Austrian actor Peter Simonischek dies aged 76

In this file photo taken on Feb. 22, 2023, Austrian actor Peter Simonischek poses during the photo call for the film “Der vermessene Mensch” (Measures of Men) presented in the “Berlinale Special” section at the Berlinale in Berlin. Simonischek, revealed late abroad by his role as a cumbersome father in the hit film “Toni Erdmann,” died in the night from May 29 to May 30, 2023, at the age of 76. TOBIAS SCHWARZ / AFP

VIENNA, Austria—Austrian actor Peter Simonischek, who played a whimsical patriarch in the prize-winning film “Toni Erdmann,” died overnight in Vienna aged 76, a spokeswoman for the Austrian Federal Theatres said Tuesday, May 30.

Born in Graz on Aug. 6, 1946, Simonischek received great acclaim in the German-speaking world for his performances, including numerous appearances at the famous Salzburg Festival.

In 2016, Simonischek made his international breakthrough in film in the comedy “Toni Erdmann,” which won the International Federation of Film Critics award at Cannes.

The bittersweet father-daughter tale features Sandra Hueller and Simonischek, who created an indelible portrait of a sad clown.

Britain’s The Daily Telegraph newspaper gave the “exquisite” movie five out of five stars. “Not only does German humor exist, it might just save your life,” it said.

Austria’s Secretary of State, Andrea Mayer, hailed Simonischek as “one of the big names of contemporary acting for decades in theatre as well as in film and television.”

“Simonischek’s death is a huge loss for the entire art and culture scene,” Mayer said.  /ra

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