Christine Kaufmann

{{about|the actress|the Montana state senator|Christine Kaufmann (politician)}}

{{Infobox person

| name = Christine Kaufmann

| image = DEG BRET 222.jpg

| caption = Kaufmann in 2014

| birth_date = {{Birth date|1945|01|11|df=yes}}

| birth_place = Lengdorf, Reichsgau Steiermark, German Reich

| death_date = {{Death date and age|2017|03|28|1945|01|11|df=yes}}

| death_place = Munich, Bavaria, Germany

| occupation = Actress, author, businesswoman

| spouse = {{plainlist|

{{marriage|Tony Curtis|1963|1968|end=divorced}}
{{marriage|Achim Lenz|1974|1976|end=divorced}}
{{marriage|Reno Eckstein|1979|1982|end=divorced}}
{{marriage|Klaus Zey|1997|2011|end=divorced}}

}}

| children = 2, including Allegra Curtis

| birthname = Christine Maria Kaufmann

| yearsactive = 1952–2017

}}

Christine Maria Kaufmann ({{IPA|de|kʁɪsˈtiːnə maˈʁiːa ˈkaʊfman|lang|De-Christine Kaufmann.ogg}}; 11 January 1945 – 28 March 2017) was a German-Austrian[http://www.t-online.de/unterhaltung/tv/id_63707124/christine-kaufmann-ueber-die-entfuehrung-ihrer-toechter.html „Christine Kaufmann über die Entführung ihrer Töchter] in T-online (Retrieved at 28. March 2017) actress, author, and businesswoman. The daughter of a German father and a French mother, she won the Golden Globe Award for New Star of the Year – Actress for Town Without Pity in 1961, the first German to be so honoured.

Life and career

Kaufmann was born in Lengdorf, Styria, Austria (then part of Nazi Germany). Her mother, Geneviève Kaufmann (née Gavaert), was a French make-up artist; her father, Johannes Kaufmann, was a German Luftwaffe officer and engineer.{{cite news |date=2005 |title=Das Doppelleben der Christine Kaufmann |trans-title=The double life of Christine Kaufmann |url=http://www.rp-online.de/kultur/film/das-doppelleben-der-christine-kaufmann-aid-1.1610604 |language=de |newspaper=RP Online |location=Frankfurt am Main |access-date=11 July 2015 }}

File:Christine Kaufmann 1960.png (1960)]]

Growing up in Munich, Bavaria, Kaufmann became a ballerina at the Munich Opera. She began her film career at the age of seven in The White Horse Inn (1952) and appeared as a lead actress in Der Schweigende Engel the same year, but gained big attention with Rose-Girl Resli in 1954. She achieved international recognition when she starred with Steve Reeves in The Last Days of Pompeii (1959) and with Kirk Douglas in Town Without Pity (1961). The following year she appeared in Escape from East Berlin and with future husband Tony Curtis in Taras Bulba.

Kaufmann resumed her career, which she had interrupted during her marriage with Curtis, notably with supporting roles in the Rainer Werner Fassbinder films Lili Marleen and Lola. She often worked with German director Helmut Dietl, for example in the satirical television series Monaco Franze. In 1987, she played a glamorous tattoo artist in the cult classic Bagdad Cafe, an offbeat comedy set in a desolate truck stop café and motel in the Mojave Desert. Her last role was Aunt Polly in the American film Tom Sawyer & Huckleberry Finn (2014), co-starring Jake T. Austin and Val Kilmer.

