Klaus Kinski

Actors

Klaus Kinski (born Klaus Günter Karl Nakszynski; October 18, 1926 – November 23, 1991) was a German actor. He appeared in more than 130 films, and was a leading role actor in the films of Werner Herzog, including Aguirre, the Wrath of God (1972), Nosferatu the Vampyre (1979), Woyzeck (1979), Fitzcarraldo (1982), and Cobra Verde (1987). He also appeared in many Spaghetti Westerns, such as Sergio Leone‘s For a Few Dollars More (1965), with Clint Eastwood and Lee Van Cleef; A Bullet for the General (1966), The Great Silence (1968), And God Said to Cain (1970), Shoot the Living and Pray for the Dead (1971) and A Genius, Two Partners and a Dupe (1975), with Terrence Hill.

Other notable film appearances include Roberto Rossellini‘s Fear (1954), with Ingrid Bergman; David Lean‘s Doctor Zhivago (1966), with Omar Sharif, Julie Christie, Geraldine Chaplin, Rod Steiger, Alec Guinness, Tom Courtenay, Ralph Richardson, Siobhán McKenna, and Rita Tushingham; The Cats (1968), with Rita Hayworth; The Last Roman (1968), with Laurence Harvey, Orson Welles, Sylva Koscina and Honor Blackman; Marquis de Sade: Justin (1969), with Romina Power, Maria Rohm, and Jack Palance; Jesús Franco’s Count Dracula 1970), with Christopher Lee and Herbert Lom; Billy Wilder‘s Buddy Buddy (1981), with Jack Lemmon and Walter Matthau; George Roy Hill‘s The Little Drummer Girl (1984), with Diane Keaton, Yorgo Voyagis, and Thorley Walters; and Vampire in Venice (1988), with Christopher Plummer, Donald Pleasence, and Barbara De Rossi.

Kinski was a controversial figure, and some of his tantrums on set were filmed in Herzog’s documentary My Best Fiend. He is the father of Pola, Nastassja, and Nikolai Kinski, born of three different marriages. They have all become actors and have worked in Germany and the United States, in film and TV.

Each review will be linked to the title below.

(*seen originally in theaters)

(**seen rereleased in theaters)

