For decades, he was regarded as one of Germany’s most famous voices, lending his talent to iconic action stars such as Arnold Schwarzenegger and Sylvester Stallone in numerous films. However, the world of entertainment mourns the loss of Thomas Danneberg, the renowned voice actor, who passed away on September 30, 2023, at the age of 81.
A Versatile Career:
Thomas Danneberg’s career as a voice actor began in 1964, and over his impressive 50-year career, he not only provided the voices for Hollywood stars like John Travolta, Dan Aykroyd, Rutger Hauer, and John Cleese but also for two giants of European cinema, Terence Hill and Adriano Celentano. The outpouring of condolences on social media is a testament to the impact he had on the entertainment industry. Colleagues such as Jean-Claude Van Damme and Jamie Foxx’s German voice actor, Charles Rettinghaus, paid heartfelt tributes.
The Journey of Thomas Danneberg:
Born during World War II as the younger of two siblings, Thomas Danneberg embarked on a remarkable journey after completing his schooling in Berlin. His path took him from Iceland to the United States, and later to Norway and Switzerland, where he began his acting training. He eventually returned to Germany, where he commenced his acting career in the early 1960s.
On stage, he graced audiences with performances in Shakespeare’s “The Comedy of Errors.” On the silver screen, he appeared in notable films like the Edgar Wallace adaptation “Die blaue Hand” (1967). Later, he shared screen time with Lewis Collins in “Kommando Leopard” (1985) and “Der Commander” (1988), even dubbing their voices, while his own characters were voiced by Rainer Brandt.
In the late 1970s, he had already lent his voice to John Travolta in “Saturday Night Fever” (1977) and “Grease” (1978), Arnold Schwarzenegger in “Hercules In New York” (1969), and Sylvester Stallone in “Brooklyn Blues” (1974). However, it was in the 1980s that Danneberg achieved his breakthrough, becoming the iconic voice of action cinema in that era.
With “Rocky III,” he became the German voice of Sylvester Stallone’s legendary boxer. He continued to voice Stallone in the “Rambo” sequels and later in films like “Demolition Man,” “Cliffhanger,” and the “Expendables” series. Simultaneously, he gained recognition as the German voice of Arnold Schwarzenegger, contributing to the cult status of films like “Conan the Barbarian,” “Terminator,” and “Commando.”
Additionally, Danneberg had a long-standing career as the voice actor for Rutger Hauer (e.g., “Blade Runner”), Dan Aykroyd (e.g., “Ghostbusters”), John Cleese (e.g., “Monty Python and the Holy Grail”), and Terence Hill (e.g., “My Name Is Nobody”).
Due to health reasons, Danneberg had to reduce his workload in recent years and eventually retired from voice acting. His last roles included “Escape Plan 2” (Stallone), “Gotti” (Travolta), “My Name Is Somebody” (Hill), as well as “Kin” and “I Can Only Imagine” (both featuring Dennis Quaid) in 2018.
A Tribute on the Air:
Tonight, on October 2, 2023, at 8:15 PM, viewers can remember Thomas Danneberg as Kabel 1 airs the iconic family-action-comedy “Kindergarten Cop,” starring Arnold Schwarzenegger as a supercop who goes undercover in a kindergarten.
Thomas Danneberg leaves behind a legacy of unforgettable voices that brought beloved characters to life for generations of German-speaking audiences. His remarkable career and contributions to the world of cinema will forever be remembered and cherished.