In her later years, Kaufmann was also a successful businesswoman; she promoted her own line of cosmetics products that sold well in Germany. From her 40s until her death, the media often called Kaufmann the "most beautiful grandmother in Germany".{{cite web |url=https://www.christinekaufmann.eu/blog/wellness/der-sex-appeal-der-schonsten-grosmutter-deutschlands/ |title=Der Sex-Appeal der schönsten Großmutter Deutschlands |last1=Kaufmann |first1=Christine |date=2012 |website=ChristineKaufmann |access-date=11 July 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150711190654/https://www.christinekaufmann.eu/blog/wellness/der-sex-appeal-der-schonsten-grosmutter-deutschlands/ |archive-date=11 July 2015 |url-status=dead }}{{cite news |last=Kraft |first=Katja |date=2015 |title=Christine Kaufmann – Deutschlands schönste Oma wird 70 |trans-title=Christine Kaufmann – Germany's most beautiful grandmother turns 70 |url=http://www.abendblatt.de/vermischtes/article136058843/Christine-Kaufmann-Deutschlands-schoenste-Oma-wird-70.html |language=de |newspaper=Hamburger Abendblatt |location=Hamburg |access-date=11 July 2015 }}{{cite news |date=11 June 2006 |title=Deutschlands berühmte Großmütter |trans-title=Germany's famous grandmothers |url=https://www.welt.de/print-wams/article143403/Eitel-erfahren-gut-Deutschlands-beruehmte-Grossmuetter.html |language=de |newspaper=Die Welt |location=Berlin |access-date=11 July 2015 }} She wrote several books about beauty and health, as well as two autobiographies.

Personal life

At age 18 in 1963, Kaufmann married her Taras Bulba co-star Tony Curtis. They had two daughters, Alexandra Theodora Dido Curtis (b. 19 July 1964) and Allegra Curtis (b. 11 July 1966). The couple divorced in 1968. Kaufmann married three more times: to television director Achim Lenz (1974–76), musician and actor Reno Eckstein (1979–1982) and illustrator Klaus Zey (1997–2011).{{cite web |title=Christine Kaufmann lost her battle with leukemia |url=http://www.cosmopolis.ch/english/film/christine_kaufmann_e020000.htm |website=www.cosmopolis.ch |language=en-EN |date=28 March 2017}} On German television, Kaufmann admitted to having an affair with Warren Beatty.Lafer! Lichter! Lecker! ZDF, 1 November 2014.{{cite news |last=von Mutius |first=Franziska |date=2014 |title=Christine Kaufmann schreibt Hollywood-Affären |trans-title=Christine Kaufmann writes Hollywood affairs |url=http://www.bild.de/regional/muenchen/christine-kaufmann/die-sex-beichte-36717250.bild.html |language=de |newspaper=Bild |location=Berlin |access-date=11 July 2015 }}

Kaufmann enjoyed traveling. She moved from one place to another frequently. She spoke three languages: German, English, and French.

Kaufmann died of leukemia in Munich at age 72 on 28 March 2017, only a few days after she had been diagnosed with the disease.{{cite web |title=Christine Kaufmann, Golden Globe-winning actress who was married to Tony Curtis, dies at 72 |url=http://latimes.com/local/obituaries/la-me-christine-kaufmann-20170328-story.html |website=Los Angeles Times |date=28 March 2017}}{{cite web |title=Krebs-Drama um Schauspiel-Legende Christine Kaufmann |url=https://www.tz.de/stars/muenchnerin-soll-um-ihr-leben-ringen-leukaemie-drama-um-schauspiel-legende-christine-kaufmann-8008685.html |website=www.tz.de |language=de |date=24 March 2017}}

