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Ulrich Noethen

Ulrich Noethen

Actor · Born November 18, 1959 (66) · Munich, Germany

Ulrich Noethen (born Ulrich Schmid; * November 18, 1959, in Munich) is a German actor, radio drama performer, and audiobook narrator. He is considered one of Germany's most renowned film actors and gained widespread public recognition through his role in the feature film *Comedian Harmonists*. Noethen grew up as the youngest of five children in a pastor's family. After graduating from high school in Augsburg, he initially studied law before deciding to pursue acting; he subsequently completed his studies at the State University of Music and Performing Arts Stuttgart. He adopted the stage name "Noethen" from his grandmother's maiden name. His theater career began in the mid-1980s at the *Städtische Bühnen Freiburg* (Freiburg Municipal Theaters). Further engagements took him to venues such as the *Schauspiel Köln* (Cologne Playhouse) and the *Staatliche Schauspielbühnen Berlin* (Berlin State Theaters), where he distinguished himself with roles in classics such as *Faust* and *A Midsummer Night's Dream*. He achieved his cinematic breakthrough in 1997 with the role of Harry Frommermann in *Comedian Harmonists*. For this performance, he received the German Film Award for Best Actor in a Leading Role, as well as the Bavarian Film Award. Numerous other defining roles in film and television followed. Among his most well-known works are the family films *Das Sams*, *Bibi Blocksberg*, and *Das fliegende Klassenzimmer*. In *Der Untergang* (Downfall), he played Heinrich Himmler, while in *Mein Führer – Die wirklich wahrste Wahrheit über Adolf Hitler* (My Führer – The Truly Truest Truth About Adolf Hitler), he offered a satirical interpretation of the same historical figure. Other significant productions include *Gripsholm*, *Ein fliehendes Pferd*, *Hannah Arendt*, and *Das Tagebuch der Anne Frank* (The Diary of Anne Frank), in which he portrayed Otto Frank. Since 2014, Noethen has starred as the psychiatrist Dr. Jessen in the crime series *Neben der Spur*. Additionally, he appeared as Ferdinand Sauerbruch in the historical drama series *Charité*. Noethen has received numerous awards and honors, including the *Goldene Kamera* (Golden Camera), the *Adolf-Grimme-Preis*, and multiple nominations for the German Film Award. He lives in Berlin-Charlottenburg and is in a relationship with the writer Alina Bronsky.

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Biography from TMDB.

Born
November 18, 1959 (66)
From
Munich, Germany
Works as
Actor
Titles
29 on MovieCove · 123 credits in all
Links
IMDb (opens in a new tab)TMDB (opens in a new tab)Wikidata (opens in a new tab)

Known for

TMDB popularity, last 37 days to Oct 26Down 14% in 30 days

What are Ulrich Noethen's films like?

Across their 22 MovieCove titles with a thematic analysis, their films lean Morality and Bonds.

Genres

Comedy7 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 45th percentile
: browse their Comedy movies
Biography5 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 81st percentile, at or above their average across these genres
: browse their Biography movies
Drama4 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 63rd percentile, at or above their average across these genres
: browse their Drama movies
Animation2 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 53rd percentile
: browse their Animation movies

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

share of theme weight
Morality
28%
Bonds
23%
Self
16%
Power
13%
Society
9%
Ideas
8%
Survival
3%
Friendship4 titles, browse their movies with this themeDeception5 titles, browse their movies with this themeJustice3 titles, browse their movies with this themeOppression3 titles, browse their movies with this themePurpose3 titles, browse their movies with this themeFamily bonds4 titles, browse their movies with this themeIsolation4 titles, browse their movies with this themeComing of age2 titles, browse their movies with this theme

What they feel like to watch

their average across 20 films
ToneFeelDemandtheir average · filled zone: the category
Serious: How heavy the subject matter and outlook get. Browse their serious movies.
Tone · Weight
lightdark

A split, not a type: Light 7 · Serious 6 · Dark 7

Stylized: How far its world departs from everyday reality. Browse their stylized movies.
Tone · Style
naturalisticheightened

