David Hurst obit

David Hurst dead

He was not on the list.

David Hurst (born Heinrich Theodor Hirsch; 8 May 1926 – 15 September 2019) was an Anglo-German actor, best known for his role in the film Hello, Dolly as Rudolph the headwaiter.

Hurst grew up in a family of actors. As a Jewish child living in 1930s Germany, he faced persecution from the Nazi regime. After the pogroms of Kristallnacht, the British government allowed for the rescue of Jewish children from Germany, Austria, Czechoslovakia, Poland and the Free City of Danzig. He was one of the nearly 10,000 children in 1938–1939 moved with the Kindertransport to the United Kingdom. When he was separated from his mother he was 12 years old. He never saw her again.

Housed in a manor in Northern Ireland, he lived with other young emigrants in the care of the family of an estate manager. His first stage experience was Belfast at a repertory theatre, where he also changed his name from Heinrich Hirsch to David Hurst. During the Second World War he joined the British army, but because of his German background he was assigned to Entertainments National Service Association, where he performed as an actor and a comedian.

His first film role was as Wolfgang Winkel in The Perfect Woman (1949), a role Hurst had previously played in the West End to critical praise. He went on to appear in many British films of the 1950s.

In 1957, Hurst moved to the United States. He spent most of his time in California, but often performed on Broadway. He created the role of Merlin in the original Broadway production of Camelot opposite Richard Burton .

Throughout the 1950s and 1960s he played in film, television and theatre. In 1959 he received the Clarence Derwent Award and in 1964, he was awarded the Obie Award from The Village Voice for his off-Broadway performance in A Month in the Country.


He performed in the film version of Hello, Dolly (1969) as Rudolph the headwaiter alongside Barbra Streisand and Walter Matthau. This has been his biggest role to date, and his most recognisable in America. He also had roles in the films Kelly's Heroes (1970) and The Boys From Brazil (1978). Hurst also appeared in numerous TV series including Mission: Impossible, Serpico and Star Trek.

Throughout his career he worked as a visiting professor at Yale, Boston University and Carnegie Mellon.


In the 1980s he appeared in several German-American co-productions, and visited his half-brother Wolfgang Heinz in East Berlin. Hurst decided to remain in Germany, and worked in Vienna and Berlin with a fellow erstwhile emigrant (and Actors Studio colleague), theatre director George Tabori. From 1991 Hurst worked at the Burgtheater, Vienna, eventually returning to live in Berlin in 2000, when he retired from acting. He died there on 15 September 2019 after suffering a stroke and pneumonia.

Appearances


Theatre


Play Role Theatre Dates


The Faithful Brethren of Pitt Street Joseph Knaitsch Orpheum Theatre 5 – 20 November 1988


20 performances


Dracula Abraham Van Helsing Broadway 20 October 1977 – 6 January 1980


Henry IV Dr. Dionysius Genoni Broadway 28 April – 28 May 1973


Electra Paedagogus Delacorte Theater 5 – 29 August 1964


22 performances


(New York Shakespeare Festival)


