Christine Kaufmann

• Name — Christine Kaufmann • Born — 11 January 1945 • Birthplace — Lengdorf, Reichsgau Steiermark, Germany • Died — 28 March 2017 • Place of death — Munich, Bavaria, Germany • Occupation — Actress, author, businesswoman • Children — 2, including Allegra Curtis • Birth Name — Christine Maria Kaufmann • Years Active — 1952–2017

Kaufmann was born in Lengdorf, Styria, Austria (then part of Nazi Germany). Her mother, Geneviève Kaufmann (née Gavaert), was a French make-up artist; her father, Johannes Kaufmann, was a German Luftwaffe officer and engineer. • Illustration — Kaufmann in Toto, Fabrizi and the Young People Today (1960) Growing up in Munich, Bavaria, Kaufmann became a ballerina at the Munich Opera. She began her film career at the age of seven in The White Horse Inn (1952) and appeared as a lead actress in Der schweigende Engel the same year, but gained big attention with Rose-Girl Resli in 1954. She achieved international recognition when she starred with Steve Reeves in The Last Days of Pompeii (1959) and with Kirk Douglas in Town Without Pity (1961). The following year she appeared in Escape from East Berlin and with future husband Tony Curtis in Taras Bulba. After her divorce from Curtis, Kaufmann resumed her career which she had interrupted during her marriage. Notable roles included the Werner Fassbinder films Lili Marleen and Lola. She often worked with German director Helmut Dietl, in the satirical television series Monaco Franze. In 1987, she played a glamorous tattoo artist in the cult classic Bagdad Cafe, an offbeat comedy set in a desolate truck stop café and motel in the Mojave Desert. Her last role was Aunt Polly in the American film Tom Sawyer & Huckleberry Finn (2014), co-starring Jake T. Austin and Val Kilmer. In her later years, Kaufmann was also a successful businesswoman; she promoted her own line of cosmetics products that sold well in Germany. From her 40s until her death, the media often called Kaufmann the "most beautiful grandmother in Germany". She wrote several books about beauty and health, as well as two autobiographies.

At age 18 in 1963, Kaufmann married her Taras Bulba co-star Tony Curtis. They had two daughters, Alexandra Theodora Dido Curtis (b. 19 July 1964) and Allegra Curtis (b. 11 July 1966). The couple divorced in 1968. Kaufmann married three more times: to television director Achim Lenz (1974–76), musician and actor Reno Eckstein (1979–1982) and illustrator Klaus Zey (1997–2011). On German television, Kaufmann admitted to having an affair with Warren Beatty. Kaufmann enjoyed traveling. She moved from one place to another frequently. She spoke three languages: German, English, and French. Kaufmann died of leukemia in Munich at age 72 on 28 March 2017, only a few days after she had been diagnosed with the disease.

• Illustration — Kaufmann in 2015

• Year — Title — Role — Notes • 1970 — Bend Sinister — Mariette — TV film • 1970 — Wie ein Blitz — Diana Valesco — TV miniseries • 1971 — Gestrickte Spuren — Fanny Elßler — TV film • 1972 — Der Kommissar — Eva Raßner — "Traum eines Wahnsinnigen" • 1973 — Immobilien — Jasmin Strothmann — TV film • 1974 — Die Fälle des Herrn Konstantin — Gisela Pahl — "Der gußeiserne Buddha", "Bankdirektor Alba" • 1975 — Burning Daylight (miniseries) — Margret 'Labiskwee' — "Vierauge" • 1977 — Derrick — Marion Kless — "Hals in der Schlinge" • 1978 — The Singers — Nina Huf — TV film • 1979 — Le comte de Monte-Cristo — Mme. Danglars — TV miniseries • 1979 — Joséphine ou la comédie des ambitions — Mme. Hosten-Lamothe — TV miniseries • 1979 — Der ganz normale Wahnsinn — Violetta Schimpf — "Drittes Kapitel", "Zweites Kapitel", "Sechstes Kapitel" • 1982 — Wonderful, Wonderful Times — Frau von Pachthofen — TV film • 1983 — Monaco Franze — Olga Behrens — Main role • 1983 — Inflation im Paradies — Laverne Schuhmann — TV film • 1987 — Die Insel — Margit — TV film • 1988 — Julius Caesar — Portia — TV film • 1990–1991 — Wenn das die Nachbarn wüßten — Kaufhausdirektorin — TV series • 1993 — Glückliche Reise — Felicitas von Feilitz — "Ibiza" • 1993 — Missione d'amore — Valery — TV miniseries • 1993 — Das Double — Jutta Eck — TV film • 1994 — Verliebt, verlobt, verheiratet — Maja Kunert — TV series • 1994 — Birkenhof & Lerchenau — Theres — TV film • 1995 — Stubbe – Von Fall zu Fall — Frau Jensen — "Stubbe sieht rot" • 1995 — Weihnachten mit Willy Wuff II – Eine Mama für Lieschen — Gräfin — TV film • 1996 — Balko — Frederike Kogel — "Ein Toter zuwenig" • 1997 — Parkhotel Stern — Oksana Olejewa — "Entscheidungen" • 1998 — A.S. (TV series) — Nadja Seewald — "Das Tier" • 1998 — Höllische Nachbarn (film) — Ingelore Merk — TV film • 1998 — Für alle Fälle Stefanie — Frau von Drossel — "Goldene Regeln" • 1999 — Einsatz Hamburg Süd — Frau Duenser — "Trau keinem!" • 2000 — SOKO München — Margit Finneisen — "Das Rendezvous" • 2003 — Club der Träume – Türkei, Marmaris — Adlaya — TV film • 2007 — Die ProSieben Märchenstunde — Tante Hortensie — "Aschenputtel – Für eine Handvoll Tauben" • 2008 — Im Namen des Gesetzes — Frau Meyer-Arndt — "Dunkle Ahnung" • 2008 — Love Trip Home — Marianne Forster — TV film • 2012 — Heiter bis tödlich – Fuchs und Gans — Diana Bootz — "Eierdiebe" • 2013 — Stille (film) — Adele Vio — TV film • 2013 — Tiere bis unters Dach — Frau von Werther — "Die Millionenkatze"

Christine Kaufmann is recorded with the occupation television actor. Recorded with the occupation ballet dancer. Recorded as ballet dancer, stage actor, film actor and television actor.