The Austrian actress is one of the few internationally successful actresses from German-speaking countries. During her long career, in which she worked with the most renowned colleagues, the character actress was awarded the most important film awards. Senta Berger achieved great popularity on television in the mid-1980s with Helmut Dietl’s satirical TV series “Kir Royal”. In her productions she repeatedly embodied the strong and feminine woman. From 2003 to 2010, Berger was the first female president of the German Film Academy alongside Günter Rohrbach. Her best-known films include “It Doesn’t Always Have to Be Caviar”, “Love in 3/4 Time” and “When Women Still Had Cocks”…
Senta Berger was born in Vienna on May 13, 1941, the daughter of the composer Josef Berger.
Senta Berger grew up with her parents in Vienna, where she also attended school. Her father encouraged her musically at an early age and received piano and ballet lessons. While she was still at school she was trained at the Max Reinhardt Seminar in Vienna and from 1958 she was under contract at the Vienna Theater. In numerous performances with first-class reviews, Senta Berger was able to draw attention to herself early on. So she not only played in Vienna, but also took part in several performances in Salzburg and Berlin. She made her film debut in 1957 in The Unexcused Hour.
Senta Berger made her breakthrough with the film adaptation of the novel by Johannes Mario Simmel “It doesn’t always have to be caviar”. She came to international fame in 1962 with the Walt Disney production “Love in 3/4 Time” and the classic “The Testament of Dr. Mabuse” alongside Gert Fröbe. After this success, numerous other American productions emerged. She was signed by Columbia Pictures; in 1964 “Major Dundee” was shot and in 1968 the film “Marquis de Sade”. In 1965 she received the “Golden Globe Award” and in 1968 the “Bambi”.
In Hollywood, Senta Berger became a world star and shot alongside famous colleagues such as Kirk Douglas, John Wayne, Dean Martin, Frank Sinatra, Charlton Heston, Yul Brynner and Sir Alec Guinness. In 1965 Berger founded the Senta film production company. In 1966 she married the actor, film director and doctor Dr. Michael Verhoeven. Some German and European works followed, such as in 1970 with the Italian director Lina Wertmüller, in which she starred in the comedy entitled “Quando le donne avevano la coda”, in English “When women still had tails”. .
Some of these works were made by Senta film production. Her husband also directed some works. In the two years 1972 and 1979 the two children Simon Vincent and Luca Paul were born. Between 1974 and 1982 she was the “Paramour” in “Jedermann” at the Salzburg Festival alongside Curd Jürgens and Maximilian Schell. In 1983 she received the “Film Ribbon in Silver”. Senta Berger’s productions included “The White Rose” in 1982 and “The Terrible Girl” in 1989. Since that time she has often appeared in a number of successful German television works. The best-known TV productions include miniseries such as “Kir Royal” from 1985/86 or “Lilli Lottofee” and the ARD film adaptation “Dr. Schwarz and Dr. Martin”.
In 1998 Berger was awarded the “Karl Valentin Prize” and the “Romy”. In 1999 she was honored with the Federal Cross of Merit. The comedic television films “Sharp on Life” and “Until that your death separates us” were made in 2000 and 2001. 2003) was awarded. In 2003 Friedemann Fromm directed “Under Suspicion – A Country Outing”. In 2002 she received the Bavarian Order of Merit for her achievements. In addition to her work as a film actress, she can often be seen at the theater and at raved readings of literary works.
She summarized her life in her memoirs, which she published in March 2006 under the title “I always knew that I could fly”. From 2003 to 2010, Berger was the first female president of the German Film Academy alongside Günter Rohrbach.
Filmography
1957 – The Unexcused Hour
1957 – The Linden landlady from the Danube beach
1958 – The embezzled heaven
1958 – The Journey
1959 – Katja – The uncrowned empress
1960 – I marry Mr. Director
1960 – The Good Soldier Švejk
1960 – O sole mio
1961 – The Secret Ways
1961 – The Miracle of Malachi
1961 – Young people need love
1961 – One prettier than the other
1961 – Always trouble with the bed
1961 – Adieu, Farewell, Goodbye
1961 – It doesn’t always have to be caviar
1961 – This time it has to be caviar
1961 – Ramona
1961 – The Mystery of the Black Suitcase
1962 – Gynecologist Dr. Sibelius
1962 – The will of Dr. mabuse
1962 – Love in 3/4 time
1962 – Sherlock Holmes and the Necklace of Death
1963 – The Victors
1963 – Kali Yug – The Goddess of Vengeance
1963 – Kali Yug – Riot in India
1963 – Jack and Jenny
1964 – The Spy With My Face
1965 – Sierra Charriba (Major Dundee)
1965 The Glory Guys
1965 – Shots in three-four time
1966 – Cast a Giant Shadow
1966 – Marrakesh (Our Man in Marrakesh)
1966 – The Poppy Is Also a Flower
1966 – Long Legs – Long Fingers
1966 – The Quiller Memorandum – Danger from the Darkness
1966 – Our boss is a lady
1967 – The Cruel Job
1967 – Pairings
1967 – When killers lie in wait (The Ambushers)
1967 – A Thief Is a Thief
1967 – With devilish regards
1968 – Istanbul Express
1968 – Babeck (TV three-part)
1968 – Vultures can wait
1969 – This is how we travel and this is how we love
1969 – The dissolute life of the Marquis de Sade
1970 – When women still had dicks
1971 – Who Loves in a Glass House (also production)
1971 – Commando Cobra (Le saut de l”ange)
1971 – Roma Bene – Love and sex in Rome
1971 – The Morality of Ruth Halbfass
1971 – The lover of the big bear
1972 – The old Germans had a great time
1972 – The Scarlet Letter
1973 – The White Mafia (Bisturi, la mafia bianca)
1973 – round dance
1974 – The man without memory (L”uomo senza memoria)
1975 – MitGift (also co-production)
1975 – On balance murder
1976 – The Lady Rider (La padrona è servita)
1976 – The Chinese Miracle
1976 – Steiner – The Iron Cross
1977 – The Naked Bourgeoisie (Ritratto di Borghesia in nero)
1982 – The White Rose (co-production)
1983 – Spider Murphy Gang (production)
1984/86 – Kir Royal (TV series)
1985 – Killing Cars (also co-produced)
1988/89 – The fast Gerdi (TV series)
1989 – The Terrible Girl (production)
1990 – Cockaigne (production)
1994/96 – Doctors (TV Series)
1998 – Am I Beautiful?
2002/06 – Under Suspicion (TV Series)
2004 – The fast Gerdi and the capital (TV series)
2004 – bed and breakfast
