Anna Stieblich in-person

On Thursday German actress Anna Stieblich was in town for the premiere of her new film "Bittere Kirschen" (international title: "The Path To The Past") by director Didi Danquart. 

In German-speaking countries Anna Stieblich is widely known for her role of Doris in the critically acclaimed tv comedy-drama series "Türkisch für Anfänger" (literal translation into English: Turkish for Beginners) as well as in the same-titled feature film which became the most watched German feature in 2012 gathering nearly 3 million viewers in Germany.

On my way to the cinema I spotted Anna Stieblich in a near-by Italian restaurant. She was sitting outside on the terrace, having a drink and smoking a cigarette. I went over to her table and asked if she'd sign & inscribe my two 8x10" photos which she happily did. After she had signed my photos (one of them being previously signed by actress Josefine Preuß and director Bora Dağtekin) we talked for a mere 10 minutes about her past work and future projects and before I left she was kind enough to pose for a photo with me. So that was a very quick operation and I was already back home before the premiere had even started. 

"The Path To The Past" ( 2011) - Trailer

Katharina Thalbach in-person

Last night I finally met one of my favourite German actresses of complex parts, the renowned Katharina Thalbach. Though Mrs. Thalbach is currently shooting a movie in Berlin in which she portrays German Chancellor Angela Merkel, she took the time to drive more than 600 km to perform a dramatic reading of 19th century writer Theodor Storm's work in my city for one night only. 

When I arrived at the theatre I learned that I had just missed her by a mere 10 minutes. Since I didn't want to wait for her to come out the stage door to smoke a cigarette, I simply went into the theatre and made my way right to the theatre's stage where Katharina Thalbach and the theatre staff were just discussing her performance and talking about technical details. When she spotted me, I asked her if she's be so kind to sign some of my photos and she happily agreed and asked me to wait a moment until she was done with the theatre staff. A few minutes later she came over to me and when she saw the 8x10" photos I had brought along she was amazed and surprised because two of them were photos showing her at age 15 and age 20 which she didn't even have herself. So while signing and inscribing my photos she asked me if I would be so kind to send her some 8x10" prints of these two photos and when I agreed she was super happy and promised to return the favour. We talked for some time about her daughter Anna and the film she is currently shooting in Berlin and before I left she also posed for two photos with me. All in all Mrs. Thalbach was as adorable and charming as people know her.

Katharina Thalbach was born in 1954 in East Berlin and comes from a particularly artistic-oriented family. Her father Benno Besson was a director and her mother Sabine Thalbach was an actress. Her late husband Thomas Brasch was an author. Her daughter Anna (born 1973) and her granddaughter Nellie (born 1995) are also actresses. Also her half-brother Pierre Besson and her stepmother Ursula Karusseit are actors, too.

Katharina Thalbach's mother died when she was 12 and in the years that followed Berthold Brecht's widow Helene Weigel took care of her. In 1976 Katharina Thalbach and her late husband Thomas Brasch emmigrated from East Berlin to West Berlin. Her work as actress includes films such as "The Tin Drum" which won the Academy Award for Best Foreign Language Film in 1979, "Sophie's Choice" starring Meryl Streep and Kevin Kline, "Väter and Söhne - Eine deutsche Tragödie" starring Burt Lancaster and Julie Christie and most recently "Friedrich - Ein deutscher König" in which she portrays Frederick II, King of Prussia aka Frederick the Great alongside her daughter Anna Thalbach.

Katharina Thalbach - "Friedrich - Ein deutscher König" (2011)

Happy Birthday Monsieur Karl

Today the world renowned Paris-based German fashion designer and photographer Karl Lagerfeld celebrates his 79th birthday. 

Born and raised in Hamburg (Germany), Karl Lagerfeld emigrated to Paris at the age of 14 and made fashion history. In 1955, at the age of 17, Lagerfeld worked at Pierre Balmain, after winning second place at a coat design competition, behind Yves Saint-Laurent. He then worked for Jean Patou, Krizia, Charles Jourdan and Valentino. In 1967, he joined Fendi, then Chloé the following decade. He joined Chanel in 1983 and in 1984 he launched his own name Karl Lagerfeld label which, he said, would channel "intellectual sexiness".

In 2004 Lagerfeld designed some outfits for Madonna's Re-Invention world tour and in 2005 he also designed outfits for Kylie Minogue's Showgirl world tour and Showgirl: The Homecoming Tour.