Morituri (1948) – directed by Eugen York
Decision Before Dawn (1951) – directed by Anatole Litvak
Fear (1954) – directed by Roberto Rossellini – aka La Paura
Ludwig II: Glanz und Ende eines Königs (1955) – directed by Helmut Käutner
Children, Mother, and the General (1955) – directed by László Benedek – aka Kinder, Mütter und ein General and Sons, Mothers, and a General
Hanussen (1955) – directed by O.W. Fischer & Georg Marischka
Sarajevo (1955) – directed by Fritz Kortner – aka Um Thron und Liebe
Winter in the Woods (1956) – directed by Wolfgang Liebeneiner – aka Waldwinter
A Time to Love and a Time to Die (1958) – directed by Douglas Sirk
The Avenger (1960) – directed by Karl Anton – aka Der Rächer
The Dead Eyes of London (1961) – directed by Alfred Vohrer – aka Die toten Augen von London and Dark Eyes of London
The Strange Countess (1961) – directed by Josef von Báky & Jürgen Roland – aka Die seltsame Gräfin
The Devil’s Daffodil (1961) – directed by Ákos Ráthonyi – aka Das Geheimnis der gelben Narzissen and Daffodil Killer
Bankraub in der Rue Latour (1961) – directed by Curd Jürgens
The Puzzle of the Red Orchid (1962) – directed by Helmut Ashley – aka Das Rätsel der roten Orchidee
The Counterfeit Traitor (1962) – directed by George Seaton
Der rote Rausch (1962) – directed by Wolfgang Schleif
The Door with Seven Locks (1962) – directed by Alfred Vohrer – aka Die Tür mit den sieben Schlössern
The Inn on the River (1962) – directed by Alfred Vohrer – aka Das Gasthaus an der Themse and The Inn on the Thames
The Squeaker (1963) – directed by Alfred Vohrer – aka Der Zinker
The Black Cobra (1963) – directed by Rudolf Zehetgruber – aka Die Schwarze Kobra
The Black Abbot (1963) – directed by Franz Josef Gottlieb – aka Dee Schwarze Abt
The Indian Scarf (1963) – directed by Alfred Vohrer – aka Das indische Tuch
Scotland Yard Hunts Dr. Mabuse (1963) – directed by Paul May – aka Scotland Yard jagt Dr. Mabuse and Scotland Yard vs. Dr Mabuse
Kali Yug: Goddess of Vengeance (1963) – directed by Mario Camerini – aka Kali Yug, la dea della vendetta and Vengeance of Kali
The Secret of the Black Widow (1963) – directed by Franz Josef Gottlieb – aka Das Geheimnis der schwarzen Witwe
Piccadilly Zero Hour 12 (1963) – directed by Rudolf Zehetgruber – aka Piccadilly null Uhr zwölf
The Last Ride to Santa Cruz (1964) – directed by Rolf Olsen – aka Der Letzte Ritt nach Santa Cruz
Waiting Room to the Beyond (1964) – directed by Alfred Vohrer – aka Wartezimmer zum Jenseits and Mark of the Tortoise
The Curse of the Hidden Vault (1964) – directed by Franz Josef Gottlieb – aka Die Gruft mit dem Rätselschloß
Last of the Renegades (1964) – directed by Harald Reinl – aka Winnetou – 2. Teil and Winnetou: Last of the Renegades
The Secret of the Chinese Carnation (1964) – directed by Rudolf Zehetgruber – aka Das Geheimnis der chinesischen Nelke and Il segreto del garofano cinese
Traitor’s Gate (1964) – directed by Freddie Francis – aka Das Verrätertor
Neues vom Hexer (1965) – directed by Alfred Vohrer – aka News from the Sorcerer and Again the Ringer
The Dirty Game (1965) – directed by
Christian-Jaque, Werner Klingler, Carlo Lizzani, & Terence Young – aka Spione unter sich, Guerre secrète, and La guerra segreta – anthology
That Man in Istanbul (1965) – directed by Antonio Isasi-Isasmendi – aka Estambul 65, Colpo grosso a Galata Bridge, and L’Homme d’Istamboul
The Pleasure Girls (1965) – directed by Gerry O’Hara
For a Few Dollars More (1965) – directed by Sergio Leone – aka Per qualche dollaro in più
Doctor Zhivago (1965) – directed by David Lean – aka Il dottor Živago
Our Man in Marrakesh (1966) – directed by Don Sharp – aka Bang! Bang! You’re Dead!
Circus of Fear (1966) – directed by
John Llewellyn Moxey – Das Rätsel des silbernen Dreieck, Mystery of the Silver Triangle, Scotland Yard auf heißer Spur, Circus of Terror, and Psycho-Circus
Killer’s Carnival (1966) – directed by Alberto Cardone – aka Carnaval des barbouzes, Gern hab’ ich die Frauen gekillt, and Spie contro il mondo
Target for Killing (1966) – directed by Manfred R. Köhler – aka Das Geheimnis der gelben Mönche and Tiro a segno per uccidere
La Sciapassare per l’Inferno (1966) – directed by George Fuller – unreleased
