Christiane Hörbiger

Christiane Hörbiger (13 October 1938 – 30 November 2022) was an Austrian stage, film, and television actress. Her first major film role was Mary Vetsera in Kronprinz Rudolfs letzte Liebe in 1955. She appeared on the stage of the Burgtheater as Recha in Lessing's Nathan der Weise in 1959, became a member of Theater Heidelberg and later Schauspielhaus Zürich. From 1969 to 1972, she portrayed Die Buhlschaft in Hofmannsthal's Jedermann at the Salzburg Festival.

She is remembered for roles of strong, self-conscious women who defy adverse circumstances, as television series began to present from the mid-1980s,<ref name="Baumhackl" /> including Countess Christine von Guldenburg in the series Das Erbe der Guldenburgs from 1987 to 1990, and the title role of the Austrian television series Julia – Eine ungewöhnliche Frau from 1999 to 2004. She became a favourite with audiences and received international awards.

Life and career

Born in Vienna on 13 October 1938,<ref name="Munzinger">Template:Cite web</ref> Hörbiger was the second of the three actress daughters of Austrian actors Attila Hörbiger (1896–1987) and Paula Wessely (1907–2000).<ref name="Baumhackl">Template:Cite news</ref><ref name="Wilhelmer">Template:Cite news</ref> Her sisters were Template:Ill and Template:Ill. She was the aunt of German actor Christian Tramitz.<ref name="Baumhackl" />

As her mother wished, she first trained to be a pastry maker (Zuckerbäcker),<ref name="Wilhelmer" /> and her parents bought her a Konditorei.<ref name="Baumhackl" /> She decided in 1955 to pursue an acting career, and attended the Max Reinhardt Seminar, but dropped out the same year to play Mary Vetsera in the film Kronprinz Rudolfs letzte Liebe. She first appeared at the Burgtheater in Vienna as Recha in Lessing's Nathan der Weise in 1959, but reviews were scathing.<ref name="Wilhelmer" /><ref name="Schafferhofer">Template:Cite news</ref> She moved to the Theater Heidelberg<ref name="Wilhelmer" /> for two years.<ref name="Nachtkritik">Template:Cite web</ref> She played at the Salzburg Festival, together with her mother for the first time, as Lottchen in Raimund's Template:Ill in 1961. When she returned to the Burgtheater, again as Recha, she was successful.<ref name="Wilhelmer" /><ref name="Schafferhofer" />

From 1967 to 1985, Hörbiger was a member of the Schauspielhaus Zürich.<ref name="Nachtkritik" /> She appeared there in classical roles such as Elisabeth in Schiller's Maria Stuart and roles by Shakespeare and Chechov,<ref name="Baumhackl" /> also roles in the Vienna tradition such as Nestroy, Schnitzler and Hofmannsthal, and contemporary theatre.<ref name="Wilhelmer" /> From 1969 to 1972, she portrayed Die Buhlschaft in Hofmannsthal's Jedermann at the Salzburg Festival, with Ernst Schröder in the title role.<ref name="Baumhackl" />

Hörbiger played roles in various German and Austrian television films and series, beginning in the mid-1980s playing the lead role of Countess Christine von Guldenburgin in the series Das Erbe der Guldenburgs, alongside Brigitte Horney, Ruth Maria Kubitschek, and Stewart Granger. From 1999 to 2004 she played the title character in the Austrian series Julia – Eine ungewöhnliche Frau (Julia – An Extraordinary Woman). In film, she was successful as Freya von Hepp in Helmut Dietl's 1992 satire Schtonk! about forged Hitler diaries, as well as in Template:Ill, Template:Ill (1997) and Template:Ill.<ref name="Wilhelmer" /> She portrayed the revengeful Claire Zachanassian in Template:Ill's 2008 television film based on Dürrenmatt's Der Besuch der alten Dame. Her son, Template:Ill, directed the drama film Template:Ill in 2011, where she appeared alongside her sister Maresa for the first time. He also directed one of her last works, the 2018 detective film Template:Ill.<ref name="Baumhackl" />

In 1995 she was a member of the jury at the 45th Berlin International Film Festival.<ref name="Berlinale 1995">Template:Cite web</ref> Hörbiger's only foray into voice acting was the role of Mrs Calloway (the dairy cow) in the German-language version of Disney's Home on the Range.

