Kurt Großkurth

Kurt Großkurth (or Grosskurth; 11 May 1909 – 29 May 1975) was a German actor and singer. Grosskurth was born in Langenselbold, Germany, in 1909.

He grew up in Rhineland-Palatinate. In the 1920s, he followed his father's wish and went on to study hotel management in Essen, London and Heidelberg. In the early 1930s, he discovered his passion for the stage and he picked up acting and singing in Bavaria. He quickly started performing as a singer, mostly around the Munich area, and guest starred as a tenor in Hamburg and Berlin. After the war, he got hired by several theaters and performed in operettas in Düsseldorf, Munich and Cologne, repeatedly directed by star conductor Franz Marszalek. As the 50s rolled along, he became a familiar movie figure throughout the country. He appeared as a supporting act in a considerable number of productions, which consisted mainly of lighthearted comedies and operettas. Although never seen in a lead role, he performed alongside virtually all of the major actors from post-war Germany. His entire film career spans over ninety movie and TV productions from 1949 to 1975. Several times within two decades, he appeared in the cast of five or six movies coming out the same year. He played the recurring character of a mayor in a popular TV series in the 60s, he could be heard on the radio, and with the 70s came burgeoning international recognition as he landed small roles in major productions. He plays parts in Luchino Visconti's Ludwig as well as in Edward Dymytryk's Bluebeard and in the French George Franju movie La ligne d'ombre. He's also part of the cast in Hollywood classic Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory, although his portrayal of character Harold Gloop, a stereotypical thick butcher, remains uncredited.