Otto Sander
- Known for
- Acting
- Born
- June 30, 1941
- Died
- September 12, 2013
- Birthplace
- Hanover, Germany
Otto Sander (German: [ˈɔtoː ˈzandɐ]; June 30, 1941 – September 12, 2013) was a German film, theater, and voice actor. Sander grew up in Kassel, where he graduated in 1961 from the Friedrichgymnasium. After leaving school he spent his military service in 1961/62 with the Bundesmarine and left as reserve fenrik. Sander then studied theatre science, history of art and philosophy. In 1965 he made his acting debut at the Düsseldorfer chamber plays. After his first film work in the same year he abandoned his studies in 1967, and went to Munich to become a full-time actor. His career is closely connected with the Schaubühne theatre in Berlin under the direction of Peter Stein. From 1980 onwards Sander appeared on several of Berlin's theatre stages, among others at the Schillertheater in 1981, at the Freie Volksbühne in 1985 and in 1989 at the Komödie am Kurfürstendamm. More recently he starred in Hauptmann von Köpenick at the Schauspielhaus Bochum (2004). In 1990, he was a member of the Jury at the 40th Berlin International Film Festival. Among his best-known film roles are the angel Cassiel in Wings of Desire and its sequel Faraway, So Close! by Wim Wenders, and a shell-shocked U-boat commander, Kapitänleutnant Philipp Thomsen, in Wolfgang Petersen's Das Boot. Sander also appeared in The Tin Drum (1979) as a trumpeter and in Comedian Harmonists, a biopic about the musical group of the same name. He also played a professor in the movie The Promise about the division of Berlin by the wall. In 1999 he played a role in Rosa von Praunheim's movie The Einstein of Sex.
Filmography
About Narration 2025
Actor
Das Boot Revisited: An Underwater Success Story 2021
as Self
Roland Klick: The Heart Is a Hungry Hunter 2013
as Himself
Fly Away 2012
as Eckehardt Tiedgen
- Die Schuld der Erben
Die Schuld der Erben 2012
as Leonhard Asmussen
Life Is Too Long 2010
Actor
Krabat 2008
as Narrator (voice)
The Heart Is a Dark Forest 2007
as Helmut
Little King Macius 2007
as Erasmus (voice)
Kaluoka'hina: The Enchanted Reef 2004
as Narrator (voice)
- Aus Liebe zu Deutschland - Eine Spendenaffäre
Aus Liebe zu Deutschland - Eine Spendenaffäre 2003
as Voice
The Danube 2003
as Franz
Werner - Gekotzt wird später! 2003
as Erzähler (voice)
Wings of Desire: The Angels Among Us 2003
as Self
- Tödliches Vertrauen
Tödliches Vertrauen 2002
as Bernd Kortens
- Atlantic Affairs
Atlantic Affairs 2002
as Maitre de Plaisir on Stage
Happy Too 2002
as Himself / Gert Bastian
100 Pro 2001
as Narrator
Sass 2001
as Vater Sass
The Einstein of Sex: Life and Work of Dr. M. Hirschfeld 2000
as Professor Steinach
Marlene 2000
as Bühnenmanager
- E-m@il an Gott
E-m@il an Gott 1999
as Petrus
- Majestät brauchen Sonne
Majestät brauchen Sonne 1999
as Kaiser Wilhelm II (voice)
Girls under investigation 1999
as Staatsanwalt Baldur Meixner
Männer sind wie Schokolade 1999
as Vater Lano
- Der Kuß des Vergessens
Der Kuß des Vergessens 1999
as Herr Jelke
- Stan Becker - Auf eigene Faust
Stan Becker - Auf eigene Faust 1998
as Walker
Am I Beautiful? 1998
as David
The Harmonists 1997
Actor
Conversation with the Beast 1997
as Adolf Hitler Double
- Liebe Lügen
Liebe Lügen 1997
as Vater
Killer Condom 1996
as Mr. Higgins
Lumière & Company 1995
as Cassiel (segment "Wim Wenders")
- Matulla und Busch
Matulla und Busch 1995
as Korte
Nikolaikirche 1995
as kirchlicher Superintendent
The Promise 1995
as Professor Lorenz
Bauernschach 1995
as Dr. Gerold Stadler
Das Loch 1995
as Der Mann
The White Horse Inn in St. Wolfgang 1994
as Prof. Hinzelmann
- Hölderlin-Comics
Hölderlin-Comics 1994
Actor
Movie Days 1994
as Maður á hesti
Three Sisters 1994
as Vershinin
The Film Narrator 1993
as Salzmann
The Olympic Summer 1993
as Sprecher
Faraway, So Close! 1993
as Cassiel
Inge, April und Mai 1993
Actor
- Schlusschor
Schlusschor 1993
Actor
Lyrische Suite. Das untergehende Vaterland 1992
Actor
- Bescheiß kein Kind!
