Editing Harald Schmidt

{{Short description|German actor, comedian and television presenter}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=May 2021}}
{{BLP sources|date=May 2009}}
{{Infobox person
| name               = Harald Schmidt
| image              = Harald Schmidt (cropped).jpg
| caption            = Schmidt in 2015
| birth_date         = {{Birth date and age|1957|8|18|df=y}}
| birth_name         = Harald Franz Schmidt
| birth_place        = [[Neu-Ulm]], Bavaria, West Germany
| death_date         = 
| death_place        = 
| occupation         = Television presenter, comedian, actor, writer
| years_active       = 1988–present
| spouse             = 
| website            =
}}

'''Harald Franz Schmidt''' (born 18 August 1957) is a German actor, comedian, television presenter and writer best known as the host of two popular German late-night shows.

== Early and private life ==
A son of refugees who fled from [[Sudetenland]] (now Czech Republic) in 1945, Schmidt spent his youth in [[Swabia]]n [[Nürtingen]]. Due to his strict Catholic upbringing he devoted time to the [[Roman Catholic church]], serving as choirmaster and playing the organ.

At the age of 21, Schmidt went to [[Stuttgart]] to attend drama school for three years. After that, he gained on-stage experience at Städtische Bühne (Municipal Stage) in [[Augsburg]]. His first role was that of the 2nd Mamaluke in Lessing's ''[[Nathan der Weise|Nathan the Wise]]''. In 1984, Schmidt became a lyricist for the cabaret ''[[Kom(m)ödchen]]'' in [[Düsseldorf]] and in 1986, was honoured as "Best Newcomer cabaret artist" and toured through Germany with his own show.

In October 2005, his daughter Amelie was born. Schmidt resides in [[Cologne]] with his partner Ellen Hantsch, a school teacher, and their five children, the eldest being from a previous relationship. Little is known about the children and their two mothers as Schmidt shields them from the public. In interviews he hardly talks about them.{{citation needed|date=August 2020}}

== Television career ==
Before long, TV noticed the talented young comedian, and in 1988, Schmidt began to host his first TV show, ''MAZ ab''. This was followed by shows like ''Psst!'' and ''Schmidteinander''. The biggest boost to his career occurred in 1992, when Schmidt started hosting the popular Saturday night show ''Verstehen Sie Spaß?'' (a variation of ''[[Candid Camera]]''). Schmidt was awarded Germany's most important TV award, the [[Grimme-Preis|Adolf-Grimme-Preis]], which would be followed by many others. Just one year later, he was honoured as the "Entertainer of the Year" and awarded the [[Bambi Award]], as well as the [[Goldene Kamera|Golden Camera]].

In 2004, Schmidt toured through Germany with a live comedy show, featuring his former late night show sidekick [[Manuel Andrack]].
[[File:Harald schmidt-manuel andrack karlsruhe 2005-04-15.jpg|thumb|Schmidt (left) with sidekick [[Manuel Andrack]] live in [[Karlsruhe]], 2005]]

=== ''Harald Schmidt Show''===
In 1995, Schmidt changed from the publicly funded TV station [[ARD (broadcaster)|ARD]] to the privately owned German television network [[Sat.1]] in order to host a late night show similar to ''[[Late Night with Conan O'Brien]]'' and ''[[Late Show with David Letterman]]''. The show, named ''[[Die Harald Schmidt Show]]'', featured stand-up comedy as well as famous national and international guests. From 30 June 2003, the show was broadcast five days a week, including Monday evening. On 8 December 2003, Schmidt suddenly announced the end of the show, following a change of management of Sat.1. The last show was aired on 23 December 2003. The following suspension of the TV format lasted until 2011, when the show returned to Sat.1.

