Werner Herzog

Werner Herzog - Directors, Life Achievements and Childhood

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Werner Herzog Biography Stories 

Werner Herzog's Personal Details

Werner Herzog is a famous German film director, producer, actor and screenwriter

InformationDetail
BirthdaySeptember 5, 1942
NationalityGerman
FamousFilm & Theater Personalities, Actors, Directors, T V & Movie Producers
SpousesMartje Grohmann - Lena Herzog
SiblingsLucki Stipetic - Tilbert
Known asWerner Herzog Stipetić
ChildrensRudolph - Hanna - Simon
Universities
  • (Munich
  • Germany
  • 1961) - University of Munich - University of Pittsburgh (three days
  • 1967)
Birth PlaceMunich
Height185
GenderMale
FatherDietrich Herzog
MotherElizabeth Stipetic
Net Worth$45 Million as of February 8,2017
Sun SignVirgo
Born inMunich
Famous asActor, Director

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Werner Herzog's photo

Who is Werner Herzog?

Werner Herzog is a famous German film director, producer, actor and screenwriter. He has received international acclaim and success with his films like ‘Aguirre: The Wrath of God’, ‘Fitzcarraldo and ‘Rescue Dawn’. Apart on working on film projects, he is a well-known personality in the world of documentaries and has directed several of them, including the famous, ‘Into the Abyss’. As a child, he never grew up watching any television or never even watched a film—yet, he has become one of the most prominent directors/screenwriters in the world today, with over 50 films to his credit. Apart from acting, directing and writing for the big screen, he has also authored more than a dozen books of prose and has directed just as many operas. He was a close aide and associate of the peculiar, Klaus Kinski and has been admired as the only director to have ever been able to work with Klaus. Considered one of the greatest figures of ‘New German Cinema’, he is compared to the likes of legends such as, Wilm Wenders, Margarethe von Trotta and Rainer Werner Fassbinder. His films often display heroes with awkward dreams, bizarre talents or those who are struggling with their surroundings.

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Childhood & Early Life

Werner Herzog Stipetić was born on September 5, 1942, to Dietrich Herzog and Elizabeth Stipetić, in Munich, Germany. The family was forced to move to a Bavarian village after their house was bombed during World War II.

They moved back to Munich when Herzog was twelve. It is believed that he was an extremely adamant child in school and would never play an instrument or sing in class, which almost resulted in his expulsion from the institute. At the age of 14, he developed an interest for filmmaking.

He stole a 35 mm camera from the Munich Film School and began filming whatever he could see around him. He won a scholarship to Duquesne University in Pennsylvania, but chose to study in the more reputed, University of Munich instead.

He travelled often which inspired his filmmaking in later life. In the 1960s, he worked as a welder in a steel factory. This helped him to fund his first film. t was during this time he directed his first fiction short film, ‘Herakles’.

In 1966, he worked briefly in television under the sponsorship of NASA.

Career

In 1968, he directed his first film based on World War II titled, ‘Signs of Life’, which became a critical and commercial success. The film was later, showcased at the 18th Berlin International Film Festival and also won an important award. The next year, he made a documentary feature film, titled, ‘The Flying Doctors of East Africa’.

In 1970, he directed, ‘Even Dwarfs Started Small’, a horror-comedy-drama film, which was made on a shoe-string budget of $200,000. He also made his acting debut the next year with the film ‘Geschichten vom Kübelkind’.

In 1971, he made two documentary feature films, ‘Land of Silence and Darkness’ and ‘Handicapped Future’, both of which were critically acclaimed. The next year, he directed, ‘Fata Morgana’ and his well-acclaimed film, ‘Aguirre, The Wrath of God’.

From 1974 to 1980, he directed a number of feature films including, ‘The Enigma of Kaspar Hauser’, ‘Heart of Glass’, ‘Nosferatu the Vampyre’ and ‘Woyzeck’.

In 1982, he directed one of the greatest films of all time, ‘Fitzcarraldo’ starring one of the most difficult actors of the period, Klaus Kinski. The movie was based on the story of the baron, Carlos Fitzcarrald.

