Otto Waalkes
Emden, Germany
Biography
Otto Waalkes, born in Emden in 1948, ranks among the most successful German comedians of all time. He first gained widespread recognition in the mid-1970s through his comedy albums and his own television show. By the mid-1980s—culminating with the release of his first feature film, *Otto – Der Film*—he had risen to the status of an absolute superstar. With a box-office tally of over 14 million viewers, this comedy is considered the most successful German film of all time. The following years saw the release of further installments in the "Otto" film series, all of which went on to become major hits. After a period of relative quiet in the late 1990s, Otto Waalkes staged a major comeback in 2004 with the film *7 Zwerge – Männer allein im Wald* (7 Dwarfs – Men Alone in the Woods). This ensemble comedy drew more than seven million moviegoers to theaters and was followed in 2006 by an equally successful sequel. In the new millennium, Otto established himself as a voice actor for animated films such as *Ice Age*. Although Otto Waalkes is frequently criticized for his allegedly simplistic and silly brand of humor, his films consistently find an audience.