Personal life

Hörbiger was married to director Wolfgang Glück. Her second husband was the Swiss journalist Rolf R. Bigler; they had a son, Sascha. After Bigler's death in 1978, Gerhard Tötschinger, a director and author, became her partner; he died in 2016. Hörbiger lived mainly in Vienna.<ref name="Wilhelmer" /> She was a UNICEF ambassador, and was committed to cancer aid.<ref name="Baumhackl" />

Hörbiger died in Vienna on 30 November 2022 at age 84.<ref name="Baumhackl" /><ref name="Wilhelmer" />

Selected filmography

Films with Hörbiger have included:<ref name="Movie">Template:Cite web</ref><ref name="Filmstarts">Template:Cite web</ref><ref name="Simbürger">Template:Cite web</ref>

• The Major and the Bulls (Der Major und die Stiere, 1955), as Marie<ref name="Movie" />
• Template:Ill (1961), as Lottchen, on stage of the Salzburg Festival with her mother<ref name="Wilhelmer" /><ref name="Simbürger" />
• Don't Get Angry (Mensch ärgere dich nicht, 1972), as Frl. Glöckner<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
• Template:Ill (1984, TV film), as Judith Lichtenberg<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
• Das Erbe der Guldenburgs (1987–1990, TV series, 41 episodes), as Countess Christine von Guldenburg<ref name="Baumhackl" /><ref name="Movie" />
• Template:Ill (1961), as Frau Held<ref name="Simbürger" />
• Schtonk! (1992), as Freya von Hepp<ref name="Baumhackl" /><ref name="Movie" /><ref name="Filmstarts" />
• Back to Square One (Alles auf Anfang, 1993), as Lore Kuballa<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
• I Desire You (Ich begehre dich, 1995, TV film), as Alexandra Meyberg<ref name="Movie" />
• Template:Ill (1996, TV film), as Marianne Mühlhuber — (Remake of Der Hofrat Geiger and Mariandl)<ref name="Movie" />
• Template:Ill (1997, TV film), as Mona<ref name="Baumhackl" /><ref name="Movie" />
• Julia – Eine ungewöhnliche Frau (1999–2004, TV series, 65 episodes), as Judge Julia Laubach<ref name="Baumhackl" /><ref name="Filmstarts" />
• Template:Ill (2001), as Trixi Jancik <ref name="Simbürger" />
• Home on the Range (2004), as Mrs. Calloway<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
• Template:Ill (2008, TV film), as Claire Zachanassian — (based on Dürrenmatt's play)<ref name="Baumhackl" />
• Template:Ill (2011), as Katharina<ref name="Baumhackl" /><ref name="Simbürger" />
• Template:Ill (2012, TV film), as Henriette Dietrichstein<ref name="Filmstarts" />
• Template:Ill (2012, TV film), as Margarete Kämmerer — (based on a novel by Pavel Kohout)
• Template:Ill (2012, TV film), as The Countess — (based on Little Lord Fauntleroy)
• Template:Ill (2013), as Henriette Dietrichstein<ref name="Simbürger" />
• Template:Ill (2018), as Madeleine Montana<ref name="Baumhackl" /><ref name="Filmstarts" /><ref name="Simbürger" />

Awards

File:Christiane Hörbiger, ROMY 2009 b.jpg

Hörbiger receiving the Romy award in 2009

Hörbiger received numerous awards for her acting, including:

• 1985: Bayerischer Filmpreis, Best Actress<ref name="Wilhelmer" /><ref name="Nachtkritik" /><ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
• 1988: Goldene Kamera<ref name="Stern">Template:Cite magazine</ref>
• 1992: Romy as the most popular actress<ref name="Stern" />
• 1992: Bambi<ref name="Stern" />
• 1994: German Film Awards<ref name="Lubitsch">Template:Cite web</ref>
• 1998: Austrian Cross of Honour for Science and Art, 1st class<ref name="Nachtkritik" /><ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
• 1999: Golden Medal of Honour for Services to the City of Vienna
• 2001: Adolf Grimme Award for Outstanding Individual Achievement in Julia – eine außergewöhnliche Frau<ref name="Wilhelmer" /><ref name="Stern" />
• 2001: Merit Cross of the Federal Republic of Germany<ref name="Nachtkritik" />
• 2002: Karl Valentin Order<ref name="Wilhelmer" /><ref name="Lubitsch" />
• 2002: Ernst-Lubitsch-Preis<ref name="Lubitsch" />
• 2004: Template:Ill<ref name="Wilhelmer" />
• 2008: Deutscher Vorlesepreis with the "Reading Tools" award for her merits as an audiobook spokeswoman<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>
• 2009: Platinum Romy<ref name="Wilhelmer" />
• 2009: Bavarian Television Award – Special Award<ref name="Wilhelmer" />
• 2009: Gold Medal of the capital Vienna<ref name="Wilhelmer" />

External links

• Template:Official
• Template:IMDb name