Grounded 9 · Stylized 9 · Heightened 2

Charged: How hard the emotional peaks hit while you watch. Browse their charged movies.
Feel · Intensity
gentleintense

Gentle 4 · Charged 10 · Intense 6

Shifting: How much it swings between very different feelings. Browse their shifting movies.
Feel · Swings
steadyswings

Steady 8 · Shifting 9 · Whiplash 3

Some laughs: How much of the runtime is played for laughs. Browse their some laughs movies.
Feel · Humor
noneconstant

Straight-faced 8 · Some laughs 9 · Funny 3

Even-paced: How fast it moves from scene to scene. Browse their even-paced movies.
Demand · Pace
slowrelentless

Slow burn 9 · Even-paced 11 · Relentless 0

Engaged: How much focus it asks of you — look away and lose the thread? Browse their engaged movies.
Demand · Attention
casualfull focus

A split, not a type: Casual 9 · Engaged 5 · Full focus 6

Affecting: How much it costs you emotionally; whether you need recovery time. Browse their affecting movies.
Demand · Emotional cost
easyheavy

A split, not a type: Easy watch 7 · Affecting 6 · Heavy 7

Resolved: How much is left for you to interpret. Browse their resolved movies.
Demand · Resolution
resolvedambiguous

Resolved 12 · Open-ended 6 · Ambiguous 2

Roles they play

10 analyzed roles

Usually the Shadow: 5 of 10 analyzed roles.

Shadow
5 of 10
Hero
2 of 10
Mentor
2 of 10
Ally
1 of 10
Show the 10 roles

Moods and endings

endings are an aggregate; no title is named

Dominant moods · mentions across their titles

Tense
12
Melancholic
10
Contemplative
9
Warm
6
Joyful
6
Other
16

How their films linger

Thought-provoking11 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteFeel-good6 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteBittersweet5 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteUnsettling6 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteHaunting4 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteFun4 titles, browse their movies with this aftertaste

How their films end · 4 with a twist

  • Happy8
  • Bittersweet8
  • Tragic2
  • Ambiguous4

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 Ulrich Noethen's films?

As of October 24, 2026, 14 of their 29 MovieCove titles stream on a subscription or free service, most on Tubi (7).

Also on these channels

Subscription and free streaming for Ulrich Noethen'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

123 credits, 29 with a MovieCove page; 18 appearances as themselves are hidden until asked for.

  • Makellos - Eine kurze Welle des Glücks(2026)

    as Anton Laux

    Midcredits score: 49th percentile of all films (provisional, few ratings)

  • Miss Sophie - Same Procedure As Every Year(2025)

    Show 6 episodes · as Butler Mortimer

    Midcredits score: 11th percentile of all shows

  • Parallel Me (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2025)

    Show 8 episodes · as Thomas

  • Josefa’s Return (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2024)

    as Norbert Blume

  • Riefenstahl(2024)

    as Narrator

    Midcredits score: 87th percentile of all films

  • Wendland (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2022)

    Show 5 episodes · as Jakob Stiller

  • The Wasp (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2021)

    Show 6 episodes · as Nobbe Zosch

  • Furia(2021)

    Show 8 episodes · as Brehme

    Midcredits score: 56th percentile of all shows

  • Ku'damm 63 (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2021)

    Show 3 episodes · as Kurt Moser

  • Louis van Beethoven(2020)

    as Christian Gottlob Neefe

    Midcredits score: 53rd percentile of all films

  • Unterleuten: The Torn Village (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2020)

    Show 3 episodes · as Dr. Gerhard Fließ

  • Vienna Blood(2019)

    Show 1 episode · as Graf von Triebenbach

    Midcredits score: 82nd percentile of all shows

  • St. Louis (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2019)

    as Captain Gustav Schröder

  • The German Lesson(2019)

    as Jens Ole Jepsen

    Midcredits score: 72nd percentile of all films

  • Gladbeck Freaks Out (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2018)

    as Einsatzleiter Recklinghausen

  • Ku'damm 59 (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2018)

    Show 3 episodes · as Kurt Moser

  • 54 Hours: The Gladbeck Hostage Crisis (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2018)

