Dieter Laser

Laser was born in 1942 as the second child of his parents Oskar and Lore Laser. His older sister Heidi was also born in Kiel in 1939; she died on November 3, 1987.Peter Andersen: In dein Erbarmen hülle ...: Erinnerungen eines ehemalige Kanaan-Franziskus-Broders. Wallmerod, 2nd edition, 2002, {{DNB-IDN|1088443524}}, p. 97. Dieter Laser spent his first year of life in Laboe near Kiel. When he was born, his father was an officer in the German Wehrmacht in France.Peter Andersen: In dein Erbarmen hülle ... p. 75. In recognition of the invention of a new type of anchor that would enable landing craft to land even in high waves, he was transferred, at his request, to a unit that was building bunkers for U-boats in the port of Kiel after a visit to the Führer's headquarters in Berlin.Peter Andersen: In dein Erbarmen hülle ... p. 76. This meant that he could spend almost a year with his wife and two children. Afterwards, Oskar Laser was ordered to the Eastern Front and was killed on 16 June 1943 near Orel, Soviet Union, during a "suicide mission", to which he had been assigned because of his Christian beliefs.Peter Andersen: In dein Erbarmen hülle ... p. 78. At this time, Dieter Laser was barely 18 months old.

Dieter Laser was meanwhile evacuated from Laboe with his mother and sister due to constant air raids on Kiel.Peter Andersen: In dein Erbarmen hülle ... p. 77. After several stops, the family came to Rothenburg ob der Tauber, where they experienced the end of the war in April 1945 under dramatic circumstances. Dieter Laser was rescued with his mother and sister by American soldiers from a burning air raid shelter.Peter Andersen: In dein Erbarmen hülle ... p. 80–83. The three-year-old had been lying there next to a TB patient and also fell ill. The illness worsened so much that Dieter Laser had to be admitted to a hospital in Konstanz.Peter Andersen: In dein Erbarmen hülle ... p. 84. After some time, with the support of a Christian community in Hamburg, his mother was able to take him to a home for children suffering from tuberculosis in Beatenberg in Switzerland.Peter Andersen: In dein Erbarmen hülle ... p. 85. After he had recovered there, the family moved back to Rothenburg and from there to Hamburg via an apartment swap.Peter Andersen: In dein Erbarmen hülle ... p. 85–87.

Dieter Laser grew up in Hamburg. His family belonged to a Christian community in which the only reading material permitted was the Luther Bible.according to [https://www.munzinger.de/document/00000028351 Dieter Laser] in Munzinger-Archiv He rejected the Christian faith and made a "contract with the devil" at the age of 14: "You will pay - but you will pay later."{{cite web |date=2011-09-02 |title=Interview with Dieter Laser (The Human Centipede-First Sequence) |url=http://www.thrillandkill.com/exclusive-interview-mit-dieter-laser-the-human-centipede-first-sequence/ |access-date=2019-04-25 |work=thrillandkill.com |language=en}}
[https://www.crew-united.com/de/profilansichten/?IDM=13899 Dieter Laser] bei Crew United After he had to leave the Gymnasium shortly before his Abitur at the instigation of his mother, "because studying spoils faith", he left his parents' home and went into hiding in Hamburg. During his acting training he worked as an extra at the Deutsches Schauspielhaus Hamburg and as a hotel servant, but dropped out of his studies in 1960 after one year and despite passing the state intermediate examination.

In 1961, Laser, who continued to secretly attend rehearsals at the Hamburger Schauspielhaus, was "discovered" by Gustaf Gründgens when the latter wanted to throw him out of the auditorium. Laser was initially entrusted with small, then larger roles by Gründgens. "That's how I got into acting, because the god of theater was kind to me," Laser said looking back.{{cite web|access-date=2020-03-12 |archive-date=2020-04-10 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200410202243/https://www.focus.de/kultur/kunst/leute-dieter-laser-wurde-von-theater-legende-gruendgens-entdeckt_id_10860033.html |date=2019-06-25 |title=People: Dieter Laser was discovered by theater legend Gründgens |url=https://www.focus.de/kultur/kunst/leute-dieter-laser-wurde-von-theater-legende-gruendgens-entdeckt_id_10860033.html |work=Focus Online}} From 1967 to 1974 he devoted himself to the theater. In 1967 he began working with Peter Stein. In 1970 he moved with Stein to the Berlin Schaubühne am Halleschen Ufer, where he was a member of the board of directors from 1971 to 1973. From 1974 Laser worked as a freelancer and with guest engagements at the Staatliche Schauspielbühnen Berlin and the Wiener Burgtheater, among others.

