Mathias Gnädinger (25 March 1941 – 3 April 2015) was a Swiss stage and film actor.

Career Initially a typesetter and typographer, Gnädinger began his acting training at the Bühnenstudio Zürich (now part of the Zurich University of the Arts) from 1962 to 1966.

His first role in Swiss television was in 1968. He starred in Leo Sonnyboy, Das Boot ist voll, Journey of Hope and the Austrian-German-Swiss co-production Kinder der Landstrasse. Since 1988, he had worked as a freelance actor.

Gnädinger starred in about 70 character roles in television and German-language cinema, as well as stage actor in about 130 theater productions, among them at the Burgtheater in Vienna, the Schaubühne in Berlin, and the Schauspielhaus and Theater am Neumarkt in Zürich when latter was established in 1966. The Swiss drama film Usfahrt Oerlike was released in January 2015, and is the second last film starring Gnädinger alongside Jörg Schneider. According to the film's director Paul Riniker, a sequel was planned, but neither it nor another project focusing on the 74-year-old actor will be realized, as Gnädinger died on 3 April 2015.

In Mathias Gnädinger's last film, Der grosse Sommer, directed by Stefan Jäger, he plays Anton Sommer, a former Swiss wrestling champion in the footsteps of a Sumo wrestler in Japan. The production works in Japan were documented by 10vor10, and Gnädiger was absolutely fascinated by the old Japanese tradition, and his ten years old co-star Loïc Sho of Swiss-Japanese origin. Gnädinger said he got in touch with Swiss wrestling only once, as a boy. Ursula Gnädinger assisted her husband at the production works as make-up artist. The comedy is scheduled for release in the second half of 2015.

Personal life Born in Ramsen, Schaffhausen, Gnädinger lived in Stein am Rhein. He had four brothers and was raised on a farm. His mother was of Sicilian-Appenzell origin; she was the daughter of a typesetter and was educated in St. Gallen. Gnädinger's father was a farmer and the town clerk of Ramsen. Gnädinger married his former childhood sweetheart, Ursula, in 2004. He organized his career as an actor without an agency and managed everything himself. His wife Ursula later became his manager and assisted him in all aspects. "For him, this late love was a godsend."

Death Gnädinger died on 3 April 2015 in Zürich from cardiac complications and acute respiratory distress syndrome.Tagesschau Hauptausgabe, SRF 1 on 4 April 2015. The funeral took place within the family; a public acknowledgment was celebrated at Münster Schaffhausen on 16 April 2015.Tagesschau Hauptausgabe, SRF 1 on 16 April 2015

Awards (excerpt) 2014: Georg-Fischer Award for his lifetime work (Lebenswerk) 2012: Lifetime Award by the Swiss Television SRF (Lebenswerk) 2005: Swiss Film Prize, nominated Best Performance in a Leading Role (Bester Hauptdarsteller/Beste Hauptdarstellerin) for Ricordare Anna (2004) 2003: Swiss Film Prize, won Best Actor (Bester Darsteller) for Big Deal (2002) 2002: Swiss Film Prize nomination as Best Actor (Bester Darsteller) for Lieber Brad (2001) 1996: Hans Reinhart-Ring 1996: Prix Walo, won Actors on TV and film (Schauspieler)

Filmography

1968: Die vier Brüder (Ich, TV) - Die vier Brüder #2 1970: Das Verhör von Habana - Ein Selbstbildnis der Konterrevolution (TV) - Pablo Prganvides Parada 1976: The Sudden Loneliness of Konrad Steiner - Sanitäter 1977: San Gottardo - Shop keeper 1977: Em Lehme si Letscht - Willi 1978: Heidi (TV series, 5 episodes) - Miller / Meunier 1979: Trilogie 1848: Der Galgensteiger (TV) - Johannes Gross 1979: Der Chinese (TV) - Kaltenegger 1980: (TV) 1980: The Boat Is Full - Franz Flueckiger 1981: Der Erfinder - Spekulant 1982: - Nachtclubbesitzer 1983: Der Gemeindepräsident - Hans Sturzenegger 1986: Triumph der Liebe (TV) 1986: Du mich auch - Romeos Vater 1987: The Winner Takes All (TV) - Lirchmair 1987: Der elegante Hund (TV series) 1988: Spielergeschichten (TV series) 1988: Arbeitersaga (TV series) - Dr. Guido M. Lizenti 1989: La nuit de l'eclusier - Koebi 1989: Pestalozzi's Mountain - Büttel 1989: Gekauftes Glück - 'Hirschen'-Wirt 1989: Leo Sonnyboy - Leo Mangold 1990–2002: Tatort (TV series, 4 episodes) - Heinz Osburg / Alex Kerger / Schneider / Walter Howald 1990: Klassäzämekunft - Emil Brandenberger 1990: Bingo - Bingo 1990: Journey of Hope - Truckdriver Ramser 1990: Der Berg - Manser 1990: Winckelmann's Travels - Berner 1991: Tassilo - Ein Fall für sich (TV series) - Archivar 1992: Children of the Open Road - Roger Kessel 1992: Eurocops (TV series) - Armin Luchsinger 1993: Probefahrt ins Paradies - Freddie 1993: Der grüne Heinrich - L'oncle 1993: Justiz - Police Chief 1994: Joe & Marie - Marie's father 1994: Magic Hunter - Police Chief 1994: Jazz 1996: Tresko - Der Maulwurf (TV) 1996: Deutschlandlied (TV miniseries) - Hermann Sternke 2000: WerAngstWolf 2000: Comedian - Stephan Ernst 2001: Lieber Brad - Urs 2001: Im Namen der Gerechtigkeit (TV) - Adalbert Jentsch 2002: Big Deal (TV) - Walter Oberholzer 2002: (TV) - Marshal François Joseph Lefebvre 2003: Spital in Angst (TV) - Kommandant Bertschinger 2003–2006: Lüthi und Blanc (TV series, 169 episodes) - Ruedi Egger 2004: Sternenberg 2004: Downfall - Reichsmarschall Hermann Göring 2004: Das Paar im Kahn - Peter Hunkeler 2004: Ricordare Anna - Viktor Looser 2005: Hunkeler: Tod einer Ärztin - Peter Hunkeler 2005: Die Vogelpredigt 2005: Steinschlag (TV) 2007: Marmorera - Gregor Sonderegger 2008: Hunkeler macht Sachen (TV) - Peter Hunkeler 2009: Hunkeler und der Fall Livius (TV) - Peter Hunkeler 2010: Länger leben - Max Wanner 2011: Silberkiesel - Hunkeler tritt ab - Kommissar Hunkeler 2012: Hunkeler und die Augen des Ödipus (TV) - Peter Hunkeler 2014–2015: Der Bestatter (TV series, 8 episodes) - Louis Lauener 2015: Usfahrt Oerlike - Willi Keller 2015: Der grosse Sommer - Anton Sommer (final film role)

External links

Mathias Gnädinger on the website of the Swiss television SRF

References