Otto Sander
Known for Acting · 125 credits
- Born
- 1941-06-30
- Died
- 2013-09-12
- Place of birth
- Hanover, Germany
Biography
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.
Known For
TV Shows (28)
Scene of the Crime
1970
as Manfred Enders / Otto Androsch
DAS!
1991
as Self
Die Harald Schmidt Show
1995
as Self
Polizeiruf 110
1971
as Ludwig Stolze / Lansky / Richard Lansky
NDR Talk Show
1979
as Self
The Johannes B. Kerner Show
1998
as Self
Wetten, dass..?
1981
as Self
Zimmer frei!
1996
as Self
Vienna Crime Squad
2005
as Conrad Ribarski
Das Traumschiff
1981
as James Korthals / Johannes Lippelt
Wolffs Revier
1992
as Schenk
Der Fahnder
1984
as Bähr
Kulturzeit
1995
as self
Tietjen und Bommes
1997
as Self
Grimme Award
1964
as Self
Aktenzeichen XY… ungelöst
1967
as Kunsträuber
Through the Night with...
2002
as Self
Gero von Boehm begegnet...
2002
as Self
Das Boot
1985
as Kapitänleutnant Philipp
A.S. Gefahr ist sein Geschäft
1995
as Freddy Klinke
Les Misérables
2000
as Monseigneur Bienvenu
Leute am Donnerstag
2004
as himself
Das Jahrhundert des Theaters
2002
as Narrator
Ein roter Teppich für....
2002
as Self
Friedemann Brix - Eine Schwäche für Mord
1996
as Rainer Kleinhundert
The Shop
1998
Preußen – Chronik eines deutschen Staates
2000
as Self (Narrator)
Unter kaiserlicher Flagge
2006
as Erzähler / Narrator
Movies (97)
Das Boot
1981
as Phillip Thomsen
The Tin Drum
1979
as Meyn
Wings of Desire
1987
as Cassiel
The Killer Condom
1996
as Mr. Higgins
Faraway, So Close!
1993
as Cassiel
Lumière & Company
1995
as Cassiel (segment "Wim Wenders")
Werner and the Wizard of Booze
1990
as Narrator (voice) (uncredited)
Krabat
2008
as Narrator (voice)
Rosa Luxemburg
1986
as Karl Liebknecht
Summer Guests
1976
as Pjotr Suslov
Wings of Desire: The Angels Among Us
2003
as Self
Conversation with the Beast
1997
as Adolf Hitler Double
Marlene
2000
as Bühnenmanager
The Harmonists
1997
Am I Beautiful?
1998
as David
Roland Klick: The Heart Is a Hungry Hunter
2013
as Himself
The Promise
1995
as Professor Lorenz
Das Boot Revisited: An Underwater Success Story
2021
as Self
Sass
2001
as Vater Sass
Werner - Gekotzt wird später!
2003
as Erzähler (voice)
The Heart Is a Dark Forest
2007
as Helmut
A Love in Germany
1983
as Narrator
Life Is Too Long
2010
Kaluoka'hina: The Enchanted Reef
2004
as Narrator (voice)
The Marquise of O
1976
as Brother, Forstmeister
Wahnfried
1986
as Richard Wagner
Nikolaikirche
1995
as kirchlicher Superintendent
One or the Other of Us
1974
as Rulle Ruhlsdorff
Boundaries of Time - Caspar David Friedrich
1986
as Gerichtsgehilfe
The Break
1989
as Erwin Lubowitz
Lehmanns Erzählungen
1975
as Lehmann
Im Schlaraffenland. Ein Roman unter feinen Leuten
1981
as Kalfisch
E-m@il an Gott
1999
as Petrus
Gesucht wird... Drei Geschichten um nicht ganz ehrenwerte Herren
1981
The Einstein of Sex: Life and Work of Dr. M. Hirschfeld
2000
as Professor Steinach
The Danube
2003
as Franz
Who's Going Crazy Here, Doctor?
