Folker Bohnet facts for kids

Folker Bohnet (born August 7, 1937, died October 6, 2020) was a talented German actor, theatre director, and writer. He became well-known for his role in the 1959 film The Bridge. Even as a student, he showed great promise. Later in his career, he focused on making people laugh. He acted in, directed, and wrote many funny plays. He even toured around the world with his shows. Folker Bohnet was a regular and much-loved part of the Ohnsorg-Theater in Hamburg.

Folker Bohnet's Early Life and Career

Folker Bohnet-Waldraff was born in Berlin, Germany. His family later moved to Düsseldorf. There, he finished school and earned his Abitur, which is like a high school diploma. He started studying law at the University of Cologne. However, he soon decided that acting was his true passion. He left law school to train at the UFA junior student studio in Berlin. There, he learned from a famous teacher named Else Bongers.

Film poster Die Brücke, 1959

While still learning to act, Folker Bohnet appeared in three films very quickly. One of these was the hugely successful film The Bridge in 1959. This movie was directed by Bernhard Wicki. In The Bridge, Folker played Hans Scholten. Hans was one of seven young boys asked to defend a bridge at the end of World War II. He was the most sensible of the group.

Folker Bohnet also acted in other films. These included Fabrik der Offiziere (1960) and Schloß Hubertus (1973). He also appeared in the drama Ludwig (1973). In Ludwig, he played Josef Kainz, an actor admired by King Ludwig II of Bavaria. Folker Bohnet was also in many television shows until the 1990s. But most of his career was spent on the theatre stage.

Theatre Work and Directing

After his success with The Bridge, Folker Bohnet worked steadily in theatre. He performed at famous theatres like Thalia-Theater and Hamburger Kammerspiele in Hamburg. He also acted in Berlin, Frankfurt, Munich, and Vienna. He even performed at big festivals and went on tour with plays.

Besides acting, Folker Bohnet often directed theatre shows. From 1977 onwards, he started writing many comedies. These plays were performed all over Germany and in other countries too. One of his plays, In anderen Umständen (In Other Circumstances), was so popular that he toured with it for 13 years!

Folker Bohnet directed 17 plays at the Ohnsorg-Theater in Hamburg. His first directing job there was Lustfahrt ins Paradies in 2002. His last was Dinner für Spinner. He was known for adding a special scene after the main play ended. People saw him as a master at timing jokes in comedies. He could also give classic plays a fresh, new look. For example, he directed a famous play by Kleist, Der zerbrochne Krug, in a local German dialect. Folker Bohnet was still acting and directing when he was 80 years old. In 2019, he played a big role in a play in Bad Godesberg.

Folker Bohnet's Family Life

Folker Bohnet was married to actress Ann-Monika Koepchen. They had a son named Ilja Bohnet, who is a physicist and writer. Folker also had another son, Markus Lorenz-Bohnet, who is an actor. In 2001, he formed a registered partnership with Alexander Alexy. Alexander was a dentist and also worked with Folker on many of his plays. They had been together since the 1980s.

Folker Bohnet passed away at his home on October 6, 2020. He was 83 years old and died from lung cancer.

Folker Bohnet's Films

Folker Bohnet acted in many films throughout his career. Here are some of them:

• 1959: The Bridge
• 1960: Fabrik der Offiziere
• 1972: Ludwig
• 1973: Schloß Hubertus
• 1995: Serienstars einmal anders (a TV documentary about his tour)

Plays Directed by Folker Bohnet

Folker Bohnet directed many plays. Here are a few examples, especially those he directed at the Ohnsorg-Theater:

• 2001: Lustfahrt ins Paradies (Ohnsorg-Theater)
• 2005: Pension Schöller (Ohnsorg-Theater)
• 2006: The Queen of Quäkenbüttel (Ohnsorg-Theater)
• 2013: De spaansche Fleeg (Ohnsorg-Theater)

Plays Written by Folker Bohnet

Folker Bohnet also wrote many plays, often comedies. Here are some of his works:

• 1977: Meine Mutter tut das nicht! (with Gunther Beth)
• 1996: In anderen Umständen: eine Klamödie (with Alexander Alexy)
• 2001: Alles Böse zum Geburtstag (with Alexander Alexy)
• 2013: Der Froschkönig (a fairy tale play based on the Brothers Grimm)

Images for kids

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  Folker Bohnet's grave in November 2020