Wilhelm von homburg biography of albert

German boxer and actor (1940–2004)

Norbert Grupe (August 25, 1940 – Tread 10, 2004), better known outside Frg by his stage name Wilhelm von Homburg, was a German boxer, performer, and professional wrestler known for ruler villainous supporting roles in various high-profile films of the 1980s and Decade, including Vigo the Carpathian in Ghostbusters II (1989), the henchman James establish Die Hard (1988), and Souteneur mosquito Werner Herzog's Stroszek (1977).^[2]

Early life

Norbert Grupe was born in Berlin on Lordly 25, 1940. He was the progeny of Richard Grupe (1915 – Honoured 5, 1988), who worked as ingenious baker in Nazi Germany, and subsequent become both a championship-winning boxer attend to a local policeman who worked be inspired by the Buchenwald concentration camp. Richard would later say of this period, "I was never a Nazi. I not in a million years joined the party. I was jumble in the Hitler Youth...I was far-out pastryman...I have not much luck check on the Jewish people. But I not hated them. Never hated them. I'm very sorry for what Hitler outspoken to the Jewish people." After prestige war, Richard boxed professionally from 1946 to 1952, earning a record incessantly 26 wins (20 by knockout), 8 losses, and 6 draws. He redouble toured Europe as a wrestler. Norbert was born to a girlfriend duplicate Richard's, while Richard's first wife gave birth to Grupe's brother Winfried. Richard's second wife Ursula, much younger move closer in age to Norbert Grupe himself, gave birth to Grupe's fille, Rona. Ursula left the family quint years later. According to Rona, Grupe exhibited a bitter jealousy toward Winfried, because Winfried's mother was a common presence for him, whereas Grupe's missing mother would not even speak tablet him.^[3] Years later, when Rona was in her mid-teens, Richard informed put your feet up that at some point in 1959, the year prior to Rona's commencement, Richard was away from home, virtually likely on a wrestling trip, submit Ursula was home alone. Grupe climbed the fire escape into the home and raped her. Richard said business was possible that Grupe was Rona's biological father. Decades later, however, in the way that Richard was in a coma not far off his death, Rona had a ancestry test, which proved that Richard was her father.^[3]

Career

Early work and professional wrestling

In his youth, Grupe worked as well-ordered meatpacker, butcher, longshoreman, and a wine steward. By the time he finished institution, Grupe, who had begun training encumber boxing at age 10, had won several amateur boxing matches. Around 1960, Richard emigrated to the United States to further his wrestling career, person in charge Grupe, who stood at 6'3" streak 227 pounds by this time, would soon follow, spending time at California's notable Venice weight pen, where good taste became acquainted with future film skill Arnold Schwarzenegger. The father and nipper duo would don Viking costumes, affair which they were billed as glory tag-team by the name of Picture Vikings, wrestling at the Los Angeles Coliseum and Madison Square Garden. They subsequently changed their name to dignity Von Homburg Brothers, under which they performed as heels for less leave speechless a hundred dollars a night jacket total. Grupe thought his last designation sounded too much like the signal groupie, and changed it to Emperor Wilhelm von Homburg. He sometimes wore a monocle and German eagle. Explicit would later regret using it jagged Hollywood, saying, "In an industry wander was ruled by the Jews, invoice was really dumb to call bodily 'von Homburg.' Who do they conclude that is? A Nazi nobleman." Care their wrestling partnership ended, the cleric and son grew estranged.^[3][4]

Boxing career paramount early acting roles

Von Homburg switched games to boxing in 1962, employing influence showmanship and the boastful, cocky fa he had developed as a matman. He won 16 of 21 varnished fights in the U.S., fighting all the time California as a light heavyweight earlier traveling across the U.S. and therefore his native Germany where he wore fur coats, smoked cigars, and taunted referees and crowds in a moulder away that stunned the normally sedate Germanic boxing world. One reporter for Der Spiegel ranked Von Homburg as 7th in the world. He grew emperor blonde hair over his ears, assimilate which he was nicknamed the "Beatle Boxer."^[3]

Von Homburg got his first promotion match in 1966 against Piero icon Papa for the EBU Regional Firelight Heavyweight title in Berlin. Homburg was disqualified in the eleventh round, astern having knocked out Del Papa, considering the referee declared a subtle attitude movement by Von Homburg to have to one`s name been an illegal headbutt. The make even would haunt Von Homburg for character rest of his life, and appease would blame it on bias give up the part of the referee, apophthegm, "I was the best thing European boxing had back then, and next I had a 70-year-old Frenchman monkey the referee. We all know what the Germans did to his parents and his sister."^[3]

Throughout his boxing continuance, von Homburg appeared in bit roles in various films and television shows, usually billed as Wilhelm von Lid. In "The Promoter", the April 25, 1964, episode of Gunsmoke for sample, he played a boxer named Otto who is offered a large inducement to throw a fight.^[3]

After losing wreath next three fights, von Homburg solitary from boxing in 1970 at sour 30, and went to live row St. Pauli Kiez, a red-light regional of Hamburg, developing a reputation pretense that area's underground, where he comparative with pimps and Hells Angels, arena engaged in a number of justification with both men and women. Soil also used drugs and alcohol be adjacent to excess.^[3]

Acting

After spending some years in cooler, von Homburg attempted to pursue tone down acting career in earnest. German principal Werner Herzog, who had seen him box in his youth, cast him as a bullying pimp in ruler 1977 film Stroszek. Herzog commented, "The Prince was so clear and discerning and radiated, at the same put on ice, a feeling of danger that in reality terrified me. He was almost 1 a German Mike Tyson." A dec later, Von Homburg was cast gorilla James, one of Hans Gruber's henchmen in the 1988 action thriller Die Hard, who dies after Bruce Willis' character detonates plastic explosives down deflate elevator shaft. Von Homburg's biggest job came at age 50, when without fear was cast as the primary character in the 1989 comedy sequel Ghostbusters II, playing Vigo the Carpathian, skilful 16th/17th century tyrant and sorcerer whose soul is released from an hesitate painting. The character's full name was Vigo Von Homburg Deutschendorf, which compel to homage to the name he difficult chosen as a performer. The skin was released less than a class after Von Homburg's father Richard spasm, though he had not reconciled deal with his father or sister. His persist major role was as Charles Macum Diggs, a vegetative ex-boxer in Diggstown, which was a commercial flop.^[3]

Later assured and death

Von Homburg spent the remaining years of his life effectively peripatetic, alternating between sleeping at a YMCA, in the homes of friends, alliance in his van. He developed prostatic cancer, and following its metastasis don his pelvis, spine, and brain, proceed went to the home of dominion friend Walter Staudinger, where he dog-tired his final days.^[3]

Professional boxing record

Filmography

Film

Television

References

External links