=== ''Harald Schmidt''===
{{main|Harald Schmidt (TV series)}}
In 2004, Schmidt began a second run with a new show named ''[[Harald Schmidt (ARD)|Harald Schmidt]]'' on publicly funded [[ARD (TV)|ARD]], where he had begun his television career 16 years earlier. The show no longer featured "celebrity" interviews but dealt even more with the discussion of current events in a rather freely associative manner. Manuel Andrack returned as his sidekick.

On his first show after the break, Schmidt appeared with long hair and a full beard, making fun of his long absence from the public. After summer break in 2005 the "celebrity guest" segment was reintroduced.

=== ''Schmidt & Pocher''===
{{main|Schmidt & Pocher}}
Late in 2007, Manuel Andrack was replaced by comedian [[Oliver Pocher]], who had a more active part than his predecessor, and some other elements changed as well. The broadcast's title was changed to ''[[Schmidt & Pocher]]'', trying to attract a younger audience. Pocher appeared "less intellectual", a fact that caused some criticism among Schmidt's core audience and broadsheet newspaper comments in Germany.

=== ''Harald Schmidt''===
After the termination of ''Schmidt & Pocher'', Schmidt again hosted the show under its former title ''Harald Schmidt'', this time without any sidekick.

=== Relaunch of the ''Harald Schmidt Show''===

On 15 September 2011, Schmidt returned to his former network [[Sat.1]], picking up its former name of ''Die Harald Schmidt Show'' again. However, Sat.1 cancelled the show after one season due to low ratings.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://tagesschau.de/kultur/haraldschmidt108.html|title = Aktuelle Nachrichten – Inland Ausland Wirtschaft Kultur Sport – ARD Tagesschau}}</ref> Starting 4 September 2012, new episodes were shown on Sky Hits HD and Sky Atlantic HD, two channels of the German Pay-TV network [[Sky Deutschland]].<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/german-harald-Schmidt-sky-sat1-319303 |title=German Late Night Champ Harald Schmidt Moves to Sky – the Hollywood Reporter |website=[[The Hollywood Reporter]] |access-date=19 May 2012 |archive-date=4 May 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120504200456/http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/german-harald-Schmidt-sky-sat1-319303 |url-status=dead }}</ref> Schmidt hosted his very last show on 13 March 2014. He announced he would not return to TV.<ref>{{Cite news|url=http://www.spiegel.de/kultur/tv/harald-schmidt-letzte-show-bei-sky-a-958244.html|title = Harald Schmidt: Letzte Show bei Sky| newspaper=Der Spiegel | date=13 March 2014 }}</ref> SKY published the last show on video-sharing website YouTube.<ref>{{YouTube|id=LrOYna52tX8&list=UUo4jMxp607FOEolnBUsEDkA}}</ref>

== Concept and personalities ==
[[file:Harald-schmidt-2007-ffm002.jpg|thumb|upright|Schmidt in 2007]]
The self-proclaimed [[hypochondria]]c became popular for his cynical jokes, cruel remarks and wry intellectual wit. (Even though he is obsessed with health he was able to lampoon this weak spot in a self ironic TV commercial for a medicine curing colds.) Schmidt models himself after people like [[Johnny Carson]] and [[Conan O'Brien]], but adds factors and qualities to his show himself.

He engaged in long, seemingly boring conversations with his "supervising producer" [[Manuel Andrack]] (known as "chief dramatic adviser"), who sat at a desk next to Schmidt's until 2005, and, like [[David Letterman]], also included his staff in the show, for instance, his [[cue card]] girl Suzana Novinscak and his band leader Helmut Zerlett. Schmidt celebrated the return of French woman [[Nathalie Licard]] in his [[ARD (broadcaster)|ARD]] era (like Zerlett she is still part of Schmidt's team). In Schmidt's original ''Harald Schmidt Show'' (1995–2003), Licard was involved in the goings-on in front of the audience too.

