german actor. Born in Berlin, of Polish parents, Klaus Kinski was first a renowned stage actor in Germany. He has performed all the great classic roles as well as eminently successful poetry recitals.

With 1948's Morituri, Kinski's life as an established actor was about to begin. He claimed that turning to film was a strictly financial decision, and that, for many years, he selected his roles only according to the fees that went with them. He turned down parts in pictures by Fellini, Visconti and Pasolini because, as he said 'they expected me to work for the glory'.

Later on, he lived in Paris where the success of Werner Herzog's Aguirre, der Zorn Gottes (Aguirre, Wrath of God) (which made him world famous) drew to him a number of directors who had ignored him until then. Herzog made 5 movies together with klaus kinski.

In 1976, he published I'm So Wild About Your Strawberry Mouth, his autobiography, in which he describes his personal as well as his professional life. Klaus Kinski died in 1991. his daughter, nastasja kinski, has become famous as an actress too.