    Show 2 episodes · as Einsatzleiter Recklinghausen

  • Babylon Berlin(2017)

    Show 8 episodes · as Dr. Edmund Forster

    Midcredits score: 96th percentile of all shows

  • Charité (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2017)

    Show 6 episodes · as Ferdinand Sauerbruch

  • Departure (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2016)

    as Hillas Vater

  • NSU German History X (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2016)

    Show 1 episode · as Helmut Roewer

  • The Diary of Anne Frank(2016)

    as Otto Heinrich Frank

    Midcredits score: 76th percentile of all films

  • The General Case (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2016)

    as Fritz Bauer

  • Die Eisläuferin (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2015)

    as Helmuth Wendt

  • Deutschland 83(2015)

    Show 8 episodes · as General Wolfgang Edel

    Midcredits score: 91st percentile of all shows

  • Neben der Spur (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2015)

    Show 8 episodes · as Dr. Johannes Jessen

  • Unexpected (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2014)

    as Bernd

  • Pettson and Findus: A Little Nuisance, a Great Friendship(2014)

    as Pettersson

    Midcredits score: 35th percentile of all films

  • Broken Glass Park (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2013)

    as Volker Trebur

  • Mein Mann, ein Mörder(2013)

    as Paul Frei

    Midcredits score: 26th percentile of all films

  • The Inventive Lady (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2013)

    as Gregor

  • Allerleirauh (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2012)

    as King Tobald

  • Moon Man(2012)

    as The Father (voice)

    Midcredits score: 71st percentile of all films

  • A Coffee in Berlin(2012)

    as Walter Fischer

    Midcredits score: 88th percentile of all films

  • Eine Hand wäscht die Andere (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2012)

    as Chlodwig Pullmann

  • Zwei übern Berg (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2012)

    as Paul

  • Hannah Arendt(2012)

    as Hans Jonas

    Midcredits score: 81st percentile of all films

  • Sams im Glück (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2012)

    as Bruno Taschenbier

  • Cracks in the Shell (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2012)

    as Kaspar Friedmann

  • Kennen Sie Ihren Liebhaber? (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2012)

    as Kai Stellmann

  • Es ist nicht vorbei (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2011)

    as Prof. Wolfgang Limberg

  • The Invisible Girl (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2011)

    as Wilhelm Michel

  • The Man with the Bassoon (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2011)

    Show 2 episodes · as Rudi Bockelmann

  • Von Mäusen und Lügen (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2011)

    as Dr. Arnold 'Arnie' Fischer

  • Hindenburg: The Last Flight(2011)

    Show 2 episodes · as Ernst Lehmann

    Midcredits score: 5th percentile of all shows

  • The Promise (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2011)

    Show 4 episodes · as Leo Rosenbaum

  • Lügen haben linke Hände (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2011)

    as Max Timmermann

  • Trau’ niemals deinem Chef (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2010)

    as Oskar Moedebeck

  • Rumpe und Tuli (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2010)

    as Therapeut

  • Aghet (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2010)

    as Armin Wegner

  • Henri 4(2010)

    as Karl IX

    Midcredits score: 42nd percentile of all films

  • Erntedank - Ein Allgäu-Krimi (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2009)

    as Günter Hartmann

  • Meine Tochter und der Millionär (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2009)

    as Moritz von Wrede

  • Kommissar Süden und der Luftgitarrist (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2009)

    as Tabor Süden

  • Kommissar Süden und das Geheimnis der Königin (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2009)

    as Tabor Süden

  • Marie Brand (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2008)

    Show 1 episode · as Professor Jacobsen

  • Long Shadows (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2008)

    as Volker Widmer

  • Ett enklare liv (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2008)

    as Peter Hoffman

  • Was wenn der Tod uns scheidet (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2008)

    as Joachim Hellwig

  • Ein starker Abgang (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2008)

    as Arzt 2

  • Teufelsbraten (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2008)

