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Alfred Rasser
Alfred Rasser
Alfred Rasser
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Alfred Rasser (29 May 1907 – 18 August 1977) was a Swiss comedian, radio personality, and stage and film actor who starred predominantly in Swiss German-language cinema and television and stage productions, but he was also known for the role of Theophil Läppli, a parody on the Swiss militarism.

Key Information

Alfred Rasser, ca. 1950-1960
Alfred Rasser, ca. 1964
Alfred Rasser, ca. 1964 (Foto Comet, ETH-Bibliothek)

Early life and education

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Born and raised in Basel, Canton of Basel-Stadt in Switzerland as son of Berta née Stump and Emil,[1] Rasser's father died when Alfred was 11 years old. Berta Rasser had now, for Alfred and his three siblings, to earn the family's keep. After his apprenticeship as a merchant at Jacky Maeder & Cie to 1922, he attended drama school for the first time, and found his true passion. To have an income, Alfred Rasser tried among others as a chicken farmer in the Canton of Ticino in 1928.[2] From 1928 to 1930 Rasser took acting lessons at Oskar Wälterlin and body workout at Rosalia Chladek at the Basel conservatory. Upon completion of the drama school, in 1930 he founded his own theater company, but graduated in 1934 at the Basel conservatory.[3]

Theatre, solo-program and film

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Meanwhile, he premiered at the Stadttheater Basel, among others in Robert Cedric Sheriffs "Die andere Seite" and in Stravinsky's ballets "Petrushka" and "Pulcinella". In the war year of 1940 Rasser also starred at the Corso-Theater at the present Bellevueplatz in Zürich in Gilberte de Courgenay. At the Bernhard-Theater Zürich,[4] and at the Schauspielhaus Zürich Rasser appeared in comedies and classic dramas. Rasser played on numerous Swiss theaters, including the role of the frog in Johann Strauss' Die Fledermaus in Lausanne and at the Opéra du Rhin in Strasbourg in 1961, and in 1963 in Gogol's "The Government Inspector". Rasser also appeared with Charles F. Vaucher at the Küchlintheater Basel, and among many others,[3] he appeared in the musical "Spalebärg 77a" by the popular radio show of Margrit Rainer and Ruedi Walter in 1964.[5]

Between 1952 and 1975 Rasser also starred in one-man programs in southern Germany and Switzerland, among other things, as member of the Fauteuil ensemble in Basel. His son Roland founded the theater in 1957, where Rasser had his last great appearance in the revue "Offenbach am Spalenberg" in 1976.[3]

Along with the Läppli films, Alfred Rasser starred in German language films, among others in Füsilier Wipf in 1938 and the Ueli films in the 1940s, but also Wilhelm Tell in 1960 and Die plötzliche Einsamkeit des Konrad Steiner (The Sudden Loneliness of Konrad Steiner) in 1976.

Theophil Läppli

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But above all, Rasser was a popular cabaret artist and comedian: In 1935 he joined the newly founded Cabaret Resslirytti Basel, for the first program of his later most popular role of Theophil Läppli. From 1935 to 1941 Rasser belonged with a short interruption to the ensemble of the Cabaret Cornichon in Zürich, where he stood out in particular through its parodies of Basel arrogance and independent line. In 1943 Rasser founded in Basel the satirical political Kabaret Kactus which became very successful. On 31 December 1945, written and produced by Rasser HD-Soldat Läppli premiered, a mixture of cabaret and folk theater, which was so successful that the production had to move into the larger Küchlin Theater. Jaroslav Hašek's The Good Soldier Švejk modeled the figure of the Swiss Army subsidiary soldier Theophil Läppli – militarism mocking, it became Rasser's trademark. This was followed by the comedy "Demokrat Läppli" (1947) and, with little success, by the musical "Weltenbürger Läppli" (1949). Besides, Rasser played with the Kabaret Kactus number cabaret and directed his Swiss German version of Mary Chase's Harvey starring himself in 1950. In 1958 Eynar Grabowsky organized a tour with the comedy "Millionär Läppli", and in 1969 followed by the popular play "Zivilverteidiger Läppli". Rasser participated in several Swiss films: "HD-Soldat Läppli" (1960) and "Demokrat Läppli" (1961) were filmed for the cinema.[3]

Politics

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Rasser was part of a Swiss cultural delegation to China in 1954/55 and this led to his being branded a "communist" by Swiss nationalists. He was politically active and was elected to the Nationalrat as a representative of the Landesring der Unabhängigen (LdU) between 1967 and 1975, where he stood for peace, social justice and culture.[1]