Filmography

File:2015-03-02 Christine Kaufmann 6555 (cropped).JPG

= Film =

class="wikitable sortable"
Year ! Title ! Role ! class="unsortable" \| Notes
1952 \| Im Weißen Rössl \| \| Uncredited
rowspan=3\|1953 \| Prosecutor Corda \| Berta Neidhart \|
Salto Mortale \| Dascha \|
{{sortname\|The\|Monastery's Hunter\|The Monastery's Hunter (1953 film)}} \| Vronerl \|
rowspan=2\|1954 \| Rose-Girl Resli \| Resli \|
The Silent Angel \| Angelika Helmer \|
1955 \| When the Alpine Roses Bloom \| Christine \|
rowspan=2\|1956 \| Ein Herz schlägt für Erika \| Erika Kayser \|
{{ill\|Die Stimme der Sehnsucht\|de}} \| Eva \|
rowspan=2\|1957 \| {{sortname\|The\|Winemaker of Langenlois}} \| Christl \|
Widower with Five Daughters \| Ulla Scherzer \|
rowspan=3\|1958 \| Mädchen in Uniform \| Mia \|
{{ill\|Die singenden Engel von Tirol\|de}} \| Evi Kramer \|
Embezzled Heaven \| Doris \|
rowspan=4\|1959 \| First Love \| Silvia \|
Alle lieben Peter \| Kitty Steiner \|
Winter Holidays \| Florence \|
{{sortname\|The\|Last Days of Pompeii\|The Last Days of Pompeii (1959 film)}} \| Elena / Ione \|
rowspan=4\|1960 \| {{sortname\|The\|Fabulous Fraud\|nolink=1}} \| Christine Wilkens \|
Toto, Fabrizi and the Young People Today \| Gabriella Cocozza \|
Red Lips \| Baby \|
{{sortname\|The\|Last Pedestrian}} \| Christine Cornelius \|
rowspan=5\|1961 \| Constantine and the Cross \| Livia \|
Town Without Pity \| Karin Steinhof \|
Via Mala \| Sylvia Lauretz \|
{{sortname\|A\|Man Named Rocca}} \| Geneviève Adé \|
{{sortname\|The\|Phony American}} \| Inge \|
rowspan=4\|1962 \| Swordsman of Siena \| Serenella Arconti \|
Escape from East Berlin \| Erika Jurgens \|
Terror After Midnight \| Julie Elgin \|
Taras Bulba \| Natalia Dubrov \|
1964 \| Wild and Wonderful \| Giselle Ponchon \|
1969 \| {{ill\|Love Birds (1969 film)\|de\|Liebesvögel\|lt=Love Birds}} \| La Contessa \|
1971 \| Murders in the Rue Morgue \| Madeleine Charron \|
1972 \| {{ill\|The Death of Maria Malibran\|fr\|La Mort de Maria Malibran}} \| \|
1973 \| {{ill\|Willow Springs (1973 film)\|fr\|3=Willow Springs (film)\|lt=Willow Springs}} \| Christine \|
1974 \| Goodbye with Mums \| \|
1975 \| By Hook or by Crook \| \|
rowspan=2\|1976 \| As of Tomorrow \| Vicky \|
{{ill\|Goldflocken\|fr\|Flocons d'or}} \| \|
1978 \| Red Rings of Fear \| Christina \|
1979 \| It Can Only Get Worse \|Violetta Schimpf \|
1980 \| Egon Schiele: Excess and Punishment \| Edith Harms \|
rowspan=3\|1981 \| Lili Marleen \| Miriam \|
Lola \| Susi \|
Day of the Idiots \| Ruth \|
rowspan=5\|1983 \| Das Gold der Liebe \| Patricias Mutter \| Uncredited
{{sortname\|The\|Roaring Fifties}} \| Natascha \|
Ziemlich weit weg \| \|
The Swing \| Mme. Lautenschlag \|
Pankow '95 \| Laura Zart \|
1987 \| Bagdad Cafe \| Debby \|
rowspan=2\|1989 \| {{sortname\|The\|Story Teller\|nolink=1}} \| Clara Lilienthal \|
Hard to Be a God \| Okana \|
1994 \| {{sortname\|The\|Knickerbocker Gang: The Talking Grave\|nolink=1}} \| Annie Kramer \|
rowspan=2\|1998 \| Caipiranha \| Karin Wolters \|
The Sleeper \| Stationsleiterin \|
2002 \| Haider lebt – 1. April 2021 \| Newssprecherin \|
2011 \| Fahr zur Hölle \| Lilith \|
2014 \| Tom Sawyer & Huckleberry Finn \| Aunt Polly \| (final film role)

class="wikitable sortable"

