Rolf Hoppe

Hard-working German actor Rolf Hoppe is best known for his performance in "Mephisto," the Academy Award-winning film from 1981. The son of a master baker, Hoppe served as apprentice to his father before pursuing his acting career. Along the way, he briefly worked for a circus, taking care of the animals and learning to ride horses, a skill he would use in a series of Westerns, generally playing the villain opposite East German movie star Gojko Mitic. Of his nearly 200 performances in (mostly German) films and television series, his greatest international success came in "Mephisto," as the Nazi leader (patterned after Hermann Göring) who coerces theater actor Klaus Maria Brandauer to sell his soul to the party in exchange for popularity and prosperity. In addition to his frequent film roles, Hoppe has acted extensively on the German stage, both with the State Theater of Dresden and the Deutsches Theater in Berlin. He has also recorded numerous children's radio plays, including "Alice in Wonderland." Another appearance that Americans might recognize is that of the wealthy older husband of Elisabeth Shue's femme fatale in the thriller "Palmetto," also featuring Woody Harrelson.