Josef Hader

Last updated
Josef Hader
Osterreichischer Filmpreis 2025 - Josef Hader BHO-3719.jpg
Hader in 2025
Born (1962-02-14) 14 February 1962 (age 63)
Occupation(s)Comedian, actor, writer
Years active1982–present
Children2

Josef Hader (born 14 February 1962) is an Austrian stand-up comedian, actor and filmmaker.

Contents

Life and career

Hader was born in Waldhausen im Strudengau, Upper Austria and grew up in Nöchling in Lower Austria where he attended the Stiftsgymnasium Melk. During this time he made his first comedy attempts at his school. After his civilian service at the Red Cross he started studying German and History. As a student he began working on his first comedy programme Fort Geschritten. His second programme Der Witzableiter und das Feuer won the prestigious Salzburger Stier comedy award. After aborting his study and writing Biagn und Brechen (1988) and Bunter Abend (1990) he celebrated his breakthrough with the tragicomic play Indien, together with the comedian Alfred Dorfer, which was filmed by Paul Harather in 1993 with Josef Hader himself in the leading role.

With the film Indien and his following shows Im Keller (1993) and Privat (1994) he became one of the most successful and most respected comedians in the German-speaking world. His comedy programme Privat is the most successful comedy in Austrian history. His most recent show called "Hader muss weg" is more acting than comedy. Hader plays seven different roles using no props other than a simple Trenchcoat and acts only through gestures, voice and facial expression.

Since then, Hader has starred in commercially successful films such as Komm, süßer Tod (2000), Silentium (2004) and The Bone Man (2009), while also gaining critical acclaim for his performances in dramas such as Der Überfall (2000) or Ein halbes Leben (2008). Among others awards, he received the Best Actor Award at the Locarno International Film Festival, the Romy Award, the Adolf Grimme Award and the German Television Award.

He is a regular guest on various German Comedyshows, such as Neues aus der Anstalt on ZDF, Scheibenwischer on Das Erste, Quatsch Comedy Club on Pro Sieben or Ottfried Fischer's Ottis Schlachthof on Bayerischer Rundfunk which increased his popularity in Germany.

Hader is the father of two sons.

Comedy and plays

Filmography

Josef Hader at the University of Vienna speaking at the 2009 student protests in Austria Josef Hader, Audimax 16.12.2009 (2).jpg
Josef Hader at the University of Vienna speaking at the 2009 student protests in Austria
YearTitleRoleNotes
1988Sternberg – Shooting StarMeier
1992DuettMallinger's nephew at the bankTV movie
Cappuccino MelangeManfred SeidlTV movie
1993 Indien Heinz Böselalso co-writer
1999Geboren in AbsurdistanLorry driver
2000 Hold-Up Werner Kopper
Komm, süßer Tod Brenneralso co-writer
White CherriesOtto Bucek
2002 Blue Moon Johnny Pichler
WeihnachtenHerr WächterTV movie
2004 Silentium Brenneralso co-writer
C(r)ook  [ de ]Nowak
2005Josef Hader im heiligen LandHimselfDocumentary
2006 Heaven Hermann KaltenbrunnerPart of the 8 x 45 television series
2007 Hounds  [ de ]Henrik
CleistoHimself
Attwenger AdventureHimselfDocumentary
2008RandgestaltenButcher
Ein halbes LebenUlrich LenzTV movie
ZibbHimselfTV series documentary
2009Screen TestHerr Kaiser (voice)Animated film
The Bone Man Brenneralso co-writer
Little White Lies  [ de ]Ametsbichler
2010Widerstand im HaiderlandHimselfDocumentary
AufschneiderDr. Hermann FuhrmannTV series, also co-writer
Kabarett, KabarettHimselfDocumentary
Die verrückte Welt der Ute BockPoliceman
2011Wie man leben sollLeo
2012Diamantenfieber oder Kauf dir einen bunten LuftballonUncle Fritz
2014 Kafka's The Burrow  [ de ]Hausmeister
2015 Life Eternal Brenner
2016 Stefan Zweig: Farewell to Europe Stefan Zweig
2017 Wild Mouse GeorgAlso director
2020 The Story of My Wife Post-production
2024 Andrea Gets a Divorce FranzAlso director [1]

Awards

See also

References

  1. Petkovic, Vladan (14 December 2023). "The Berlinale announces the first batch of Panorama and Forum titles". Cineuropa . Retrieved 16 December 2023.
  2. Agler, Andreas (6 March 2017). "Dieter-Hildebrandt-Preis für Josef Hader". BR24 (in German). Retrieved 6 November 2021.