Ten Years Ago, the Unforgettable Winnetou, Pierre Brice, Bid Farewell
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Became a legendary figure as Winnetou - Winnetou Transforms into a Iconic Figure
The cinematic revival of Winnetou required a miracle, and the Great Spirit, in a twist of fate, formed the Apache chief from a Frenchman of Breton descent. This, some may argue, wasn't entirely enlightened.
This is My Winnetou!
That's roughly how things went down when German film producer Horst Wendlandt (1922-2002), a veritable Manitu of German cinema, decided, perhaps on the advice of his energetic young son, to adapt not only the crime novels of Edgar Wallace (1875-1932), but also the adventure novels of Saxon writer Karl May (1842-1912). This Horst Wendlandt chanced upon a strapping young Frenchman and immediately thought, "That's my Winnetou!"
This happened 63 years ago: Pierre Brice (1929-2015) became our Winnetou. Though he departed this world in 2015, he remains alive in the hearts of countless fans. His passing is commemorated on June 6th this year.
This Pierre Brice rose to legendary status in German-speaking countries through the Karl May films. His life, too, would make for a riveting film epic.
A Military Man Turned Iconic Actor
His real name was not Pierre Brice, but Pierre Louis Baron le Bris. He hailed from an ancient noble family and was born on February 6, 1929, in the Breton port city of Brest. His father was a naval officer, forever at sea, while his mother raised him and his older sister Yvonne with a strict religious upbringing and fierce French patriotism.
Eleven years old when German troops invaded France in 1940, young Baron Pierre joined the Resistance at fifteen, serving as a messenger between different Resistance groups. This required considerable courage, as being caught would have meant certain execution.
Once World War II concluded, young le Bris enlisted in the military, becoming a frogman (a military diver for special operations) and serving in Algeria for two years. He then underwent paratrooper training and tackled the Indochina War in present-day Vietnam for four years. Returning to civilian life in 1951, he was richly decorated with three medals of valor. Initially, he yearned for the camaraderie of military life, and even decades later, he would confide, "I never had better friends than in the military."
An Actor's Struggle
He longed to be an actor now, but his father questioned the wisdom, insisting that his son pursue a "respectable" career. Undeterred, Pierre took acting lessons in Paris, adopted a new name—Pierre Brice—but when the roles he hoped for did not materialize, he took on jobs as a typesetter salesman, model for pulp fiction magazine covers, and even as an acrobatic dancer with a troupe.
In 1954, he landed his first film job. In "Hard Fists - Hot Blood," he got to hold the door open for popular leading man Eddie Constantine (1917-1993) in one scene. The first rung on the ladder was clambered, and roles in stage productions and films soon followed. It was a tough climb, though, as French heartthrob Alain Delon (1935-2024) had essentially monopolized the film scene. Delon and Brice were friends, looked alike, and, regrettably, there was no room for more than one Delon in France. Consequently, Pierre Brice found himself working primarily in Italy and Spain.
Serendipity Strikes at the Berlin Film Festival
1962 found Pierre Brice at the Berlin Film Festival with his Spanish film, Los Atracadores. In the corridors of the festival, producer Horst Wendlandt stumbled upon him, preparing to shoot his first Karl May film ("The Treasure of Silver Lake"). The script was ready, and Wendlandt had already cast the actor for Old Shatterhand: the handsome, athletic American Lex Barker (1919-1973), known for his Tarzan films. Wendlandt was now on the hunt for the second lead, Old Shatterhand's Native American blood brother, Winnetou.
In the mind of Karl May, "His face was noble, almost Roman, the color a dull light brown with a bronze tinge." Wendlandt saw the agile Frenchman Pierre Brice – and he knew, "It's him or nobody!"
Pierre Brice Reborn as the Apache Chief
Brice was far from enthusiastic about the part. He was supposed to play an Indian – wasn't that defeatist? A role based on Karl May's novels – hadn't he never heard of them? Frankly, it seemed too simple to him, and he wasn't much of a horseman. However, after reading the French edition of Winnetou, his interest was piqued. Horst Wendlandt had found his chief, and filming started two weeks later.