A Month in the Country Ignaty Ilyitch Shpigelsky Maidman Playhouse 1963 – 1964


48 performances


Camelot Merlin Broadway 3 December 1960 – 5 January 1963


The Lunatic View Young Man Lucille Lortel Theatre November 1962


Under The Sycamore Tree The Scientist Cricket Theatre 7 March – 10 April 1960


41 performances


Look After Lulu! The Policeman Broadway 3 March – 4 April 1959


A Midsummer Night's Dream Ensemble Broadway 21 September – 17 October 1954




Films


Year Title Role Notes


1949 The Perfect Woman Wolfgang Winkel


1950 Tony Draws a Horse Ivan


Soho Conspiracy Franco


1951 The Smart Aleck Poppi


1952 So Little Time Blumel / Baumann


Old Mother Riley Meets the Vampire Mugsy


Venetian Bird Minelli


Top Secret Professor Deutsch


1953 Rough Shoot Lex


Always a Bride Beckstein


1954 River Beat Paddy McClure


Mad About Men Signor Mantalini


1955 One Good Turn Professor Dofee


As Long as They're Happy Dr. Hermann Schneider


All for Mary M. Victor


1956 The Intimate Stranger Dave Pearson Uncredited


1957 After the Ball Perelli


1964 The Confession Gustave


1968 How to Steal the World Dr. Jan Vanovech (archive footage)


1969 The Maltese Bippy Dr. Charles Strauss


Hello, Dolly! Rudolph Reizenweber


1970 Kelly's Heroes Col. Dankhopf


1973 Orville and Wilbur Chanute


1978 The Boys from Brazil Strasser



Television


Year Title Role Notes


1956 The Adventures of Aggie Lazareff Episode: "Snap Judgment"


1957 Armstrong Circle Theatre Government official Episode: "The Shepherd of Paris"


1958 DuPont Show of the Month Mr. Stryver Episode: "A Tale of Two Cities"


Kraft Television Theatre 2 Episodes: "Riddle of a Lady" and "Next Door to Death"


1960 Play of the Week 2 Episodes: "Tiger at the Gates" and "The Emperor's Clothes"


Dow Hour of Great Mysteries Baron Episode: "The Dachet Diamonds"


1962 Car 54, Where Are You? Robin Stuart, playwright Episode: "That's Show Business"


1964 The Defenders Dr. Schaeffer Episode: "Drink Like a Lady"


1965 Look Up and Live 2 Episodes: "The Initiation" and "The Judgment"


The Man from U.N.C.L.E. Dr. Leland Mayes Elmont Episode: "The Brain-Killer Affair"


The Patty Duke Show Dennis Latouche Episode: "It Takes a Heap of Livin'"


1966 Hawk Louis Anselmi Episode: "The Longleat Chronicles"


The Girl from U.N.C.L.E. Matthew Brecker Episode: "The Mata Hari Affair"


1967 Hallmark Hall of Fame Petrovini Episode: "Anastasia"


Mission: Impossible Victor Grigov Episode: "The Astrologer"


Mannix Vladek Episode: "The Many Deaths of Saint Christopher"


1968 To Die in Paris Pirot TV movie


The Man from U.N.C.L.E. Dr. Jan Vanovech Episode: "The Seven Wonders of the World Affair"


It Takes a Thief Captain Kovich Episode: "When Boy Meets Girl"


The Monkees The Baron Episode: "Monkees Race Again"


The Flying Nun Gus Mendoza – Sister Sixto's Uncle Episode: "A Fish Story"


Run for Your Life Heinrich Kleist Episode: "The Exchange"


1969 Star Trek Hodin Episode: "The Mark of Gideon"


Mission: Impossible Dr. Oswald Beck Episode: "The Test Case"


The Flying Nun Benito Gomez Episode: "The Lottery"


1970 The Mod Squad Consulate General Fohgib Episode: "The Exile"


The F.B.I. Alex Keeler Episode: "The Traitor"


1971 Dark Shadows Justin Collins 3 episodes


NET Playhouse Chanute Episode: "The Wright Brothers"


1976 Serpico Ducek Episode: "The Indian"


1977 Nero Wolfe Fritz TV film broadcast 1979


McCloud Colonel Andrei Krasnavian Episode: "The Moscow Connection"


Insight Episode: "Arnstein's Miracle"


1978 Child of Glass Jacques Dumaine TV film


Eight Is Enough Episode : "The Hipbone's Connected to the Thighbone"


Quincy, M.E. Dr. Fred Webber Episode: "Dead and Alive"


1979 Ryan's Hope Dr. Nelson Uncredited, 1 episode


1980 Charlie's Angels Stovich Episode: "Angel in Hiding"


1981 Skokie Sol Goldstein TV film, (final film role)