In the 1970s, Laser repeatedly appeared in front of the camera under the direction of Rainer Erler, with whom he made the five-part science fiction series Das Blaue Palais, in which he played the researcher Enrico Polazzo, and the film Operation Ganymed. For his acting performance in Ulf Miehe's directorial debut John Glückstadt based on a novella by Theodor Storm, Dieter Laser was awarded the German Film Award in 1975 in the category Best Actor. Two roles made him known to a wider audience in 1975: In the Tatort episode Kurzschluss directed by Wolfgang Petersen, he played the petty criminal Piet Kallweit and got involved in a fatal game with a police officer, played by Günter Lamprecht. On the big screen, Laser was seen in the same year as the shady newspaper reporter Tötges in The Lost Honour of Katharina Blum. In 1978 he played alongside Helmut Griem and Brigitte Fossey in Hans W. Geißendörfer's Oscar-nominated film drama The Glass Cell.

In the star-studded miniseries Väter und Söhne – Eine deutsche Tragödie by Bernhard Sinkel about the rise and fall of a German industrial family, he took on the role of Friedrich Deutz in 1986. In addition to guest appearances in various crime series, Dieter Laser continued to appear in cinemas in the 1990s in films such as Peter Sehr's Kasper-Hauser-film adaptation and Armin Mueller-Stahl's directorial debut Conversation with the Beast. In The Ogre in 1996, again directed by Volker Schlöndorff, he played the "race researcher" Professor Blättchen. In 2007 and 2008 he appeared on stage in the role of the Hun king Etzel at the Nibelungen Festival in Worms. In 2012, under the direction of Dieter Wedel, he played General Speckenschwardt in The Fortune of Mr. Süß.{{cite web|access-date=2020-04-10 |archive-date=2013-10-04 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131004215304/http://nibelungenfestspiele.de/nibelungenfestspiele/ensemble/Schauspieler/7Dieter-Laser.php |title=Ensemble: Dieter Laser |url=http://nibelungenfestspiele.de/nibelungenfestspiele/ensemble/Schauspieler/7Dieter-Laser.php |work=Nibelungenfestspiele.de}}

In 2009, Laser played the surgeon Dr. Josef Heiter in the Dutch horror film Human Centipede by Tom Six, and became an international star. Roger Ebert praised his performance, although it was his 63rd role, as the one he was "born for."{{cite web|access-date=2020-04-10 |author=Roger Ebert |type=The Human Centipede movie review (2010) |date=2010-05-05 |language=en |title=Reviews: Ew! I hate it when that happens! |url=https://www.rogerebert.com/reviews/the-human-centipede-2010 |work=rogerebert.com}} In order to make his portrayal as a bizarre parody close to the notorious Nazi doctor Josef Mengele, Laser specially obtained a "Eppendorfer doctor's coat"{{cite web|access-date=2020-04-10 |archive-date=2020-04-10 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200410230944/https://www.haz.de/Sonntag/Genuss-Leben/Chic-im-Krankenhaus |author=Kerstin Hergt |date=2018-03-02 |title=Chic im Krankenhaus |url=https://www.haz.de/Sonntag/Genuss-Leben/Chic-im-Krankenhaus |work=Hannoversche Allgemeine Zeitung}} and suggested to the director that he should also give the character the first name Josef.{{cite web|access-date=2020-04-10 |date=2010-10-13 |title=Dieter Laser: The Human Centipede and beyond – Interview (German version) |url=http://www.screenread.de/dieter-laser-the-human-centipede-intervie/ |work=screen/read}} For his acting performance, he received the acting award at the Fantastic Fest in Austin, Texas that same year.