Year

! Title

! Role

! class="unsortable" | Notes

1952

| Im Weißen Rössl

| Uncredited

rowspan=3|1953

| Prosecutor Corda

| Berta Neidhart

Salto Mortale

| Dascha

{{sortname|The|Monastery's Hunter|The Monastery's Hunter (1953 film)}}

| Vronerl

rowspan=2|1954

| Rose-Girl Resli

| Resli

The Silent Angel

| Angelika Helmer

1955

| When the Alpine Roses Bloom

| Christine

rowspan=2|1956

| Ein Herz schlägt für Erika

| Erika Kayser

{{ill|Die Stimme der Sehnsucht|de}}

| Eva

rowspan=2|1957

| {{sortname|The|Winemaker of Langenlois}}

| Christl

Widower with Five Daughters

| Ulla Scherzer

rowspan=3|1958

| Mädchen in Uniform

| Mia

{{ill|Die singenden Engel von Tirol|de}}

| Evi Kramer

Embezzled Heaven

| Doris

rowspan=4|1959

| First Love

| Silvia

Alle lieben Peter

| Kitty Steiner

Winter Holidays

| Florence

{{sortname|The|Last Days of Pompeii|The Last Days of Pompeii (1959 film)}}

| Elena / Ione

rowspan=4|1960

| {{sortname|The|Fabulous Fraud|nolink=1}}

| Christine Wilkens

Toto, Fabrizi and the Young People Today

| Gabriella Cocozza

Red Lips

| Baby

{{sortname|The|Last Pedestrian}}

| Christine Cornelius

rowspan=5|1961

| Constantine and the Cross

| Livia

Town Without Pity

| Karin Steinhof

Via Mala

| Sylvia Lauretz

{{sortname|A|Man Named Rocca}}

| Geneviève Adé

{{sortname|The|Phony American}}

| Inge

rowspan=4|1962

| Swordsman of Siena

| Serenella Arconti

Escape from East Berlin

| Erika Jurgens

Terror After Midnight

| Julie Elgin

Taras Bulba

| Natalia Dubrov

1964

| Wild and Wonderful

| Giselle Ponchon

1969

| {{ill|Love Birds (1969 film)|de|Liebesvögel|lt=Love Birds}}

| La Contessa

1971

| Murders in the Rue Morgue

| Madeleine Charron

1972

| {{ill|The Death of Maria Malibran|fr|La Mort de Maria Malibran}}

1973

| {{ill|Willow Springs (1973 film)|fr|3=Willow Springs (film)|lt=Willow Springs}}

| Christine

1974

| Goodbye with Mums

1975

| By Hook or by Crook

rowspan=2|1976

| As of Tomorrow

| Vicky

{{ill|Goldflocken|fr|Flocons d'or}}

1978

| Red Rings of Fear

| Christina

1979

| It Can Only Get Worse

|Violetta Schimpf

1980

| Egon Schiele: Excess and Punishment

| Edith Harms

rowspan=3|1981

| Lili Marleen

| Miriam

Lola

| Susi

Day of the Idiots

| Ruth

rowspan=5|1983

| Das Gold der Liebe

| Patricias Mutter

| Uncredited

{{sortname|The|Roaring Fifties}}

| Natascha

Ziemlich weit weg

The Swing

| Mme. Lautenschlag

Pankow '95

| Laura Zart

1987

| Bagdad Cafe

| Debby

rowspan=2|1989

| {{sortname|The|Story Teller|nolink=1}}

| Clara Lilienthal

Hard to Be a God

| Okana

1994

| {{sortname|The|Knickerbocker Gang: The Talking Grave|nolink=1}}

| Annie Kramer

rowspan=2|1998

| Caipiranha

| Karin Wolters

The Sleeper

| Stationsleiterin

2002

| Haider lebt – 1. April 2021

| Newssprecherin

2011

| Fahr zur Hölle

| Lilith

2014

| Tom Sawyer & Huckleberry Finn

| Aunt Polly

| (final film role)