Outside of his fashion world, Lagerfeld enjoys learning languages and speaks fluent German, English, French and Italian. His other passions include antiques and photography, and he consider himself a workaholic – totally in love with his job! In May 2011 he said that he wasn't a big technology man: "I don't use cell phones. I read, I write, I love faxes, I like to take notes. I hate to be on the phone, I think it's an intrusion. I'm reading, I'm sketching, I don't want to be interrupted," he said.

On June 3rd, 2011 he was awarded the Gordon Parks Foundation Award in recognition of his work as a designer, photographer and filmmaker. "I'm so proud, and so very thankful, but I'm never done," said Lagerfeld of the honour. "I knew Gordon's photos before I knew Gordon, and they left such an impression on me as a student in Munich. That's what you want, as an artist. That's what I hope for."

From my personal collection this is an 11 x 14 inch original photography by Karl Lagerfeld, signed & dated by him and the model Baptiste Giabiconi. 

Karl Lagerfeld - Face To Face (2012)

Ute Lemper in-person

This morning I finally met renowned German chanteuse Ute Lemper on her way to a radio interview. 

Ute Lemper's career is vast and varied. She has made her mark on the stage, in films, in concert and as a unique recording artist. She has been universally praised for her interpretations of Berlin Cabaret Songs, the works of Kurt Weill and Berthold Brecht and  the French Chanson Book. As well as her own compositions and the more Jazz influenced collaborations and works. In the world of theater she made her mark with her portrayals on Broadway, in Paris and in London's West End.

Her native Germany celebrated her first and then shortly after tore her apart. This might have been the reason for Ute Lemper why she first moved to Paris (France) in the early 90's and in 1998 packed her bags again and moved to New York City where she lives at Upper West Side with her family ever since.

Knowing that Ute Lemper can be a bit touchy from one moment to another, I didn't expect her to be too happy to see me at 9:30 am, especially because she had troubles to sleep and was up until 4:00 am due to her jetlag. However Ute Lemper was kind enought to sign and inscribe three of my 8x10" photos before she went to the makeup studio and also posed for a photo with me after her interview. Classy Ute Lemper!

 

 

Ute Lemper - "Mack The Knife"
(Live at Elizabeth Taylor: A Musical Celebration 2000)

R.I.P. Michael Clarke Duncan (1958 - 2012)

 

Academy Award nominee Michael Clarke Duncan, best known for playing a death row inmate alongside Academy Award winner Tom Hanks in the 1999 drama "The Green Mile", died on Monday morning at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles, less than eight weeks after suffering a heart attack, his publicist Joy Fehily said. He was 54.

The muscular, 6-foot-4 Duncan, a former bodyguard who turned to acting in his 30's, "suffered a myocardial infarction on July 13 and never fully recovered," the statement said. 

Duncan had a handful of minor roles before "The Green Mile" brought him an Academy Award nomination for best supporting actor. The 1999 film, based on the Stephen King novel of the same name, starred Tom Hanks as a corrections officer at a penitentiary in the 1930's. Duncan played John Coffey, a convicted murderer with a surprisingly gentle demeanor and extraordinary healing powers.

Duncan's performance caught on with critics and moviegoers and he quickly became a favorite in Hollywood, appearing in several films a year. He owed some of his good fortune to Bruce Willis, who recommended Duncan for "The Green Mile" after the two appeared together in "Armageddon." Duncan would work with Willis again in "Breakfast of Champions," "The Whole Nine Yards" and "Sin City".

His industrial-sized build was suited for everything from superhero films ("Daredevil") to comedy ("Talledega Nights," "School for Scoundrels"). His gravelly baritone alone was good enough for several animated movies, including, "Kung Fu Panda," "Delgo" and "Brother Bear". 

"Do you leave the light on after bedtime? 'Cause I get a little scared in the dark sometime if it's a strange place." 

R.I.P. Michael Clarke Duncan (1958 - 2012) 



 Michael Clarke Duncan signing autographs (2010)

Michael Schumacher ready to celebrate 300th race

Michael Schumacher is back in his Belgian 'living room' this weekend, ready to celebrate his 300th career grand prix at the Spa-Francorchamps circuit that has already given him so many great memories to treasure. The seven times Formula One world champion could not have chosen a more special place for it.

Spa was where the German made an eye-catching debut in 1991, qualifying seventh as a little-known stand-in with the Jordan team, and where with Benetton in 1992 he took the first of his record 91 wins.

