Sieghardt Rupp

Sieghardt Rupp (14 June 1931 – 20 July 2015) was an Austrian actor whose career spanned more than three decades, encompassing film, television, and stage work. Born in Bregenz, Vorarlberg, his dark features and versatile look allowed him to portray a wide range of characters, from Latin bandits to hardened mercenaries, making him a natural fit for the popular spaghetti‑Western and gangster genres of the 1960s. After his screen debut in 1959, Rupp quickly became a familiar face in European cinema, appearing in more than fifty productions. Notably, his role as Esteban Rojo in A Fistful of Dollars (1964) placed him alongside Clint Eastwood and Gian Maria Volonté in Sergio Leone’s iconic western, cementing his reputation as a reliable supporting actor with a magnetic screen presence. Throughout the mid‑1960s he featured in titles such as Blood at Sundown, Among Vultures, and the romantic adventure Angelique and the Sultan, often playing the charismatic outlaw or the stoic soldier, roles that highlighted his ability to convey both menace and charm. His film work tapered off in the 1970s, but he transitioned smoothly to television, most memorably embodying the border‑patrol investigator Kressin in the long‑running series Tatort between 1971 and 1973, where his nuanced performance added depth to the crime‑procedural format.

In the later stage of his career Rupp returned to his theatrical roots, joining the esteemed Theater in der Josefstadt in Vienna from 1985 onward, where he performed a variety of classic and contemporary roles, demonstrating his enduring talent and adaptability on the live stage. He retired from screen acting in 1995, leaving behind a legacy of memorable performances that continue to be celebrated by aficionados of European genre cinema. Rupp passed away in Vienna in 2015 at the age of 84, remembered for his distinctive presence, professional versatility, and the enduring impact of his work across multiple mediums.