Laser would appear again in the third and final part of the Human Centipede trilogy.{{cite web|access-date=2020-04-10 |archive-date=2012-03-04 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120304232534/http://www.fangoria.com/index.php/home/all-news/1-latest-news/6689-human-centipede-3-crawling-toward-us-with-original-stars |author=Michael Gingold |date=2012-05-02 |language=en |title="Human Centipede 3" crawling toward us with original stars! |url=http://www.fangoria.com/index.php/home/all-news/1-latest-news/6689-human-centipede-3-crawling-toward-us-with-original-stars |work=fangoria.com}} On March 29, 2012, he announced his departure from the project due to profound creative differences.{{cite web|access-date=2020-04-10 |archive-date=2012-04-07 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120407085834/http://www.screenread.de/the-human-centipede-3-dieter-laser/ |date=2012-03-29 |title=Exclusive: Dieter Laser leaves The Human Centipede 3 |url=http://www.screenread.de/the-human-centipede-3-dieter-laser/ |work=screen/read}} Shortly afterwards, Six Entertainment announced in an official press release that it would take legal action against Laser.{{cite web|access-date=2020-04-10 |archive-date=2012-04-01 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120401000847/http://www.fangoria.com/index.php/home/all-news/1-latest-news/6817-dieter-laser-sued-over-centipede |date=2012-03-29 |language=en |title=Dieter Laser sued over "Centipede" |url=http://www.fangoria.com/index.php/home/all-news/1-latest-news/6817-dieter-laser-sued-over-centipede |work=Fangoria}} At the beginning of 2013, both sides announced that they would now make the film together.{{cite web|access-date=2020-04-10 |archive-date=2013-05-07 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130507075306/http://twitchfilm.com/2013/01/dieter-laser-re-joins-the-human-centipede-3.html |author=Todd Brown |date=2013-01-07 |title=Dieter Laser Re-Joins The Human Centipede 3 |url=http://twitchfilm.com/2013/01/dieter-laser-re-joins-the-human-centipede-3.html |work=Twitch}} Filming was completed in the middle of the same year. The German version was released in 2017.{{cite web|access-date=2024-06-29 |author=Gerald Wurm |date=2017-12-28 |language=de |title=The Human Centipede III has been released in Germany (Schnittberichte.com) |url=https://www.schnittberichte.com/news.php?ID=12853}} In an interview, Laser spoke about massive problems with the dubbed version.{{cite web|access-date=2020-04-10 |archive-date=2017-07-01 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170701203451/http://www.screenread.de/human-centipede-3-synchronfassung-dieter-laser/ |date=2017-06-25 |title=The Human Centipede 3: German dubbed version without Dieter Laser? |url=http://www.screenread.de/human-centipede-3-synchronfassung-dieter-laser/ |work=screen/read}}

In November 2015, Laser was in front of the camera in Estonia for the fantasy film Jesus’ Blood and Red Currants based on a novel by Andrus Kivirähk.{{cite web|access-date=2020-04-10 |archive-date=2015-11-15 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151115021810/http://www.screenread.de/dieter-laser-interview-centipede-sky-sharks-jesus-blood/ |date=2015-10-25 |title=Dieter Laser: Taboos, Tausendfüßler und der Tod von Dr. Heiter – Interview |url=http://www.screenread.de/dieter-laser-interview-centipede-sky-sharks-jesus-blood/ |work=screen/read}} The film had its international premiere under the title November at the Tribeca Film Festival in April 2017.{{cite web|access-date=2020-04-10 |archive-date=2017-03-27 |archive-url=http://web.archive.org/web/20170327080520/https://tribecafilm.com/filmguide/november-2017 |language=en |title=November – 2017 Tribeca Film Festival |url=https://tribecafilm.com/filmguide/november-2017 |work=tribecafilm.com}} Under the title Total Eclipse Laser announced his feature film directorial debut based on his own screenplay.{{cite web|access-date=2020-04-10 |archive-date=2013-07-16 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130716152735/http://www.screenread.de/dieter-laser-the-human-centipede-3-interview-deutsch/ |date=2013-07-13 |title=Exclusive: Dieter Laser about The Human Centipede 3 and future projects – Interview (German version) |url=http://www.screenread.de/dieter-laser-the-human-centipede-3-interview-deutsch/ |work=screen/read}} In the summer of 2019, he played the role of the lawyer Huld in the production of Kafka's play The Trial at the Bad Hersfeld Festival.{{cite web|access-date=2020-04-12 |date=2019-04-12|title=Another star: Dieter Laser plays in "The Trial" |url=https://www.hersfelder-zeitung.de/bad-hersfeld/noch-ein-star-dieter-laser-spielt-in-prozess-12186092.html/ |work=screen/read}}

