Austrian comedian Peter Simonischek dies aged 76

Austrian comedian Peter Simonischek, belatedly revealed abroad by his role as cumbersome father in the hit film Toni Erdman, died on the night of Monday June 29 to Tuesday June 30 at the age of 76. “I can confirm his death“occurred in Vienna where he lived, a spokeswoman for the Austrian association of national theaters told AFP on Tuesday.

Born in Austria on August 6, 1946, Peter Simonischek owed his popularity with German audiences to his ability to interpret a wide variety of characters, whether in plays by Labiche or in the classical repertoire of the Salzburg Festival.

But it was later that this dentist’s son came into the limelight of world cinema with his role as the whimsical patriarch in the comedy Toni Erdmaninternational critics prize at Cannes in 2016. Her daughter in this film was played by Sandra Hüller, who was again in the spotlight on the Croisette last week, since she played in the Palme d’Or Anatomy of a fall by Justine Triet as well as in The Zone of Interest by Jonathan Glazer who won the Grand Prize.