Wolfgang Greese

Wolfgang Greese, born on March 8, 1926, in Lübz, was a distinguished German actor who became particularly well known for his many years of work on East German television. After training as an actor in Schwerin, he spent six seasons at the Berlin Volksbühne before joining GDR television in 1971. With over 180 film and television productions to his name, he shaped the face of GDR entertainment cinema and became a popular character actor. In the fairy tale film WER REIßT DEN GLEICH VOR’M TEUFEL AUS? (1977, directed by Egon Schlegel), he played the striking role of the tax collector – a humorous DEFA adaptation of the Grimm fairy tale “The Devil with the Three Golden Hairs.” Prior to that, he appeared in the children's adventure film ABENTEUER MIT BLASIUS (1975, directed by Rolf Losansky), in which he showcased one of his many facets as an actor. Wolfgang Greese also appeared in a number of series, including several episodes of Polizeiruf 110, the children's series Benno macht Geschichten, and the popular sitcom Mama ist unmöglich, in which he played “Old Henry” from 1997 onwards – a role that brought him late success. Greese always impressed with his versatility – from likeable neighbors to less amiable characters, whether as a charming narrator, strict adversary, or lovable grandfather. He also lent his voice to many international actors as a dubbing artist. Wolfgang Greese remains a classic of East German television.