Lichtbild aus "Die toten Augen von London" 1961

1913 - 1966

He did not attracted attention for the first time as an actor but as a wrestler, an activity he carried on successfully till 1951.
To his greatest successes at this sport belong the World Champion title in catch-as-catch-can. In total he conquered two World Champion and three European Champion titles.

Adi Berber already made his film debut in 1936 with "Burgtheater" (36). But in this movie he did not impersonate one of the typical roles of later years but played an Heurigen singer.

He continued his film career in the next years with "Ich bin Sebastian Ott" (39) - in which he played a villain for the first time - "Operette" (40) and "Donauschiffer" (40).

After the war he took part in "Der Herr Kanzleirat" (48) before he concentrated to the film business seriously after his retirement from wrestling.

He became engaged for smaller parts in the next years for roles like a gardener, baggage porter, bath attendant , boxer or watchman. 
To his well-known movies of the 50s belong "Knall und Fall als Hochstapler" (52), "Im weissen Rössl" (52), "Rummelplatz der Liebe" (54), "Lola Montez" (55) and "Peter Voss, der Held des Tages" (59).
Even in Hollywood he was able to snatch a small role when he played the role of Malluch in the legendary movie "Ben Hur" (59) with Charlton Heston.

His most successful time followed in the 60s. Indeed he remained limited to support roles but his appearances could not be overlooked. 
Especially his roles for the Edgar-Wallace movies made him soon a kind of a cult figure. To these movies belong "Die toten Augen von London" (61), "Die Tür mit den sieben Schlössern" (62) and "Das indische Tuch" (63).
Oter popular movies of the 60s were "The Secret Ways" (61), "Im Stahlnetz des Dr. Mabuse" (61), "Die Nylonschlinge" (63), "Scotland Yard jagt Dr. Mabuse" (63), "Tim Frazer jagt den geheimnisvollen Mr. X" (64), "Hotel der toten Gäste" (65), "Diamantenbillard" (65) with Jean Seberg and "Der Mörder mit dem Seidenschal" (66).

Adi Berber died at the age of only 52 in 1966 because of cancer.

Besides his activity as an actor he also led a restaurant in Vienna successfully which soon became a meeting place for the local prominence from sport and film.
 

Other movies with Adi Berber:
Saison in Salzburg (52) Einmal keine Sorgen haben (53) Die fünf Karnickel (53) Marianne, meine Jugendliebe (55) ...und wer küsst mich? (56) Almenrausch und Edelweiss (57) Tausend Sterne leuchten (59) Gauner-Serenad (60) Das Dorf ohne Moral (60) Schlagerrevue 1962 (61) Der Zigeunerbaron (62) Unsere tollen Tanten in der Südsee (63) Die schwarze Kobra (63) Im singenden Rössel am Königssee (63) Frühstück mit dem Tod (64) Tausend Takte Übermut (65) Der Würger vom Tower (66)