Anecdotes

The son of actor-parents, he first appeared on screen in a silent feature in 1923. His first theatrical engagement was in Berlin in 1928. After the war, he became active as a cabaret performer, stage comedian and actor/director in radio plays. He was subsequently in charge of MGM's dubbing studios and did voice overs for the likes of Cary Grant, Fred Astaire and Gene Kelly. In films, he was mostly cast in supporting roles, finally achieving stardom by the end of the 1960's on television as 'Der Komissar'.

He came very early into contact with the film through his parents and was among others assistant by cinematographer Otto Kanturek, beside it he has worked with the famous cinematographer Fritz Arno Wagner.

There were times that he smoked more than 80 cigarettes a day.

Son of actor Fritz Odemar.

Short, balding star character actor, famous as the laconic, imperturbable screen detective Herbert Keller in 97 episodes of Der Kommissar (1969).

As Kommissar Keller he achieved his greatest successes and became also well-known to a wide public over the border. This popularity had the negative effect that Erik Ode was pinned to this figure and he only got other roles rarely. But he was able to arrange his stage career so much varied and went on tour with plays like "Tod eines Handlungsreisenden", "Des Teufels General" and "Pygmalion".

He had great successes at the Metropol-Theater and in revues at the Berliner Scala.

He was buried at sea.

He got his first stage role at the Theater am Schiffbauerdamm in 1928, moreover he achieved a certain name recognition with his topical-satirical appearances with Max Kolpe and Tedy Stauffer.

His father was the famous actor Fritz Odemar, his mother the actress Erika Nymgau.

Shortly before the end of war he was called up as a military radio operator and was taken prisoner. He was interned in the camp Fürstenwalde for a short time.

Erik Ode shifted his activity to the direction in the 50's and he directed a whole string of musical movies which influenced the 50's decisively. His stars were the singer Peter Alexander, Caterina Valente and Vico Torriani.

From the 60's he disappeared completely from the big screen and worked exclusively for the television. But he didn't win fame with his works as a director but his performance in the serial "Der Kommissar" (68-76), in which he impersonated the title role in 97 episodes in eight years. As "Der Kommissar" he launched a new, very successful genre in the German television world and it soon followed other serials like "Derrick" and "Der Alte".

His activity for the film business kept busy in that time and he appeared till the end of war.

Some of the actors he has dubbed are Fred Astaire, Gene Kelly in "An American in Paris" and " Singin' in the Rain", Mel Ferrer in "Lili", James Mason in "The Prisoner of Zenda", Bing Crosby in "High Society", Robert Walker in "Strangers on a Train" and Cary Grant in "North by Northwest".