Volker Lechtenbrink
Biography
Volker Lechtenbrink was born in 1944 in Cranz/East Prussia. Already at the age of eight he spoke on NDR children's radio. Two years later he appeared on stage in a Christmas fairy tale at the Deutsches Schauspielhaus. In 1959 he became known throughout Germany in the role of Klaus Hager in Bernhard Wicki's anti-war film DIE BRÜCKE.
Four years later Volker Lechtenbrink made his "real" theatre debut at the Landesbühne Hannover in Shakespeare's BUYER OF VENICE and became a member of the ensemble. This was followed by engagements at the stages of the city of Cologne and the Bavarian State Theatre in Munich. From 1969 to 1983 he was engaged at the Deutsches Schauspielhaus in Hamburg, where he also directed. Since then, Volker Lechtenbrink has given guest performances in Munich, Düsseldorf, Berlin, Hamburg and many other cities in Germany, Austria and Switzerland.
In 1976 Lechtenbrink presented his much acclaimed first long-playing record DER MACHER. Numerous further records and concert tours followed, which finally established Lechtenbrink among the greats of the German pop scene.
Lechtenbrink has worked for television since 1962. Leading roles in DÄMONEN, DER EISERNE GUSTAV, title role in ABSENDER: JOHANNES BRAHMS, DER HAUSGEIST, TÜCKEN DES ALLTAGS, DER LANGE WEG DES LUKAS B, GLÜCKLICHE REISE, EIN UNVERGESSLICHES WOCHENENDE (Provence), M.E.T.R.O. and directed ZWEI MANN UM EINEN HERD and THE HAPPY WITSEN. In 2011 he took on the role of the "evil" Santa Claus in the feature film ALS DER WEIHNACHTSMANN VOM HIMMEL FIEL (Director: Oliver Dieckmann).
Volker Lechtenbrink has also been a guest in numerous television series and serials, including DERRICK, DERRICK, THE MEN FROM K 3, GROSSSTADTREVIER, EIN FALL FÜR ZWEI, SISKA, DIE DREI, THE CLOWN, IN THE NAME OF LAW, TATORT, ROSAMUNDE PILCHER, DR. STEFAN FRANK, IN ALL FRIENDSHIP, INGA LINDSTRÖM, KÜSTENWACHE, SOKO LEIPZIG, ROSA ROTH, THE CRIMINALIST, HELDT and JERKS.
From 1995 to 1997 he was artistic director of the Bad Hersfeld Festival, where he last appeared on stage as KING LEAR in 2012. The following year he staged DIE DREI MUSKETIERE. From 2003 to 2006, Volker Lechtenbrink was artistic director of Hamburg's Ernst-Deutsch-Theater, where he regularly plays and directs as well as at the Hamburg Kammerspiele, the Komödie Winterhuder Fährhaus and the St. Pauli-Theater.
Volker Lechtenbrink is a sought-after dubbing actor (Kris Kristofferson/Burt Reynolds) and also works for radio. In 2007 he received the German Audio Book Award (Best Interpreter) for DIE BRÜCKE, in 2008 the audio book DAS FEUERSCHIFF by Siegfried Lenz was awarded the German Record Critics' Prize.
For his embodiment of Richard Nixon in FROST/NIXON at the Hamburger Kammerspiele Volker Lechtenbrink was awarded the Rolf Mares Theatre Prize of the City of Hamburg in 2010 in the category Exceptional Achievements Performers. He is a three-time Hersfeld Prize winner and was honoured with the Senator Biermann Ratjen Medal of the City of Hamburg.
Most recently he was on stage there with the successful productions LEBEN, SO WIE ICH ES MAG, THE IMAGINARY INVALID and TWELFTH NIGHT or WHAT YOU WILL at the Ernst Deutsch Theater and DER VATER, GROSSE FREIHEIT NR. 7, KOMMEN SIE RUHIG 'REIN as well as LOVE LETTERS at the St. Pauli Theater. In Berlin (Theater am Kurfürstendamm) and on tour in Germany he could be seen in DER MENTOR by Daniel Kehlmann.
Lechtenbrink's memoirs GIB DIE DINGE DER JUGEND MIT GRAZIE AUF published by Hoffmann & Campe in 2010.
Volker Lechtenbrink speaks English.
Four years later Volker Lechtenbrink made his "real" theatre debut at the Landesbühne Hannover in Shakespeare's BUYER OF VENICE and became a member of the ensemble. This was followed by engagements at the stages of the city of Cologne and the Bavarian State Theatre in Munich. From 1969 to 1983 he was engaged at the Deutsches Schauspielhaus in Hamburg, where he also directed. Since then, Volker Lechtenbrink has given guest performances in Munich, Düsseldorf, Berlin, Hamburg and many other cities in Germany, Austria and Switzerland.
In 1976 Lechtenbrink presented his much acclaimed first long-playing record DER MACHER. Numerous further records and concert tours followed, which finally established Lechtenbrink among the greats of the German pop scene.
