Harald Schmidt

Harald Franz Schmidt (born August 18, 1957) is a German actor, writer, columnist, comedian and television entertainer best known as host of two popular German late-night shows.

Biography

Early and private life

As son of refugees who fled from South Moravia (now Czech Republic) in 1945, Schmidt spent his youth in Swabian Nürtingen, where he went to grammar school. Due to his strict Catholic upbringing he devoted time to the Roman Catholic church, serving as choirmaster and playing the organ.

At the age of 21, Schmidt went to Stuttgart to attend drama school for three years. After that, he gained on-stage experience at Städtische Bühne (Municipal Stage) in Augsburg. His first role was that of the 2nd Mamaluke in Lessing's Nathan the Wise. In 1984, Harald Schmidt became a lyricist for the cabaret Kom(m)ödchen in Düsseldorf and in 1986, was honoured as "Best Newcomer cabaret artist" and toured through Germany with his own show.

In October 2005, his daughter Amelie was born. Harald Schmidt resides in Cologne with his partner Ellen Hantsch, a school teacher, and five children, the eldest being from a former relationship. Little is known about the children and their two mothers as Schmidt shields them from the public. In interviews he hardly talks about them.

Harald Schmidt (TV series)

Harald Schmidt is a late night television show which was broadcast on ARD and hosted by Harald Schmidt from 23 December 2004 until 14 June 2007. It returned at 17 September 2009 after the show Schmidt & Pocher with Harald Schmidt and Oliver Pocher ended earlier that year.

Harald Schmidt followed Die Harald Schmidt Show (The Harald Schmidt Show) on the German TV channel Sat. 1. The latter ended on 23 December 2003 after Schmidt, at short notice, did not renew his contract. ARD immediately showed interest in getting Schmidt back onto ARD, where he had originally begun his career. According to the German newspaper Der Tagesspiegel, Schmidt was in contact with NDR director Jobst Plog after he had backed out of Sat. 1. Nevertheless, they did not start seriously negotiating the contract until the Harald Schmidt Show follow-up Anke Late Night, broadcast by Sat. 1, was dropped. Jobst Plog said that initially the contract with Harald Schmidt (at a cost of €9.7 million per year) would run until July 2006. There are about €150,000 available for each show. Sources in the TV industry estimate the production costs alone to be about €30,000 per show. ARD announced that they planned to finance Harald Schmidt by cutting the amount that they spent on television rights for football matches. By no longer broadcasting UEFA Cup matches, ARD would have the money which it needs to finance Harald Schmidt.

Manuel Andrack

Manuel Andrack (born June 23, 1965 in Cologne) is a German journalist, television show editor, television host and author. He is most well known for his role as the "sidekick" of the popular Harald Schmidt Show.

Early years

Manuel Andrack was born on June 23, 1965 in Cologne, where he has also lived most of his life. After receiving his Abitur in 1984 he enrolled at University of Cologne, majoring in theater studies, film, television and German studies with a minor in art history. He received a Magister Artium degree from the same university.

Haraldt Schmidt Show

Andrack first worked as an editor for the television production company CAT Entertainment RLT. In 1995 he got a job as the editor-in-chief of the popular Harald Schmidt Show. After August 30, 2000, he also started appearing in the show itself, and became well known throughout the country. His role in the show was Harald Schmidt's "sidekick". The show gained new popularity as the combination Andrack - Schmidt added a family value to the broadcast.