Los Angeles, CA —I was invited by an Austrian actor friend, Thomas Mikusz to a screening at the Goethe Institute here.  He was moderating the Q&A of German film Director   Edward Berger  ( of the film, JACK ) and   music director  Reinhold Heil .    Ive been   watching this exciting series that now has me absolutely spellbound!  The writing is top notch.  It’s a Sundance-TV original series.  Sounds American, right?  No! It’s Called, DEUTSCHLAND 83 a cold war thriller about the East German Stazi Intelligence and the very hot cold war before Communism as we knew it fell. Interestingly enough this was released here first.   Germany will have to wait until next month to see this! In an age of reality TV garbage and sensational but mindless, over the top special effect films, this is a wonderful story and character driven series.   Yes, terrific actors actually bring the written words to life off ...

Director Marc Bauder with Screenwriter Dörte Franke Los Angeles, CA —I’m a frequent visitor to events put on by the arts arm of the German government.  This time it was at the renowned Goethe-Institut across the street from the Screen Actor’s Guild where I’m a member. They had a real treat for me lined up.   A screening of a film called Das System and a Q&A with the director Marc Bauder and one of the two screenwriters, Dörte Franke .   Afterwards there was a meet and greet reception.   The film was a real thriller.   It interposed East Germany’s dark past with modern day corruption.   The unintended protagonist is a 20 year-old boy, Mike Hiller, played by Jacob Matschenz .   Later in the film, through cinematic magic, Hiller returns to play his presumed father, Rolf.   The young Hiller who survives as a petty criminal,  is sought out by a wealthy fellow, Konrad Böhm played by Bernhard Schütz .    Böhm is...

Washington, DC —In our world politics and governments may change but people and their cultures remain the same. As a young man and Army draftee I was part of the post World War Two military occupation that was still around 23 years after the war ended. I saw some amazing things in Germany. They were still repairing war damage but the smiles and friendship the people offered me was immeasurable to this Chicago boy so far from home. Serving in Germany was one of the greatest experiences of my life. Germany had joined NATO and we were all part of the common defense against the totalitarian Soviet regime. In thousands of homes were pictures and tapestries of our President John F. Kennedy . Kennedy endeared himself to the German people with his famous, “Ich bin ein Berliner!” speech. The German people accepted me as one of them. I went out of my way to learn and think in the German language. My host country shared their food, culture, hopes, dreams and lives with me. Fun was g...