1981
as Nummer Sieben
Movie Days
1994
as Maður á hesti
Fly Away
2012
as Eckehardt Tiedgen
The Film Narrator
1993
as Salzmann
Miko: From the Gutter to the Stars
1986
as Loan officer Grop
100 Pro
2001
as Narrator
Palermo or Wolfsburg
1980
as Staatsanwalt
Atlantic Affairs
2002
as Maitre de Plaisir on Stage
The Case of Mr. Spalt
1988
as Otto Spalt
Ermittlungen gegen Unbekannt
1974
Four Against the Bank
1976
as Eberhard Winter
Remembrance: Film for Curt Bois
1982
as Self
Strike Back
1981
as Kowalski
Die Mutter
1971
Die Bakchen
1974
as Tiresias
Three Sisters
1994
as Vershinin
Girls under investigation
1999
as Staatsanwalt Baldur Meixner
The White Horse Inn in St. Wolfgang
1994
as Prof. Hinzelmann
Der Mond scheint auf Kylenamoe
1980
Die Ursache
1980
Schlusschor
1993
Aus Liebe zu Deutschland - Eine Spendenaffäre
2003
as Voice
Stan Becker - Auf eigene Faust
1998
as Walker
Vorwärts
1990
Männer sind wie Schokolade
1999
as Vater Lano
Der Mann im Pyjama
1981
as Rudi
Majestät brauchen Sonne
1999
as Kaiser Wilhelm II (voice)
Liebe Lügen
1997
as Vater
Drei Schwestern
1986
as Alexander Ignatjewitsch Werschinin
Matulla und Busch
1995
as Korte
Bauernschach
1995
as Dr. Gerold Stadler
No Pawing, Darling
1970
Ludwig
1964
as Ludwig
Wie du mir..
1989
as Markus Petarka
Die Ängste des Dr. Schenk
1978
Little King Macius
2007
as Erasmus (voice)
The Ignoramus and the Madman
1972
Time of Vengeance
1990
as Robert
Close Up
1987
as Professor Spalt
Plastikfieber
1979
as Wilfried
Der Kuß des Vergessens
1999
as Herr Jelke
Prinz Friedrich von Homburg
1973
as Obrist Kottwitz
Berlin 10. 11. 74 - 28. 1. 75: Exercises in 9 Pieces
1975
as Himself
Die Schuld der Erben
2012
as Leonhard Asmussen
Happy Too
2002
as Himself / Gert Bastian
The Olympic Summer
1993
as Sprecher
Tödliches Vertrauen
2002
as Bernd Kortens
About Narration
2025
Inge, April und Mai
1993
Hölderlin-Comics
1994
Trilogie des Wiedersehens
1979
as Richard
Sonntags am Meer
1970
as Fritzchen
Phantom
1979
Meine Sorgen möcht' ich haben
1975
as Harald Bornemann
Eine Reise wert… Der Dichter Günter Kunert (be)sucht Berlin
1986
as Rezitation
Heinrich Zille
1977
Der Mord mit der Schere
1984
as Inspector Spalt
Lyrische Suite. Das untergehende Vaterland
1992
Bescheiß kein Kind!
1992
as Vater
Das Loch
1995
as Der Mann
Sonnabend, der 1.
1970
About Otto Sander
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 be… With 125 credits spanning from 1964 to 2025, Otto Sander has appeared in 97 films and 28 TV shows.
Fans searching for Otto Sander movies, Otto Sander filmography, or the latest projects starring Otto Sander can stream many of these titles on Bowood.TV, free and in HD, with no subscription required.
Most Popular Otto Sander Movies
- Das Boot (1981) — as Phillip Thomsen
- The Tin Drum (1979) — as Meyn
- Wings of Desire (1987) — as Cassiel
- The Killer Condom (1996) — as Mr. Higgins
- Faraway, So Close! (1993) — as Cassiel
Where to Watch Otto Sander Films
Most Otto Sander movies and series are available to stream on Bowood.TV in full HD, completely free and without signup. Browse the complete filmography above to jump directly to any title. For more films and the latest web series featuring Otto Sander, check our movies catalogue and browse page.