== Criticism ==
Especially during the first years of ''Die Harald Schmidt Show'', Schmidt was sometimes criticised for making fun of minorities like foreigners or gays. He also did [[Adolf Hitler]] imitations in his show (in one of these he as Hitler warned young people not to vote for racist and nationalistic parties). Schmidt's more unorthodox and politically incorrect jokes have garnered the show a reputation as [[cult television]] and his supporters accused critics of being incapable of understanding satire.{{citation needed|date=December 2013}}

In the later years of its first run on [[Sat.1]] (circa 2001–2003), the ''Harald Schmidt Show'' became a critics' favourite due to Schmidt's "intellectual" sense of humour, especially for incorporating many references to high culture (be it literature, theater, classical music, painting, or cinema), history, and philosophy. Another recurring item were forays into surrealism and absurdity that were pretty much anathema to commercial or "mainstream" interest: For example, Schmidt hosted one show completely in French (re-broadcast a few days later on Franco-German channel [[Arte]], this ''Show en Francais'' episode gained glowing reviews from French critics). On another occasion, the screen was blacked for half of the show making it into a "radio broadcast". Another time, Schmidt disproved a critic who had written that it is impossible to spend several minutes on TV just cracking nuts without anybody saying anything. The show's reviews and renown among critics gradually worsened during the years of its [[ARD (broadcaster)|ARD]] run (2004–2010), especially because Schmidt's choice of [[Oliver Pocher]] as a new sidekick was considered a mistake that diminished the entire show's quality.

== Other activities ==

Schmidt's first book, ''Tränen im Aquarium'', was published in 1993, the second, ''Mulatten in gelben Sesseln'', in 2005.

1994–2013 H. Schmidt worked as a columnist for one of the major German weekly news magazines, ''[[Focus (German magazine)|Focus]]''. Many of his articles were assembled and released as books. The first of these, ''Warum?'' ("Why?"), was published in 1997; another nine books followed.

Schmidt also voiced an audiobook, ''Jerry Cotton – Mein erster Fall beim FBI'' (2003).

== Awards ==
[[file:ROMY2011 b04 Harald Schmidt.jpg|thumb|Schmidt at the [[Romy (TV award)|Romy TV awards]] in 2011]]
Schmidt has won more than 30 television, comedy and theatrical awards, including three [[German Television Awards]], the viewers choice award [[Bambi (prize)|Bambi]], the [[Grimme Award]], the [[Golden Camera Award|Golden Camera]] and the [[RTL (German TV channel)|RTL]] Golden Lion as best talk show host. In 2013, he became a Cavalier of [[Ordre national de la Légion d'honneur]].<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.ambafrance-de.org/Harald-Schmidt-zum-Ritter-der |title=Harald Schmidt zum Ritter der Ehrenlegion ernannt |publisher=The Embassy of France in Germany |date=7 May 2013 |access-date=25 January 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150407005850/http://www.ambafrance-de.org/Harald-Schmidt-zum-Ritter-der |archive-date=7 April 2015 |url-status=dead }}</ref>

==Work==
=== Filmography ===
'''Film'''
{| class="wikitable"
|-  style="background:#b0c4de; text-align:center;"
! Year
! Title
! Role
! Director
|-
| 1995
| ''{{Interlanguage link multi|Nich' mit Leo|de}}''
| Bishop Heinrich
| Ralf Gregan
|-
| 1999
| ''{{Interlanguage link multi|Late Show (1999 film)|de|3=Late Show|lt=Late Show}}''
| Conny Scheffer
| [[Helmut Dietl]]
|-
| 2004
| ''[[7 Dwarves – Men Alone in the Wood]]''
| "The Best Jester" Candidate
| [[Otto Waalkes]]
|-
| 2005
| ''{{Ill|About the Looking for and the Finding of Love |de|Vom Suchen und Finden der Liebe}}''
| Psychoanalyst
| Helmut Dietl
|-
| 2011
| ''[[Stopped on Track]]''
| himself
| [[Andreas Dresen]]
|-
| 2012
| ''{{Interlanguage link multi|Zettl (film)|de|3=Zettl (Film)|lt=Zettl}}''
| Conny Scheffer
| Helmut Dietl
|-
| 2016
| ''{{ill|Burg Schreckenstein|de|Burg Schreckenstein (Film)}}''
| Graf Schreckenstein
| Ralf Huettner
|-
| 2017
| ''{{Ill|Timm Thaler oder Das verkaufte Lachen|de|Timm Thaler oder Das verkaufte Lachen (Film)}}''
| Announcer
| [[Andreas Dresen]]
|}