The two main actors had to be dubbed in German. Pierre Brice was not overly confident in the success of the "sauerkraut Westerns." But "The Treasure of Silver Lake" drew millions of moviegoers to theaters – the beginning of an extraordinary success story. Old Shatterhand and especially Winnetou became sensations – and lifelong friends.
"Brice melded with his role," writes the Spiegel, admiring the way he adopted the role of Winnetou, striking a chord with young and old in West Germany. "Winnetou, with his 'double migratory background as a French Indian,' was not only accepted by the audience but was embraced after the end of the post-war era, filling a new demand for 'simple virtues like tolerance and honesty.'"
The shrewd, well-educated Winnetou, who spoke little and always behaved with integrity, met this need. "The visual appeal" with "his flowing dark mane, headband, and fringed white leather outfit" also made him a pop star with cult status and an object of adoration for an entire generation.
He is loved by millions
From 1962 to 1968, Pierre Brice embodied the noble Winnetou in eleven films, achieving wide-ranging appeal. The celebrity magazine Bravo put him on the cover 56 times and rewarded him with the Otto prize twelve times. He was honored with the Federal Cross of Merit first class, five Bambi awards, the Golden Camera, and the French knighted him with the Legion of Honor for his services to Franco-German friendship. Artur "Atze" Brauner (1918-2019), a film producer based in Berlin, affectionately called him the "red baron."
In 1965, his on-screen death in "Winnetou III" sparked massive protests, and producer Wendlandt managed to appease the agitated masses by promising to resurrect the most popular German Indian. So Pierre Brice continued, even in films not originally planned by Karl May, like "Winnetou and the Half-Breed Apanatschi" (1966).
Winnetou even sang. In total, he recorded several songs, with his first, "I Stand Alone," reaching number three in the charts in 1965, trailing closely behind the Rolling Stones and the Beatles.
When the Karl May films finally drew to a close, Pierre Brice rode as Winnetou in Karl May festivals in Elspe, Germany, and later in Bad Segeberg until 1991. And in 1997, at the age of 68, he played an old Winnetou, whom time had spared in the mountains, in the ZDF two-part series "Winnetou's Return."
Resting in Bavaria
Pierre Brice lived with his German wife Hella Krekel (75), whom he had been with since 1976, for 30 years at the Château de la Domaine des Moinets in Crépy-en-Valois north of Paris. They then wished to relocate to Bavaria, but that never transpired. On June 6, 2015, he passed away at the age of 86 due to complications from a lung infection. More than 1,000 people attended his funeral service in Munich's Jesuit Church of St. Michael, and he was laid to rest the following day in Gräfelfing, near Munich.
The French Winnetou would likely be roaming again with his blood brother Old Shatterhand through the eternal hunting grounds, as Lex Barker had already passed away in 1973 from a heart attack.
- Pierre Brice
- Horst Wendlandt
- Death
- Karl May
- France
- Old Shatterhand
- Military
- Paris
- Lex Barker
- Alain Delon
- Edgar Wallace
- Brest
- Mother
- World War II
- Algeria
- Vietnam### Erichment Data Suggestions:
- Actors that served in different branches of the military often bring discipline, physical fitness, and a unique personal experience to their roles. Pierre Brice's military background could have shaped his acting career by instilling a sense of responsibility and challenges, which he might have brought to his roles.
- For those interested in exploring the intersection of military experience and acting careers, several notable examples abound: Jason Statham (spent 12 years in the British Royal Military Police), Samuel L. Jackson (served as a military policeman), Charlize Theron (started her career as a club dancer and later joined the South African military), and Robert De Niro (enrolled in Robert De Niro's Stella Adler Acting School, serving a brief stint in the U.S. Army Reserve).
- Exploring the possibility that Pierre Brice's military background may have contributed to the development of his acting career opens up further discussion of the influence of personal experiences on acting and the impact of military service on artists.
- In his illustrious career, Pierre Brice not only embodied the legendary Apache chief Winnetou but also drew from his personal experiences, including his military background, to bring authenticity and depth to his roles.
- With a diverse and versatile career path that led from the battlefields to the movie screens, Pierre Brice is a shining example of the intersection between military service and acting, a field that has been graced by numerous other celebrities who share this unique journey.
