From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia Klaus Doldinger (born 12 May 1936) was a German saxophonist, especially well known for jazz and as a composer of film music. He was the recipient of 1997's Bavarian Film Awards. He died October 16, 2025 in Icking, Germany. Doldinger was born in Berlin, and entered a Düsseldorf conservatory in 1947, originally studying piano and then clarinet, graduating in 1957. In his student years, Doldinger gained professional performing experience, starting in 1953 in the German Dixieland band The Feetwarmers, and recording with them in 1955. Later that year he founded Oscar's Trio, modeled on Oscar Peterson's work. During the 1960s he worked as a tenor saxophonist, working with visiting American jazz musicians and recording in his own right. Doldinger is perhaps best known for his film scores to the acclaimed German U-boat film Das Boot (1981) and later The NeverEnding Story (1984). Doldinger married Inge Beck in 1960; they have three children, Viola, Melanie and Nicolas Doldinger. Since 1968 they have resided in Icking, a small Bavarian village, south of Munich. Doldinger's jazz band Passport (2008) Doldinger's recurring jazz project Passport, started in 1971 (then called "Klaus Doldinger's Passport"), still enjoys huge success in Germany. In its influence it was sometimes called the European version of Weather Report. At various times members of Passport included Peter O'Mara (guitar), Roberto DiGioia (keyboards), Patrick Scales (bass, since 1994), Ernst Stroer (de:Ernst Ströer) (percussion, since 1989), Christian Lettner (drums, since 2000), Michael Hornek (keyboard since 2009), Biboul Darouiche (percussion, since 1995) and others. Guests include Brian Auger (1973), Johnny Griffin (1973) and Pete York (1973).[3] The first true Passport album had strong ties to Amon Düül II containing contributions from Olaf Kübler, Lothar Meid and Jimmy Jackson, it remains an off-the-radar Krautrock essential.
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Biography from TMDB.
- May 12, 1936
- October 16, 2025 (aged 89)
- Berlin, Germany
- Composer and actor
- 12 on MovieCove · 56 credits in all
What are Klaus Doldinger's films like?
Across their 11 MovieCove titles with a thematic analysis, their films lean Self and Morality.
Genres
Their MovieCove films by primary genre. The badge is the typical Midcredits score of the genre's films, the median percentile; an up arrow marks a genre at or above their average across these genres.
Themes
What they feel like to watch
Ironic 1 · Wry 0 · Earnest 10
Light 3 · Serious 6 · Dark 2
A split, not a type: Grounded 6 · Stylized 3 · Heightened 2
Gentle 2 · Charged 6 · Intense 3
A split, not a type: Steady 5 · Shifting 4 · Whiplash 2
Straight-faced 8 · Some laughs 2 · Funny 1
Slow burn 6 · Even-paced 5 · Relentless 0
Casual 4 · Engaged 5 · Full focus 2
Easy watch 4 · Affecting 4 · Heavy 3
Resolved 7 · Open-ended 2 · Ambiguous 2
Moods and endings
- Happy1
- Bittersweet6
- Tragic1
- Ambiguous3
AI-generated from each title's plot synopsis and cast list, with extra plot summaries, reviews and Parents Guide notes for titles the model may not know, and the model's own knowledge of the ones it recognizes. Only analyzed titles count, so this covers part of the filmography; the feel axes count films only for now.
Where can I watch Klaus Doldinger's films?
As of October 24, 2026, 4 of their 12 MovieCove titles stream on a subscription or free service.
Subscription and free streaming for Klaus Doldinger's titles on MovieCove; rent and buy are not counted. Titles are listed by Midcredits score, highest first, at most 12 per service; a dashed chip is a producer credit or a minor one, such as a thanks. A service opens the browse page, which counts movies only, so its number can differ.
Filmography
56 credits, 12 with a MovieCove page; 27 appearances as themselves are hidden until asked for.
