1. Harald Franz Schmidt was born on 18 August 1957 and is a German actor, comedian, television presenter and writer best known as the host of two popular German late-night shows.
16 Facts About Harald Schmidt
1. 2.
At the age of 21, Harald Schmidt went to Stuttgart to attend drama school for three years.
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In 1984, Harald Schmidt became a lyricist for the cabaret Komodchen in Dusseldorf and in 1986, was honoured as "Best Newcomer cabaret artist" and toured through Germany with his own show.
4.
Harald Schmidt was awarded Germany's most important TV award, the Adolf-Grimme-Preis, which would be followed by many others.
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In 2004, Harald Schmidt toured through Germany with a live comedy show, featuring his former late night show sidekick Manuel Andrack.
6.
In 1995, Harald Schmidt changed from the publicly funded TV station ARD to the privately owned German television network Sat.
7.
On 8 December 2003, Harald Schmidt suddenly announced the end of the show, following a change of management of Sat.
8.
On his first show after the break, Harald Schmidt appeared with long hair and a full beard, making fun of his long absence from the public.
9.
On 15 September 2011, Harald Schmidt returned to his former network Sat.
10.
Harald Schmidt hosted his very last show on 13 March 2014.
11.
Harald Schmidt engaged in long, seemingly boring conversations with his "supervising producer" Manuel Andrack, who sat at a desk next to Schmidt's until 2005, and, like David Letterman, included his staff in the show, for instance, his cue card girl Suzana Novinscak and his band leader Helmut Zerlett.
12.
Harald Schmidt celebrated the return of French woman Nathalie Licard in his ARD era.
13.
In Schmidt's original Harald Schmidt Show, Licard was involved in the goings-on in front of the audience too.
14.
Especially during the first years of Die Harald Schmidt Show, Schmidt was sometimes criticised for making fun of minorities like foreigners or gays.
15.
Harald Schmidt did Adolf Hitler imitations in his show.
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Harald Schmidt has won more than 30 television, comedy and theatrical awards, including three German Television Awards, the viewers choice award Bambi, the Grimme Award, the Golden Camera and the RTL Golden Lion as best talk show host.