Bescheiß kein Kind! 1992
as Vater
Werner and the Wizard of Booze 1990
as Narrator (voice) (uncredited)
Time of Vengeance 1990
as Robert
- Vorwärts
Vorwärts 1990
Actor
The Break 1989
as Erwin Lubowitz
- Wie du mir..
Wie du mir.. 1989
as Markus Petarka
The Case of Mr. Spalt 1988
as Otto Spalt
Wings of Desire 1987
as Cassiel
- Close Up
Close Up 1987
as Professor Spalt
Boundaries of Time - Caspar David Friedrich 1986
as Gerichtsgehilfe
- Drei Schwestern
Drei Schwestern 1986
as Alexander Ignatjewitsch Werschinin
Miko: From the Gutter to the Stars 1986
as Loan officer Grop
Wahnfried 1986
as Richard Wagner
Rosa Luxemburg 1986
as Karl Liebknecht
- Eine Reise wert… Der Dichter Günter Kunert (be)sucht Berlin
Eine Reise wert… Der Dichter Günter Kunert (be)sucht Berlin 1986
as Rezitation
- Der Mord mit der Schere
Der Mord mit der Schere 1984
as Inspector Spalt
A Love in Germany 1983
as Narrator
- Remembrance: Film for Curt Bois
Remembrance: Film for Curt Bois 1982
as Self, Director
Der Mann im Pyjama 1981
as Rudi
Who's Going Crazy Here, Doctor? 1981
as Nummer Sieben
Das Boot 1981
as Phillip Thomsen
Strike Back 1981
as Kowalski
- Gesucht wird... Drei Geschichten um nicht ganz ehrenwerte Herren
Gesucht wird... Drei Geschichten um nicht ganz ehrenwerte Herren 1981
Actor
- Im Schlaraffenland. Ein Roman unter feinen Leuten
Im Schlaraffenland. Ein Roman unter feinen Leuten 1981
as Kalfisch
- Die Ursache
Die Ursache 1980
Actor
- Der Mond scheint auf Kylenamoe
Der Mond scheint auf Kylenamoe 1980
Actor
Palermo or Wolfsburg 1980
as Staatsanwalt
The Tin Drum 1979
as Meyn
- Trilogie des Wiedersehens
Trilogie des Wiedersehens 1979
as Richard
- Phantom
Phantom 1979
Actor
- Plastikfieber
Plastikfieber 1979
as Wilfried
- Die Ängste des Dr. Schenk
Die Ängste des Dr. Schenk 1978
Actor
- Heinrich Zille
Heinrich Zille 1977
Actor
Four Against the Bank 1976
as Eberhard Winter
The Marquise of O 1976
as Brother, Forstmeister
Summer Guests 1976
as Pjotr Suslov
- Lehmanns Erzählungen
Lehmanns Erzählungen 1975
as Lehmann
Berlin 10. 11. 74 - 28. 1. 75: Exercises in 9 Pieces 1975
as Himself
Meine Sorgen möcht' ich haben 1975
as Harald Bornemann
- Die Bakchen
Die Bakchen 1974
as Tiresias
One or the Other of Us 1974
as Rulle Ruhlsdorff
- Ermittlungen gegen Unbekannt
Ermittlungen gegen Unbekannt 1974
Actor
- Prinz Friedrich von Homburg
Prinz Friedrich von Homburg 1973
as Obrist Kottwitz
- The Ignoramus and the Madman
The Ignoramus and the Madman 1972
Actor
- Die Mutter
Die Mutter 1971
Actor
- Sonntags am Meer
Sonntags am Meer 1970
as Fritzchen
No Pawing, Darling 1970
Actor
- Sonnabend, der 1.
Sonnabend, der 1. 1970
Actor
- Ludwig
Ludwig 1964
as Ludwig
Credits from TMDB.