Invented Spencer scolds

Rainer Brandt: German voice of Elvis is dead

He lent his timbre and the German language to an almost unthinkable number of film greats: the actor, voice-over artist, author and dubbing director Rainer Brandt has died. The German voice of greats such as Jean-Paul Belmondo, Tony Curtis, Elvis and Marcello Mastroianni was 88 years old. 

The Berliner was one of the most important dubbing greats of the post-war era. The German dubbing file lists more than 800 speaking roles.

Witty lines for Spencer and Hill
Brandt, who had studied theater at the Max Reinhardt School in Berlin, also made the Italian acting duo Bud Spencer and Terence Hill presentable in the German-speaking world - he contributed the witty lines for the German version.

The witty lines by Bud Spencer and Terence Hill were also created by Rainer Brandt.(Bild: Impress / United Archives / picturedesk.com)

Brandt's dialog direction also shaped the snappy wit of many films with Louis de Funès, Adriano Celentano and Pierre Richard.

As a dialog writer and director in the dubbing studio, he refined countless dull and unimaginative dialogues from foreign thrillers and westerns into linguistic gems, some of which became catchphrases for entire generations, such as "From today on, there will be no more drinking, but no less either" or "Your Lordship likes to hurt". Brandt picked up many of the jokes from the Berliners, who were never at a loss for a quip.

New version of "The 2"
The British crime series "The 2" (1970/71) with Tony Curtis as US playboy Danny Wilde and Roger Moore as a stiff British aristocrat is considered his masterpiece. According to many industry experts, it owes its popularity in the German cultural sphere solely to Brandt's complete rewriting of the text.

One example: the simple thank you "Thanks, Sir Louis, for using the plane" became "And bring the little bird back to my nest safe and sound!" Another classic: "You have to speak a little faster now, Lord, otherwise you'll be out of sync!"