Eckart Dux(1926-2024)

German film, TV and voice actor, the son of a senior insurance inspector. Dux took acting classes in Berlin under the tutelage of drama coach Else Bongers (1901-1993) and made his stage debut at the age of 22 at the Renaissance-Theater. On the screen from 1950, he first appeared as Fenton in an adaptation of Shakespeare's Die lustigen Weiber von Windsor (1950). After that came featured supporting roles in Das Haus in Montevideo (1951) with Curt Goetz, the comedy Briefträger Müller (1953) with Heinz Rühmann and in the Defa-produced fantasy L'arbre qui chante (1957) (as the Handsome Prince). From the mid-60's, Dux (nicknamed 'Ecki') was primarily seen in made-for-TV movies and as a series guest actor. He became most popular in the guise of police officers, beginning with his young sergeant in the Francis Durbridge thriller Das Halstuch (1962), and, later, as one of the stars of Les cavaliers de la route (1966) and Hamburg Transit (1970) (in both series as Detective Superintendant Schlüter). Dux also had a recurring role as attorney Mike Rander in the humorous crime series Butler Parker (1972).

During the latter stages of his career, Dux became more actively involved as a narrator of radio plays and as a voice actor. He has been the regular German dubbing voice for Audie Murphy and Anthony Perkins. He has also synchronized for Ian McKellen (as Gandalf) in Peter Jackson's Hobbit-Trilogie, for Steve Martin in Los Angeles Story (1991) and Le père de la mariée (1991) and for George Peppard in L'agence tous risques (1983). Among many other thespians he has dubbed, are Michael Caine, Charles Dance, Peter O'Toole, Michael Gambon and Albert Finney.