In the “NDR Talk Show” “Der Alte” actor Thomas Heinze revealed how he got his role in the cult crime series.
Hamburg - “The Old Man” is probably one of the most popular crime series on German television. The format has been broadcast since 1977, and the role of “Old Man” has already been played by several actors. In 2023, Thomas Heinze (60) took over the investigation as Chief Detective Caspar Bergmann and answered questions about his role from Barbara Schöneberger (50) on the “NDR Talk Show” yesterday Friday evening (April 12, 2024).
Thomas Heinze in “The Old Man”: Barbara Schöneberger impressed by racing scenes
“'The Old Man' is really a success story,” the presenter started the conversation about the crime series. “In my opinion, it is the oldest series format that exists on German television,” agreed Thomas Heinze. The role of the “Old Man” was initially played by Siegfried Lowitz (†84), followed by Rolf Schimpf (99), Walter Kreye (81), Jan-Gregor Kremp (61) and now Thomas Heinze. Tragic: Rolf Schimpf recently had to move to a cheaper retirement home due to financial difficulties.
“How differently do you dress the role than Siegfried Lorenz?” Barbara Schöneberger asked and had to laugh because he always wore a trench coat and she obviously couldn’t imagine Heinze doing that. In the latter case, she was more impressed by how fast he could run. Heinze confirmed that he was even faster than the stuntman who was there at the beginning and that he was no longer hired as a result. The racing scenes are exhausting because they are filmed over and over again.
“The Old Man”: This is how Thomas Heinze got his role as Chief Inspector Caspar Bergmann
A task for which you have to have not only a certain level of athleticism but also the right motivation. But Thomas Heinze clearly has this. When asked whether he had applied for his role in “The Old Man” or had been asked, Heinze replied: “I actively applied, I wanted to do it. I filmed with my predecessor Jan-Gregor Kremp and was a guest in 'Der Alte'. Then he told me that he wanted to quit. Then I said, I'll do it. ZDF then looked at all the applicants and ultimately decided on me. It was a pleasure."
“That means you’re now someone who makes crime stories,” Schöneberger stated. “But are you also someone who watches crime shows?” she then asked. Thomas Heinze answered in the affirmative: He personally enjoys watching international crime thrillers like “Sherlock”. As
ruhr24.de
reports, Thomas Heinze will soon be seen in another series - “Der Alte” star secures a role in “Spring”.
(cso)
Sources used:
ardmediathek.de, de.wikipedia.org