Otto Waalkes
Biography
Otto Waalkes, born in Emden in 1948, ranks among the most successful German comedians of all time. He first gained widespread recognition in the mid-1970s through his comedy albums and his own television show. By the mid-1980s—culminating with the release of his first feature film, *Otto – Der Film*—he had risen to the status of an absolute superstar. With a box-office tally of over 14 million viewers, this comedy is considered the most successful German film of all time. The following years saw the release of further installments in the "Otto" film series, all of which went on to become major hits. After a period of relative quiet in the late 1990s, Otto Waalkes staged a major comeback in 2004 with the film *7 Zwerge – Männer allein im Wald* (7 Dwarfs – Men Alone in the Woods). This ensemble comedy drew more than seven million moviegoers to theaters and was followed in 2006 by an equally successful sequel. In the new millennium, Otto established himself as a voice actor for animated films such as *Ice Age*. Although Otto Waalkes is frequently criticized for his allegedly simplistic and silly brand of humor, his films consistently find an audience.
Known For
DAS!
1991
Die Harald Schmidt Show
1995
Leute heute
1997
NDR Talk Show
1979
The Johannes B. Kerner Show
1998
Abendschau
2000
ZDF-Fernsehgarten
1986
Wetten, dass..?
1981
Bambi
1948
Genial daneben
2003
Germany's Next Topmodel
2006
Tigerenten Club
1996
Filmography
DAS!
as Self · 1991
Die Harald Schmidt Show
as Self · 1995
Leute heute
as Self · 1997
NDR Talk Show
as Self · 1979
The Johannes B. Kerner Show
as Self - Guest · 1998
Abendschau
as Self · 2000
ZDF-Fernsehgarten
as Self · 1986
Wetten, dass..?
as Self · 1981
Bambi
as Self · 1948
Genial daneben
· 2003
Germany's Next Topmodel
as Self - Guest Judge · 2006
Tigerenten Club
as Self · 1996
Grimme Award
as Self · 1964
Inas Nacht
as Self · 2007
Der große Preis
as Self · 1974
Was bin ich?
as Self · 1955
Verstehen Sie Spaß?
as Self · 1980
Klein gegen Groß - Das unglaubliche Duell
as Self · 2011
Late Night Berlin
as Self · 2018
Die Sendung mit der Maus
as self · 1971
1, 2 oder 3
as Self · 1977
RTL Samstag Nacht
· 1993
Blauer Panther
as Self · 1989
LOL: Last One Laughing
as Self · 2021
Seitenblicke
as Self · 1987
ECHO-Verleihung
as Self · 1992
Die große Maus-Show
as Self · 2006
Dittsche - Das wirklich wahre Leben
as self · 2004
NDR Kultur – Das Journal
as Self · 2002
Please Turn the Page
as Self · 1977
Musik liegt in der Luft
as Self · 1991
Ein Herz für Kinder
as Self · 1998
Goldene Henne
as Self · 1995
TV total
as Self · 1999
Pantoffelkino
as Self - Interviewee · 2013
German Comedy Award
as Self · 1997
Our Best
as Self · 2003
Na siehste!
as Self · 1987
The 7th Dwarf
as Bubi (voice) · 2014
Ein Abend für..
as Self · 2008
Bully sucht die starken Männer!
as Self · 2008
Help, I Shrunk My Teacher
as Spirit of the school founder Otto Leonhard · 2015
Die verflixte 7
as Self · 1984
Help, I Shrunk My Parents
as Otto Leonhard · 2018
Die 80er Jahre Show
as Self · 2002
Otto – The Series
as Verschiedene · 1995
Ottifants
as Baby Bruno Bommel · 1993
Unsere Besten im Norden
as Self · 2011
Granaten wie wir
as Self · 2009
Siegfried
as Grille (voice) · 2005
7 Zwerge - Männer allein im Wald
as Bubi · 2004
Help, I Shrunk My Friends
as Otto Leonhard · 2021
Ein Star und seine Stadt
as Self · 2001
5 Millionen SKL Show
as Self · 2003
Otto's Eleven
as Otto · 2010
Der Meisterfälscher
as Self · 2014
7 Dwarves: The Forest Is Not Enough
as Bubi · 2006
Otto – The New Movie
as Otto · 1987
The Otto-Show
as Otto Waalkes · 1973
Otto - The Disaster Movie
as Otto, Baby-Otto, Otti, Großvater · 2000
Ottos Märchenshow
as Self · 2022
Geheimakte Otto Waalkes - Harry Hirsch auf Spurensuche
as Harry Hirsch · 2018
Udo Lindenberg: Stärker als die Zeit - Live
· 2016
Udo Lindenberg - Stark wie zwei
as Self · 2008
Otto – The Alien from East Frisia
as Otto / Benno Gross · 1989
Otto - The Romance Film
as Karl/Otto/Amor · 1992
Mein Name ist Otto
as Self · 2024
Otto - The Movie
as Otto / Otto's Father (voice) / Otto's Mother (voice) / Mr. Astrid (voice) · 1985
Heino – Made in Germany
as Self · 2013
Otto - Geboren um zu blödeln
as Self · 2015
Otto Fröhliche - Advent, Advents mit Otto und Friends
as Various · 2021
Crazy Race 2 - Warum die Mauer wirklich fiel
as Scientist · 2004
Ronny’s Pop Show
as Ronny (voice) · 1982
Udo Lindenberg & Das Panikorchester - 50 Jahre Rock'n'Roll in der bunten Republik
as Self · 2023
The Time Carousel
as Wilhelm Tell · 2015
Die Helene Fischer Show 2013
as Self · 2013
St. Pauli Nacht
· 1999
Otto - Die Doku
as Self · 2018
Die Traumschiff-Gala zum 80. Geburtstag von Peter Alexander
as Self · 2006
Pur & Friends: Live auf Schalke 2014
as Self · 2014
Otto - Mein Ostfriesland und mehr
· 2001
Potato Salad: Don't Ask!
as Notrufbeantworter · 2015
Catweazle
as Catweazle · 2021
Otto - Die ersten 15 Jahre und mehr! (Goldedition)
· 2005
Seiler und Speer: A schware Partie 25
as Otto Waalkes · 2025
Hallervorden - Didi gegen den Rest der Welt
as Self · 2025
Otto live - Holdrio Again
as Self · 2016
Otto live! Das Original
as Self · 2008
Otto Waalkes rockt WERNER
as Self · 2018
So ein Otto: Best-of: Die Otto Show
as Self · 1981
Otto's Traum
as Otto · 2014
Hilfe, Otto kommt!
as Self · 1983
Kommando Störtebeker
as Bruno Bommel / Papagei · 2001
Otto - Die DVD
· 2003
Best of Otto
· 2012