In 1987, he directed the film, ‘Cobra Verde’, based on a Bruce Chatwin novel, ‘The Viceroy of Ouidah’

Through the 1990s, he directed a number of hit films including, ‘Scream of Stone’ and ‘Lessons of Darkness’. He also made a number of documentary films including, ‘Echoes from a Somber Empire’, ‘Jag Mandir’, ‘Bells from the Deep’, ‘Gesualdo: Death for Five Voices’ and ‘My Best Friend’.

In the 1990s, he also starred in the movies such as ‘Hard to Be a God’, ‘What Dreams May Come’ and ‘Julien Donkey-Boy’. Apart from acting, he directed operas like, ‘La Donna del lago’, ‘The Flying Dutchman’ and ‘The Magic Flute’ to name a few.

In 2001, he wrote and directed the drama film, ‘Invincible’ starring Tim Roth, Anna Gourari and Max Raabe. Although the film was rated average, it became a hit due to its brilliant music soundtrack.

In 2009, he became the only filmmaker in recent history to have his two films entered in the Venice Film Festival in the same year. One was his American crime drama, ‘The Bad Lieutenant: Port of Call New Orleans’ and the other was ‘My Son, My Son, What Have Ye Done?’

In 2010, he was the chief guest of the 15th International Film Festival in Kerala, India. The same year, he completed his documentary titled, ‘Cave of Forgotten Dreams’, which was a journey to Chauvet Cave in France. The same year, another one of his documentaries, title, ‘Happy People: A year in the Taiga’, premiered at the Telluride Film Festival.

In 2011, it was announced that he would be directing a film on the life of the explorer, ‘Gertrude Bell’ with the star cast, Naomi Watts, Robert Pattinson and Jude Law.

In 2013, he replaced Watts with Nicole Kidman for the role of Getrude Bell in his movie ‘Queen of the Desert’.

Major Works

‘Aguirre, the Wrath of God’, released in 1972, is one of this director’s most important works. An adventure film, it is also written by this illustrious director. This film marked the first of the five collaborations that the director had with Klaus Kinski. The movie opened to widespread critical acclaim and is currently viewed as one of the director’s best-known films till date. The Time magazine has included this movie in the list of ‘All Time 100 Best Films’. The movie also went on to influence Francis Ford Coppola’s classic, ‘Apocalypse Now’.

Awards & Achievements

He won the Silver Bear Extraordinary Prize of the Jury for ‘Signs of Life’.

In 1982, he won the ‘Best Director’ award for ‘Fitzcarraldo’.

He won the Bavarian Film Award for ‘Best Producing’ along with his half-brother, Lucki Stipetić for the film, ‘Cobra Verde’.

He won the 2006 Film Society Directing Award at the 49th San Francisco International Film Festival.

Personal Life & Legacy

Herzog married Martje Grohmann in 1967, with whom he has a son, Rudolph Amos Achmed. The couple divorced in 1987.

He had a daughter with his companion, Eva Mattes, in 1980.

After he divorced his first wife, he married Christine Maria Ebenberger, in 1987, and had a son, named Simon Herzog, with her. The duo split in 1994.

After moving to the United States, he married Lena Pisetski, a photographer, in 1999, with whom he currently lives in Los Angeles.

Trivia

This famous German director, screenwriter and actor publicly cooked and ate his shoe in public. This event was made into a short documentary later.

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Werner Herzog biography timelines

