Fritz Muliar

Friedrich Ludwig Stand, better known as Fritz Muliar, was born in Vienna, Austria in 1919. In the late 1930s, Muliar became a cabaret artist. During WWII, Muliar was imprisoned by the Nazis and forced to spend seven months in solitary confinement. Muliar became a stage actor after the war, taking mostly traditional Austrian and comic roles. He also appeared in films and on television and is best remembered for playing the lead in the TV mini-series Die Abenteuer des braven Soldaten Schwejk, broadcast in Austria in 1972. Muliar was a beloved figure in his native country, winning numerous awards and often being referred to by his countrymen as Volksschauspieler, or “The National Actor.” He died in 2009 at age 89.