Ulli Lommel facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Ulli Lommel
Lommel in January 2007
Born	(1944-12-21)21 December 1944 Zielenzig, Oststernberg, Germany (now Sulęcin, Lubuskie, Poland)
Died	2 December 2017(2017-12-02) (aged 72) Stuttgart, Baden-Württemberg, Germany
Occupation	Actor, director
Years active	1963–2017
Spouse(s)	Suzanna Love ​ ​ (m. 1978; div. 1987)​ Cookie Lommel ​ (m. 1988)​ Tatjana Lommel ​ (m. 2016)​

Ulli Lommel (born December 21, 1944 – died December 2, 2017) was a German actor and director. He was well-known for working with director Rainer Werner Fassbinder. Ulli was also part of the New German Cinema movement.

Ulli also worked with the famous artist Andy Warhol at his studio, The Factory. They made several films and art projects together. In 1977, he moved to the United States. There, he wrote, directed, and acted in more than 50 movies.

Early Life and Beginnings

Ulli Lommel was born in Zielenzig, Germany, in 1944. This was just a few weeks before the Red Army arrived. His family had to quickly leave the city. They wrapped baby Ulli in a roll of carpet to keep him safe.

Ulli's father, Ludwig Manfred Lommel, was a popular radio star. His mother, Karla van Cleef, was an actress. When Ulli was a teenager, he lived in Bad Nauheim. He even performed with the famous singer Elvis Presley during that time.

Film Career Highlights

Ulli Lommel started his career in movies as an actor in the early 1960s. One of his first acting jobs was in the 1964 film Fanny Hill. He starred alongside the Italian actress Letícia Román.

Working with Rainer Werner Fassbinder

In 1969, Ulli appeared in Rainer Werner Fassbinder's first movie as a director, Love Is Colder Than Death. This movie was a film noir style film. It got a surprising reaction at the Berlin International Film Festival in 1969. However, the actors in the film won an award at the German Film Awards in 1970.

In 1971, Fassbinder directed a western film called Whity. Ulli Lommel produced this movie and played the main character. Whity won several German Film Awards, which are like the German Oscars.

Ulli also acted in other Fassbinder films. These included The American Soldier (1970), World on a Wire (1973), and Chinese Roulette (1976).

Directing and International Success

Ulli Lommel also became a director. His second film as a director was The Tenderness of Wolves. Fassbinder produced this movie. It was a drama about the real-life murders committed by Fritz Haarmann. This film was shown at the Chicago Film Festival. It caught the attention of the famous artist Andy Warhol.

The Tenderness of Wolves was nominated for the Golden Bear award at the 23rd Berlin International Film Festival.

Moving to the United States

In 1977, Ulli Lommel moved to the United States. He began working closely with Andy Warhol. Ulli was very interested in Warhol's unique art style. He even owned many of Warhol's famous polaroid photos and pop art pieces.

Their friendship led to Warhol being involved in some of Ulli's films. Warhol appeared in Ulli's 1980 film Blank Generation. This movie was about the punk rock music scene in New York City. It starred punk musician Richard Hell and his band, Richard Hell and the Voidoids. Some scenes were filmed at the famous music club CBGB. They show what the punk scene was like back then.

In 1980, Ulli Lommel directed The Boogeyman. This movie became a big hit around the world. It was even added to a list of controversial films in the UK called 'Video Nasties'. After The Boogeyman was successful, Ulli made more horror and thriller movies. These included Brainwaves [it] (1983), which starred Tony Curtis. He also directed The Devonsville Terror (1983) with Donald Pleasence. Another film was Revenge of the Stolen Stars (1985) with Klaus Kinski.

Later Projects and Legacy

In 2002, Ulli Lommel took part in a documentary called Fassbinder in Hollywood. This film included an interview with director Wim Wenders.

In 2012 and 2013, Ulli produced a film called "The 4 Senses." It was filmed in Italy and the USA. In 2013, Ulli spent nine months in Brazil working on new projects. He finished his documentary Mondo Americana. He also wrote a book and made a film about Campo Bahia. This was the official camp for the Germany national football team in Brazil.

In 2016, a company called Hollywood Action House started making Boogeyman Chronicles. This was a series of eight episodes. It was inspired by Ulli's 1980 hit movie The Boogeyman. Ulli directed the first episode. The plan was for young directors from different countries to direct the other episodes.

Ulli Lommel was honored at the 2015 Munich Film Festival. This event was called Yes! Yes! Yes! Warholmania. They showed many of the films he made with Andy Warhol. There were also special interviews.

Filmography

As director

As actor

As producer

• Anglia (1970)
• Whity (1971)
• Con la música a otra parte (1975)
• The Boogeyman (1980)
• Fassbinder in Hollywood (2002)
• Daniel – Der Zauberer (2004)

See also

In Spanish: Ulli Lommel para niños