Former German Schlager singer and film actor Manfred Schnelldorfer (1943) started out as a figure skater, who became both World and Olympic champion in 1964.
German postcard by ISV, no. K 31. Photo E. Schneider.
German postcard by ISV, no. K 38. Photo: E. Schneider.
Manfred Schnelldorfer was born in München (Munich), Germany in 1943. He was the son of two figure skating coaches. His father had skated in an ice revue but saw its milieu as a harmful influence.
He won his first competition at the age of eight. He was coached by his parents and skated for the Munich ERC club.
At the German Junior Championships, Schnelldorfer finished second behind Hans-Jürgen Bäumler. The following year, he won the German senior title while Bäumler finished fourth. Internationally, he represented the Federal Republic of Germany (West Germany).
Manfred Schnelldorfer studied architecture at TH München (Technical University of Munich) but put his studies on hold for financial reasons. At age 20, he won the gold medal at the 1964 Winter Olympics in Innsbruck and became one of the youngest male figure skating Olympic champions. His victory was a surprise. The favourite was Alain Calmat of France, who won the Europeans between 1962 and 1964 and was silver medallist at the 1963 Worlds.
The Olympic Championship in 1964 was the highlight of his career. In all, Schnelldorfer was an eight-time German champion, one-time World champion (1964), three-time bronze and two-time silver medallist at the Europeans.
After his Olympic win, the Ice Capades offered Schnelldorfer a $1.5 million three-year contract but he declined because of a promise to his parents. For two years beginning in 1967, he served as the sports director, officially 'national coach', of the Deutsche Eislauf Union. After his parents gave their approval, he performed with the Deutsche Eistheater on Berlin from 1969 to 1973.
Czech postcard by Pressfoto, no S 12/11, 1964. Photo: Zdenek Havelka. Manfred Schnelldorfer becoming Olympic champion in 1964 in Innsbruck.
Czech postcard by Pressfoto, no S 12/12, 1964. Photo: Zdenek Havelka. Manfred Schnelldorfer becoming Olympic champion in 1964 at the IX Olympic Winter Games in Innsbruck. On the left, silver medallist Alain Calmat (France), and on the right, bronze medallist, Scott Allen (USA).
Dutch promotion card for Brio, no. BRI 434, 1964. Photo: Manfred Schnelldorfer kisses Dutch champion Sjoukje Dijkstra.
During the 1960s, Manfred Schnelldorfer also was a 'Schlagersänger' (pop singer) and film actor to finance his architecture studies. He had hits with such songs as 'Wenn du mal allein bist' (When you are once alone) and 'Deine schönen blauen Augen' (Your beautiful blue eyes).
He sang and acted ina half dozen light entertainment films. He made his film debut in Holiday in St. Tropez (Ernst Hofbauer, 1964) with Vivi Bach and Ann Smyrner.
His other films include Ich kauf' mir lieber einen Tirolerhut/I prefer to buy a Tiroler hat (Hans Billian, 1965) with Hannelore Auer and Gus Backus, Tausend Takte Übermut/Thousand takts high spirits (Ernst Hofbauer, 1965) with Vivi Bach and Rex Gildo, and Spukschloß im Salzkammergut/The Haunted Castle in Salzkammergut (Hans Billian, Rolf Olsen, 1966) with Udo Jürgens.
After that he became a coach and sports teacher. He was the first national coach of West Germany for figure skating (Eiskunstlauf-Bundestrainer) between 1974 and 1981.
Between 1981 and 1999 he owned his own sport shop and was a co-commentator for TV station Eurosport. Later he worked as a photographer.
Manfred Schnelldorfer lives in Munich. He is married and has two children. In 2018, he returned to the screen in an episode of the TV series Marie fängt Feuer/Marie is on Fire (2016-2019), starring Christine Eixenberger.
German postcard by Kolibri / Friedich-W. Sander-Verlag, Minden/Westf. no. 2200. Photo: Constantin Film. Manfred Schnelldorfer in Holiday in St. Tropez (Ernst Hofbauer, 1964).
German postcard by Graphima, Berlin. Photo: Marhoffer / Musichouse / Ceres Film. Margitta Scherr, Christiane Rücker and Manfred Schnelldorfer in Ich kauf mir lieber einen Tirolerhut/I'd rather buy a Tyrolean hat (Hans Bilian, 1965).
Manfred Schnelldorfer sings 'Deine schönen blauen Augen' for Gus Backus in Ich kauf' mir lieber einen Tirolerhut/I prefer to buy a Tiroler hat (1965). Source: Fritz 5169 (YouTube).
Manfred Schnelldorfer sings his 1964 hit Wenn Du mal allein bist (If you're alone sometimes) in the TV show of Wim Thoelke (1965). Source: SportStudio (YouTube).