  • // 5th Sep 1942
    Werner Herzog Stipetić was born on September 5, 1942, to Dietrich Herzog and Elizabeth Stipetić, in Munich, Germany. The family was forced to move to a Bavarian village after their house was bombed during World War II.
  • // 1967 To 1987
    Herzog married Martje Grohmann in 1967, with whom he has a son, Rudolph Amos Achmed. The couple divorced in 1987.
  • // 1968
    In 1968, he directed his first film based on World War II titled, ‘Signs of Life’, which became a critical and commercial success. The film was later, showcased at the 18th Berlin International Film Festival and also won an important award. The next year, he made a documentary feature film, titled, ‘The Flying Doctors of East Africa’.
  • // 1970
    In 1970, he directed, ‘Even Dwarfs Started Small’, a horror-comedy-drama film, which was made on a shoe-string budget of $200,000. He also made his acting debut the next year with the film ‘Geschichten vom Kübelkind’.
  • // 1971
    In 1971, he made two documentary feature films, ‘Land of Silence and Darkness’ and ‘Handicapped Future’, both of which were critically acclaimed. The next year, he directed, ‘Fata Morgana’ and his well-acclaimed film, ‘Aguirre, The Wrath of God’.
  • // 1972
    ‘Aguirre, the Wrath of God’, released in 1972, is one of this director’s most important works. An adventure film, it is also written by this illustrious director. This film marked the first of the five collaborations that the director had with Klaus Kinski. The movie opened to widespread critical acclaim and is currently viewed as one of the director’s best-known films till date. The Time magazine has included this movie in the list of ‘All Time 100 Best Films’. The movie also went on to influence Francis Ford Coppola’s classic, ‘Apocalypse Now’.
  • // 1974 To 1980
    From 1974 to 1980, he directed a number of feature films including, ‘The Enigma of Kaspar Hauser’, ‘Heart of Glass’, ‘Nosferatu the Vampyre’ and ‘Woyzeck’.
  • // 1980
    He had a daughter with his companion, Eva Mattes, in 1980.
  • // 1982
    In 1982, he directed one of the greatest films of all time, ‘Fitzcarraldo’ starring one of the most difficult actors of the period, Klaus Kinski. The movie was based on the story of the baron, Carlos Fitzcarrald.
  • // 1982
    In 1982, he won the ‘Best Director’ award for ‘Fitzcarraldo’.
  • // 1987
    In 1987, he directed the film, ‘Cobra Verde’, based on a Bruce Chatwin novel, ‘The Viceroy of Ouidah’
  • // 1987 To 1994
    After he divorced his first wife, he married Christine Maria Ebenberger, in 1987, and had a son, named Simon Herzog, with her. The duo split in 1994.
  • // 1999
    After moving to the United States, he married Lena Pisetski, a photographer, in 1999, with whom he currently lives in Los Angeles.
  • // 2001
    In 2001, he wrote and directed the drama film, ‘Invincible’ starring Tim Roth, Anna Gourari and Max Raabe. Although the film was rated average, it became a hit due to its brilliant music soundtrack.
  • // 2006
    He won the 2006 Film Society Directing Award at the 49th San Francisco International Film Festival.
  • // 2009
    In 2009, he became the only filmmaker in recent history to have his two films entered in the Venice Film Festival in the same year. One was his American crime drama, ‘The Bad Lieutenant: Port of Call New Orleans’ and the other was ‘My Son, My Son, What Have Ye Done?’
  • // 2010
    In 2010, he was the chief guest of the 15th International Film Festival in Kerala, India. The same year, he completed his documentary titled, ‘Cave of Forgotten Dreams’, which was a journey to Chauvet Cave in France. The same year, another one of his documentaries, title, ‘Happy People: A year in the Taiga’, premiered at the Telluride Film Festival.
  • // 2011
    In 2011, it was announced that he would be directing a film on the life of the explorer, ‘Gertrude Bell’ with the star cast, Naomi Watts, Robert Pattinson and Jude Law.
  • // 2013
    In 2013, he replaced Watts with Nicole Kidman for the role of Getrude Bell in his movie ‘Queen of the Desert’.

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Werner Herzog's FAQ

  • What is Werner Herzog birthday?

    Werner Herzog was born at 1942-09-05

  • Where is Werner Herzog's birth place?

    Werner Herzog was born in Munich

  • What is Werner Herzog nationalities?

    Werner Herzog's nationalities is German

  • Who is Werner Herzog spouses?

    Werner Herzog's spouses is Martje Grohmann - Lena Herzog

  • Who is Werner Herzog siblings?

    Werner Herzog's siblings is Lucki Stipetic - Tilbert

  • Who is Werner Herzog childrens?

    Werner Herzog's childrens is Rudolph - Hanna - Simon

  • What was Werner Herzog universities?

    Werner Herzog studied at (Munich, Germany, 1961) - University of Munich - University of Pittsburgh (three days, 1967)

  • How tall is Werner Herzog?

    Werner Herzog's height is 185

  • Who is Werner Herzog's father?

    Werner Herzog's father is Dietrich Herzog

  • Who is Werner Herzog's mother?

    Werner Herzog's mother is Elizabeth Stipetic

  • What is Werner Herzog's sun sign?

    Werner Herzog is Virgo

  • How famous is Werner Herzog?

    Werner Herzog is famouse as Actor, Director