William Berger
Encyclopedia
William Berger was a European actor
, mostly associated with Euro or spaghetti Western
s and travel documentaries.
, his earliest work was in Broadway
theater, but while visiting Italy
, he was cast in his first Western
, Break Up in 1965. A series of westerns followed, including Faccia a faccia
(1967), Today We Kill Tomorrow We Die (1968, If You Meet Sartana Pray for Your Death
(1968), Sabata
(1969) and Keoma
(1975). He also starred in Five Dolls for an August Moon
.
In the early 1970s, Berger spent some time in an Italian prison, wrongly accused of possession of hashish
and cocaine
, but resumed his acting career after his release. His later fare included Love Letters from a Portuguese Nun (1977) - inspired in Letters of a Portuguese Nun
by Mariana Alcoforado -, Super Fly T.N.T.
(1973), Hercules
(1983), Devil Fish (1984), The Brother from Space (1988), Dial Help (1988) and The King's Whore (1990). His 1985 memoirs, Half Way Home, recount his life to that point.
He had two daughters with his first wife: Carin Berger (1952) and actress Debra Berger
(March 17, 1957). He had his first son - Wendell Nelson Berger - on December 28, 1972. By second wife songstress, singer, songwriter
and actress Hanja Kochansky
he had two children: a daughter actress Katya Berger
and a son child actor
Kasimir Berger (born in London
on October 7, 1974), who starred with his father in the TV mini-series Christopher Columbus
(1985) as Diego as a Child, in Tuareg - Il guerriero del deserto (1984
) (uncredited) as Gacel's Son and with his mother and sister in Rosso sangue
(1981
) as Willy Bennett. On June 21, 1975 he had his last son Alexander Völz with Dörte Völz.
He had no children with his last wife, Linda Berger.
Actor
An actor is a person who acts in a dramatic production and who works in film, television, theatre, or radio in that capacity...
, mostly associated with Euro or spaghetti Western
Spaghetti Western
Spaghetti Western, also known as Italo-Western, is a nickname for a broad sub-genre of Western films that emerged in the mid-1960s in the wake of Sergio Leone's unique and much copied film-making style and international box-office success, so named by American critics because most were produced and...
s and travel documentaries.
Career
A former roommate of Keith RichardsKeith Richards
Keith Richards is an English musician, songwriter, and founding member of the Rolling Stones. Rolling Stone magazine said Richards had created "rock's greatest single body of riffs", and placed him as the "10th greatest guitarist of all time." Fourteen songs written by Richards and songwriting...
, his earliest work was in Broadway
Broadway theatre
Broadway theatre, commonly called simply Broadway, refers to theatrical performances presented in one of the 40 professional theatres with 500 or more seats located in the Theatre District centered along Broadway, and in Lincoln Center, in Manhattan in New York City...
theater, but while visiting Italy
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
, he was cast in his first Western
Western (genre)
The Western is a genre of various visual arts, such as film, television, radio, literature, painting and others. Westerns are devoted to telling stories set primarily in the latter half of the 19th century in the American Old West, hence the name. Some Westerns are set as early as the Battle of...
, Break Up in 1965. A series of westerns followed, including Faccia a faccia
Faccia a faccia
Faccia a faccia is a 1967 Italian spaghetti western film written and directed by Sergio Sollima...
(1967), Today We Kill Tomorrow We Die (1968, If You Meet Sartana Pray for Your Death
If You Meet Sartana Pray for Your Death
If You Meet Sartana Pray for Your Death , also known as Sartana, is a 1968 spaghetti western film directed by Gianfranco Parolini...
(1968), Sabata
Sabata
Sabata may refer to:* Sabata - an ancient city in Sittacene, also spelled Sabdata* Victor de Sabata - Italian conductor and composer* Sabata , the first film in the The Sabata Trilogy, a series of Spaghetti westerns...
(1969) and Keoma
Keoma (film)
Keoma, also released in various counties under the titles Django Rides Again and The Violent Breed, is a 1976 Spaghetti Western film directed by Enzo G. Castellari and starring Franco Nero and Donald O'Brian...
(1975). He also starred in Five Dolls for an August Moon
Five Dolls for an August Moon
Five Dolls for an August Moon is a 1970 Italian thriller film directed by Mario Bava, from a screenplay by Mario di Nardo. The music is written by the Italian film composer Piero Umiliani...
.