    Show 2 episodes · as Vater

  • Runaway Horse (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2007)

    as Helmut

  • Life Actually (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2007)

    as Roland Spatz

  • My Führer(2007)

    as Heinrich Himmler

    Midcredits score: 27th percentile of all films

  • Tsunami oder: Die Maximale Mitmenschlichkeit (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2006)

    Actor

  • Der Kriminalist (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2006)

    Show 1 episode · as Ulli Grützke

  • Kommissar Stolberg (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2006)

    Show 1 episode · as Ralf Reger

  • TKKG und die rätselhafte Mind-Machine(2006)

    as Lehrer Herr Manek

    Midcredits score: 12th percentile of all films

  • Brecht - Die Kunst zu leben (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2006)

    as Narrator (voice)

  • Silberhochzeit (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2006)

    as Leo

  • Ausgerechnet Weihnachten (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2005)

    as Carl

  • Die Luftbrücke (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2005)

    Show 2 episodes · as Alexander Kielberg

  • Polly Blue Eyes(2005)

    as Herbert Pinn

    Midcredits score: 41st percentile of all films

  • The Young Schiller (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2005)

    as Buchhändler Schwan

  • Die Patriarchin (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2005)

    Show 3 episodes · as Bent Peerson

  • Bibi Blocksberg and the Secret of Blue Owls(2004)

    as Bernhard Blocksberg

    Midcredits score: 45th percentile of all films

  • Downfall(2004)

    as Reichsführer SS Heinrich Himmler

    Midcredits score: 99th percentile of all films

  • The Boxer and the Hairdresser (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2004)

    as Fränki Laue

  • Off Beat (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2004)

    as Prof. Olivari

  • Mörderische Elite (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2004)

    as Klee

  • Secret Stories (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2004)

    as Reiner

  • Jargo (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2004)

    as Schuldirektor

  • My Magical Friend Sams (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2003)

    as Bruno Taschenbier

  • The Flying Classroom (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2003)

    as Dr. Johann 'Justus' Bökh

  • Väter(2002)

    as Nico Ellermann

    Midcredits score: 53rd percentile of all films

  • Bibi Blocksberg(2002)

    as Bernhard Blocksberg

    Midcredits score: 39th percentile of all films

  • Under Suspicion(2002)

    Show 1 episode · as Max Wemmer

    Midcredits score: 68th percentile of all shows

  • The Red Jacket (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2002)

    as Vater

  • ¿De qué lado estás? (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2002)

    Actor

  • The Slurb (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2001)

    as Mr. Taschenbier

  • Heirate mir! (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2001)

    as Eugen Schafmeyer

  • Das Rätsel des blutroten Rubins (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2001)

    as Prof. Planitz

  • Vera Brühne (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2001)

    Show 2 episodes · as Oberstaatsanwalt Böck

  • Gripsholm (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2000)

    as Kurt

  • Bonhoeffer: Agent of Grace (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2000)

    as Hans von Dohnanyi

  • The Green Desert (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1999)

    as Detlef

  • Jew-boy Levi (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1999)

    as Ingenieur Kohler

  • Beresina or The Last Days of Switzerland(1999)

    as Dr. Alfred Waldvogel

    Midcredits score: 61st percentile of all films

  • Beckmann und Markowski: Gehetzt (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1999)

    as Rablonski

  • Bangkok - Ein Mädchen verschwindet (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1999)

    as Sven Arnhold

  • Siska (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1998)

    Show 1 episode · as Albert Branner · as Erwin Schöller

  • Busenfreunde 2 - Alles wird gut! (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1998)

    as Bernhard

  • Die Verbrechen des Professor Capellari (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1998)

    Show 1 episode · Actor

  • The Harmonists(1997)

    as Harry Frommermann

    Midcredits score: 84th percentile of all films

  • Mein ist die Rache (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1997)

    as Girres

  • The Scorpion (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1997)

    as Arno Jürging

  • The Deep End (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1997)

    as Steffen

  • Busenfreunde (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1997)

    as Bernhard Kroll

  • Lautlose Schritte (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1996)

    as Henry Stöver

  • Der Parkhausmörder (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1996)

    as Jochen Stein

  • Sperling (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1996)