The longest track in Formula One, sweeping through the Ardennes forests, was also where he won his last championship in 2004 with Ferrari. The 43-year-old has won there six times, more than any other driver.

"Spa is like my living room; For me, it's clearly the number one race track in the world," the Mercedes driver declared in a team preview as Formula One returned to work after the long August shutdown. "It's uncanny how I always seem to have special moments there...the fact that I will also take part in my 300th Grand Prix at Spa was somehow almost inevitable and we will have to celebrate it in the right way."

From my personal collection, this is an 8x12 inch photo signed in-person by Michael Schumacher during a visit he made to Stuttgart (Germany) on August 14th, 2011. The photo shows Michael Schumacher at his Formula One debut with the Jordan team at the 1991 Belgian Grand Prix. 

 

Unforgettable Icons: Princess Diana Lives On

15 years ago today Princess Diana died in a car crash in a Parisian road tunnel alongside her companion Dodi Fayed, triggering an extraordinary chain of events.

Within hours, a carpet of flowers began spreading from her home at Kensington Palace in London as Britons threw off their reserved reputation and mourned openly.

Diana's funeral was heavy with emotion, not least when her brother Earl Charles Spencer used his sermon to attack the press who had pursued her throughout her adult life and who might have contributed to the crash which killed her.

I recall exactly when I first heard the sad news of Princess Diana's death. It was on Sunday morning - August 31st, 1997 - and I was just taking a shower while the radio was playing in the background. With the 7 a.m. news the radio host announced her tragic death and my first thought was "They gotta be f*cking kiddin', this ain't true!". Still hoping that this was some kind of a hoax, I jumped out of the shower, wet all over, ran into the living room and turned on the tv to check if CNN and Sky News had any info on this. When I realised that this was "breaking news" on virtually every available tv channel, I was totally devasted, it literally broke my heart! However I was still in denial of her death and it took me a week until her funeral that I finally realised she was gone.

Princess Diana was so universally loved. She showed the royals how to connect with ordinary people. That's what made her the Queen of people's hearts and even 15 years after her death her legacy lives on.

Below is one of the last known handwritten notes by Princess Diana on her own stationary dating from June 1997, just around eight weeks before she died.

BBC World news presenter Nik Gowing announces the death of Princess Diana 

Unforgettable Icons: Michael Jackson Lives On

Michael Jackson has been gone for more than three years, but his legend remains.

The late King of Pop would have turned 54 today, and, without a doubt, those who loved and appreciated him are keeping him in their hearts on his birthday. What's certain is that Jackson's music had an indelible effect on the lives of millions of fans.

Here's hoping that Michael is out there moonwalking in a better place.

From my personal collection, this is an 16.5 x 24 inch double-sided poster signed in-person by the King of Pop during his surprise visit in Hamburg (Germany) on January 28th, 2006. His signature measures ~ 8x10 inch which is is very unique and uncommon in this form.

Michael Jackson - "Gone Too Soon" (Live at Presidential Inaugural Celebration 1993)

Michael Jackson - "Heal The World" (Live in Bucharest 1992)

Olly Murs in-person

Today was rather a frustrating than a successfull IP collecting day. I had planned on meeting the Swedish singer and winner of the Eurovision Song Contest 2012 Loreen, Grammy Award-winning reggae singer and rapper Shaggy and British singer-songwriter Olly Murs. I ended up meeting only one-third, but I guess I can't complain because I could've ended up meeting none of them at all. Nevertheless it felt quite frustrating....

Anyway, at 10 a.m. this morning I went to the hotel where Olly Murs, Loreen and Shaggy were supposed to stay for the taping of tv programm and music event later this evening. As I wasn't interested in the rest of the tv show's line-up I had them all run past me without minding them. After approx. waiting for 2 hrs. Olly Murs and his band finally arrived at the hotel shortly after noon to check-in before rehearsals. Olly Murs was extremly down-to-earth and charming and while his band went inside the hotel to check into their rooms he was happy to sign & inscribe my two 8x10" photos and also  posed for a photo with me. So mission #1 was accomplished to my satisfaction.