Man, Pride and Vengeance (1966) – directed by Luigi Bazzoni – aka L’uomo, l’orgoglio, la vendetta and Mit Django kam der Tod
A Bullet for the General (1966) – directed by Damiano Damiani – aka El Chucho Quién Sabe?
Creature with the Blue Hand (1967) – directed by Alfred Vohrer – aka Die blaue Hand
The Million Eyes of Sumuru (1967) – directed by Lindsay Shonteff
Five Golden Dragons (1967) – directed by Jeremy Summers
Grand Slam (1967) – directed by Giuliano Montaldo – aka Ad ogni costo
Hell is Empty (1967) – directed by Bernard Knowles & John
Shoot Twice (1968) – directed by Nando Cicero – aka Due volte Guida and Twice a Judas
Coplan Saves His Skin (1968) – directed by Yves Boisset – aka Coplan sauve sa peau and L’assassino ha le ore contate
Psychopath (1968) – directed by Guido Zurli – aka Sigpress contro Scotland Yard and Mister Zehn Prozent – Miezen und Moneten
If You Meet Sartana Pray for Your Death (1968) – directed by Gianfranco Parolini – aka Se incontri Sartana prega per la tua morte
The Vatican Affair (1968) – directed by Emilio Miraglia – aka A qualsiasi prezzo
Giugno 44 Sbarcheremo in Normandia (1968) – directed by León Klimovsky
The Great Silence (1968) – directed by Sergio Corbucci – aka Il grande silenzio
The Ruthless Four (1968) – directed by Giorgio Capitani – aka Oguno per sé and Everyone for Himself
The Cats (1968) – directed by Duccio Tessari – aka I bastardi
Five for Hell (1969) – directed by Gianfranco Parolini (as Frank Kramer – aka Cinque per l’inferno and Five Into Hell
The Last Roman (1969) – directed by Robert Siodmak – aka Kampf um Rom II – Der Verrat
Marquis de Sade: Justine (1969) – directed by Jesús Franco – aka Justine ovvero le disavventure della virtù
Double Face (1969) – directed by Riccardo Freda – aka A doppia faccia and Das Gesicht im Dunkeln
Gangster’s Law (1969) – directed by Siro Marcellini – aka La legge dei gangsters
Salt in the Wound (1969) – directed by Tonino Ricci – aka Il dito nella piaga
Venus in Furs (1969) – directed by Jesús Franco – aka Paroxismus – Può una morta rivivere per amore? and Schwarzer Engel
I am Sartana, Your Angel of Death (1969) – directed by Giuliano Carnimeo – aka Sono Sartana, il vostro becchino
How Did a Nice Girl Like You Get Into This Business? (1970) – directed by Will Tremper – aka Mir hat es immer Spaß gemacht, Wie kommt ein so reizendes Mädchen zu diesem Gewerbe?, and The Naughty Cheerleader
And God Said to Cain (1970) – directed by Antonio Margheriti – aka E Dio disse a Caino and Satan der Rache
Count Dracula (1970) – directed by Jesús Franco – aka Nachts, wenn Dracula erwacht
Children of Mata Hari (1970) – directed by Jean Delannoy – aka La Peau de Torpedo, Dossier 212 – destinazione morte, Der Mann mit der Torpedohaut, Pill of Death, and The Deathmakers
Rendezvous with Dishonour (1970) – directed by Adriano Bolzoni – aka Appuntamento col disonore and Spezialkommando Wildgänse
Churchill’s Leopards (1970) – directed by Maurizio Pradeaux – aka I leopardi di Churchill and Los Leopardos de Churchill
Rough Justice (1970) – directed by Mario Costa – aka La belva
A Barrel Full of Dollars (1971) – directed by Demofilo Fidani – aka Per una bara piena di dollari and Coffin Full of Dollars
His Name Was King (1971) directed by Giancarlo Romitelli – aka Lo chiamavano King
Slaughter Hotel (1971) – directed by Fernando Di Leo – aka La bestia uccide a sangue freddo, Asylum Erotica, and Cold Blooded Beast
Django Story (1971) – directed by Demofilo Fidani – aka Giù le mani… carogna!
Vengeance Is a Dish Served Cold (1971) – directed by Pasquale Squitieri – aka La vendetta è un piatto che si serve freddo and Death’s Dealer
Shoot the Living and Pray for the Dead (1971) – directed by Giuseppe Vari – aka Prega il Morto e Ammazza il Vivo
Web of the Spider (1971) – directed by Antonio Margheriti – aka Nella stretta morsa del ragno
The Price of Death (1971) – directed by Lorenzo Gicca Palli – aka Il venditore di morte
Eye of the Spider (1971) – directed by Roberto Bianchi Montero – aka L’occhio del ragno
Black Killer (1971) – directed by Carlo Croccolo
A Fistful of Death (1971) – directed by Demofilo Fidani – aka Giù la testa… hombre
The Return of Clint the Stranger (1972) – directed by Alfonso Balcázar – aka There’s a Noose Waiting for You Trinity!, Il ritorno di Clint il solitario, and El retorno de Clint el solitario
