Acting
Ralf Richter
Born Aug 17, 1957 · Essen, Germany · Died Sep 15, 2026
Ralf Richter (August 17, 1957 - September 15, 2026) was a German film, television, and stage actor. Born in Essen, he grew up in a working-class neighborhood in Bochum. After completing an apprenticeship as a carpenter, he studied acting at the Westphalian Drama School in Bochum and began his career on stage.
He gained widespread recognition for his portrayal of Chief Petty Officer Frenssen in Wolfgang Petersen’s acclaimed war film Das Boot (1981). The role established him as one of Germany’s most recognizable character actors, particularly known for portraying tough, outspoken, and often eccentric figures.
His notable film credits include Die Katze (1988), Manta - Der Film (1991), Superstau (1991), and Fußball ist unser Leben (2000). He achieved cult status with his portrayal of the hot-tempered criminal Kalle Grabowski in Peter Thorwarth’s crime comedy Bang Boom Bang (1999).
Richter continued his collaboration with Thorwarth in Was nicht passt, wird passend gemacht (2002) and Goldene Zeiten (2006). Together, these three films became known as the Unna Trilogy. His later film appearances included Vorstadtkrokodile (2009), Nicht mein Tag (2014), Radio Heimat (2016), Enfant Terrible (2020), and Bad Director (2023).
In addition to his film career, he appeared in numerous German television series, including Tatort, Der Fahnder, Alarm für Cobra 11, Ein Fall für zwei, and Heldt.
Richter was particularly associated with the Ruhr region and became known for his distinctive voice, direct manner, and memorable portrayals of working-class characters and small-time criminals.
He died in Cologne in September 2026 at the age of 69.
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Acting
Our Darkness
2026
Thriller · Horror · Crime
Fresh
2025
Drama
Bad Director
2024
Comedy
Die Passion
2024
TV Movie · Drama · Music
Das Boot Revisited: An Underwater Success Story
2021
Documentary · History · TV Movie
Sky Sharks
2020
Horror · Science Fiction · Comedy
Enfant Terrible
2020
Drama · History
Lebendig skalpiert
2020
Action · Horror · Western
The Last Cop
2019
Crime · Comedy
Stories of the Dead
2019
Horror
Breakdown Forest
2019
Action · Thriller
SOKO Potsdam
2018
Crime
Radio Home
2016
Drama · Comedy
1000 Mexicans
2016
Comedy
Im Winter, so schön
2016
Comedy · Crime
Nichtlustig - die Serie!
2015
Animation · Comedy
Das fehlende Grau
2015
Drama
Half Brothers
2015
Drama · Comedy · Crime
Rentnercops
2015
Crime · Drama
Baggerführer Bob
2014
Horror · Comedy
Not My Day
2014
Comedy
Ohne Gnade
2013
Comedy
Circus Halligalli
2013
Talk · Comedy
Turbo & Tacho
2013
Action · Comedy
Heldt
2013
Crime
Und weg bist Du
2012
Comedy
Vater aus heiterem Himmel
2012
TV Movie
Fahr zur Hölle
2011
Mystery · Action
Village People - Auf der Jagd nach dem Nazigold
2009
Comedy
SOKO Stuttgart
2009
Crime
Kopf oder Zahl
2009
Drama
Chaostage - We Are Punks!
2009
Action · Documentary · Music
The Crocodiles
2009
Adventure · Family
Finnischer Tango
2008
Drama · Comedy
Spiel mir das Lied und du bist tot!
2008
Comedy · Western
Streets of Rio
2008
Drama · Crime
Lutter
2007
Crime
Out of Bounds
2006
Comedy
Die ProSieben Märchenstunde
2006
Family · Comedy
Mondmann
2006
Comedy · Fantasy · Drama
Urmel aus dem Eis
2005
Comedy · TV Movie
Pastewka
2005
Comedy
TV total Stock Car Crash Challenge
2005
Cowgirl
2004
Comedy · Crime · Romance
Dirty Sky
2003
Drama
SOKO Köln
2003
Crime
Was nicht passt, wird passend gemacht
2003
Comedy
Mädchen Nr. 1
2003
Comedy · TV Movie
Alarm für Cobra 11 - Einsatz für Team 2
2003
Crime · Action & Adventure
If It Don't Fit, Use a Bigger Hammer
2002
Comedy
Die Rosenheim-Cops
2002
Crime · Comedy
Hallo Robbie!
2001
Family
Suck My Dick
2001
Comedy
Eine Hochzeit und (K)ein Todesfall
2001
Comedy
Marmor, Stein & Eisen
2000
Comedy
Football Rules Ok
2000
Comedy
Geisterjäger John Sinclair
2000
Mystery
Bang, Boom, Bang
1999
Crime · Action · Comedy
Männer aus zweiter Hand
1999
Comedy · TV Movie
Hausmeister Krause – Ordnung muss sein
1999
Comedy
SK Kölsch
1999
Crime
The Polar Bear
1998
Action · Thriller
Ein Bär für alle Fälle
1998
Family · Adventure
If It Don't Fit, Use a Bigger Hammer
1997
Comedy
Küstenwache
1997
Crime · Action & Adventure · Drama
Mafia, Pizza, Razzia
1997
Crime
Eine fast perfekte Liebe
1996
Romance · Comedy
Mit einem Bein im Grab
1996
Comedy
Peanuts - Die Bank zahlt alles
1996
Comedy
Happy Weekend
1996
Comedy
Alarm for Cobra 11: The Motorway Police
1996
Drama · Comedy · Action & Adventure
Die Katze von Kensington
1996
Thriller · Crime · TV Movie
Der Trip - Die nackte Gitarre 0,5
1996
Comedy · Music
Unser Charly
1995
Comedy · Family · Drama
Eine mörderische Liebe
1995
Drama
Der schwarze Fluch
1995
Thriller · TV Movie
Für alle Fälle Stefanie
1995
Drama · Soap
Balko
1995
Crime
Zwei Brüder
1994
Crime
Inspector Rex
1994
Crime · Mystery · Drama
Die Kommissarin
1994
Crime
Alles außer Mord
1994
Crime
Bella Block
1993
Drama · Crime
Wildbach
1993
Drama
Freunde fürs Leben
1992
Comedy · Drama
Cosimas Lexikon
1992
Comedy
Manta - Der Film
1991
Comedy
Superstau
1991
Comedy
Alles im Griff
1990
Comedy · TV Movie
Café Meineid
1990
Drama · Comedy
Dobrodružství kriminalistiky
1989
Crime
Seven Minutes
1989
Drama · History
Eurocops
1988
Crime · Mystery
The Cat
1988
Thriller · Crime
Die Hausmeisterin
1987
Drama
The Crack Connection
1987
Crime · Action
Verlierer
1987
Drama
Zielscheiben
1985
Crime
Das Boot
1985
Drama · War & Politics
Pogo 1104
1984
Drama
Der Fahnder
1984
Crime
Out of Order
1984
Thriller
Decoder
1984
Horror · Mystery · Science Fiction
Rote Erde
1983
Drama
Das Boot
1981
Drama · History · War
A Case For Two
1981
Drama · Crime
Tour de Ruhr
1981
Drama
Auf Achse
1980
Action & Adventure
SOKO München
1978
Crime
The Old Fox
1977
Crime · Drama
Polizeiruf 110
1971
Crime
Scene of the Crime
1970
Drama · Crime