Mathias Gnädinger facts for kids

Mathias Gnädinger (born March 25, 1941 – died April 3, 2015) was a famous Swiss actor who worked in both theater and movies. He was known for his strong performances and appeared in many popular films and TV shows throughout his career.

Quick facts for kids Mathias Gnädinger
Born	(1941-03-25)25 March 1941 Ramsen, Switzerland
Died	3 April 2015(2015-04-03) (aged 74) Zürich, Switzerland
Occupation	Stage and film actor
Years active	1968–2015
Notable work	Leo Sonnyboy (1989) Journey of Hope (1990) Kinder der Landstrasse (1992) Sternenberg (2004) Usfahrt Oerlike (2015)

Becoming an Actor

Mathias Gnädinger first worked as a typesetter, which is someone who arranges text for printing. He then decided to become an actor. From 1962 to 1966, he studied acting at the Bühnenstudio Zürich, a well-known acting school.

His first role on Swiss television was in 1968. He quickly became a popular actor. He starred in many important films like Leo Sonnyboy, The Boat Is Full, and Journey of Hope. He also appeared in Kinder der Landstrasse, which was a movie made by Switzerland, Austria, and Germany together. From 1988 onwards, he worked as a freelance actor. This means he worked for himself and chose his own projects.

His Acting Work

Gnädinger played about 70 different characters in TV shows and German-language movies. He was also a busy stage actor, performing in about 130 theater plays. He acted in famous theaters like the Burgtheater in Vienna and the Schaubühne in Berlin. He also performed at the Schauspielhaus and Theater am Neumarkt in Zürich.

One of his last films was Usfahrt Oerlike, which came out in January 2015. He starred in it alongside another famous Swiss actor, Jörg Schneider. The director of the film, Paul Riniker, had planned to make another movie with Gnädinger. However, Mathias Gnädinger passed away on April 3, 2015, so these plans could not happen.

His Final Film

Mathias Gnädinger's very last film was called Der grosse Sommer. In this movie, he played a character named Anton Sommer. Anton was a former Swiss wrestling champion. The story follows him as he tries to learn about Sumo wrestling in Japan.

During the filming in Japan, Gnädinger was very interested in the old Japanese traditions. He worked with a ten-year-old co-star named Loïc Sho. Gnädinger's wife, Ursula, also helped on the film as a make-up artist. The movie was released in the second half of 2015.

Life Outside Acting

Mathias Gnädinger was born in Ramsen, a town in the Schaffhausen area of Switzerland. He grew up on a farm with his four brothers. His mother had family from Sicily and Appenzell, and his father was a farmer and a town official.

Gnädinger lived in Stein am Rhein. In 2004, he married his childhood sweetheart, Ursula. She later became his manager and helped him with his acting career. He managed his career without an agent for a long time, doing everything himself. His wife's help was very important to him.

His Passing

Mathias Gnädinger died on April 3, 2015, in Zürich. He passed away due to heart and breathing problems. His funeral was a private family event. A public memorial service was held at Münster Schaffhausen on April 16, 2015, so that people could remember him.

Awards and Recognition

Mathias Gnädinger received many awards for his acting. Here are some of them:

• 2014: Georg-Fischer Award for his entire career (Lebenswerk).
• 2012: Lifetime Award from Swiss Television SRF for his career.
• 2005: Nominated for the Swiss Film Prize for Best Performance in a Leading Role for his work in Ricordare Anna.
• 2003: Won the Swiss Film Prize for Best Actor for his role in Big Deal.
• 1996: Received the Hans Reinhart-Ring, a very important Swiss theater award.
• 1996: Won the Prix Walo for Actors on TV and film.

Selected Film and TV Roles

Mathias Gnädinger had a long list of roles. Here are some of the films and TV shows he appeared in: