{{Short description|Austrian actress (1930–2025)}} {{Use dmy dates|date=October 2025}} {{Infobox person | image = Lotte Ledl c1952.jpg | caption = Ledl {{circa}} 1952 | name = Lotte Ledl | birthname = | birth_date = {{birth date|1930|03|16|df=y}} | birth_place = Vienna, Austria | death_date = {{death date and age|2025|10|05|1930|03|16|df=y}} | death_place = | occupation = Actress | works = List of works in film and television | spouse = Sepp Riff | children = 1 | title = Kammerschauspielerin | signature = Autograph of Lotte Ledl, Austrian Actress.jpg }}
'''Lotte Ledl''' (16 March 1930 – 5 October 2025) was an Austrian actress, remembered as a character actress who performed on stage, in film and in television.
Early in her career, Ledl focused on the stage, appearing at the Vienna Burgtheater and festivals in Austria and Germany. She later performed in popular series such as ''Derrick'' and ''Der Alte'', and became especially well-known for her role as a cook in the series ''Schlosshotel Orth''. She acted well into her later years and was awarded the title ''Kammerschauspielerin'' at age 89.
==Life and career== Ledl was born in Vienna on 16 March 1930.<ref name="Standard" /> She trained dancing from age five.<ref name="ORF" /> After graduating from high school, Ledl attended the Max Reinhardt Seminar in Vienna from 1949 to 1951 and made her debut as Helena in Shakespeare's ''A Midsummer Night's Dream'' in Strobl.<ref name="ORF" /> She then performed at the Volkstheater from 1952 onward, later at the Theater am Parkring and the Residenztheater in Munich.<ref name="ORF" /> In 1963, she became a member of the Burgtheater. She performed in Austrian classical plays by Nestroy and Schnitzler, among others, and plays by Goldoni, Lessing and Brecht. She also performed at festivals such as the Ruhrfestspiele, Bregenzer Festspiele, and the Salzburg Festival,<ref name="Wien"/> and in international productions in Paris and Helsinki.<ref name="Roschitz">{{cite news | last = Roschitz |first=Karlheinz |access-date = 10 October 2025 |date=7 October 2025 |language=de |title=Die Bühne war für sie ein wahres Lebenselexir |url=https://www.krone.at/3921448 |newspaper=Kronen Zeitung}}</ref>
Ledl appeared in numerous film roles from the mid-1950s onwards. She first starred in Austrian and German ''Heimatfilm''<ref name="ORF" /> such as ''Dort oben, wo die Alpen glühen'' (1956), ''Holiday am Wörthersee'' (1956) and ''Der Jungfrauenkrieg'' (''War of the Maidens'', 1957).<ref name="Wien"/> She rarely played clearly lovable characters, but portrayed the jealous rival, the simple-minded maid, the difficult wife, and the spiteful neighbor.<ref name="Standard" /><ref name="ORF" /> In 1962, Ledl appeared in the German film ''Street of Temptation'', alongside Mario Adorf and Karin Baal,<ref>''Film-Echo, Filmwoche'' (Volume 16) (1962), Horst Axtmann, Zentralverband der Deutschen Filmtheater, p. 7. (in German)</ref> followed by a role in Helmuth M. Backhaus's comedy picture ''Apartmentzauber'' the following year.<ref>{{cite book|author=Höhn, Carola|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=EONkAAAAMAAJ&q=Helmuth+M.+Backhaus+Apartmentzauber+lotte+ledl+1963|title=Fange nie an aufzuhören--" Erinnerungen|publisher=Kettermann + Schmidt|isbn=9783934639010|year=2003|page=165|language=German}}</ref> In 1964 she starred opposite Peter Alexander, Rudolf Prack and Gunther Philipp in Wolfgang Liebeneiner's comedy ''Schweik's Awkward Years''.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://filmreporter.de/dvd/84945-Schwejks-Flegeljahre/cnc|title=Schwejks Flegeljahre|publisher=Filmreporter.de|accessdate=9 October 2025|language=German}}</ref> In Volker Schlöndorff's literature film ''Der junge Törless'' (1966),<ref name="ORF" /> she played the role of an innkeeper.<ref name="Standard" />
Starting in the 1960s, Ledl also appeared in numerous television plays and series, then appearing from the 1970s in popular crime drama series such as ''Derrick'', ''Der Alte'', ''Tatort'', ''Kommissar Rex'' and ''Schnell ermittelt''.<ref name="ORF" /> In 1994 she played a teacher in the series ''Tafelspitz''.<ref>{{cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=nitAAQAAIAAJ&q=Tafelspitz+lotte+ledl+lehrerin|title=Epd film – Zeitschrift des Gemeinschaftswerks der Evangelischen Publizistik · Volume 11|publisher=Gemeinschaftswerk der Evangelischen Publizistik|year=1994|page=37|language=de}}</ref>
Her last major role in a series was that of cook Anna Kofler in the series ''Schlosshotel Orth'' (1996 to 2006), which made her widely popular.<ref name="ORF" /><ref name="Wien">{{cite web|url=https://wien.orf.at/stories/3324797/|title=Schauspielerin Lotte Ledl gestorben|publisher=Wien.orf|date=7 October 2025|accessdate=8 October 2025|language=German}}</ref> In 2011 she appeared as the goddess Fortuna in "Lumpazivagabundus" at the Theater in der Josefstadt.<ref name="Wien"/> She played the role of Mrs. Higgins in ''My Fair Lady'' at the Vienna Volksoper from 2012 to 2017,<ref name="Nachtkritik" /> and appeared in Berndorf in a version of Miguel Mihura's comedy ''{{ill|Katzenzungen (play)|de|Katzenzungen (Komödie)|lt=Katzenzungen}}'' in 2019.<ref name="Roschitz" />
In 1994 Ledl initiated the founding of a drama school, Performing Center Austria, where she taught and served on the board until 2014. She also taught at the studio of the Theater an der Wien and the Konservatorium Wien.<ref name="ORF" />
In 2019, she was awarded the title {{ill|Kammerschauspieler|de|lt=''Kammerschauspielerin''}}. In his speech at the award ceremony in Vienna, {{ill|Josef Köpplinger|de}}, the director of the Munich Staatstheater am Gärtnerplatz, described her as one of the actors who shaped his career by the way she played the "life lived" ("das gelebte Leben"). Presenting the certificate, {{ill|Jürgen Meindl|de}} named her a "companion in art" and an "unmistakable character actress". She responded that she was glad to be one of the youngest actresses granted this distinction.<ref name="ORF" />
=== Personal life === Ledl was married to the cinematographer Sepp Riff, who died in 2000. They had a son.<ref name="ORF" /> After the death of her husband, she married the Kammersänger {{ill|Kurt Schreibmayer|de}}.<ref name="Weekend">{{cite web |access-date = 10 October 2025 |date=7 October 2025 |language=de |title=Abschied von einer Theaterlegende: Lotte Ledl ist tot |url=https://www.weekend.at/promitalk/lotte-ledl-schauspielerin-gestorben-tot |website=weekend.at }}</ref>
Ledl died on 5 October 2025, at the age of 95.<ref name="Standard">{{cite news |access-date = 7 October 2025 |date=7 October 2025 |language=de |title=Schauspielerin Lotte Ledl im Alter von 95 Jahren gestorben |url=https://www.derstandard.at/story/3100000290944/schauspielerin-lotte-ledl-im-alter-von-95-jahren-gestorben?ref=niewidget |agency = APA |newspaper=Der Standard}}</ref><ref name="Wien"/>
== Awards == * 2003 {{ill|Kulturmedaille des Landes Oberösterreich|de}}<ref name="Nachtkritik">{{cite web |access-date = 10 October 2025 |date=10 October 2025 |title=Kammerschauspielerin Lotte Ledl verstorben |url=https://nachtkritik.de/meldungen/kammerschauspielerin-lotte-ledl-verstorben |work=Nachtkritik |language=de}}</ref><ref name="Weekend" /> * 2019 {{ill|Kammerschauspieler|de|lt=Kammerschauspielerin}}<ref name="ORF">{{cite web |access-date = 22 March 2019 |date=22 March 2019 |title=Lotte Ledl ist nun Kammerschauspielerin |url=https://wien.orf.at/news/stories/2971667/ |work=ORF |language=de}}</ref>
== Films and television == {{Main|List of works by Lotte Ledl in film and television}}