Personal life

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In the early 1930, however, Alfred Rasser was not able to live from his income as artist, and therefore he also led his own painter company from 1930 to 1935. From 1932 to 1945 Rasser was married to Adele Schnell in first marriage; from the marriage emerged their son Roland Rasser. In 1947 Rasser married Ninette Rosselat; they had three children.[2]

Filmography

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  • 1937: La faute de l'abbé Mouret
  • 1938: Füsilier Wipf - Notar
  • 1940: Fräulein Huser - Kramer - Erfinder
  • 1940: Die mißbrauchten Liebesbriefe - Viggi Störteler
  • 1941: Emil, mer mues halt rede mitenand - Rudi Wiederkehr
  • 1942: Das Gespensterhaus - Dr. Loosli / Prof. Gábor Károly
  • 1951: Die Tat des Anderen
  • 1952: Palace Hotel - Leblanc, Küchenchef
  • 1952: The Merry Vineyard - Herr Zigerli
  • 1954: Uli, der Knecht (Uli, the Servant - international English title) - Baumwollhändler
  • 1954: Frühlingslied
  • 1954: Läppli am Zoll (Short) - Theophil Läppli
  • 1955: Uli, der Pächter - Baumwollhändler, ihr Mann
  • 1956: S'Waisechind vo Engelberg
  • 1957: Der 10. Mai - Automobilist
  • 1959: HD-Soldat Läppli - HD-Soldat Läppli
  • 1961: Wilhelm Tell - Saufkumpan
  • 1961: Demokrat Läppli - Theophil Läppli
  • 1970: Keine Angst Liebling, ich pass schon auf - Concierge Stierli
  • 1971: Immer die verflixten Weiber - Stirnimann
  • 1976: Die plötzliche Einsamkeit des Konrad Steiner (The Sudden Loneliness of Konrad Steiner) - Hans Sonderegger (final film role)

Literature

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  • Franz Rüeb: Alfred Rasser. Verlagsgenossenschaft Zürich 1975.

References

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Revisions and contributorsEdit on WikipediaRead on Wikipedia

Alfred Rasser

View on Grokipedia
from Grokipedia
Alfred Rasser is a Swiss comedian, actor, director, and politician known for creating and portraying the iconic character HD Läppli, a good-natured, somewhat simple-minded Swiss auxiliary soldier who became one of the most enduring and beloved figures in Swiss German-language entertainment. Born in Basel in 1907, he overcame early family hardships after his father's death and pursued acting following initial work in commerce and chicken breeding, eventually building a career in theater, cabaret, and film that spanned several decades. Rasser first achieved major success in the 1930s with stage performances and debuted in films such as Hans im Glück (1937) and Die missbrauchten Liebesbriefe (1940), but his lasting fame stemmed from the Läppli character, introduced in 1945 and performed across stage, radio, television, records, and three self-directed films: Läppli am Zoll (1954), HD-Soldat Läppli (1959), and Demokrat Läppli (1961), where he also handled writing duties. He appeared in numerous other Swiss productions, including Palace Hotel (1952), Uli der Knecht (1954), Wilhelm Tell (1960), and his final role in Die plötzliche Einsamkeit des Konrad Steiner (1976), showcasing his versatility in both comedic and dramatic parts. Beyond his entertainment career, Rasser served as a member of the Swiss National Council, the lower house of the federal parliament, from 1967 to 1975. He died in Basel in 1977, remembered as one of Switzerland's most popular Volksschauspieler whose Läppli figure continues to define a distinctive strand of Swiss cultural humor.

Early life

Early life and education

Alfred Rasser was born on May 29, 1907, in Basel, Switzerland. He was the son of Berta (née Stump) and Emil Rasser. Following his father's death in 1918 when Alfred was 11 years old, his mother supported the family, which included Alfred and his three siblings. Rasser completed a commercial apprenticeship in Basel from 1922 to 1925. In 1928, he briefly worked as a chicken farmer in Ticino. From 1928 to 1930, he received acting instruction from Oskar Wälterlin at the Basel Conservatory. In 1930, he established his own theatre company in Dornach while simultaneously operating a painting business from 1929 to 1935 to finance his artistic activities. He passed his acting exam in 1934. After completing his formal training, Rasser began transitioning to professional cabaret and theatre work in the 1930s.

