Cinema mourns enigmatic Austrian star Helmut Berger

The German-speaking cinema world mourned the passing of one of its past stars on Thursday, with news that Helmut Berger died in his sleep shortly before his 79th birthday.

It was in such films as "The Damned" (1969) and "Ludwig II" (1972) that Berger gained recognition for his striking looks and captivating presence on screen.

Who was Helmut Berger?

Born in the Austrian spa town of Bad Ischl in May 1944, Berger worked as a film extra in Rome before being discovered by Italian director Luchino Visconti.

Visconti, who later became Berger's partner, gave him his first big acting role in 1967's "The Witches."

His collaboration with the Italian director is considered to be outstanding. Berger personified the breaking of sexual taboos in European cinema. He became known in particular for his portrayal of narcissistic and bisexual figures.

He played prominent roles in Visconti's "The Damned" and "Ludwig II," in which he portrayed an insane Bavarian king.

"Helmut Berger was one of the greatest and most talented actors European cinema had ever seen," said Berger's agent Helmut Werner, who announced Berger's death on his website.

"His mentor, [Visconti], recognized this talent immediately. No other actor after him embodied the Bavarian fairy tale king as expressively."

Visconti is often cited as having called Helmut Berger "the most beautiful man in the world."

Finding world fame

Berger was credited with personifying the breaking of sexual taboos in European cinema, gaining fame for his portrayal of narcissistic and bisexual figures.

His fame was not limited to the German-speaking world. Berger found world fame with Vittorio De Sica's "The Garden of the Finzi-Continis," Massimo Dallamano's "Dorian Gray," and, later, in Francis Ford Coppola's "The Godfather Part III."

As such, he starred alongside cinema greats such as Elizabeth Taylor, Henry Fonda, Burt Lancaster and Silvana Mangano.

Pop icon Madonna cited the androgyny of characters like Berger and David Bowie as among the most important influences on her work.

Visconti died in 1976, plunging Berger into a personal crisis with few new major roles, instead appearing on talks shows and reality television.

However, Berger's agent Werner said the actor had no regrets: "Many years ago, Helmut Berger told me: 'I have lived three lives. And in 4 languages! Je ne regrette rien!'"

rc/msh (AFP, dpa)