Eberhard Prüter(1945-2014)

Diligent, blue-eyed Eberhard Prüter was born in the small, idyllic town of Mägdesprung in the Harz region of Germany on the 21st of January, 1945, about five months before Germany was divided. He received his training at the Berlin Drama School (now Ernst Busch Academy of Dramatic Arts). This was followed by a 10-year engagement at the Maxim Gorky Theater. However, his theatre career didn't take off at the time. His first screen role was in 'Spring 46' as Manfred, a visionary for the GDR Youth Socialist Association; with his soft features and deep soulful eyes, he had a unique presence. Prüter worked in television as an actor and voice actor in productions for East German broadcasting company DDR-Fernsehen from the 1970s to 1980. He then fled to West Berlin to find more work and a better life. In the 80's, Prüter began to collaborate with Dieter Hallervorden, making a sketch show - 'Die Didi-Show'- and a film, 'Didi-Der Experte', with him. Because of his stern, solemn facial features he often played policemen and security guards, including in 'Der Experte', 'The Wheel', 'Motzki' and 'The Whiz'. He developed an illustrious career in voice acting. Between 1991 and 2014 he voiced Count Falko von Falkenstein, a good-natured but distant aristocrat in the immensely popular 'Bibi and Tina' radio play series and animated series. He voiced Zazu in the German dub of 'The Lion King', replacing Uwe Paulsen at the last minute. Four years later he had a bit part as an ancestor in the German dub of another sterling Disney film, 'Mulan', as the spirit of one of Mulan's ancestors. He voiced James, the mild-mannered penguin butler to Arktos, in 'Tabaluga'. As Squidward Tentacles in the German dub of 'SpongeBob SquarePants', he gained national acclaim. Despite being best known as a dubbing actor, he also did a number of radio plays and theatrical productions. He passed away of an illness in Berlin, on the 28th of October 2014 at the age of 69. He is survived by his children, and by his granddaughters, Saskia and Jamila. Although he was a private, taciturn man, he had an assertive acting presence. In his short life, he had performed in over 2,500 roles on film, television, in radio plays and in voice acting.