday in September 2020. The corona pandemic provided the impetus for this. “I avoided retirement for a long time. Now I’m relieved that I no longer have to bear all the responsibility that my job demands,” he said. “All the regulations and the fear of infection made my decision easier.”

According to his agency, Sachtleben studied theater in his hometown of Berlin and took acting lessons at the same time. He began his career in the 1950s at the Hebbel Theater in Berlin. He later moved to the Zurich Schauspielhaus. For more than 30 years he was a member of the Bavarian State Theater in Munich, where he also worked as a director. In 2010, Sachtleben performed in “Wilhelm Tell” at the Bad Hersfeld Festival.

Sachtleben was regularly seen on TV (“Derrick”, “Tatort”, “Forsthaus Falkenau”) and also repeatedly made detours to the big screen, for example in 1996 in Caroline Link’s award-winning drama “Jenseits der Stille” and in 2013 in “Buddy”. Sachtleben was also in demand as a voice actor. He lent his voice to Peter Falk as “Columbo”, but also to movie stars like Harvey Keitel and Peter Fonda.

TV viewers will particularly remember Sachtleben’s impressive portrayal in the melodrama “Über den Tag Weiß” (2015). He played a terminally ill doctor who takes a taxi tour to important milestones in his life to say goodbye. With taxi driver Greta (Katja Studt) he formed a touching community of destiny. “I’m actually always skeptical about my films – but I like them too,” Sachtleben told dpa at the time.

Even if the retirement from acting was not easy for him, he came to terms with it well. “I enjoy the garden and being with my wife, who takes good care of me. I lack for nothing!” he said on the occasion of his 90th birthday. He had been married to the Swiss actress Pia Hänggi for 47 years. Looking back, Sachtleben said: “I’ve had a good life and I’m trying to make full use of and enjoy the time I have left.” (dpa)

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