Josef Hader

Josef Hader
Born (1962-02-14) 14 February 1962 (age 62)
Occupation(s)Comedian, actor, writer
Years active1982–present
Children2

Josef Hader (born 14 February 1962) is an Austrian stand-up comedian, actor and filmmaker.

Life and career

Hader was born in Waldhausen im Strudengau, Upper Austria and grew up in Nöchling in Lower Austria where he attended the Stiftsgymnasium Melk. During this time he made his first comedy attempts at his school. After his civilian service at the Red Cross he started studying German and History. As a student he began working on his first comedy programme Fort Geschritten. His second programme Der Witzableiter und das Feuer won the prestigious Salzburger Stier comedy award. After aborting his study and writing Biagn und Brechen (1988) and Bunter Abend (1990) he celebrated his breakthrough with the tragicomic play Indien, together with the comedian Alfred Dorfer, which was filmed by Paul Harather in 1993 with Josef Hader himself in the leading role.

With the film Indien and his following shows Im Keller (1993) and Privat (1994) he became one of the most successful and most respected comedians in the German-speaking world. His comedy programme Privat is the most successful comedy in Austrian history. His most recent show called "Hader muss weg" is more acting than comedy. Hader plays seven different roles using no props other than a simple Trenchcoat and acts only through gestures, voice and facial expression.

Since then, Hader has starred in commercially successful films such as Komm, süßer Tod (2000), Silentium (2004) and The Bone Man (2009), while also gaining critical acclaim for his performances in dramas such as Der Überfall (2000) or Ein halbes Leben (2008). Among others awards, he received the Best Actor Award at the Locarno International Film Festival, the Romy Award, the Adolf Grimme Award and the German Television Award.

He is a regular guest on various German Comedyshows, such as Neues aus der Anstalt on ZDF, Scheibenwischer on Das Erste, Quatsch Comedy Club on Pro Sieben or Ottfried Fischer's Ottis Schlachthof on Bayerischer Rundfunk which increased his popularity in Germany.

Hader is the father of two sons.

Comedy and plays

  • 1982: Fort Geschritten
  • 1985: Der Witzableiter und das Feuer
  • 1986: Im milden Westen
  • 1987: Tausche Witze gegen Geld
  • 1988: Biagn oder Brechen
  • 1990: Bunter Abend
  • 1991: Indien (with Alfred Dorfer)
  • 1993: Im Keller
  • 1994: Privat
  • 1997: Hader spielt Hader
  • 2004: Hader muss weg

Filmography

Josef Hader at the University of Vienna speaking at the 2009 student protests in Austria
Year Title Role Notes
1988 Sternberg – Shooting Star Meier
1992 Duett Mallinger's nephew at the bank TV movie
Cappuccino Melange Manfred Seidl TV movie
1993 Indien Heinz Bösel also co-writer
1999 Geboren in Absurdistan Lorry driver
2000 Hold-Up Werner Kopper
Komm, süßer Tod Brenner also co-writer
White Cherries Otto Bucek
2002 Blue Moon Johnny Pichler
Weihnachten Herr Wächter TV movie
2004 Silentium Brenner also co-writer
C(r)ook [de] Nowak
2005 Josef Hader im heiligen Land Himself Documentary
2006 Heaven Hermann Kaltenbrunner Part of the 8 x 45 television series
2007 Hounds [de] Henrik
Cleisto Himself
Attwenger Adventure Himself Documentary
2008 Randgestalten Butcher
Ein halbes Leben Ulrich Lenz TV movie
Zibb Himself TV series documentary
2009 Screen Test Herr Kaiser (voice) Animated film
The Bone Man Brenner also co-writer
Little White Lies [de] Ametsbichler
2010 Widerstand im Haiderland Himself Documentary
Aufschneider Dr. Hermann Fuhrmann TV series, also co-writer
Kabarett, Kabarett Himself Documentary
Die verrückte Welt der Ute Bock Policeman
2011 Wie man leben soll Leo
2012 Diamantenfieber oder Kauf dir einen bunten Luftballon Uncle Fritz
2014 Kafka's The Burrow [de] Hausmeister
2015 Life Eternal Brenner
2016 Stefan Zweig: Farewell to Europe Stefan Zweig
2017 Wild Mouse Georg Also director
2020 The Story of My Wife Post-production
2024 Andrea Gets a Divorce Franz Also director[1]

Awards

See also

References

  1. ^ Petkovic, Vladan (14 December 2023). "The Berlinale announces the first batch of Panorama and Forum titles". Cineuropa. Retrieved 16 December 2023.
  2. ^ Agler, Andreas (6 March 2017). "Dieter-Hildebrandt-Preis für Josef Hader". BR24 (in German). Retrieved 6 November 2021.