- David Hurst
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For the British journalist and author, see David Hurst (writer).
David Hurst Born Heinrich Theodor Hirsch
May 8, 1926
Berlin, GermanyOccupation actor, theatre producer Years active 1948–2000 David Hurst (born Heinrich Theodor Hirsch on 6 May 1926) is a British-German actor.
Contents
Biography
Germany
Hurst grew up in a family of actors. His father was a member of the Austrian Theatre and appeared frequently at the Salzburg Festival, and was also a renowned director in the Deutsches Theater in Berlin. As a Jewish child living in Nazi Germany, he faced persecution from the Nazi regime. After the pogroms of Kristallnacht, British-Jewish citizens offered to bear the government expenses for the rescue of Jewish children from Germany and Austria. He was one of the thousands of children in 1938 relocated with the Kindertransport in the United Kingdom. At the time of leaving his mother, he was 12 years old. He never saw her again.
United Kingdom
Relocated to a manor in Northern Ireland, he lived with other young emigrants in the care of a family of an estate manager. It was here that he got the chance to receive an artistic education. His first stage experience was gained in Belfast at a repertory theatre, where he also changed his name from Heinrich Hirsch to David Hurst. During World War II he joined the army, but because of his German background he was assigned to ENSA where he performed as an actor and a comedian.
German playbill for the film The Perfect Woman
His first film role was in 1949 as "Wolfgang Winkel" in The Perfect Woman, a role Hurst had previously played in the West End to critical praise. He went on to appear in many British films of the 1950s.
United States
In 1957, Hurst moved the United States. He spent most of his time in California, but often performed on Broadway.
Throughout the 1950s and 1960s he played in film, television, and theatre. In 1959 he received the Clarence Derwent Award and in 1964, he was awarded the Obie Award for his off-Broadway performance in A Month in the Country from The Village Voice.[1]
In 1969, he performed in the film version of Hello, Dolly as Rudolph the headwaiter alongside Barbara Streisand and Walter Matthau. This has been his biggest role to date, and his most recognizable in America. He also had roles in the films The Boys From Brazil (1978) and Kelly's Heroes (1970). Hurst also appeared in numerous TV series including Mission: Impossible, Serpico and Star Trek.
Throughout his career he worked as a visiting professor at Yale, Boston University and Carnegie Mellon.
Return to Germany
In the 1980s he appeared in several German-American co-productions, and visited his half-brother Wolfgang Heinz in East Berlin. Hurst decided to remain in Germany, and worked with theatre director George Tabori in Vienna and Berlin. From 1991 Hurst worked at the Burgtheater, Vienna, and also regained his German citizenship, eventually returning to live in Berlin in 2000, when he retired from acting.
Hurst has been married three times, and his children live in Italy, United Kingdom and the United States.
Appearances
Theatre
Play Role Theatre Dates[2] The Faithful Brethren of Pitt Street Joseph Knaitsch Orpheum Theatre 5 – 20 November 1988
20 performancesDracula Abraham Van Helsing Broadway 20 October 1977 – 6 January 1980 Henry IV Dr. Dionysius Genoni Broadway 28 April – 28 May 1973 Electra Paedagogus Delacorte Theater 5 – 29 August 1964
22 performances
(New York Shakespeare Festival)A Month in the Country Ignaty Ilyitch Shpigelsky Maidman Playhouse 1963 – 1964
48 performancesCamelot Merlin Broadway 3 December 1960 – 5 January 1963 The Lunatic View Young Man Lucille Lortel Theatre November 1962 Under The Sycamore Tree The Scientist Cricket Theatre 7 March – 10 April 1960