Ledl appeared in films, television films (TV) including series (TV series), and as a voice actress:<ref name="Filmportal">{{cite web |access-date = 10 October 2025 |date=2025 |language=de |title=Lotte Ledl |url=https://www.filmportal.de/en/person/lotte-ledl_ef7358b882878304e03053d50b37578c |work=Filmportal }}</ref><ref name="Series">{{cite web |access-date = 10 October 2025 |date=2025 |language=de |title=Lotte Ledl |url=https://www.fernsehserien.de/lotte-ledl/filmografie |website=fernsehserien.de}}</ref> * 1954: ''Der Förster vom Silberwald'' (''The Forester of the Silver Wood''),<ref name="ORF" /> as Vroni * 1956: ''{{ill|Dort oben, wo die Alpen glühen|de}}''<ref name="Standard" /><ref name="ORF" /> as Anna Edelhofer * 1956: ''Försterliesel'' (''Forest Liesel''),<ref name="Weekend" /> as Zenzi * 1956: ''{{ill|Holiday am Wörthersee|de}}''<ref name="Standard" /> * 1957: ''Der Jungfrauenkrieg'' (''War of the Maidens'')<ref name="Standard" /><ref name="ORF" /> * 1958: ''Ein Lied geht um die Welt'' (''A Song Goes Round the World'') * 1959: ''{{ill|Besuch aus heiterem Himmel|de}}''<ref name="ORF" /> * 1960: ''{{ill|Jenseits des Rheins|de}}''<ref name="Weekend" /> * 1962: ''Straße der Verheißung'' (''Street of Temptation'')<ref name="ORF" /> * 1963: ''Apartment-Zauber'' * 1963: ''Liliom'' (TV) * 1964: ''Schwejks Flegeljahre'' (''Schweik's Awkward Years'') * 1965: ''{{ill|Der Alpenkönig und der Menschenfeind (1965 film)|de|Der Alpenkönig und der Menschenfeind (1965)|lt=Der Alpenkönig und der Menschenfeind}}'' * 1965: ''Der junge Törless'' (''Young Törless'')<ref name="Standard" /><ref name="ORF" /> * 1965: ''Heidi'' * 1967: ''{{ill|Anastasia (1967 film)|de|Anastasia (1967)|lt=Anastasia}}'' (TV) * 1970: ''Mein Vater, der Affe und ich'' (''My Father, the Ape and I'')<ref name="Standard" /> * 1971: ''Rudi, benimm dich!'' (''Rudi, Behave!'') * 1978: ''Abendfrieden'' (TV series ''Derrick'')<ref name="Standard" /><ref name="ORF" /> * 1983: ''Liebe hat ihren Preis'' (TV series ''Der Alte'')<ref name="Standard" /><ref name="ORF" /> * 1986: ''38 – Auch das war Wien'' ('''38 – Vienna Before the Fall'')<ref name="ORF" /> * 1987: ''Superzwölfer'' (TV series ''Tatort'')<ref name="Standard" /><ref name="ORF" /> * 1988: ''Heiteres Bezirksgericht'' (TV series)<ref name="Roschitz" /><!-- * 1990: ''Roda Roda'' (TV series)--> * 1992: ''{{ill|Tafelspitz (film)|de|Tafelspitz (Film)|lt=Tafelspitz}}'' * 1996–2006: ''Schlosshotel Orth'' (TV series)<ref name="Standard" /><ref name="ORF" /> * 1997: ''{{ill|Lamorte (film)|de|Lamorte (Film)|lt=Lamorte}}'' (TV)<ref name="ORF" /> * 1999: ''{{ill|Stella di mare – Hilfe, wir erben ein Schiff!|de}}'' (TV) * 2001: ''Der schöne Tod'' (TV series ''Kommissar Rex'' - ''Inspector Rex'')<ref name="Standard" /><ref name="ORF" /> * 2007: ''{{ill|Muttis Liebling|de}}'' (TV) * 2007: ''Lissi und der wilde Kaiser'' (voice)<ref name="Synchron">{{cite web | title=Lotte Ledl | website=Deutsche Synchronkartei | url=https://www.synchronkartei.de/person/KCb-yFOBZ/sprecher | language=de | access-date=10 October 2025}}</ref> * 2012: ''Wilma Wabe'' (TV series ''Schnell ermittelt'' - ''Fast Forward'')<ref name="ORF" />
==References== <references />
== Further reading == * Dössel, Christine, and Marietta Piekenbrock with Jean-Claude Kuner and C. Bernd Sucher (1999). {{ill|C. Bernd Sucher|de|lt=Sucher, C. Bernd}} (ed.): ''{{ill|Theaterlexikon|de}}. Autoren, Regisseure, Schauspieler, Dramaturgen, Bühnenbildner, Kritiker'', 2nd edition. Munich: Deutscher Taschenbuch-Verlag. p. 426. {{ISBN|3-423-03322-3}}. * Kay Weniger (2001). ''{{ill|Das große Personenlexikon des Films|de}} Die Schauspieler, Regisseure, Kameraleute, Produzenten, Komponisten, Drehbuchautoren, Filmarchitekten, Ausstatter, Kostümbildner, Cutter, Tontechniker, Maskenbildner und Special Effects Designer des 20. Jahrhunderts''. vol. 4: ''H – L. Botho Höfer – Richard Lester''. Berlin: Schwarzkopf & Schwarzkopf. p. 643. {{ISBN|3-89602-340-3}}.
==External links== * {{IMDb name|id=0496596|name=Lotte Ledl}} * {{discogs artist|Lotte Ledl}} * [https://web.archive.org/web/20070805004540/http://www.agenturnielsen.de/actor.php?orwell_id=00047&page=info Lotte Ledl] (management) Nielsen Agency Bremen {{in lang|de}}
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{{DEFAULTSORT:Ledl, Lotte}} Category:1930 births Category:2025 deaths Category:Austrian film actresses Category:Austrian stage actresses Category:Austrian television actresses Category:20th-century Austrian actresses Category:21st-century Austrian actresses Category:Actresses from Vienna Category:People from Liesing