Biography
Bernhard Paul "Buddy" Elias (2 June 1925 – 16 March 2015) was a Swiss actor and president of the Anne Frank Fonds, the foundation dedicated to preserving the memory of his cousin Anne Frank. Bernhard Paul "Buddy" Elias was born in Frankfurt in Weimar Germany on 2 June 1925. His mother, Helene "Leni" Frank, was Otto Frank's youngest sister, Edith Frank's sister-in-law, and Anne Frank's paternal aunt. His father, Erich Elias (his maternal uncle's brother-in-law), became head of the Basel-based Opekta company in 1929 and Bernhard moved there in 1931 with his mother and brother Stephan. Two years later his maternal grandmother Alice Frank joined them. Otto Frank visited his relatives in Basel on a regular basis, often with his daughters Anne and Margot. They also met in Sils Maria, where another relative lived. Buddy had a good relationship with Margot and in particular with Anne Frank, who was four years younger than him and like Buddy loved ice-skating.In 1947, Buddy joined Holiday on Ice, where he was the star comedian, and toured the world with them for over fourteen years. After returning to Basel he started to work as an actor. He acted on stage in Switzerland, the United Kingdom, France, and Germany. In 1965, he married Gertrud "Gerti" Wiedner, an Austrian actress. The couple had two sons, Patrick and Oliver, who became actors. Since 1972, Buddy Elias appeared in almost 80 film and television productions.Elias was the first cousin and last-surviving close relative of Holocaust diarist Anne Frank, who died in the Bergen-Belsen concentration camp in February or March 1945. Her Diary of a Young Girl became world famous and has been translated in more than 70 languages. The Anne Frank Fonds, founded in 1963 in Basel by Otto Frank, is responsible for the rights of Frank's Diary of a Young Girl, which until his death in 1980 had been headed by her father. As a Member of the Board of Trustees and as president of the Fonds, Buddy Elias dedicated himself to keeping alive the legacy of Anne Frank. He gave many lectures and interviews about the Holocaust and about Anne Frank. Elias was also committed to projects dedicated to stamping out racism and antisemitism. As a president of the Anne Frank Fonds he decided to bring together the estates of the Frank-Elias family in the Jewish Museum Frankfurt.Elias lived with his wife, Gerti, in Basel, where he died on 16 March 2015.
Filmography
all 72
TV Shows 37
Movies 35
self 5
No Asylum: The Untold Chapter of Anne Frank's Story (2015)
Hunkeler und der Fall Livius (2009)
Das Fräuleinwunder (2009)
Markus Lanz (2008)
Hunkeler - Tod einer Ärztin (2005)
Jetzt erst recht! (2005)
Propaganda (2004)
Love in Thoughts (2004)
Mit deinen Augen (2004)
Berlin, Berlin (2002)
Edel & Starck (2002)
Die Manns - Ein Jahrhundertroman (2001)
Nobel (2001)
Der Verleger (2001)
Jud Süß – Ein Film als Verbrechen? (2001)
History vs. Hollywood (2001)
Aeschbacher (2001)
Alles Atze (2000)
Sunshine (1999)
Stan Becker – Echte Freunde (1999)
SK Kölsch (1999)
Totalschaden (1998)
Schalom, meine Liebe (1998)
Frauen morden leichter (1997)
Unser Charly (1995)
My Mother's Courage (1995)
Die Gerichtsreporterin (1994)
Hallo, Onkel Doc! (1994)
Bella Block (1994)
Ihre Exzellenz, die Botschafterin (1994)
Wolffs Revier (1992)
Glückliche Reise (1992)
Das größte Fest des Jahres (1991)
Bronstein's Children (1991)
Die Frosch-Intrige (1991)
Mit Leib und Seele (1989)
Florence ou La vie de château (1989)
Peter Strohm (1989)
Eine Frau für Alfie (1989)
Spreepiraten (1989)
Eurocops (1988)
Justitias kleine Fische (1988)
Peng! Du bist tot! (1987)
Großstadtrevier (1986)
Hessische Geschichten (1986)
Zieh den Stecker raus, das Wasser kocht (1986)
Hammer (1986)
The Black Forest Clinic (1985)
Schöne Ferien (1985)
Gnadenlos (1984)
God Does Not Believe in Us Anymore (1982)
Cassette Love (1982)
The Magic Mountain (1982)
Bananen-Paul (1982)
Das Traumschiff (1981)
Das waren noch Zeiten - Kleine Geschichten von Kalke & Söhne (1981)
Wie der Mond über Feuer und Blut (1981)
Kintopp-Kintopp (1981)
Kameraden (1981)
Leute wie du und ich (1980)
The Rebel (1980)
The Magician of Lublin (1979)
David (1979)
SOKO 5113 (1978)
Mulligans Rückkehr (1977)
Direktion City (1976)
Kölner Treff (1976)
Pariser Geschichten (1976)
Kommissariat 9 (1975)
Dein gutes Recht (1975)
Scene of the Crime (1970)
Prometheus aus der Seitengasse (1970)
Ratings
Information
Known ForActing
GenderMale
Birthday1925-06-02
Deathday2015-03-16 (89 years old)
Birth PlaceFrankfurt, Germany
ReligionJudaism
CitizenshipsSwitzerland
This article uses material from Wikipedia.
- Buddy Elias
- Filmography
- Information
- Related Persons