    Show 1 episode · as Herr Krause

  • Die Partner (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1995)

    Show 26 episodes · as Martin Zobel

  • Zwei Brüder (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1994)

    Show 1 episode · as Ludwig Hellmann

  • Rosa Roth (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1994)

    Show 1 episode · as Ralf Vorburg

  • Im Namen des Gesetzes (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1994)

    Show 1 episode · as Frank Kleinert

  • Stadtklinik (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1993)

    Show 1 episode · as Robert Wasser

  • Eurocops (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1988)

    Show 1 episode · Actor

  • A Case For Two (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1981)

    Show 1 episode · as Dr. Jürgen Mattes

  • The Old Fox (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1977)

    Show 1 episode · as Prof. Simon Holter

  • Police Call 110(1971)

    Show 1 episode · as Alexander Beck

    Midcredits score: 24th percentile of all shows

  • Tatort(1970)

    Show 1 episode · as Dr. Zimmer · as Hans Wolff · as Nat Dorsey · as Staatsanwalt Jörg Reinhardt

    Midcredits score: 43rd percentile of all shows

  • Das Sams in Gefahr (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)

    Actor

  • Love & Chaos (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)

    Show Actor

Career shape

Star power in the 98th percentile of 239,109 people with a billed film role, over a full career of 122 titles, 120 of them dated from 1970 to 2026; peak year 2003.

Biggest box office

Downfall (2004)

$92M worldwide

Highest rated

Downfall (2004)

Midcredits 99th

Most popular right now

Deutschland 83 (2015)

Film career

19702026

Peak 2003 · back in prominent film roles after a quiet stretch. Top draw in 3 MovieCove titles. Film roles by billing, audience size and rating; 25+ votes. A show carries a single first-air date, so shows are not on the curve.

  • 1997Screen debut· The Harmonists
  • 2001First top-billed film· The Slurb
  • 2019Career best· The German Lesson

By role

only this rolewith another role
Acting122 of 122: 122 only acting, 0 with another role · typical Midcredits score53rd

By decade

1970s3 · acting1980s2 · acting1990s21 · acting2000s44 · acting2010s40 · acting2020s10 · acting

Billing

usually 3rd · top billed in 21% of 19 roles
9707

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. Billing is TMDB cast order for roles with 25+ votes, billed in the top 30; the columns are the share of top-billed roles in each era, 5-year spans from the year on the label, merged until each holds at least 5 roles.

How do Ulrich Noethen's films land?

Their typical MovieCove film has a Midcredits score in the 53rd percentile, the median of all 20; across their 20 films with reception data, the typical film sits in the 56th percentile for acclaim.

Acclaim · how much people like their films

56thpercentile
Typical film, the median of 20

Approval · how many liked their films

57thpercentile
Typical film, the median of 20

Reach · how many have seen their films

67thpercentile
Typical film, the median of 20

Midcredits score across 29 titles, by percentile

  • 75th and up9
  • 50th to 74th7
  • 25th to 49th9
  • Below 25th4

Shape of the crowd

12 of their 29 titles are Crowd Pleasers.

  • Universally Loved3
  • Universally Panned1
  • Crowd Pleaser12
  • Broadly Agreed1
  • Mixed12

Most divisive · actor

Henri 4 (2010)

54th percentile spread · 20% rated it 4 or lower

Most loved · actor

Downfall (2004)

Midcredits 99th · 92% liked

Reviewers score the acting 75/100 in their films, across 12 reviewed titles; fans 81, detractors 55. The element that speaks to their work as an actor.

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 Ulrich Noethen's work okay for kids?

Across a limited sample of up to 3 MovieCove titles with content scores.

Their medianMedian of all films
Sex & Nudity3 titlesmedian 49 · moderateMedian of all films: 32

Severity 0–100 from the Content Guide. Categories with under 10 votes on a title are not counted.

Who does Ulrich Noethen work with?

People who share at least 2 of Ulrich Noethen's MovieCove titles, grouped by what they did on them; Corinna Harfouch shares the most, 4.

Directors

Writers

Actors

Composers, cinematographers and editors

Producers