Bruno Ganz

Born 22 March 1941
Zürich, Switzerland
Died 16 February 2019 (aged 77)
Au, Wädenswil, Switzerland
Resting place Friedhof Rehalp, Zürich
Occupation Actor
Years active 1960–2019
Spouse Sabine Ganz
​
​(m. 1965, separated)​
Partner Ruth Walz [de]
Children 1
Awards
"Actor of the Year" by Theater heute
Hans-Reinhart-Ring
Iffland-Ring
Swiss Film Prize
David di Donatello
European Film Award
Austrian Decoration for Science and Art
Order of Merit of the Federal Republic of Germany
Lifetime Achievement Award, Goldene Kamera

Bruno Ganz (Swiss Standard German: [ˈbruːnoː ˈɡants] ⓘ; 22 March 1941 – 16 February 2019)[note 1] was a Swiss actor whose career in German stage, television and film productions spanned nearly 60 years. He was known for his collaborations with the directors Werner Herzog, Éric Rohmer, Francis Ford Coppola, Theo Angelopoulos and Wim Wenders, earning widesp recognition with his roles as Jonathan Zimmerman in The American Friend (1977), Jonathan Harker in Nosferatu the Vampyre (1979) and Damiel the Angel in Wings of Desire (1987).

Ganz received renewed international acclaim for his portrayal of Adolf Hitler in the Academy Award-nominated film Downfall (2004). He also had roles in several English-language films, including The Boys from Brazil (1978), Strapless (1989), The Last Days of Chez Nous (1992), Luther (2003), The Manchurian Candidate (2004), The er (2008), Unknown (2011), The Counselor (2013) and Remember (2015). On stage, Ganz portrayed Dr. Heinrich Faust in Peter Stein's staging of Faust, Part One and Faust, Part Two in 2000.