Some called her mini-Marilyn. For most people, however, Ingrid Steeger was the “Ulknudel” from the television series “Klimbim”. In the 1970s, the ARD comedy made the actress one of the most famous TV faces in West Germany.
As the blonde, pigtailed, freckled daughter Gaby of the chaotic “Klimbim” family, she trilled: “Then I’ll put a slit in my dress and think it’s wonderful.” For her frivolous role in “Klimbim” – one of the first German comedy shows – she was awarded the Adolf Grimme Prize.
Died at the age of 76
Things had recently become quiet around Steeger. During rehearsals for the Bad Hersfeld Festival in May 2019, she appeared weak and had to be supported when walking and standing. Steeger has now died at the age of 76. This was confirmed to the German Press Agency on Friday evening from Steeger’s private environment.
“The nation’s undressed lady” hasn’t had any television roles for a long time, but the actress initially found a new professional home in the theater. “I started to feel really comfortable and choose what I really like,” she said on her 65th birthday.
New professional home in the theater
She was mainly on stage with tabloid plays, such as “Jackpot” in the comedy Kassel. She celebrated success at various venues alongside Jochen Busse and Simone Rethel with the comedy “Der Kurshadowmann”.
At the beginning of 2017, people around her said that Steeger had taken a break to recover after strenuous tours. “At the moment she’s having a little rest. But it’s tingling again,” revealed an acquaintance from her circle of friends before her 70th birthday.
Steeger’s career began after Jobs as a model with the legendary “Schoolgirl Report” in the cinema. She later got roles in crime series such as “The Inspector” and “Derrick” and worked with greats such as Curd Jürgens, Harald Juhnke and Horst Tappert. She starred with Iris Berben in the series “Two Heavenly Daughters”. She was also seen in the four-part series “The Great Bellheim” in the 1990s.
Stumbled into TV
The Berlin native originally wanted to become a commercial artist. She more or less stumbled into television back then, she once said. “Klimbim” by Michael Pfleghar, whose partner she was for a few years, opened many doors for her without her planning it.
Years ago her life went off track. Steeger lived on Hartz IV for a while before she started working in the theater. She also caused a sensation with her private confessions.
Married to director Dieter Wedel
The newspaper “B.Z.” She once confided that she was regularly beaten by her parents as a child. Steeger, who was married twice and had several relationships, told the “Bild” newspaper that almost all men had treated her badly. In 2018, however, she defended the director Dieter Wedel, with whom she had been together for a long time, against allegations of alleged sexual assault. She never saw him sexually aggressive. She had “the best time” with him.
Steeger’s “life companion” in her apartment in the Schwabing district of Munich was later the little Yorkshire dog “Eliza Doolittle”. Steeger was committed to helping the homeless. And came to terms with age.
“Getting older isn’t nice”
“Some roles you’re just too old for,” she said earlier in an interview on her website, which was later taken offline. Women would have a harder time. “Men are allowed to look old too. Women aren’t allowed to do that.” She also admits without further ado: “Getting older isn’t nice.”
In fact, she already has a stone for her grave: a huge snail. But she wasn’t directly thinking about death, it was more like a garden stone. “I don’t really think of the snail as a tombstone, but rather as a work of art.” If there was ever an inscription on it, it could be the text from earlier, which is also the title of her biography: “…and find it wonderful!”
