Klaus Dieter Laser (February 17, 1942 - February 29, 2020) was a German actor whose career spanned over five decades. He was internationally recognized for his compelling performances in both German and English-language productions. Although he appeared in a wide variety of roles, Laser was often typecast as villains due to his distinctive gaunt appearance.
Early Life and Career Beginnings
Dieter Laser was born in Kiel, Germany, on February 17, 1942, as the second child of Oskar and Lore Laser. His older sister, Heidi, was born in Kiel in 1939 and passed away on November 3, 1987. During his early life, Dieter Laser resided in Laboe near Kiel. His father, an officer in the German Wehrmacht in France, was later transferred to a unit constructing U-boat bunkers in Kiel, allowing him to spend time with his family. Dieter, along with his mother and sister, were evacuated from Laboe due to constant air raids and eventually found refuge in Rothenburg ob der Tauber, where they experienced the end of World War II. He was rescued with his mother and sister by American soldiers from a burning air raid shelter.
Growing up in Hamburg, Laser's family belonged to a Christian community with limited reading material. Rejecting this faith, he left home after leaving the Gymnasium and was later "discovered" by Gustaf Gründgens at the Hamburger Schauspielhaus. Gründgens, a theater legend, gave Laser small roles, which eventually led to larger opportunities.
Theater Work and Early Film Roles
From 1967 to 1974, Dieter Laser dedicated himself to the theater, collaborating with Peter Stein from 1967 onwards. In 1970, he joined Stein at the Berlin Schaubühne am Halleschen Ufer, where he served on the board of directors from 1971 to 1973. During the 1970s, Laser appeared in front of the camera under the direction of Rainer Erler, including the five-part science fiction series Das Blaue Palais.
Laser's early filmography includes notable roles in German cinema. In 1975, he starred as Piet Kallweit in the Tatort episode "Kurzschluss" and as Werner Tötges in The Lost Honour of Katharina Blum. In 1978, he appeared in The Glass Cell as David Reinald. For his performance in Ulf Miehe's John Glückstadt, Dieter Laser was awarded the German Film Award in 1975 for Best Actor.
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Recognition and Versatile Roles
Dieter Laser's career spanned over five decades, during which he took on diverse roles in both German and English-language productions. He became known to English-speaking audiences for his roles as Mantrid in Lexx and Professor Otto Blaettchen in The Ogre. In 1982, he appeared in Wir as D-503.
In the star-studded miniseries Väter und Söhne - Eine deutsche Tragödie, Laser played Friedrich Deutz in 1986. He continued to appear in films such as Kaspar Hauser (1993) as Ludwig I, The Ogre (1996) as Professor Blättchen, and Shanghai 1937 (Hotel Shanghai) (1997) as Dr. In 2002, he was in Big Girls Don't Cry as Mr.
The Human Centipede and International Acclaim
Dieter Laser achieved international recognition for his lead role as Dr. Josef Heiter in the 2009 Dutch horror film The Human Centipede (First Sequence), directed by Tom Six. The film tells the disturbing story of a mad scientist who kidnaps and mutilates three tourists, stitching them together mouth to rectum to create a "human centipede." Laser's portrayal of the sadistic Dr. Heiter was highly acclaimed, earning him the Best Actor award at the Austin Fantastic Fest and a nomination for Best Villain at the LA Scream Awards in 2010.
Laser's performance in The Human Centipede was notable for his dedication to method acting. He remained in character as much as possible during filming, impressing many on set. Despite initial creative differences and a brief departure from the project, Laser returned to star in the third installment of The Human Centipede trilogy in 2015.
Later Career and Final Projects
In 2017, Laser starred in an Estonian fantasy film called November, showcasing his versatility as an actor. He also appeared on stage at the Nibelungen Festival in Worms in 2007 and 2008, playing the role of the Hun king Etzel. In 2012, he played General Speckenschwardt in *The Fortune of Mr.
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Selected Filmography
- Tatort (1975) as Piet Kallweit
- The Lost Honour of Katharina Blum (1975) as Werner Tötges
- The Glass Cell (1978) as David Reinald
- Wir (1982) as D-503
- Väter und Söhne - Eine deutsche Tragödie (1986) as Friedrich Deutz
- Kaspar Hauser (1993) as Ludwig I
- The Ogre (1996) as Prof. Otto Blättchen
- Shanghai 1937 (Hotel Shanghai) (1997) as Dr.
- Lexx (1998-2000) as Mantrid
- Big Girls Don't Cry (2002) as Mr.
- The Human Centipede (First Sequence) (2009) as Dr. Josef Heiter
- November (2017)
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