Actor Max von Thun (43) has had a second mainstay for several years.
He writes children's books - but not alone.
The key word for the “Star Man” stories is his seven-year-old son Leo.
The two used the corona-related doldrums to record an audio book together at home.
The best, says Max von Thun, came, as so often, at the end.
“Leo said at some point: Now we need another Star Man song.” And it sounds like this: Von Thun taps on his smartphone, looks mischievous - then his voice sings from the device: “I'm the Star Man, I'll turn on the lights . ”A music box tune.
But then a record needle scratches, son Leo's boy's voice crows: “One!
Two!
Three!
Four! ”And now it's off, with punk guitars and drums.
Father and son rock in a duet, it is the brilliant conclusion to two funny, exciting, touching CDs under the title “The Star Man and the Great Adventure”.
Leo's grandfather Friedrich von Thun has a guest role as moon man
You can imagine what a fun the recording was.
Max von Thun, barefoot, in a casual sweater and flat cap, puts his cell phone back on the dining table at home with his own gentleman-gangster smile.
That he and his boy would produce an audio book was not even intended.
"At first it was just a nice pastime when it was said in the spring due to the Corona: Be careful, stay at home," he says.
The first lockdown was a catastrophe, not least for the culture industry.
As a film actor, von Thun had it comparatively easy - but above all, he has been stepping down a bit for four years in order to have more time for Leo.
"It's such a formative time for him that I want him to have as much as possible from me."
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In the home studio: Max von Thun
© Johannes Löhr
This is basically why the “Star Man” was created three years ago.
A little fellow who distributes and lights the stars in the sky every evening.
He just made up a few stories for his son, says the author.
Soon a publisher showed interest - Leo had long since turned out to be an important keyword provider.
“If I don't know what to do next, I'll ask him,” says papa.
Von Thun's apartment invites you to let your thoughts fly
The son finds a solution, with childlike imagination.
In the current book, for example: How should the Star Man and Princess Luna get back to their home galaxy to help their enchanted father?
For Leo it was clear: through a black hole.
But what should that look like?
It helps immensely that von Thun's apartment in Isarvorstadt invites you to let your thoughts fly - your eyes are constantly glancing at something interesting: there are all kinds of instruments hanging on the wall.
A picture of Frankenstein actor Boris Karloff over the toilet.
A real giraffe's shin in the kitchen.
And above the dining table there is also a bear's head with a straw hat that Leo's grandpa Friedrich von Thun gave to his wife 50 years ago.
"Leo said: The black hole looks like a bear's head," recalls Father Max. "And I: Okay, why not?"
Friedrich von Thun of course also has a guest role in the audio book, as moon man.
A real family production - whereby Max von Thun emphasizes that he does not want to force the son to follow in his footsteps.
“I don't want to drag him out in public.
I see this a lot with movie kids.
The first time they are totally innocent.
But if 40 people keep bouncing around during the shooting, it eventually messes up the character. "
So you can see Leo in our photo - and also on the book covers and in the booklet of the CD - only disguised with a beard and sunglasses.
And although he is named as a co-author, he has come up with a pseudonym: Romedio von Stein.
The first name, like the family, comes from South Tyrol, it is in the history of the von Thun tradition that it appears somewhere as the third or fourth first name of men.
And the surname is derived from the complete noble name of the von Thun and Hohenstein family.
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Inspiration on the wall: The bear's head found its way into the von Thuns audio book.
© Johannes Löhr
Despite all the restraint, however, there is no denying that there is a good up-and-coming talent.
And common preferences: The Sternenmann song is clearly a legacy of the junkyard rock'n'rollers “Motörhead”, which father and son like.
Max also remembers with a smile: “Leo wanted the star man to resemble Luke Skywalker.
So I told him that it still had to be suitable for children. "
In the end, the son can approve all the recordings
Otherwise there were no limits.
Leo was allowed to join in when he felt like it - it just shouldn't degenerate into work.
The dad says: "It went something like this: I sat in the living room and shouted to him: I need another burp in chapter ten!" Everything that the father edited on the computer in his small home studio, the son had to approve at the end .
“Once he said: Yes, that's good, the target group likes that!” Recalls Max von Thun with a laugh.
“All of my facial features have derailed.
You are the target group! "
The private pastime has really created something that appeals to a wide audience.
The three “Star Man” books have now even been translated into Korean.
"It's really crazy that something that you started for fun goes around the world," says the author.
He is a little proud that he and his son have "a baby together".
As a father you get embarrassing for your child soon enough.
Now it's completely different: "Leo thinks it's pretty good that the word 'play' appears in his dad's job title."
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Max von Thun & Remedio von Stein: "The Star Man and the Great Adventure"
© Argon-Verlag
