Copyright: Praesens Film AG
Mit freundlicher Genehmigung P. Gassmann

1891 - 1973

But till he became one of the most successful actors of the 30's it took a little while. For the time being he studied at the arts and crafts school in Cologne and Düsseldorf in order to prepare for the takeover of fatherly company - a gold smithy.
But after a theater performance in 1907 he was seized by the actin virus and attended an acting school. He got his first theater engagement at the Stadttheater Bonn in 1913. His career was interrupted with his entry to the army during World War I. 
After the war he continued his theater career and became a star on the Mannheimer stage.

Already over forty years old he was engaged by Paul Wegener for an easily remembered support role in the movie "Ein Mann will nach Deutschland" (34). No one had counted on a huge career of Willy Birgel at this time but he became soon a public magnet and a darling of the women. 
For the present he played normally dubious characters, only in 1937 they saw his potential as a distinguished gentleman.
To his well-known movies of the 30's belong "Barcarole" (35), "Das Mädchen Johanna" (35), "Verräter" (36), "Fanny Elssler" (37) and especially the great successes "Zu neuen Ufern" (37) and "Der Blaufuchs" (38), both at Zarah Leander's side.

He continued his career till the end of war with movies like "Maria Ilona" (39), "Das Herz der Königin" (40), "...reitet für Deutschland" (41), "Diesel" (42) and "Der Majoratsherr" (44).
After the war he fell out of favour with the Allies and owned his continuation of his film career to the intercession of Erich Pommer. 
The movie "Zwischen gestern und morgen" (47) was his first post-war movie. 

In the 50's he could look at many role offers for movies again and he often played support roles in the movies "Heidi" (52), "Rittmeister Wronski" (54), "Die Toteninsel" (55), "Die Heilige und ihr Narr" (57) and "Arzt aus Leidenschaft" (59).

From the 60's he normally worked for the television, with few exceptions, and of course at the theater. To his movies of this time belong "Frau Cheneys Ende" (61), "Andorra" (64), "Der Kreidegarten" (66), "Der Meteor" (67) and "Sommersprossen" (68). His last movie was "Glückspilze" (71).
 

Other movies with Willy Birgel:
Fürst Woronzeff (34) Einer zuviel an Bord (35) Schwarze Rosen (35) Schlussakkord (36) Ritt in die Freiheit (36) Menschen ohne Vaterland (37) Unternehmen Michael (37) Verklungene Melodie (38) Geheimzeichen LB 17 (38) Der Fall Deruga (38) Hotel Sacher (39) Der Gouverneur (39) Kongo-Express (39) Feinde (40) Kameraden (41) Der dunkle Tag (42) Du gehörst zu mir (43) Mit meinen Augen/Im Tempel der Venus (44) Ich brauche Dich (44) Musik in Salzburg (44) Die Brüder Noltenius (45) Leb wohl Christina! (45) Vom Teufel gejagt (50) Das ewige Spiel (51) Wenn die Abendglocken läuten (51) Mein Herz darfst Du nicht fragen (52) Der Kaplan von San Lorenzo (53) Sterne über Colombo (53) Die Gefangene des Maharadscha (54) Konsul Strotthoff (54) Ein Mann vergisst die Liebe (55) Heidi und Peter (55) Rosenmontag (55) Rosen für Bettina (56) Johannisnacht (56) Ein Herz kehrt heim (56) Zwischen Zeit und Ewigkeit (56) Familie Schölermann (57) Frauenarzt Dr. Bertram (57) Die Erbin (58) Liebe kann wie Gift sein (58) Mädchen mit hübschen Beinen (58) Der Priester und das Mädchen (58) Geliebte Bestie (59) Wenn die Glocken hell erklingen (59) Romanze in Venedig (62) Die Möwe (63) Der Gefangene der Botschaft (64) Ein Sarg aus Hongkong (64) Die Sakramentskarosse (64) Serie "Die Löwenlotte" (65) Agent 505 - Todesfalle Beirut (65) Schonzeit für Füchse (66) Serie "Grosser Mann - was nun?: Die Krise" (67) Die Fee (69) Sind wir das nicht alle? (69) Professor Sound und die Pille (70)