Josef Sommer facts for kids

Maximilian Josef Sommer (born June 26, 1934) is a German-American actor who is now retired. He was known for his work in plays, movies, and television shows.

Early Life and Learning

Maximilian Sommer was born in Greifswald, Germany. He grew up in North Carolina, USA. His father, Clemens Sommer, was a professor who taught about art history at the University of North Carolina. Maximilian studied theater at the Carnegie Institute of Technology. He also served in the U.S. Army. After that, he trained to be an actor at the American Shakespeare Festival in Connecticut.

Acting Career

Maximilian Sommer had a long and successful acting career. He performed on stage, in movies, and on television.

Stage Performances

Sommer started acting when he was just nine years old in 1943. His first role was in a play called Watch on the Rhine.

He performed with the Seattle Repertory Theatre in Washington. In 1970, he made his first appearance on Broadway. Broadway is a famous area in New York City known for its many theaters and big stage productions. He played a character named Brabantio in the play Othello. In 1971, Sommer was in a play called The Trial of the Catonsville Nine. This play was based on a real-life event involving a group called the Catonsville Nine. Later, a movie was made from this play.

During the 1970s, Sommer acted in many other Broadway plays. These included Children! Children! (1972), Enemies (1972), and The Merchant of Venice (1973). He also appeared in Full Circle (1973), Who's Who in Hell (1974), The Shadow Box (1977), and Spokesong (1979). In the 1980s, he was in the musical The 1940's Radio Hour (1980) and the play Whose Life is it Anyway? (1980). Later, in 1995, he performed in Racing Demon.

Sommer also won awards for his performances in off-Broadway plays. Off-Broadway shows are smaller productions, often in theaters outside the main Broadway area. He won Obie Awards for Lydie Breeze (1982) and Largo Desolato (1986). In 1991, he was nominated for an award for his role in Hamlet.

Movie Roles

Maximilian Sommer's first movie was Dirty Harry in 1971. After that, he appeared in many well-known films. Some of these include The Stepford Wives (1975), The Front (1976), and Close Encounters of the Third Kind (1977).

In the 1980s, he was in movies like Reds (1981) and Still of the Night (1982). He was also the narrator for the movie Sophie's Choice in 1982. He acted alongside famous actors like Harrison Ford in the thriller Witness (1985), where he played a police officer. He also appeared in Silkwood (1983) and Target (1985). In 1988, he played the main detective in the horror comedy Dracula's Widow.

In 1992, Sommer played Gerald Ducksworth in The Mighty Ducks. In this movie, his character was a kind person who helped a youth hockey team. He provided money for their rink time, equipment, and uniforms. He also appeared in Malice (1993), Nobody's Fool (1994), Patch Adams (1998), and X-Men: The Last Stand (2006).

Television Appearances

On television, Sommer played Roy Mills in The Guiding Light in 1974. In 1983, he was George Barton in a TV movie based on Agatha Christie's Sparkling Cyanide. He also played President Gerald Ford in the TV film The Betty Ford Story (1987). He had main roles in the TV series Hothouse (1988) and Under Cover (1991). In 1989, he was a guest star on the show The Equalizer.

Personal Life

Maximilian Sommer has a daughter named Maria.

Filmography

Film

Television

This television-related list is incomplete; you can help by expanding it.

See also

In Spanish: Josef Sommer para niños