JohannesHeesters (born December 5, 1903) is a Dutch actor, singer, and entertainer who can look back on an 83-year career, almost exclusively in the German-speaking world.
As of 2005, Heesters holds the record of being the oldest performer worldwide who is still active, both on the stage and on television.
Heesters worked extensively for UFA till almost the end of the Second World War (his last wartime movie being Die Fledermaus, produced in 1945) and easily made the transition from the Nazi-controlled cultural scene to post-war Germany and Austria, appearing again in a number of films already in the late 1940s.
JohannesHeesters shifted his activity to the operatta from the middle of the 30's and had great successes in "Der Bettelstudent" at the Volksoper Wien.
JohannesHeesters appeared till the end of war in movies like "Die lustigen Vagabunden" (40), "Immer nur Du" (41), "Jenny und der Herr im Frack" (41) and "Es fing so harmlos an" (44), beside it he was also convincing in a character role in the film "Illusionen" (41).
JohannesHeesters is married in second marriage with the actress Simone Rethel.
Heesters debuted as an operetta-singer in Vienna in 1934 and as an actor one year later in the film "Bleeke Bet".
Heesters lost - and - as promised, returned to "Wetten, daß...?" one day before his 100th birthday on December, 4th 2003, singing his song "Ich werde hundert Jahre alt" ("I'll be 100 years old"), which he has performed several years before already.
JohannesHeesters will celebrate his 101st birthday, after he will have returned from a TV-show recording, in his house at the Starnberger lake with an obligatory garlic-schnapps and a glass of champagne.
In 1934 maakte Heesters zijn debuut bij de Wiener Volksoper in Carl Millöcker's « Der Bettelstudent ».
Het werd het begin van een soort sprookje van een Nederlandse operetttekoning in (het Duitse) wonderland, waarbij Johannes zijn Duitse concurrent Willy Fritsch (vader van Thomas) in de schaduw speelte.
In 2002 stond hij in München » op het toneel in Anton Tsjechow's « Kersentuin », waardoor hij in het Guinessbook of records terecht kwam als oudste nog actieve acteur.
Apr 23 2005, 08:58 PM JohannesHeesters (born December 5, 1903) is a Dutch actor, singer, and entertainer who can look back on an 83-year career, almost exclusively in the German-speaking world.
As of 2004, Heesters holds the record of being the oldest performer worldwide who is still active, both on the stage and on television.
Apr 23 2005, 10:15 PM Joopi Heesters (as he is known) is a very fit old man. He regularly does sport, and has a wife who is a good bit younger than he is (which may or may not be beneficial for his continued longevity).
Müller told DW-WORLD that Heesters was in touch with the highest-ranking members of the regime, and that his career depended on the goodwill of Joseph Goebbels, Hitler’s propaganda minister.
In contrast, Heesters was viewed by many as a star with a past innocent enough to keep him on a pedestal after World War II.
Germans have never pressed Heesters on the issue and keep watching his old films such as “Always You” and “Illusion” (both 1941) and the 1944 hit “It began with such innocence.” His Dutch countrymen, however, never forgave him for his decision to pursue a career in the land of their Nazi occupiers.
JohannesHeesters (born December 5, 1903) is a Dutch actor, singer, and entertainer who can look back on an 85-year career, almost exclusively in the German-speaking world.
Born Johan Marius Nicolaas Heesters in Amersfoort, Netherlands, Heesters very early in his career specialized in Viennese operetta, making his Viennese stage debut in 1934 in Karl Millöcker's Der Bettelstudent (The Beggar Student).
In the 1990s he and his wife toured Germany and Austria with Curth Flatow's play Ein gesegnetes Alter (A Blessed Age), which was also televised in 1996.
Johannes Heesters(Site not responding. Last check: 2007-10-15)
Herausgegeben wird dieses Buch von Simone Rethel-Heesters, der Ehefrau von JohannesHeesters, die in wahrhaft aufopferungsvoller Arbeit über viele Monate hinweg in zahllosen Fotoalben und in noch viel mehr Archiven von Fotografen, Filmproduktionen, TV-Sendern, Theatern und etlichen weiteren Institutionen für dieses Buch recherchiert hat.
Simone Rethel-Heesters ist seit 14 Jahren mit JohannesHeesters verheiratet.
JohannesHeesters, der Grandseigneur des deutschsprachigen Films, der Musik und des Theaters, blickt auf eine bereits über 85 Jahre andauernde Laufbahn zurück, auf ein über 102 Jahre währendes Leben.
Joopi Heesters (as he is known) is a very fit old man. He regularly does sport, and has a wife who is a good bit younger than he is (which may or may not be beneficial for his continued longevity).
Heesters has just been awarded the Regenbogen Award for lifetime achievement sort of thingy.
"Heesters, äch bän särr zufrrädän! Äch komme wiedärr!"