'''Television'''
{| class="wikitable"
|-  style="background:#b0c5de; text-align:center;"
! Year
! Title
! Role
! Channel
! Genre / Notes
|-
| 1988–1991
| ''MAZ ab!''
| Host
| West 3, Das Erste
| Quiz show
|-
| 1988–1989
| ''Hollymünd''
| Host
| WDR
| Music show
|-
| 1990–1995; 2007
| ''Pssst...''
| Host
| West 3, Das Erste
| Panel game, quiz show
|-
| 1990–1994
| ''Schmidteinander''
| Co-host with [[Herbert Feuerstein]]
| West 3, Das Erste
| Satirical comedy show / 50 episodes
|-
| 1991
| ''Gala – Weihnachten mit Harald Schmidt''
| Host
| NDR
| Gala
|-
| 1992–1995
| ''Verstehen Sie Spaß?''
| Host
| Das Erste
| Hidden camera reality TV series
|-
| 1995–2003, 2011–2014
| ''Harald Schmidt Show''
| Host
| Sat.1
| Late-night talk show
|-
| 1998
| ''McSchmidt Studio''
| Host
| Sat.1
| Sports talk / [[1998 FIFA World Cup]] / 35 episodes
|-
| 2004–2007; 2009–2011
| ''Harald Schmidt''
| Host
| Das Erste
| Late-night talk show
|-
| 2006, 2007, 2008
| ''[[Bambi Award]]s''
| Host
| Das Erste
| Award ceremony
|-
| 2007–2009
| ''Schmidt & Pocher''
| Host
| Das Erste
| Late-night talk show
|-
| 2006, 2008
| ''Olympia mit Waldi & Harry''
| Co-host with Waldemar Hartmann 
| Das Erste
| Late-night-show, Sports talk / [[2006 Winter Olympics]]; [[2008 Summer Olympics]] / 14 episodes
|-
| 2008
| ''[[Das Traumschiff]]''
|  Oskar Schifferle
| ZDF
| TV series / 9 episodes
|-
| 2008
| ''{{Interlanguage link multi|Teufelsbraten|de}}''
|  Salesman
| WDR/ARTE
| TV film / directed by [[Hermine Huntgeburth]]
|-
| 2009
| ''[[Stuttgart Homicide]]''
|  Prof. Dr. Lukas Gotthardt
| ZDF
| TV series / 1 episode
|-
| 2015
| ''Kulturplatz''
| Host
| SRF 1
| Art and culture / 2 episodes
|}

=== Discography ===
* 1997: ''Die Besten Sprüche aus der Harald Schmidt Show''
* 1998: ''Die besten Harald Schmidt Sprüche, Vol. 2''
* 2004: ''Schmidtgift''
* 2005: ''LiveMitSchmidt''

=== Videography ===
* 2000: ''Harald Schmidt – Respektlos und rezeptfrei''
* 2004: ''Die Harald Schmidt – The Best of Vol. 1 & 2 + Golden Goals''
* 2005: ''Harald Schmidt – Best of Harald Schmidt 2005''
* 2006: ''Harald Schmidt – Best of Harald Schmidt 2006''
* 2007: ''Harald Schmidt – Gala''
* 2008: ''Harald Schmidt & Oliver Pocher – Das erste Jahr: Best of''
* 2011: ''Ich hab schon wieder überzogen'' / ''Überstehen ist alles''
* 2011: ''Die Harald Schmidt Show – Die ersten 100 Jahre: 1995–2003''
* 2013: ''Die Harald Schmidt Show – Die zweiten 100 Jahre: 1995–2003''

