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Klaus Kinski

Klaus Kinski

Birthday: 1926-10-18 | Place of Birth:

Klaus Kinski (German: [klaʊs ˈkɪnski]; born Klaus Günter Karl Nakszynski 18 October 1926 – 23 November 1991) was a German actor. Equally renowned for his intense performance style and his notoriously eccentric and volatile personality off-screen, he appeared in over 130 film roles in a career that spanned 40 years, from 1948 to 1988. He is best known for starring in five films directed by Werner Herzog from 1972 to 1987 (Aguirre, the Wrath of God; Nosferatu the Vampyre; Woyzeck; Fitzcarraldo; and Cobra Verde), who would later chronicle their tumultuous relationship in the documentary My Best Fiend. Kinski's roles spanned multiple genres, languages, and nationalities, including Spaghetti Westerns, horror films, war films, dramas, and Edgar Wallace krimi films. His infamy was elevated by a number of eccentric creative endeavors, including a one-man show based on the life of Jesus Christ, a biopic of violinist Niccolò Paganini directed by and starring himself, and over twenty spoken word albums. Kinski was prone to emotional and often violent outbursts aimed at his directors and fellow cast members, issues complicated by a history of mental illness. Herzog described him as "one of the greatest actors of the century, but also a monster and a great pestilence." Posthumously, he was accused of having physically and sexually abused his daughters Pola and Nastassja. His notoriety and prolific output have developed into a widespread cult following and a reputation as a popular icon. Description above from the Wikipedia article Klaus Kinski, licensed under CC-BY-SA, full list of contributors on Wikipedia.

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Known For

Acting

Year
Title

Role

2024
Othelo The Great

as    Self (archive footage)

2022
Nosferatu: A Film Like a Vampire

as    Self (archive footage)

2021
Hannelore Elsner: More Than One Life

as    Self (archive footage)

2021
2020
AGFA Mystery Mixtape #2: Later in L.A.

as    (archive footage)

2016
FantastiCozzi

as    Nosferatu (archive footage)

2010
In Free Fall

as    Self (archive footage)

2008
Jesus Christ Saviour

as    Self

2007
Beloved Count

as    Renfield (archive footage)

2003
Kinski rigando Paganini

as    Self

2000
Klaus Kinski: I'm not an actor

as    Self (archive footage)

1999
My Best Fiend

as    Self (archive footage)

1999
Please Kill Mr. Kinski

as    Self (archive footage)

1995
Otto – The Series

as    Verschiedene

1990
White Hunter

as    Klaus Naginsky

1990
Paganini

as    Niccolo Paganini

1988
Nosferatu in Venice

as    Nosferatu

1987
Timestalkers

as    Dr. Joseph Cole

1987
Cobra Verde

as    Francisco Manoel da Silva aka Cobra Verde

1987
Location Africa

as    Self

1986
Code Name: Wild Geese

as    Charleton

1986
Revenge of the Stolen Stars

as    Donald McBride

1986
Crawlspace

as    Karl Gunther

1986
Portrait: Werner Herzog

as    Self (archive footage)