One of the most popular and prolific character comedians of post-war German cinema, Georg Thomalla began his working life as an apprentice cook. In 1932, he joined a theatrical troupe and, before long, acted on stage in Berlin. After the war, he became a celebrated star of cabaret, an ensemble member of the 'Kabarett der Komiker'. In films from 1939, it took several years before his comic talent came to the fore. Stardom eventually arrived in the wake of 赫尔穆特·科伊特纳's farce Fanfaren der Liebe (1951), in which the diminutive Thomalla appeared in drag as a member of a female orchestra. Thereafter, he remained consistently in demand for lightweight entertainments, which benefited from his considerable improvisational skills, quick wit and staccato delivery. His stock-in-trade screen personae were eccentric, befuddled and generally accident-prone bachelors, or out-of-their-depths fathers or husbands, who usually tended to fall victim to their own ineptitude.
In addition to numerous 'Paukerfilme' and 'Klamotten' (bawdy comedies, which may, or may not, be 'old hat'), Thomalla also played his fair share of comic sidekicks or friends of the hero, a noteworthy example being Kara Ben Nemsi's loquacious, but intensely loyal manservant and companion Hadschi Halef Omar in 卡尔·梅's Die Sklavenkarawane (1958). From 1961, Thomalla devoted more and more time to appearing in television and to voice-over work. He starred in his own half-hourly TV show, Komische Geschichten mit Georg Thomalla (1961), in which he played an average Joe afflicted by middle-age angst and confronted by a variety of everyday problems. This was essentially a German derivation from the British series Hancock (1961).
Though rarely seen in 'serious' roles, Thomalla did give at least one sensitive dramatic performance as a helpful truck driver in Käutner's East-West romance Sky Without Stars (1955).
German dubbing voice for 鲍勃·霍普, Danny Kaye, 杰克·莱蒙 and 彼得·塞勒斯.
Owned homes in Munich, Bad Gastein (Austria) and Spain.
Is interred in the cemetery of Bad Gastein, Austria.
Was not related to actress Simone Thomalla.
Was trained to be a cook.
Member of the "Kabarett der Komiker" (Cabaret of the comedians) from 1948 to 1956.
Being the German dubbing voice of 杰克·莱蒙, he met him when Lemmon received the Golden Honorary Bear at the Berlin Film Festival (1996).
Was romantically linked to Germaine Damar.
Georg Thomalla finally managed his breakthrough after the war.
The 60s offered him roles, normally in the category comedy and slapstick, tragic roles kept the exception.
His popularity remained undiminished till to the old age.
He was awarded the German Federal Cross of Merit in 1985.
He remained true to the stage all his life and could celebrated huge triumphs time and again.
Television took over a more important role in his career of the 70s and he led through several TV shows. Beside it he continued his film career in front of the camera.
He convinced the audience with his performance in "Fanfaren der Liebe" (1951). From now on he often got roles as a sultry comedian and his popularity increased in the next years.
The actor Georg Thomalla first learned the profession of a cook before he made his acting debut in Hamburg with the operetta "Land des Lächelns" in 1932. After other engagements on different stages he finally came to Berlin where he was spotted for the film in 1939.