Sources: Wikipedia, and IMDb.
German postcard by ISV, no. K 31. Photo E. Schneider.
German postcard by ISV, no. K 38. Photo: E. Schneider.
Olympic champion
Manfred Schnelldorfer was born in München (Munich), Germany in 1943. He was the son of two figure skating coaches. His father had skated in an ice revue but saw its milieu as a harmful influence.
He won his first competition at the age of eight. He was coached by his parents and skated for the Munich ERC club.
At the German Junior Championships, Schnelldorfer finished second behind Hans-Jürgen Bäumler. The following year, he won the German senior title while Bäumler finished fourth. Internationally, he represented the Federal Republic of Germany (West Germany).
Manfred Schnelldorfer studied architecture at TH München (Technical University of Munich) but put his studies on hold for financial reasons. At age 20, he won the gold medal at the 1964 Winter Olympics in Innsbruck and became one of the youngest male figure skating Olympic champions. His victory was a surprise. The favourite was Alain Calmat of France, who won the Europeans between 1962 and 1964 and was silver medallist at the 1963 Worlds.
The Olympic Championship in 1964 was the highlight of his career. In all, Schnelldorfer was an eight-time German champion, one-time World champion (1964), three-time bronze and two-time silver medallist at the Europeans.
After his Olympic win, the Ice Capades offered Schnelldorfer a $1.5 million three-year contract but he declined because of a promise to his parents. For two years beginning in 1967, he served as the sports director, officially 'national coach', of the Deutsche Eislauf Union. After his parents gave their approval, he performed with the Deutsche Eistheater on Berlin from 1969 to 1973.
Czech postcard by Pressfoto, no S 12/11, 1964. Photo: Zdenek Havelka. Manfred Schnelldorfer becoming Olympic champion in 1964 in Innsbruck.
Czech postcard by Pressfoto, no S 12/12, 1964. Photo: Zdenek Havelka. Manfred Schnelldorfer becoming Olympic champion in 1964 at the IX Olympic Winter Games in Innsbruck. On the left, silver medallist Alain Calmat (France), and on the right, bronze medallist, Scott Allen (USA).
Dutch promotion card for Brio, no. BRI 434, 1964. Photo: Manfred Schnelldorfer kisses Dutch champion Sjoukje Dijkstra.
Schlagers
During the 1960s, Manfred Schnelldorfer also was a 'Schlagersänger' (pop singer) and film actor to finance his architecture studies. He had hits with such songs as 'Wenn du mal allein bist' (When you are once alone) and 'Deine schönen blauen Augen' (Your beautiful blue eyes).
He sang and acted ina half dozen light entertainment films. He made his film debut in Holiday in St. Tropez (Ernst Hofbauer, 1964) with Vivi Bach and Ann Smyrner.
His other films include Ich kauf' mir lieber einen Tirolerhut/I prefer to buy a Tiroler hat (Hans Billian, 1965) with Hannelore Auer and Gus Backus, Tausend Takte Übermut/Thousand takts high spirits (Ernst Hofbauer, 1965) with Vivi Bach and Rex Gildo, and Spukschloß im Salzkammergut/The Haunted Castle in Salzkammergut (Hans Billian, Rolf Olsen, 1966) with Udo Jürgens.
After that he became a coach and sports teacher. He was the first national coach of West Germany for figure skating (Eiskunstlauf-Bundestrainer) between 1974 and 1981.
Between 1981 and 1999 he owned his own sport shop and was a co-commentator for TV station Eurosport. Later he worked as a photographer.
Manfred Schnelldorfer lives in Munich. He is married and has two children. In 2018, he returned to the screen in an episode of the TV series Marie fängt Feuer/Marie is on Fire (2016-2019), starring Christine Eixenberger.
German postcard by Kolibri / Friedich-W. Sander-Verlag, Minden/Westf. no. 2200. Photo: Constantin Film. Manfred Schnelldorfer in Holiday in St. Tropez (Ernst Hofbauer, 1964).
German postcard by Graphima, Berlin. Photo: Marhoffer / Musichouse / Ceres Film. Margitta Scherr, Christiane Rücker and Manfred Schnelldorfer in Ich kauf mir lieber einen Tirolerhut/I'd rather buy a Tyrolean hat (Hans Bilian, 1965).
Manfred Schnelldorfer sings 'Deine schönen blauen Augen' for Gus Backus in Ich kauf' mir lieber einen Tirolerhut/I prefer to buy a Tiroler hat (1965). Source: Fritz 5169 (YouTube).
Manfred Schnelldorfer sings his 1964 hit Wenn Du mal allein bist (If you're alone sometimes) in the TV show of Wim Thoelke (1965). Source: SportStudio (YouTube).
Sources: Wikipedia, and IMDb.
No comments:
Post a Comment