Roger Fritz

b.1936 - d.2021

Roger Fritz was a renowned actor, director, producer and photographer with numerous film and television credits to his name. He co-founded the legendary magazine, twen, in 1959. Since that time his photography has been featured regularly in Vogue, Stern, Geo, Bunte, Quick and Life, to name only a few.

A friend of noted Beatles photographer Astrid Kirchherr and her mentor Reinhard Wolfe, he was first introduced to the Beatles in Hamburg in 1960. Then, through further connections in the art and music industries, he met Brian Epstein who, knowing of his experience in film as well, personally invited him to visit the set of Help! in Austria in 1965. He directed his first short film, Verstummte Stimmen, in 1963. His first feature, Mädchen, Mädchen, followed in 1966. Both films achieved great commercial and critical success, including awards from the Bundesfilmpreis. As an actor and producer Roger Fritz has worked with Luchino Visconti, Gian-Carlo Menotti, Rudolf Thomas and Sam Peckinpah, among others. Roger Fritz performed in several Fassbinder movies, including Querelle, Lilli Marleen and Berlin-Alexanderplatz.

In 2007 he was honored with the Lead Award for a reportage in Qvest on Hamburg's St.Pauli District.