Jazzfieber - The Story of German Jazz (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2023)
Klaus Doldinger's Passport - Live in Leverkusen 2019 (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2019)
Das doppelte Lottchen (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2017)
Midcredits score: 48th percentile of all films (provisional, few ratings)
Wacht am Rhein (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2017)
Udo Lindenberg: Stärker als die Zeit - Live (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2016)
Doomsday: World War I (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2012)
Der Bulle und das Landei - Tödliches Heimweh (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2010)
Die Frau, die im Wald verschwand (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2009)
Ein Leben wie im Flug (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2007)
Василиса (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2000)
Zimmer mit Frühstück (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2000)
Palmetto(1998)
Midcredits score: 40th percentile of all filmsLiving Dead (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1997)
Alles wegen Robert De Niro (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1996)
Wer hat Angst vorm Weihnachtsmann? (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1996)
Alles außer Mord (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1994)
Die Wildnis (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1993)
Desire(1992)
Midcredits score: 48th percentile of all filmsHurenglück (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1991)
Der Erfolg ihres Lebens (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1990)
Abenteuer Airport (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1990)
Me and Him(1988)
Midcredits score: 7th percentile of all films
The Case of Mr. Spalt (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1988)
A Father's Revenge(1988)
Midcredits score: 31st percentile of all films
Flug in die Hölle (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1985)
Das Boot (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1985)
The NeverEnding Story(1984)
Midcredits score: 89th percentile of all films
Love Is Forever(1983)
Midcredits score: 18th percentile of all films
The Roaring Fifties (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1983)
Satan ist auf Gottes Seite (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1983)
Das Boot(1981)
Midcredits score: 99th percentile of all films
A Case For Two (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1981)
The Fall (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1979)
Black and White Like Day and Night (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1978)
The Second Awakening of Christa Klages (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1978)
Moritz, Dear Moritz (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1978)
The Leading Man (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1977)
Eichholz & Söhne (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1977)
Paradiso (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1977)
Sanfter Schrecken(1977)
Midcredits score: 47th percentile of all films (provisional, few ratings)
Four Against the Bank (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1976)
The Swiss Conspiracy (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1976)
Alle Jahre wieder – Die Familie Semmeling (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1976)
The Net (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1975)
To the Bitter End (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1975)
One or the Other of Us (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1974)
...But Johnny! (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1973)
Police Call 110(1971)
Midcredits score: 24th percentile of all shows
The Sudden Wealth of the Poor People of Kombach (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1971)
Tatort(1970)
Midcredits score: 43rd percentile of all showsEine Rose für Jane (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1970)
Baal (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1970)
Midcredits score: 6th percentile of all films
Negresco (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1968)
Wirb oder stirb (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1968)
Career shape
A full career of 54 titles from 1968 to 2023.
Counts from TMDB across their full career, self appearances out; a title counts in every role they held on it. The ring is the typical Midcredits score (the median percentile) of the role's titles that are on MovieCove, shown from 5 scored.
How do Klaus Doldinger's films land?
Their typical MovieCove film has a Midcredits score in the 44th percentile, the median of all 10; across their 11 films with reception data, the typical film sits in the 42nd percentile for acclaim.
- 75th and up2
- 25th to 49th6
- Below 25th4
Shape of the crowd
7 of their 12 titles are Mixed.
- Universally Loved2
- Universally Panned1
- Cult Classic1
- Broadly Agreed1
- Mixed7
Reviewers score the sound and music 59/100 in their films, across 5 reviewed titles; fans 63, detractors 30. The element that speaks to their work as a composer.
Percentiles are each film's standing among all films on MovieCove; the typical film is the median, so one outlier cannot drag it. Percentiles and reviewer scores count the films IMDb credits them on, for now; the Midcredits score bands, the shape of the crowd and the two cards count their MovieCove titles, shows included (a show ranked among shows), appearances as themselves left out. A descriptor is the shape of a title's IMDb rating distribution against the catalog; "most divisive" needs a spread wider than half of all titles, and a card names only a principal credit: a craft role, and on a show a crew role or a run of episodes, never a courtesy credit or a one-off guest spot.
Is Klaus Doldinger's work okay for kids?
Across a limited sample of up to 3 MovieCove titles with content scores.
Severity 0–100 from the Content Guide. Categories with under 10 votes on a title are not counted.
Who does Klaus Doldinger work with?
People who share at least 2 of Klaus Doldinger's MovieCove titles, grouped by what they did on them; Wolfgang Petersen shares the most, 3.
Directors
- Wolfgang PetersenShared titles: Offene Wunde deutscher Film (2017), The NeverEnding Story (1984), Das Boot (1981)See all 3 shared titles with Wolfgang Petersen
Actors
- Deep RoyShared titles: Life After the NeverEnding Story (2024), The NeverEnding Story (1984)See all 2 shared titles with Deep Roy
- Noah HathawayShared titles: Life After the NeverEnding Story (2024), The NeverEnding Story (1984)See all 2 shared titles with Noah Hathaway
- Tami StronachShared titles: Life After the NeverEnding Story (2024), The NeverEnding Story (1984)See all 2 shared titles with Tami Stronach
- Jürgen ProchnowShared titles: Love Is Forever (1983), Das Boot (1981)See all 2 shared titles with Jürgen Prochnow
Cinematographers
- Jost VacanoShared titles: Life After the NeverEnding Story (2024), The NeverEnding Story (1984), Das Boot (1981)See all 3 shared titles with Jost Vacano
Producers
- Bernd EichingerShared titles: Desire (1992), Me and Him (1988), The NeverEnding Story (1984)See all 3 shared titles with Bernd Eichinger
- Dieter MeyerShared titles: Desire (1992), Me and Him (1988)See all 2 shared titles with Dieter Meyer
- Günter RohrbachShared titles: The NeverEnding Story (1984), Das Boot (1981)See all 2 shared titles with Günter Rohrbach
- John W. HydeShared titles: The NeverEnding Story (1984), Das Boot (1981)See all 2 shared titles with John W. Hyde
Mixed roles
- Dieter GeisslerShared titles: Offene Wunde deutscher Film (2017), The NeverEnding Story (1984)See all 2 shared titles with Dieter Geissler
- Herman WeigelShared titles: Desire (1992), The NeverEnding Story (1984)See all 2 shared titles with Herman Weigel
