Robert Hoffmann(1939-2022)

Handsome Austrian leading man Robert Hoffman spent three years studying drama at the Poule Vanneck academy in Paris. Already multi-lingual, he also learned how to ride and fence -- which proved useful as his career took off. He first came to fame as the titular star of The Adventures of Robinson Crusoe (1964), which was filmed in the Canary Islands by a French company and later dubbed into English. This seemed to have typecast Hoffman as globetrotting adventurers or rugged action heroes in European co-productions, ranging from Edgar Wallace-inspired potboilers (Again the Ringer (1965)) and crime melodramas (Grand Slam (1967), A Black Veil for Lisa (1968)) to giallo horror (Death Carries a Cane (1973)) and peplum (The Last Roman (1968)). A favorite especially among Italian and French audiences in the 60s, he starred alongside international players like Orson Welles, Laurence Harvey, Anita Ekberg and Claudia Cardinale. Hoffman's career suffered a severe setback in 1971 when he broke his leg in several places while jumping from a wall onto a horse during the filming of Nights and Loves of Don Juan (1971). The quality of roles began to diminish, and, by the early 80's, Hoffman was reduced to making commercials and appearing in small supporting roles on television in shows like Kommissar Rex (1994), Tatort (1985) and even a couple of episodes of Dallas (1978). After having spent several years living in Rome and Madrid, Hoffman eventually returned to his home town of Salzburg where he died on July 4 2022 at the age of 82.