Dieter Laser was married to Inge and lived with her in Berlin. He died twelve days after his 78th birthday on 29 February 2020.{{Cite news |last=Pulver |first=Andrew |date=2020-04-10 |title=Human Centipede star Dieter Laser dies aged 78 |url=https://www.theguardian.com/film/2020/apr/10/human-centipede-star-dieter-laser-dies-aged-78 |access-date=2024-03-08 |work=The Guardian |language=en-GB |issn=0261-3077}} His death was not announced until a message to his official Facebook page was posted on 9 April 2020.[https://www.dreadcentral.com/news/323856/rip-dieter-laser-human-centipede-actor-has-passed-away/ RIP DIETER LASER: HUMAN CENTIPEDE ACTOR HAS PASSED AWAY][https://bloody-disgusting.com/news/3612469/r-p-human-centipede-star-dieter-laser-passed-away/ [R.I.P.] 'The Human Centipede' Star Dieter Laser Has Passed Away]

• 1968: In the Jungle of Cities (Im Dickicht der Städte), as Collie Couch alias "The Pavian"
• 1973: Desaster, as Alf Harden
• 1974: Ermittlungen gegen Unbekannt, as Günter Riegand
• 1974–1976: Das Blaue Palais (TV-series), as Enrico Polazzo
• 1975: John Glückstadt, as John Glückstadt
• 1975: The Lost Honour of Katharina Blum, as Werner Toetges
• 1975: {{Interlanguage link multi|The Last Holidays|de|Die letzten Ferien}}, as Miguel
• 1976: {{ill|The Elixirs of the Devil (1976 film)|de|3=Die Elixiere des Teufels (1976)|lt=The Elixirs of the Devil}}, as Medardus
• 1977: {{Interlanguage link multi|Operation Ganymed|de}}, as Don
• 1978: Germany in Autumn, as Member of the board of TV producers
• 1978: The Glass Cell (Oscar nominated: Best Foreign Language Film), as David Reinald
• 1979: Union der festen Hand (TV film), as Adam Griguszies
• 1981: {{ill|Don Quixote's Children|de|Don Quichottes Kinder}}, as Peter Senders
• 1982: Wir (based on We, the 1921 Russian novel by Yevgeny Zamyatin)
• 1986: Väter und Söhne – Eine deutsche Tragödie (mini series), as Friedrich Deutz
• 1990: The Man Inside, as Leonard Schroeter
• 1991: Meeting Venus, as Hans von Binder
• 1993: {{Interlanguage link multi|Kaspar Hauser (film)|de|3=Kaspar Hauser (1993)|lt=Kaspar Hauser}}, as Ludwig I. von Bayern
• 1996: Conversation with the Beast, as Peter Hollsten
• 1996: The Ogre, as Prof. Otto Blaettchen
• 1997: Shanghai 1937 (Hotel Shanghai), as Dr. Hain
• 1997: The Rat (TV film), as Bruno
• 2000: Recycled, as Hasso von Walden
• 2002: Big Girls Don't Cry, as Mr. Winter
• 2002: Führer Ex, as Eduard Kellermann
• 2003: Baltic Storm, as Gehrig
• 2006: {{Ill|I Am the Other Woman|de|Ich bin die Andere (Film)}}, as Bruno
• 2009: The Human Centipede (First Sequence), as Dr. Josef Heiter
• 2010: {{ill|Greed (2010 film)|de|Gier (2010)|lt=Greed}} (TV film), as General Klaus Habenicht
• 2015: The Human Centipede 3 (Final Sequence), as Bill Boss
• 2017: November, as Baron

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• {{IMDb name|0489504}}
• [http://www.facebook.com/dieterlaser.actor Official Facebook site of Dieter Laser]

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Category:1942 births

Category:2020 deaths

Category:20th-century German male actors

Category:21st-century German male actors

Category:German Film Award winners

Category:German male film actors

Category:German male television actors

Category:Male actors from Kiel