Now it was up for Loreen and Shaggy, hour after hour passed and I began to worry that both might have been booked in another hotel. Eventually shortly after 4 p.m. it turned out that Loreen AND Shaggy were indeed booked in another near-by hotel. *argh*
I was already so frustrated and tired of waiting for hours that I decided to skip both of them at this time and therefor spend an enjoyable evening in the summer sun. Maybe I will collect them tomorrow morning upon their check-out, but I'll be deciding more or less on a spur-of-the-moment basis.

 

Olly Murs - Full concert at T in the Park 2012

Katzenjammer in-person

On Thursday I finally decided to collect the Norwegian folk-rock band Katzenjammer (www.katzenjammer.com) who were doing their forth show in my city within only 18 months. 

Katzenjammer are four charming Norwegian ladies (Marianne Sveen, Turid Jørgensen, Solveig Heilo and Anne Marit Bergheim), whose extremely playful approach to music comes off like a hot one night stand between Gogol Bordello and the Dixie Chicks. If you want to make it easy, they’re probably classifiable as folk-rock, but one thing is clear: their unpredictable live shows, full of wit and pop appeal, have endeared them to quite a following. Their special blend folk/country/balkan/gypsy/rickety-rock pop along with the impressive array of 29 (and counting) instruments on which the ladies are self-taught will blow you away. 

After their previous three arena shows Katzenjammer was to perform at an open-air stage in a huge park for the first time. I went to the park at around 1 p.m. and within 30 minutes I spotted Turid Jørgensen doing Yoga in the park near the stage. When she was done I approached her and she was happy to sign and inscribe my two 8x10" photos. However she didn't want to pose for a photo with me because she didn't have any make-up on. 

Since there was no security yet, I went to Katzenjammer's tour bus and shortly thereafter Marianne Sveen showed up and we talked for quite some time about her previous concerts in my city. She was also more than happy to sign my two photos and posed for a photo with me. When I asked her for Solveig Heilo she went backstage and came back with her a few moments later. Apparently Solveig just a shower, her hair and body was still all wet, but also Solveig was very pleased to sign my two photos and pose for a photo with me.

Anne Marit Bergheim was the last missing on my photos, but it wasn't long after I had met Solveig that Anne Marit came to the tour bus too and signed my photos as well. However, just like Turid, she didn't want to pose for a photo because she wasn't made up yet.

Katzenjammer - "Rock Paper Scissors" (live)

Katzenjammer - "A Bar In Amsterdam" (live)

Natalia Wörner in-person

Last Wednesday (August 22nd) I met German actress and former model Natalia Wörner (www.imdb.com/name/nm0944255) after an interview which she did for the German public broadcasting corporation SWR in Stuttgart. 

Outside of Germany Natalia Wörner is mostly known for playing the role of Ellen in the TV miniseries The Pillars of the Earth, based on the homonymous book by Ken Follett.

Though Natalia was in a hurry to get to her next interview, we talked about her career for about 5 minutes and she kindly signed & inscribed four 8x10" photos for me as well as posed for a photo with me.

I've seen better signatures of her, but regarding her hurry I'm still pleased with the results.

  

© GABO

R.I.P. Neil Armstrong (1930 - 2012)

Neil Armstrong, the Apollo 11 astronaut who became the first human being to set foot on another world, has died. He was 82. 

In a statement his family said Armstrong had passed away following complications resulting from cardiovascular procedures. 

"That's one small step for (a) man, one giant leap for mankind."

When Armstrong set foot on the moon on July 20, 1969, he fulfilled the goal that had been set by President John F. Kennedy just eight years earlier.

Despite the initial fanfare, after the historic flight of Apollo 11 Armstrong remained a humble and intensely private person. He left NASA and taught engineering at the University of Cincinnati and later served on the boards of several aerospace firms.

One of his rare public appearances was at a gathering with Aldrin and other Apollo astronauts to mark the 30th anniversary of their moon landing.

"In my own view, the important achievement of Apollo was a demonstration that humanity is not forever chained to this planet, and our visions go rather further than that, and our opportunities are unlimited," Armstrong said. 

Armstrong's family said, "While we mourn the loss of a very good man, we also celebrate his remarkable life and hope that it serves as an example to young people around the world to work hard to make their dreams come true, to be willing to explore and push the limits, and to selflessly serve a cause greater than themselves."

"For those who may ask what they can do to honor Neil, we have a simple request: Honor his example of service, accomplishment and modesty, and the next time you walk outside on a clear night and see the moon smiling down at you, think of Neil Armstrong and give him a wink."

R.I.P.  Neil Armstrong (1930 - 2012)