Performing career

Cabaret and stage work

Alfred Rasser began his professional career in cabaret and stage work in 1935, making his debut appearances with the newly founded Cabaret Resslirytti in Basel. That same year he joined the ensemble of the Cabaret Cornichon in Zürich, remaining a member until 1941 with an interruption, and earning recognition for his sharp parodies of Basel arrogance. In 1940 he performed at the Corso-Theater Zürich in the production Gilberte de Courgenay, while his early roles at the Stadttheater Basel included appearances in Die andere Seite and Stravinsky ballets. In 1943 Rasser founded the satirical Kabaret Kactus in Basel, which achieved considerable success and established him as a prominent figure in Swiss German-language cabaret. He frequently appeared as a guest at the Bernhard-Theater and Schauspielhaus Zürich in both comedies and classical works. In 1950 he directed and starred in the Swiss German version of Harvey. His later stage engagements included the role of the frog in Die Fledermaus in 1961, a part in The Government Inspector in 1963, involvement in the musical Spalebärg 77a in 1964, and his final major production in the revue Offenbach am Spalenberg in 1976. Rasser also maintained a career as a radio personality alongside his stage work. His cabaret performances provided the context for the development of his signature character Theophil Läppli.

Theophil Läppli character

Theophil Läppli is a satirical character created and portrayed by Alfred Rasser, depicting a good-natured, naïve Swiss soldier whose antics parody the absurdities of Swiss militarism and bureaucracy. The figure draws inspiration from Jaroslav Hašek’s The Good Soldier Švejk, adapting the archetype of the simple yet subversive soldier to a Swiss context. The character first appeared in 1935 as part of the Cabaret Resslirytti program. It gained widespread popularity with the stage premiere of HD-Soldat Läppli in 1945, a major success that blended cabaret and folk theater elements. Subsequent stage works written and performed by Rasser included Demokrat Läppli (1947), Weltenbürger Läppli (a 1949 musical that met with limited success), Millionär Läppli (a 1958 touring production), and Zivilverteidiger Läppli (1970). Rasser also directed filmed adaptations of the character, beginning with the short Läppli am Zoll in 1954, followed by the feature HD-Soldat Läppli in 1959 and Demokrat Läppli in 1961. Rasser performed Theophil Läppli for decades across stage, television, vinyl recordings, and guest appearances, including long-running shows at his own theater on Spalenberg in Basel. The character stands as the most enduring and commercially successful figure in post-war Swiss-German cabaret and theater, embodying gentle yet pointed satire of national institutions and peculiarities.

Film and television career

Acting, directing, and writing credits

Alfred Rasser contributed to Swiss and German-language cinema as an actor, director, and writer across several decades, with notable roles in dramatic and supporting parts outside his signature character work. He began his screen career in the 1930s with appearances in Hans im Glück (1937), alongside Therese Giehse. In the early 1940s, Rasser played Viggi Störteler in Die missbrauchten Liebesbriefe (1940) and appeared in Emil, mer mues halt rede mitenand (1941) as Rudi Wiederkehr. In 1942, he directed, wrote the screenplay for, and starred as Prof. 'Kebi' Cekadete in the comedy De Wyberfind. During the 1950s, Rasser featured in supporting roles in Palace Hotel (1952), Der fröhliche Weinberg (1952), Uli, der Knecht (1954), and Uli, der Pächter (1955), where he portrayed the Baumwollhändler (cotton trader). He later appeared as Saufkumpan in Wilhelm Tell (1960). Rasser's television work included appearances in Nur für uns (1967), where he played the Steinzeit Mann in one episode, and Biografie - Ein Spiel (1970). He starred as Stirnimann in Immer die verflixten Weiber (1971). His final screen role was as Hans Sonderegger in the drama Die plötzliche Einsamkeit des Konrad Steiner (1976). Beyond acting, Rasser directed and wrote non-character-specific television specials such as Stop Schwiz (1964) and Schwindelfrei (1965). He also directed screen adaptations featuring his HD Läppli character, covered separately in the dedicated section.

Political career

Personal life

Alfred Rasser was born in Basel in 1907 as the son of a master builder. When he was eleven, his father died, leaving his mother to support Alfred and his three siblings alone. He was first married to Adele Schnell from 1932 to 1945; the marriage produced one son, Roland Rasser. In 1947, he married Ninette Rosselat, with whom he had three children. Rasser died on August 18, 1977, in Basel after a short illness.

Death

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