Karl-Otto Alberty

Like his Italian-French counterpart 'Lino Ventura' (qv), who had been a wrestler before becoming an actor, Berlin-born 'Karl-Otto Alberty' (qv) was an amateur boxer before he turned to acting, making his debut in a Konstanz theater in 1959. For three decades he was to be a regular of German cinema and television as well as of international English-speaking productions. However, unlike Ventura, Alberty did not become a star, remaining confined to supporting roles or even bit parts, most of the time as a German officer, although in widely seen international productions such as _The Great Escape (1963)_ (qv), _The Damned (1969)_ (qv) or _Raid on Rommel (1971)_ (qv). A lookalike of 'Benito Mussolini' (qv) (with the exception of his white-blond hair), he would have been an ideal Duce though. A missed opportunity indeed.::Guy Bellinger