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Lukas Ammann
Lukas Ammann 1.jpg
Born (1912-09-29)29 September 1912
Basel, Switzerland
Died 3 May 2017(2017-05-03) (aged 104)
Munich, Germany
Occupation Film and television actor
Years active 1939–2015

Lukas Ammann (born September 29, 1912 – died May 3, 2017) was a Swiss actor. He was famous for acting in many German and Swiss movies and TV shows. Lukas Ammann worked for over 60 years! He is best known for playing the main character in the German TV series Graf Yoster.

Early Life and Acting Dreams

Lukas Ammann was born in Basel, Switzerland. His mother was a singer, and his father was a painter. When he was in grammar school, he saw a play called The Robbers. This play made him want to become an actor.

In 1933, he started studying acting in Berlin, Germany. He learned at the acting school of Max Reinhardt. In 1934, he moved back to Switzerland with another actor, Heinrich Gretler. Because his mother was Jewish, he faced difficulties even in Switzerland.

He first worked in St. Gallen. Later, he joined the Schauspielhaus Zürich theater. After World War II, Ammann became part of the Kleine Freiheit theater in Munich. He also traveled a lot, performing in Austria, Scandinavia, and the USA.

A Career in Movies and TV

Lukas Ammann started his movie career in 1939. His first film was a Swiss movie called Constable Studer. He acted alongside Heinrich Gretler, who was also in the film.

In the 1950s, he became very popular on German Television. In 1961, he appeared in the TV series Gestatten, mein Name ist Cox. In 1963, he was one of the jurors in a TV movie called Die zwölf Geschworenen [de]. This movie was a German version of the American film 12 Angry Men.

In 1966, Ammann acted in Adrian der Tulpendieb, which was one of Germany's first color TV series. He also appeared in other popular shows like Das Kriminalmuseum, Die fünfte Kolonne [de], Der Forellenhof, and Der Kommissar.

Playing Graf Yoster

Between 1967 and 1977, Lukas Ammann became very famous. He played the main character, Graf Yoster, in the German detective series of the same name. This role was his most well-known.

Later Roles and Voice Acting

From 1994 to 2000, Ammann played the family leader in the TV series Die Fallers. In 1998, he acted in the film Meschugge. He played a character who was thought to have survived the Holocaust.

In 2005, when he was 92 years old, he starred in a Swiss short film called Herr Goldstein. This film won an award for best Swiss short film! Lukas Ammann also lent his voice for German versions of movies. He was the German voice of Peter Sellers in John and Julie (1955). He also voiced Lucky Luke in the animated film Daisy Town (1971).

In 2013, at the amazing age of 101, he worked on a movie called Reunion Solitaire. This was his final film role.

Personal Life

Lukas Ammann lived in Munich, Germany. He was married three times. In 1959, he married the German singer Liselotte Ebnet. She passed away in 2009. Even in 2015, when he was over 100 years old, he still managed his own home and drove his car! Lukas Ammann died in May 2017 at the age of 104.

Filmography

Year Title Role Notes
1939 Constable Studer
1940 Verena Stadler
1940 Dilemma Sterner
1941 Bieder der Flieger Direktor der Gnomefabrik
1943 Menschen, die vorüberziehen Blacky
1952 Palace Hotel Dr. Suvalà
1955 Bel Ami Le ministre Laroche-Mathieu
1957 Weißer Holunder
1957 The Devil Strikes at Night Pflichtverteidiger von Keun
1958 I Was All His Dessouki
1959 Heiße Ware Erwin Wanka
1959 The Ideal Woman Butler Uncredited
1959 Der Schatz vom Toplitzsee Jugoslawischer Grenz-Leutnant
1959 Hast noch der Söhne ja...? Coiffeur Mani
1963 Der grüne Kakadu François, Vicomte von Nogeant
1963 Ferien vom Ich
1963 Die zwölf Geschworenen [de] Zwölfter Geschworener TV movie
1966 Congress of Love [de] Von Gentz
1967 Day of Anger Judge Cutcher
1967-1977 Graf Yoster Graf Yoster 62 episodes, leading role
1968 Jet Generation [de] Inspektor Arnold
1968 The Killer Likes Candy Faoud
1970 Dällebach Kari Basler Nationalrat
1970 Ein großer graublauer Vogel [de] Cinque
1972 Massagesalon der jungen Mädchen Maurice
1973 Mark of the Devil Part II Eminence
1988 Klassezämekunft [de] Fritz Erne
1990 Fuga dal paradiso Mait
1990 The Eighth Day [de] Prof. Wagner
1994-2000 Die Fallers – Eine Schwarzwaldfamilie Wilhelm Faller 170 episodes, leading role
1998 Meschugge Max Weiss
2015 Reunion Solitaire Der ältere Herr (final film role)

See also

  • List of centenarians (actors, filmmakers and entertainers)
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