=Television=

class="wikitable sortable"
Year ! Title ! Role ! class="unsortable" \| Notes
1970 \| Bend Sinister \| Mariette \| TV film
1970 \| {{ill\|Wie ein Blitz\|de}} \| Diana Valesco \| TV miniseries
1971 \| Gestrickte Spuren \| Fanny Elßler \| TV film
1972 \| Der Kommissar \| Eva Raßner \| "Traum eines Wahnsinnigen"
1973 \| Immobilien \| Jasmin Strothmann \| TV film
1974 \| Die Fälle des Herrn Konstantin \| Gisela Pahl \| "Der gußeiserne Buddha", "Bankdirektor Alba"
1975 \| {{ill\|Burning Daylight (miniseries)\|de\|3=Lockruf des Goldes (1975)\|lt=Burning Daylight}} \| Margret 'Labiskwee' \| "Vierauge"
1977 \| Derrick \| Marion Kless \| "Hals in der Schlinge"
1978 \| The Singers \| Nina Huf \| TV film
1979 \| Le comte de Monte-Cristo \| Mme. Danglars \| TV miniseries
1979 \| Joséphine ou la comédie des ambitions \| Mme. Hosten-Lamothe \| TV miniseries
1979 \| Der ganz normale Wahnsinn \| Violetta Schimpf \| "Drittes Kapitel", "Zweites Kapitel", "Sechstes Kapitel"
1982 \| Wonderful, Wonderful Times \| Frau von Pachthofen \| TV film
1983 \| Monaco Franze \| Olga Behrens \| Main role
1983 \| Inflation im Paradies \| Laverne Schuhmann \| TV film
1987 \| Die Insel \| Margit \| TV film
1988 \| Julius Caesar \| Portia \| TV film
1990–1991 \| Wenn das die Nachbarn wüßten \| Kaufhausdirektorin \| TV series
1993 \| Glückliche Reise \| Felicitas von Feilitz \| "Ibiza"
1993 \| Missione d'amore \| Valery \| TV miniseries
1993 \| Das Double \| Jutta Eck \| TV film
1994 \| Verliebt, verlobt, verheiratet \| Maja Kunert \| TV series
1994 \| Birkenhof & Lerchenau \| Theres \| TV film
1995 \| Stubbe – Von Fall zu Fall \| Frau Jensen \| "Stubbe sieht rot"
1995 \| Weihnachten mit Willy Wuff II – Eine Mama für Lieschen \| Gräfin \| TV film
1996 \| Balko \| Frederike Kogel \| "Ein Toter zuwenig"
1997 \| Parkhotel Stern \| Oksana Olejewa \| "Entscheidungen"
1998 \| {{Ill\|A.S. (TV series)\|de\|3=A.S. – Gefahr ist sein Geschäft\|lt=A.S.}} \| Nadja Seewald \| "Das Tier"
1998 \| {{ill\|Höllische Nachbarn (film)\|de\|3=Höllische Nachbarn (Film)\|lt=Höllische Nachbarn}} \| Ingelore Merk \| TV film
1998 \| Für alle Fälle Stefanie \| Frau von Drossel \| "Goldene Regeln"
1999 \| Einsatz Hamburg Süd \| Frau Duenser \| "Trau keinem!"
2000 \| SOKO München \| Margit Finneisen \| "Das Rendezvous"
2003 \| Club der Träume – Türkei, Marmaris \| Adlaya \| TV film
2007 \| Die ProSieben Märchenstunde \| Tante Hortensie \| "Aschenputtel – Für eine Handvoll Tauben"
2008 \| Im Namen des Gesetzes \| Frau Meyer-Arndt \| "Dunkle Ahnung"
2008 \| Love Trip Home \| Marianne Forster \| TV film
2012 \| Heiter bis tödlich – Fuchs und Gans \| Diana Bootz \| "Eierdiebe"
2013 \| {{ill\|Stille (film)\|de\|Stille (2013)\|lt=Stille}} \| Adele Vio \| TV film
2013 \| Tiere bis unters Dach \| Frau von Werther \| "Die Millionenkatze"

class="wikitable sortable"

Year

! Title

! Role

! class="unsortable" | Notes

1970

| Bend Sinister

| Mariette

| TV film

1970

| {{ill|Wie ein Blitz|de}}

| Diana Valesco

| TV miniseries

1971

| Gestrickte Spuren

| Fanny Elßler

| TV film

1972

| Der Kommissar

| Eva Raßner

| "Traum eines Wahnsinnigen"

1973

| Immobilien

| Jasmin Strothmann

| TV film

1974

| Die Fälle des Herrn Konstantin

| Gisela Pahl

| "Der gußeiserne Buddha", "Bankdirektor Alba"

