Actor Rolf Schimpf has died at the age of 100. His passing was confirmed on Saturday by his biographer and close friend Detlef Vetten, following reports from various media outlets. Schimpf gained fame for his role in the ZDF television series ‚Der Alte‘, which he portrayed for nearly 20 years. He continued to chase criminals in Munich as Chief Inspector Leo Kress until he retired in 2007.
After his retirement, the Berlin-born actor, who had moved to Munich decades earlier with his wife, actress Ilse Zielstorff, lived a quieter life. Schimpf’s death comes nearly ten years after the passing of his wife.
A Long Career in Theatre and Television
By the time Schimpf began his role as ‚Der Alte‘ in 1986, he had already accumulated extensive acting experience. He had been performing on stage and in front of cameras since the 1950s. Schimpf appeared in the ARD crime series ‚Tatort‘ and featured in almost 50 episodes of the crime series ‚SOKO 5113‘.
He owed much of his success to Munich producer Helmut Ringelmann, who shaped entertainment television with successful formats like ‚Derrick‘ and ‚Der Kommissar‘. In 1984, Ringelmann brought Schimpf on board for the drama series ‚Mensch Bachmann‘, which aired on Saturday evenings on ZDF.