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
Zimmer frei!
1996
as Self
Wetten, dass..?
1981
as Self
Das Traumschiff
1981
as James Korthals / Johannes Lippelt
Wolffs Revier
1992
as Schenk
Vienna Crime Squad
2005
as Conrad Ribarski
Tietjen und Bommes
1997
as Self
Der Fahnder
1984
as Bähr
Kulturzeit
1995
as self
Through the Night with...
2002
as Self
Grimme Award
1964
as Self
Aktenzeichen XY… ungelöst
1967
as Kunsträuber
Gero von Boehm begegnet...
2002
as Self
Das Boot
1985
as Kapitänleutnant Philipp
Les Misérables
2000
as Monseigneur Bienvenu
A.S. Gefahr ist sein Geschäft
1995
as Freddy Klinke
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
Krabat
2008
as Narrator (voice)
Faraway, So Close!
1993
as Cassiel
Werner and the Wizard of Booze
1990
as Narrator (voice) (uncredited)
Lumière & Company
1995
as Cassiel (segment "Wim Wenders")
The Killer Condom
1996
as Mr. Higgins
Am I Beautiful?
1998
as David
Conversation with the Beast
1997
as Adolf Hitler Double
Movie Days
1994
as Maður á hesti
The Heart Is a Dark Forest
2007
as Helmut
Rosa Luxemburg
1986
as Karl Liebknecht
Der Mond scheint auf Kylenamoe
1980
The Promise
1995
as Professor Lorenz
Sass
2001
as Vater Sass
Werner - Gekotzt wird später!
2003
as Erzähler (voice)
Lehmanns Erzählungen
1975
as Lehmann
Das Boot Revisited: An Underwater Success Story
2021
as Self
Marlene
2000
as Bühnenmanager
The Film Narrator
1993
as Salzmann
Kaluoka'hina: The Enchanted Reef
2004
as Narrator (voice)
A Love in Germany
1983
as Narrator
Summer Guests
1976
as Pjotr Suslov
Roland Klick: The Heart Is a Hungry Hunter
2013
as Himself
Girls under investigation
1999
as Staatsanwalt Baldur Meixner
Wahnfried
1986
as Richard Wagner
The Ignoramus and the Madman
1972
Nikolaikirche
1995
as kirchlicher Superintendent
One or the Other of Us
1974
as Rulle Ruhlsdorff
Miko: From the Gutter to the Stars
1986
as Loan officer Grop
The Harmonists
1997
Four Against the Bank
1976
as Eberhard Winter
Palermo or Wolfsburg
1980
as Staatsanwalt
Liebe Lügen
1997
as Vater
Life Is Too Long
2010
The Marquise of O
1976
as Brother, Forstmeister
Die Bakchen
1974
as Tiresias
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
Wings of Desire: The Angels Among Us
2003
as Self
Who's Going Crazy Here, Doctor?
1981
as Nummer Sieben
The Danube
2003
as Franz
Männer sind wie Schokolade
1999
as Vater Lano
Schlusschor
1993
Ermittlungen gegen Unbekannt
1974
Fly Away
2012
as Eckehardt Tiedgen
Time of Vengeance
1990
as Robert
Ludwig
1964
as Ludwig
Matulla und Busch
1995
as Korte
Die Ängste des Dr. Schenk
1978
The White Horse Inn in St. Wolfgang
1994
as Prof. Hinzelmann
Im Schlaraffenland. Ein Roman unter feinen Leuten
1981
as Kalfisch
100 Pro
2001
as Narrator
Atlantic Affairs
2002
as Maitre de Plaisir on Stage
The Break
1989
as Erwin Lubowitz
Happy Too
2002
as Himself / Gert Bastian
The Case of Mr. Spalt
1988
as Otto Spalt
Die Mutter
1971
Boundaries of Time - Caspar David Friedrich
1986
as Gerichtsgehilfe
E-m@il an Gott
1999
as Petrus
Majestät brauchen Sonne
1999
as Kaiser Wilhelm II (voice)
Bauernschach
1995
as Dr. Gerold Stadler
Three Sisters
1994
as Vershinin
Vorwärts
1990
No Pawing, Darling
1970
Inge, April und Mai
1993
Lyrische Suite. Das untergehende Vaterland
1992
Remembrance: Film for Curt Bois
1982
as Self
Little King Macius
2007
as Erasmus (voice)
Aus Liebe zu Deutschland - Eine Spendenaffäre
2003
as Voice
Prinz Friedrich von Homburg
1973
as Obrist Kottwitz
Die Ursache
1980
Strike Back
1981
as Kowalski
Close Up
1987
as Professor Spalt
Sonntags am Meer
1970
as Fritzchen
Trilogie des Wiedersehens
1979
as Richard
Stan Becker - Auf eigene Faust
1998
as Walker
Tödliches Vertrauen
2002
as Bernd Kortens
The Olympic Summer
1993
as Sprecher
Drei Schwestern
1986
as Alexander Ignatjewitsch Werschinin
Der Kuß des Vergessens
1999
as Herr Jelke
Meine Sorgen möcht' ich haben
1975
as Harald Bornemann
Heinrich Zille
1977
Wie du mir..
1989
as Markus Petarka
About Narration
2025
Eine Reise wert… Der Dichter Günter Kunert (be)sucht Berlin
1986
as Rezitation
Die Schuld der Erben
2012
as Leonhard Asmussen
Plastikfieber
1979
as Wilfried
Phantom
1979
Der Mann im Pyjama
1981
as Rudi
Der Mord mit der Schere
1984
as Inspector Spalt
Bescheiß kein Kind!
1992
as Vater
Das Loch
1995
as Der Mann
Berlin 10. 11. 74 - 28. 1. 75: Exercises in 9 Pieces
1975
as Himself
Hölderlin-Comics
1994
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 HinFlix, 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
- Krabat (2008) — as Narrator (voice)
- Faraway, So Close! (1993) — as Cassiel
Where to Watch Otto Sander Films
Most Otto Sander movies and series are available to stream on HinFlix 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.