1975

| {{ill|Burning Daylight (miniseries)|de|3=Lockruf des Goldes (1975)|lt=Burning Daylight}}

| Margret 'Labiskwee'

| "Vierauge"

1977

| Derrick

| Marion Kless

| "Hals in der Schlinge"

1978

| The Singers

| Nina Huf

| TV film

1979

| Le comte de Monte-Cristo

| Mme. Danglars

| TV miniseries

1979

| Joséphine ou la comédie des ambitions

| Mme. Hosten-Lamothe

| TV miniseries

1979

| Der ganz normale Wahnsinn

| Violetta Schimpf

| "Drittes Kapitel", "Zweites Kapitel", "Sechstes Kapitel"

1982

| Wonderful, Wonderful Times

| Frau von Pachthofen

| TV film

1983

| Monaco Franze

| Olga Behrens

| Main role

1983

| Inflation im Paradies

| Laverne Schuhmann

| TV film

1987

| Die Insel

| Margit

| TV film

1988

| Julius Caesar

| Portia

| TV film

1990–1991

| Wenn das die Nachbarn wüßten

| Kaufhausdirektorin

| TV series

1993

| Glückliche Reise

| Felicitas von Feilitz

| "Ibiza"

1993

| Missione d'amore

| Valery

| TV miniseries

1993

| Das Double

| Jutta Eck

| TV film

1994

| Verliebt, verlobt, verheiratet

| Maja Kunert

| TV series

1994

| Birkenhof & Lerchenau

| Theres

| TV film

1995

| Stubbe – Von Fall zu Fall

| Frau Jensen

| "Stubbe sieht rot"

1995

| Weihnachten mit Willy Wuff II – Eine Mama für Lieschen

| Gräfin

| TV film

1996

| Balko

| Frederike Kogel

| "Ein Toter zuwenig"

1997

| Parkhotel Stern

| Oksana Olejewa

| "Entscheidungen"

1998

| {{Ill|A.S. (TV series)|de|3=A.S. – Gefahr ist sein Geschäft|lt=A.S.}}

| Nadja Seewald

| "Das Tier"

1998

| {{ill|Höllische Nachbarn (film)|de|3=Höllische Nachbarn (Film)|lt=Höllische Nachbarn}}

| Ingelore Merk

| TV film

1998

| Für alle Fälle Stefanie

| Frau von Drossel

| "Goldene Regeln"

1999

| Einsatz Hamburg Süd

| Frau Duenser

| "Trau keinem!"

2000

| SOKO München

| Margit Finneisen

| "Das Rendezvous"

2003

| Club der Träume – Türkei, Marmaris

| Adlaya

| TV film

2007

| Die ProSieben Märchenstunde

| Tante Hortensie

| "Aschenputtel – Für eine Handvoll Tauben"

2008

| Im Namen des Gesetzes

| Frau Meyer-Arndt

| "Dunkle Ahnung"

2008

| Love Trip Home

| Marianne Forster

| TV film

2012

| Heiter bis tödlich – Fuchs und Gans

| Diana Bootz

| "Eierdiebe"

2013

| {{ill|Stille (film)|de|Stille (2013)|lt=Stille}}

| Adele Vio

| TV film

2013

| Tiere bis unters Dach

| Frau von Werther

| "Die Millionenkatze"

References

External links

{{Official website|http://www.christinekaufmann.eu}}
{{Find a Grave|177839480|Christine Kaufmann}}
{{IMDb name|442304}}

Category:1945 births

Category:2017 deaths

Category:Cosmetics businesspeople

Category:Deaths from leukemia in Germany

Category:German ballerinas

Category:20th-century German businesspeople

Category:German child actresses

Category:German film actresses

Category:German people of French descent

Category:German television actresses

Category:20th-century German actresses

Category:21st-century German actresses

Category:New Star of the Year (Actress) Golden Globe winners

Category:Actresses from Styria

Category:Actresses from Munich

Category:Businesspeople from Munich

Category:Curtis family (show business)