=== Bibliography ===

* 1993: Tränen im Aquarium. Ein Kurzausflug ans Ende des Verstandes, {{ISBN|3-462-02302-0}}.
* 1997: Warum? Neueste Notizen aus dem beschädigten Leben, {{ISBN|3-462-02653-4}}.
* 1999: Wohin? Allerneueste Notizen aus dem beschädigten Leben, {{ISBN|3-462-02864-2}}.
* 2002: Quadrupelfuge. Variationen über 4 Themen auf 240 Seiten'', {{ISBN|3-462-03125-2}}.
* 2002: Warum und wohin? Gesammelte Notizen aus dem beschädigten Leben, {{ISBN|3-548-36339-3}}.
* 2004: Avenue Montaigne. Roman, très nouveau, {{ISBN|3-462-03380-8}}.
* 2004: Warum und wohin?, {{ISBN|3-548-84017-5}}.
* 2005: Mulatten in gelben Sesseln. Die Tagebücher 1945 – 52 und die Focus-Kolumnen, {{ISBN|3-462-03642-4}}.
* 2006: Avenue Montaigne & Quadrupelfuge, {{ISBN|3-462-03673-4}}.
* 2007: Sex ist dem Jakobsweg sein Genitiv. Eine Vermessung, {{ISBN|978-3-462-03954-2}}.
* 2009: Ich hatte 3000 Frauen. Deutschlands größter TV-Star packt aus, {{ISBN|978-3-462-04104-0}}.
* 2011: Fleischlos schwanger mit Pilates. Erfolgreiche Frauen sagen, wie es geht, {{ISBN|978-3-462-04293-1}}.
* 2022: In der Frittatensuppe feiert die Provinz ihre Triumphe. Thomas Bernhard. Eine kulinarische Spurensuche, {{ISBN|978-3-7106-0533-8}}.

== Literature ==

* 2003: Kay Sokolowsky: Late Night Solo – Die Methode Harald Schmidt. Aufbau-Taschenbuch-Verlag, Berlin, {{ISBN|3-7466-7044-6}}.
* 2004: Mariam Lau: Harald Schmidt – Eine Biografie. Ullstein Verlag, Berlin, {{ISBN|3-548-36675-9}}.
* 2006: Peter Reinwarth: Wer ist Harald Schmidt. Edition Steffan, Köln, {{ISBN|3-923838-53-0}}.
* 2009: Julia Wenmakers: Rechtliche Grenzen der neuen Formen von Satire im Fernsehen. Wo hört bei Stefan Raab und Harald Schmidt der Spaß auf? Verlag Dr. Kovac, Hamburg, {{ISBN|978-3-8300-4299-0}}.

== References ==
{{Reflist}}

== External links ==
{{cc}}
*{{IMDb name|id=0772969|name=Harald Schmidt}}
*[https://www.youtube.com/user/HaraldSchmidtShow Die Harald Schmidt Show] on [[YouTube.com]]

{{Authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Schmidt, Harald}}
[[Category:1957 births]]
[[Category:Living people]]
[[Category:People from Neu-Ulm]]
[[Category:People from Nürtingen]]
[[Category:German Roman Catholics]]
[[Category:Knights of the Legion of Honour]]
[[Category:German male comedians]]
[[Category:German television talk show hosts]]
[[Category:People with hypochondriasis]]
[[Category:ARD (broadcaster) people]]
[[Category:Sat.1 people]]
[[Category:Westdeutscher Rundfunk people]]
[[Category:Focus (German magazine) people]]
[[Category:Comedians from Bavaria]]
[[Category:Comedians from Baden-Württemberg]]
[[Category:Male actors from Bavaria]]
[[Category:Male actors from Baden-Württemberg]]