Josef Meinrad

Josef Meinrad (German: [ˈjoːsεf ˈmaɪ̯nrat]; 21 April 1913 – 18 February 1996) was an Austrian actor.^[1] From 1959 until his death in 1996, Meinrad held the Republic of Austria's Iffland-Ring, which passes from actor to actor — each bequeathing the ring to the next holder, judging that actor to be the "most significant and most worthy actor of the German-speaking theatre".^[1]

Life

Josef Meinrad was born Josef Moučka in Vienna, as the fourth and youngest child of the tram driver Franz Moučka and his second wife Katharina. For his secondary education, he received a scholarship in a school run by Redemptorists in Katzelsdorf near Wiener Neustadt. At first, he wanted to become a priest, but he left the boarding school in 1929 and began a commercial apprenticeship, while taking acting lessons.

He made his public acting debut during a theatre festival at Korneuburg in 1930, by which time he called himself Josef Meinrad. Nevertheless, he finished his training and worked as a commercial clerk until 1935. From that time on, he performed on various smaller stages, passing his acting exam in 1937. His first brief engagement at the Vienna Burgtheater was in 1939, he then played at the German Theatre in Metz, mainly in front of Wehrmacht soldiers.^[2]

After the war, Meinrad again performed in Vienna. At the Salzburg Festival in 1947 he appeared in Jedermann. Later that year, Meinrad became a full-time permanent member of the Burgtheater company and was part of that ensemble until his 65th birthday in 1978. He played 195 roles on that stage and was famous for his performances in comedies by Johann Nestroy and Ferdinand Raimund. In 1968 he played the title role in the German-language premiere of Dale Wasserman's musical Man of La Mancha at the Theater an der Wien. He also appeared in several Films and TV series, chiefly known for his role as an adjutant in the Sissi trilogy starring Romy Schneider.

Meinrad was the keeper of the Iffland-Ring, which for 200 years has been given to the most important actor of the German-speaking theatre; he passed the ring on to Bruno Ganz.^[1]

From 1950 until his death he was married to Germaine Renée Clement, who died in 2006. Meinrad died in 1996 from cancer, aged 82, in Großgmain and is buried there.^[2]

Honours and awards

1955: Appointed Kammerschauspieler
1959: Received the Iffland-Ring
1961: Blue Ribbon Award from the National Council Screen
1963: Kainz Medal
1963: Austrian Cross of Honour for Science and Art, 1st class
1973: Honorary Member of the Vienna Burgtheater
1980: Honorary Ring of the city of Bregenz
1983: Raymund Ring of the Federal Ministry for Education, Arts and Culture
1983: Honorary Ring of the Vienna
1985: Nestroy Ring
1997: Josef Meinrad-Platz near the Vienna Burgtheater^[3]

Films

Die Welt dreht sich verkehrt [de] (1947) as Agha
Triumph der Liebe (1947) as Kinesias
The Trial (1948, about the Tiszaeszlár affair) as Bary, investigating judge
Rendezvous im Salzkammergut (1948) as Peter Baumkirchner
Anni (1948) as Heinrich Buchgraber
Fregola (1948) as Dr. Wegscheider
Das Siegel Gottes (1949) as Father Clemens^[4]
Nothing But Coincidence (1949) as Willy Wendel
Mein Freund, der nicht nein sagen konnte (1949) as Dr. Leopold Bachmann
Bonus on Death (1950) as Seaman Matrose
Theodore the Goalkeeper (1950) as Theo Haslinger Jr.
Jetzt schlägt's 13 [de] (1950) as Dr. Mario Jaconis
Archduke Johann's Great Love (1950) as A friend of Archduke Johann
Der Wallnerbub (1950) as Karl
Love and Blood (1951) as Otto Schulz
Shadows Over Naples (1951) as Otto Schulz
Eva erbt das Paradies... ein Abenteuer im Salzkammergut (1951) as Hans Holzinger
The Colourful Dream (1952) as Tobby Busch
1. April 2000 (1952) as Prime Minister of Austria
Fräulein Casanova [de] (1953) as Rolf Reimann
The Spendthrift (1953) as Valentin
Money from the Air (1954) as Stefan Gregor
Kaisermanöver (1954) as Wondrasch
Walking Back into the Past (1954) as Franz Nägele
Die Deutschmeister (1955) as Hofrat Hofwirt
Don Juan (1955) as Leporello
His Daughter is Called Peter (1955) as Dr. Felix Weininger
Sarajevo (1955) as Chauffeur
The Congress Dances (1955) as Franzl Eder
Sissi (1955) as Major Böckl
Ein tolles Hotel (1956) as Edi Schlawinsky
Opera Ball (1956) as Paul Hollinger
Die Trapp-Familie (1956, cf. The Sound of Music) as Dr. Franz Wasner
Sissi – Die junge Kaiserin (1956) as Major Böckl
August, der Halbstarke (1957) as August Rums, genannt Gustl, Boxer
The Schimeck Family (1957) as Baumann
The Unexcused Hour (1957) as Fabian
Goodbye, Franziska (1957) as Dr. Leitner
Sissi – Schicksalsjahre einer Kaiserin (1957) as Lieutenant Colonel Böckl
Man ist nur zweimal jung (1958)
Solang' die Sterne glüh'n (1958) as Karl Eibisch
The Trapp Family in America (1958) as Dr. Franz Wasner
Whisky, Wodka, Wienerin [de] (1959) as Ferdinand Windberger - Legationsrat
Eva (1959) as Mr. Dassau
Die schöne Lügnerin [de] (1959) as Baron Hager
Adorable Arabella (1959) as Archibald Duncan
Napoleon II, the Eagle (1961) as Emperor Francis II
Der Bauer als Millionär (1961) as Fortunatus Wurzel
Liliom (1963, TV movie based on Liliom) as Liliom
The Cardinal (1963) as Cardinal Innitzer
The Spendthrift (1964) as Valentin
Don Quixote [de] (1965, TV miniseries based on Don Quixote) as Don Quixote
Father Brown (1966–1972, TV series) as Father Brown
Der Tod läuft hinterher [de] (1967, TV Mini-Series) as Gaston
Was ihr wollt (1973, TV movie based on Twelfth Night) as Malvolio
The Robber Hotzenplotz [de] (1974) as Magician Petrosilius Zwackelmann
Die schöne Helena (1974, TV movie based on La belle Hélène) as Menelaus
Gaslicht (1977, TV movie based on Gaslight) as Jack Manningham
Es war einmal der Mensch (1978, TV Series) as Narrator (German version, voice)
Ringstraßenpalais (1983, TV Series) as Emil Hoffeneder
Waldheimat (1984, TV Series) as Pfarrer
Die Fledermaus (1984, TV movie based on Die Fledermaus) as Frosch
Der Sonne entgegen (1985, TV Series) as Luca
Der Unbestechliche (1986, TV movie) as Theodor
Der Vorhang fällt (1986, TV movie) as Jakob
Herschel und die Musik der Sterne (1986, TV movie) as Joseph Haydn