In the early 1970s, Berger spent some time in an Italian prison, wrongly accused of possession of hashish
Hashish
Hashish is a cannabis preparation composed of compressed stalked resin glands, called trichomes, collected from the unfertilized buds of the cannabis plant. It contains the same active ingredients but in higher concentrations than unsifted buds or leaves...
and cocaine
Cocaine
Cocaine is a crystalline tropane alkaloid that is obtained from the leaves of the coca plant. The name comes from "coca" in addition to the alkaloid suffix -ine, forming cocaine. It is a stimulant of the central nervous system, an appetite suppressant, and a topical anesthetic...
, but resumed his acting career after his release. His later fare included Love Letters from a Portuguese Nun (1977) - inspired in Letters of a Portuguese Nun
Letters of a Portuguese Nun
The Letters of a Portuguese Nun , first published anonymously by Claude Barbin in Paris in 1669, is a work believed by most scholars to be epistolary fiction in the form of five letters written by Gabriel-Joseph de La Vergne, comte de Guilleragues , a minor peer, diplomat, secretary to the Prince...
by Mariana Alcoforado -, Super Fly T.N.T.
Super Fly T.N.T.
Super Fly T.N.T. is a 1973 film directed, starring, and co-written by Ron O'Neal. O'Neal reprises his role of Youngblood Priest from the smash hit blaxploitation film Super Fly.The film is currently out of print.-Plot:...
(1973), Hercules
Hercules (1983 film)
Hercules is a 1983 Italian adventure film written and directed by Luigi Cozzi. The film follows the exploits of Hercules.Part of the adventure finds Hercules battling giant robots brought to life by stop motion animation. The musical score was provided by Pino Donaggio.Despite not being a critical...
(1983), Devil Fish (1984), The Brother from Space (1988), Dial Help (1988) and The King's Whore (1990). His 1985 memoirs, Half Way Home, recount his life to that point.
Personal life
He married a couple of times.He had two daughters with his first wife: Carin Berger (1952) and actress Debra Berger
Debra Berger
Debra Berger is an American actress, artist and designer...
(March 17, 1957). He had his first son - Wendell Nelson Berger - on December 28, 1972. By second wife songstress, singer, songwriter
Songwriter
A songwriter is an individual who writes both the lyrics and music to a song. Someone who solely writes lyrics may be called a lyricist, and someone who only writes music may be called a composer...
and actress Hanja Kochansky
Hanja Kochansky
Hanja Kochansky is a Croatian singer, songwriter and actress. She was the second wife of William Berger, by whom she had two children: actress Katya Berger and child actor Kasimir Berger , who starred with his father in the TV mini-series Christopher Columbus as Diego as a...
he had two children: a daughter actress Katya Berger
Katya Berger
Katya Bebb Cobham is a film actress. She is the daughter of Hugh Russell Bebb and Croatian singer, songwriter, and actress Hanja Kochansky, and stepdaughter of veteran spaghetti western Austrian actor William Berger...
and a son child actor
Child actor
The term child actor or child actress is generally applied to a child acting in motion pictures or television, but also to an adult who began his or her acting career as a child; to avoid confusion, the latter is also called a former child actor...
Kasimir Berger (born in London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
on October 7, 1974), who starred with his father in the TV mini-series Christopher Columbus
Christopher Columbus (TV series)
Christopher Columbus was a television mini-series broadcast in Italy and the United States in 1985.In six hours, the series told the story of the life of Christopher Columbus with Gabriel Byrne starring as the eponymous character....
(1985) as Diego as a Child, in Tuareg - Il guerriero del deserto (1984
1984 in film
-Events:* The Walt Disney Company founds Touchstone Pictures to release movies with subject matter deemed inappropriate for the Disney name.* Tri-Star Pictures, a joint venture of Columbia Pictures, HBO, and CBS, releases its first film....
) (uncredited) as Gacel's Son and with his mother and sister in Rosso sangue
Absurd (film)
Absurd is a 1981 Italian horror film, an unofficial sequel to Antropophagus...
(1981
1981 in film
-Events:*January 19 - Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer acquires beleaguered concurrent United Artists. UA was humiliated by the astronomical losses on the $40,000,000 movie Heaven's Gate, a major factor in the decision of owner Transamerica to sell it....
) as Willy Bennett. On June 21, 1975 he had his last son Alexander Völz with Dörte Völz.
He had no children with his last wife, Linda Berger.