Lechtenbrink has worked for television since 1962. Leading roles in DÄMONEN, DER EISERNE GUSTAV, title role in ABSENDER: JOHANNES BRAHMS, DER HAUSGEIST, TÜCKEN DES ALLTAGS, DER LANGE WEG DES LUKAS B, GLÜCKLICHE REISE, EIN UNVERGESSLICHES WOCHENENDE (Provence), M.E.T.R.O. and directed ZWEI MANN UM EINEN HERD and THE HAPPY WITSEN. In 2011 he took on the role of the "evil" Santa Claus in the feature film ALS DER WEIHNACHTSMANN VOM HIMMEL FIEL (Director: Oliver Dieckmann).
Volker Lechtenbrink has also been a guest in numerous television series and serials, including DERRICK, DERRICK, THE MEN FROM K 3, GROSSSTADTREVIER, EIN FALL FÜR ZWEI, SISKA, DIE DREI, THE CLOWN, IN THE NAME OF LAW, TATORT, ROSAMUNDE PILCHER, DR. STEFAN FRANK, IN ALL FRIENDSHIP, INGA LINDSTRÖM, KÜSTENWACHE, SOKO LEIPZIG, ROSA ROTH, THE CRIMINALIST, HELDT and JERKS.
From 1995 to 1997 he was artistic director of the Bad Hersfeld Festival, where he last appeared on stage as KING LEAR in 2012. The following year he staged DIE DREI MUSKETIERE. From 2003 to 2006, Volker Lechtenbrink was artistic director of Hamburg's Ernst-Deutsch-Theater, where he regularly plays and directs as well as at the Hamburg Kammerspiele, the Komödie Winterhuder Fährhaus and the St. Pauli-Theater.
Volker Lechtenbrink is a sought-after dubbing actor (Kris Kristofferson/Burt Reynolds) and also works for radio. In 2007 he received the German Audio Book Award (Best Interpreter) for DIE BRÜCKE, in 2008 the audio book DAS FEUERSCHIFF by Siegfried Lenz was awarded the German Record Critics' Prize.
For his embodiment of Richard Nixon in FROST/NIXON at the Hamburger Kammerspiele Volker Lechtenbrink was awarded the Rolf Mares Theatre Prize of the City of Hamburg in 2010 in the category Exceptional Achievements Performers. He is a three-time Hersfeld Prize winner and was honoured with the Senator Biermann Ratjen Medal of the City of Hamburg.
Most recently he was on stage there with the successful productions LEBEN, SO WIE ICH ES MAG, THE IMAGINARY INVALID and TWELFTH NIGHT or WHAT YOU WILL at the Ernst Deutsch Theater and DER VATER, GROSSE FREIHEIT NR. 7, KOMMEN SIE RUHIG 'REIN as well as LOVE LETTERS at the St. Pauli Theater. In Berlin (Theater am Kurfürstendamm) and on tour in Germany he could be seen in DER MENTOR by Daniel Kehlmann.
Lechtenbrink's memoirs GIB DIE DINGE DER JUGEND MIT GRAZIE AUF published by Hoffmann & Campe in 2010.
Volker Lechtenbrink speaks English.
Publications
TV Directing
1983
Die Eumeniden von Ohlsdorf
NDR
1979
Zwei Männer um einen Herd
NDR
Theatre Directing
2019
Twelfth Night, or What you will
(jester)
Ernst-Deutsch-Theater
dir.: Volker Lechtenbrink/Saskia Ehlers
Hamburg
2017
THE IMAGINARY INVALID
(Title)
Ernst-Deutsch-Theater
Hamburg
The Taming of the Shrew (Lechtenbrink acc. to Shakespeare)
Ernst-Deutsch-Theater
dir.: Volker Lechtenbrink
Hamburg
2013
The Three Musketeers (version: Volker Lechtenbrink)
Bad Hersfelder Festspiele
2008
The Winslow Boy (Terence Rattigan)
Ernst Deutsch Theater
Hamburg
2004/05
Amy's View (David Hare)
Ernst Deutsch Theater,
Hamburg
1999/2000
Bullets Over Broadway (Woody Allen)
Komödie im Bayerischen Hof
Munich
1998/99
Bullets Over Broadway (Woody Allen)
Münchner Tournee
tour
1997
Twelfth Night or What You will (William Shakespeare)
Bad Hersfelder Festspiele
1996
Romeo and Juliet (William Shakespeare)
Bad Hersfelder Festspiele
1995/96
Butterflies Are Free (Leonard Gershe)
Komödie Winterhuder Fährhaus
Hamburg
Der eingebildete Kranke/Le Malade Imaginaire (Molière)
Komödie Winterhuder Fährhaus, Hamburg
1995
King Lear (Willian Shakespeare)
Bad Hersfelder Festspiele
1994
Der eingebildete Kranke/Le Malade Imaginaire (Molière)
Münchner Tournee
tour
1992
The Caine Mutiny (Hermann Wouk)
Ernst Deutsch Theater
Hamburg
1991
The Taming of the Shrew (Willian Shakespeare)
Theatergastspiele Kempf
tour
1986
Play It Again, Sam (Woody Allen)
Konzertdirektion Landgraf
tour
1979
The Three Musketeers (Alexandre Dumas)
Bad Hersfelder Festspiele
1977
Three Men on a Horse (J. C. Holm, G. Abbott)
Ernst Deutsch Theater
Hamburg
1976
Armer Mörder (Pavel Kohout)
Ernst Deutsch Theater
Hamburg
Charley´s Aunt (Brandon Thomas)
Ernst Deutsch Theater
Hamburg