Aguirre, the Wrath of God (1972) – directed by Werner Herzog – aka Aguirre, der Zorn Gottes
Death Smiles on a Murderer (1973) – directed by Joe D’Amato – aka La morte ha sorriso all’assassino and Death Smiles at Murder
The Bloody Hands of the Law (1973) – directed by Mario Gariazzo – aka La mano spietata della legge
The Fighting Fist of Shanghai Joe (1973) – directed by Mario Caiano – aka Il mio nome è Shanghai Joe, To Kill or to Die, and The Dragon Strikes Back
The Hand That Feeds the Dead (1974) – directed by Sergio Garrone – aka La mano che nutre la morte
Lover of the Monster (1974) – directed by Sergio Garrone – aka Le amanti del mostro
Heroes in Hell (1974) – directed by Joe D’Amato (as Michael Wotruba) – aka Eroi all’inferno
Chi ha rubato il tesoro dello scia? (1974) – directed by Guido Leoni
Footprints on the Moon (1975) – directed by Luigi Bazzoni – aka Le orme
That Most Important Thing: Love (1975) – directed by Andrzej Żuławski – aka L’important c’est d’aimer
Return of Shanghai Joe (1975) – directed by Bitto Albertini aka Il ritorno di Shanghai Joe
Lifespan (1975) – directed by Alexander Whitelaw
A Genius, Two Partners and a Dupe (1975) – directed by Damiano Damiani & Sergio Leone (opening sequence only) – aka Un genio, due compari, un pollo
The Net (1975) – directed by Manfred Purzer – aka Das Netz
Jack the Ripper (1976) – directed by Jesús Franco – aka Der Dirnenmörder von London
Golden Night (1976) – directed by Serge Moati – aka Nuit d’or and Die Nacht aus Gold
Operation Thunderbolt (1977) directed by Menahem Golan – aka Mivtsa Yonatan, מבצע יונתן‎, Operation Jonathan, and Entebbe: Operation Thunderbolt
The French Woman (1977) – directed by Just Jaeckin – aka Madame Claude
Death of a Corrupt Man (1977) – directed by Georges Lautner – aka Mort d’un pourri and The Twisted Detective and To Kill a Rat
The Song of Roland (1978) – directed by Frank Cassenti – aka La Chanson de Roland
Nosferatu the Vampyre (1979) – directed by Werner Herzog – aka Nosferatu: Phantom der Nacht
Zoo zéro (1979) – directed by Alain Fleischer
Woyzeck (1979) – directed by Werner Herzog
Haine (1980) – directed by Dominique Goult
Schizoid (1980) – directed by David Paulsen – aka Murder by Mail
La femme enfant (1980) – directed by Raphaële Billetdoux – aka Die Stumme Liebe
Fruits of Passion (1981) – directed by Shūji Terayama – aka Les fruits de la passion, 上海異人娼館／チャイナ・ドール, and Shanghai Ijin Shōkan – China Doll
Venom (1981) – directed by Piers Haggard
Buddy Buddy (1981) – directed by Billy Wilder
Fitzcarraldo (1982) – directed by Werner Herzog
The Soldier (1982) – directed by James Glickenhaus – aka Codename: The Soldier
Android (1982) – directed by Aaron Lipstadt
Love & Money (1982) directed by James Toback
Burden of Dreams (1982) – directed by Les Blank – himself – documentary
Code Name: Wild Geese (1984) – directed by Antonio Margheriti – aka Arcobaleno selvaggio and Geheimcode: Wildgänse
The Little Drummer Girl (1984) – directed by George Roy Hill
The Secret Diary of Sigmund Freud (1984) – directed by Danford B. Greene
Creature (1985) – directed by William Malone – aka The Titan Find and Titan Find
Commando Leopard (1985) – directed by Antonio Margheriti – aka Kommando Leopard
The Knight of the Dragon (1985) – directed by Fernando Colomo – aka El caballero del dragón and Star Knight
Revenge of the Stolen Stars (1985) – directed by Ulli Lommel
Crawlspace (1986) – directed by David Schmoeller
Timestalkers (1987) – directed by Michael Schultz – TV movie
Cobra Verde (1987) – directed by Werner Herzog – aka Slave Coast
Location Africa (1987) – directed by Steff Gruber – himself – documentary
Grandi cacciatori (1988) – directed by Augusto Caminito
Vampire in Venice (1988) – directed by Augusto Caminito – also uncredited director – aka Nosferatu a Venezia and Prince of the Night
Kinski Paganini (1989) – also director, writer – aka Paganini
My Best Friend (1999) – directed by Werner Herzog – aka Mein liebster Feind – Klaus Kinski – archive footage – documentary
Please Kill Mr. Kinski (1999) – directed by David Schmoeller – archive footage – documentary short
Jesus Christus Erlöser (2008) – directed by Peter Geyer – filmed in 1971 – posthumous release

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