41 performancesLook After Lulu! The Policeman Broadway 3 March – 4 April 1959 A Midsummer Night's Dream Ensemble Broadway 21 September – 17 October 1954 Films
Year Title Role 1978 The Boys from Brazil Strasser 1970 Kelly's Heroes Colonel Dankhopf 1969 The Maltese Bippy Dr. Charles Strauss 1968 Hello, Dolly! Rudolph Reizenweber 1964 The Confession Gustave 1957 After the Ball Perelli 1956 The Intimate Stranger Dave Pearson (uncredited) 1955 All for Mary M. Victor As Long as They're Happy Dr. Hermann Schneider One Good Turn Professor Dofee 1954 Mad About Men Signor Mantalini River Beat Paddy McClure 1953 Always A Bride Beckstein Rough Shoot Lex 1952 Top Secret Professor Deutsch (uncredited) Venetian Bird Minelli Old Mother Riley Meets the Vampire Mugsy So Little Time Blumel/Baumann 1951 The Smart Aleck Poppi 1950 Tony Draws a Horse Ivan 1949 The Perfect Woman Wolfgang Winkel Television
Year Title Role Notes 1981 Skokie Sol Goldstein TV movie 1980 Charlie's Angels Stovich Episode: "Angel in Hiding" 1979 Nero Wolfe Fritz TV movie Ryan's Hope Dr. Nelson (uncredited) 1 episode 1978 Quincy, M.E. Dr. Fred Webber Episode: "Dead and Alive" Eight Is Enough Episode : "The Hipbone's Connected to the Thighbone" Child of Glass Jacques Dumaine TV movie 1977 Insight Episode: "Arnstein's Miracle" McCloud Colonel Andrei Krasnavian Episode: "The Moscow Connection" 1976 Serpico Ducek Episode: "The Indian" 1971 NET Playhouse Chanute Episode: "The Wright Brothers" Dark Shadows Justin Collins 3 episodes 1970 The F.B.I. Alex Keeler Episode: "The Traitor" The Mod Squad Consulate General Fohgib Episode: "The Exile" 1969 The Flying Nun Benito Gomez Episode: "The Lottery" Mission: Impossible Dr. Oswald Beck Episode: "The Test Case" Star Trek Hodin[1] Episode: "The Mark of Gideon" 1968 Run for Your Life Heinrich Kleist Episode: "The Exchange" The Flying Nun Gus Mendoza - Sister Sixto's Uncle Episode: "A Fish Story" The Monkees The Baron Episode: "Monkees Race Again" It Takes a Thief Captain Kovich Episode: "When Boy Meets Girl" The Man from U.N.C.L.E. Dr. Jan Vanovech Episode: "The Seven Wonders of the World Affair" To Die in Paris Pirot TV movie 1967 Mannix Vladek Episode: "The Many Deaths of Saint Christopher" Mission: Impossible Victor Grigov Episode: "The Astrologer" Hallmark Hall of Fame Petrovini Episode: "Anastasia" 1966 The Girl from U.N.C.L.E. Matthew Brecker Episode: "The Mata Hari Affair" Hawk Louis Anselmi Episode: "The Longleat Chronicles" 1965 The Patty Duke Show Dennis Latouche Episode: "It Takes a Heap of Livin'" The Man from U.N.C.L.E. Dr. Leland Mayes Elmont Episode: "The Brain-Killer Affair" Look Up and Live 2 Episodes: "The Initiation" and "The Judgment" 1964 The Defenders Dr. Schaeffer Episode: "Drink Like a Lady" 1962 Car 54, Where Are You? Robin Stuart, Playwright Episode: "That's Show Business" 1960 Dow Hour of Great Mysteries Baron Episode: "The Dachet Diamonds" Play of the Week 2 Episodes: "Tiger at the Gates" and "The Emperor's Clothes" 1958 Kraft Television Theatre 2 Episodes: "Riddle of a Lady" and "Next Door to Death" DuPont Show of the Month Mr. Stryver Episode: "A Tale of Two Cities" 1957 Armstrong Circle Theatre Government official Episode: "The Shepherd of Paris" 1956 The Adventures of Aggie Lazareff Episode: "Snap Judgment" References
- ^ "OBIES 1963-1964". blogs.villagevoice.com. May 28, 1964. http://blogs.villagevoice.com/runninscared/2009/07/clip_job_obies_3.php. Retrieved 31 January 2011.
- ^ "Lortel Archives - The Internet Off-Broadway Database". lortel.org. http://www.lortel.org/LLA_archive/index.cfm?search_by=people&first=David&middle=&last=Hurst. Retrieved 31 January 2011.
External links
Categories:- 1926 births
- German actors
- Living people
- Kindertransport refugees
- German film actors
- German television actors
- People from Vienna
- Actors from Berlin
- German stage actors
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