Günter Meisner
Günter Meisner (18 April 1926 – 5 December 1994) was a German character actor. He is remembered for his several cinematic portrayals of Adolf Hitler and for his role as Arthur Slugworth / Mr. Wilkinson in Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory.
Also recorded as Günther Meisner
Günter Meisner

OTFW, Berlin · Self-photographed · CC BY-SA 3.0
- Name
- Günter Meisner
- Born
- 18 April 1926
- Birthplace
- Bremen, Germany
- Died
- 5 December 1994
- Place of death
- Berlin, Germany
- Occupation
- Actor
- Known for
- Mr Slugworth / Mr.
- Spouse
- Gisela Albrecht Meisner
- Nationality
- Germany.
- Languages
- German.
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Documentary summary
Günter Meisner (18 April 1926 – 5 December 1994) was a German character actor. He is remembered for his several cinematic portrayals of Adolf Hitler and for his role as Arthur Slugworth / Mr. Wilkinson in Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory.
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Note VALÉORINE
Günter Meisner (1926–1994) was a German actor, film actor and television actor, among other activities. Born in Bremen, the actor died in Berlin.
Languages used include German. Works by Günter Meisner are held at Berlinische Galerie.
Composed from admitted, traceable facts · 26 September 2026
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wikidata · Q92128 · wikipedia · Günter Meisner
In this article
Biography
Biography
He was fluent in four languages (German, French, Italian and English) and appeared in many English-language, German-language and French-language films.

Grab von Günter Meisner auf dem Friedhof Heerstraße in Berlin
Z thomas
Key facts
Key facts
• Name — Günter Meisner • Born — 18 April 1926 • Birthplace — Bremen, Germany • Died — 5 December 1994 • Place of death — Berlin, Germany • Occupation — Actor • Years Active — 1957–1994 • Known for — Mr Slugworth / Mr. Wilkinson in Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory • Spouse — Gisela Albrecht Meisner
Career
Career
Born in Bremen, Meisner briefly worked at a steel foundry before training as a radio operator with the Luftwaffe's Fallschirmjäger (paratroopers). After the war, though Meisner was interested in a career in sculpture and painting, in 1948 he switched to drama and studied under Gustaf Gründgens at Düsseldorf's State Conservatory, where he also got his first job at the local Schauspielhaus.
Theatre
Theatre
Meisner founded the Gallery Diogenes in Berlin in 1959, and in 1961 he founded the International Association for Arts and Sciences. In 1962 Meisner established the Diogenes Studio Theater.
Africa
Africa
From 1967 to 1969 Meisner participated in relief efforts in Biafra, Nigeria. He also produced two films: Don't Look for Me in Places Where I Can't Be Found and Bega Dwa Bega (One for All), a Swahili-language film for the Tanzanian Film Unit.
Death
Death
• Illustration — Meisner's grave Meisner died in Berlin on 5 December 1994 at the age of 68 of heart failure. He is buried in Berlin's Friedhof Heerstrasse.
Selected filmography
Selected filmography
• 1957: A Time to Love and a Time to Die (uncredited) • 1957: Kopf oder Zahl, as Kid • 1958: Viel Lärm um nichts • 1958: Here I Am, Here I Stay (Hier bin ich – hier bleib ich) • 1959: Aus dem Tagebuch eines Frauenarztes • 1959: Babette Goes to War (Babette s'en va-t-en guerre) • 1959: The Death Ship (Das Totenschiff), as Paul, Trimmer auf der Yorikke • 1959: The Black Chapel, as 1. Killer • 1961: Question 7, as Schmidt • 1961: The Miracle of Father Malachia (Das Wunder des Malachias), as Crazy Preacher • 1961: It Can't Always Be Caviar, as Redner Meetingsaal • 1961: This Time It Must Be Caviar, as Redner (uncredited) • 1962: The Counterfeit Traitor, as Priest (uncredited) • 1962: Das Testament des Dr. Mabuse, as Kurzschluß-Henry (uncredited) • 1963: The Black Cobra (Die schwarze Kobra), as Wunderlich ('Mr. Green') • 1963: Hafenpolizei - Der blaue Brief (TV series), as Johnny Massels • 1964: Murderer in the Fog, as Kriminalassistent Behrend • 1965: Code Name: Jaguar, as Russian Officer • 1966: Die Gentlemen bitten zur Kasse (1966, TV miniseries), as Smiler Jackson • 1966: Is Paris Burning? (Paris brûle-t-il?), as Commandant SS à Pantin • 1966: The Quiller Memorandum, as Hassler • 1966: Funeral in Berlin, as Kreutzman • 1967: The College Girl Murders, as Greaves • 1969: The Bridge at Remagen, as SS Gen. Gerlach • 1970: Hauser's Memory, as Korowiew • 1970: Poker - Poker (Short) • 1971: Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory, as Arthur Slugworth • 1971: Ludwig L (Short film), as Der Betrunkene • 1973: The Battle of Sutjeska, as Rudolf Lüters • 1973: Werwölfe • 1974: Die Verrohung des Franz Blum, as Borsig • 1974: The Odessa File, as General Greifer • 1974: Borsalino & Co., as Le médecin • 1974: Between Wars, as Karl Schneider • 1975: La Chair de l'orchidée, as L'avocat-conseil • 1975: A Happy Family Life, as Hektiker • 1975: Inside Out, as Schmidt • 1976: Voyage of the Damned, as Robert Hoffman • 1977: The Brothers (1977 film), as Pfarrer • 1977: Heinrich (1977 film) • 1977: The Serpent's Egg, as Convict • 1978: The Boys from Brazil, as Farnbach • 1978: When Hitler Stole Pink Rabbit (TV film), as Berg • 1979: Schöner Gigolo, armer Gigolo, as Betrunkener Arbeiter (uncredited) • 1979: Breakthrough, as SS-Offizier • 1979: Avalanche Express, as Rudi Muehler • 1979: Ticket of No Return (Bildnis einer Trinkerin), as Direktor Willi • 1979: Ein Kapitel für sich (TV miniseries) • 1980: The American Success Company, as Maitre d' • 1980: Gibbi Westgermany, as Patient • 1980: The Dream House, as Grimme • 1980: Winston Churchill: The Wilderness Years (TV Series), as Adolf Hitler • 1981: Silas (TV miniseries), as Fabian Fedder • 1982: Night Crossing, as Major Koerner • 1982: Blood and Honor: Youth Under Hitler (TV Series), as Schneider • 1982: Rom ist in der kleinsten Hütte (TV Series) • 1982: The Man on the Wall, as Dr. Steiner • 1982: L'As des as, as Adolf Hitler / Angela Hitler • 1982: Zwei Tote im Sender und Don Carlos im Pogl (TV Movie), as Maskenbildner • 1983: The Winds of War, as Adolf Hitler • 1983: Plem, Plem - Die Schule brennt • 1983: Chamäleon (TV Series) • 1984: Under the Volcano, as Herr Krausberg - the German Attaché (uncredited) • 1984: Der Mord mit der Schere (Short) • 1985: Drei gegen Drei, as Prof. Holl • 1986: Close Up (Short film), as KGB-Chef • 1986: Tras el cristal, as Klaus • 1986: Das Geheimnis von Lismore Castle (TV Movie), as Sir Ralph Whitecombe • 1986: Gestatten, Bestatter, as Herr Abendroth • 1987: Die Saat des Hasses (Visperas) (TV Series) • 1987: Indras Rache (Tout est dans la fin), as Hamerstein • 1987: Der elegante Hund (TV Series) • 1988: The Case of Mr. Spalt, as Bobby Steinbeck • 1989: Magdalene, as Prior • 1989: Bride of the Orient (La Fiancée thaïlandaise / Gekauftes Glück), as Pfarrer Barmettler • 1989: Roselyne and the Lions, as Klint • 1989: The Saint: The Big Bang (TV Series), as Kuhler • 1989: Moon Child (El niño de la luna), as Abuelo militar • 1990: Estación Central, as Alex' friend • 1990: The Man Inside, as Judge • 1990: Il piccolo popolo (TV Movie), as Schneider • 1990: Te Rua, as Prof. Biederstedt • 1991: Leporella • 1992: Ruby Cairo, as Herr Bruchner, EDK Executive • 1993: Faraway, So Close! (In weiter Ferne, so nah!), as Fälscher • 1993: Posthuman, as Doctor • 1993: Harry & Sunny (TV Series), as Kneipenwirt • 1994: The Violin Player (Le joueur de violon) • 1994: Air Albatros (TV Series), as Lauffendingk Sr. • 1994: Eine Mutter kämpft um ihren Sohn, as Wegener
Identity
Identity
Günter Meisner is recorded as actor and writer.
Life and career
Dated record
Life and career
The full dated record · 1 entries
1994
Günter Meisner died in 1994 at Berlin.
Places
Named by the record
Places
Only places the record itself states, plotted where the house gazetteer settles their coordinates. Nothing is inferred from a name or a nationality.
Bremen.
Birth place
Berlin.
Death place
Film and TV
Meisner often played stock character Nazi officers and other sinister characters. He portrayed Hitler in the 1982 Franco-German action comedy, L'as des as (Ace of Aces). He also appeared in the ABC television miniseries The Winds of War as well as the CBS miniseries Blood and Honor and Southern Television's Winston Churchill: The Wilderness Years. Other films Meisner took part in were Is Paris Burning?, The Quiller Memorandum, Funeral in Berlin, and The Boys from Brazil. He was Mr. Slugworth/Mr. Wilkinson in the 1971 film version of Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory. He also appeared in several television commercials.
Literature
Scholarly footprint
A count of publications is evidence of attention, not of standing, and is given here only as a measure.
Notes from the source article
Cited by Wikipedia
Notes from the source article
These works are cited by the source article, in its own numbering. They are recorded as its citations, not as sources VALÉORINE has verified.
- 1.Gunter Meisner. Variety Magazine. 15 January 1995.
- 2.Willis, John. Screen World 1967. Biblo-Moser. 209. 1967. 9780819603081.
- 3.Willis, John. Screen World 1967. Biblo-Moser. 200. 1967. 9780819603081.
References
Citations
References
Each reference names the institution holding it, so a reader may go to the document itself.
reference work
Partially resolvedreference work
Partially resolved
The Encyclopedia exists whether or not anything is for sale. Corrections are recorded rather than overwritten, and every version of this record is kept. Published 14 August 2026.
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