Harald Schmidt
About Harald Schmidt
Harald Schmidt (born 18 August 1957), born Harald Franz Schmidt, is a German actor, comedian, television presenter and writer, best known as the host of two popular German late-night shows. The son of refugees who fled from Sudetenland in 1945, he spent his youth in Swabian Nurtingen, and his strict Catholic upbringing led him to serve as choirmaster and play the organ in the Roman Catholic church.
At the age of 21 Schmidt went to Stuttgart to attend drama school for three years, then gained on-stage experience at the Stadtische Buhne in Augsburg. In 1984 he became a lyricist for the cabaret Kom(m)odchen in Dusseldorf and in 1986 was honoured as Best Newcomer cabaret artist. Television soon took notice, and in 1988 he began to host his first TV show, MAZ ab, followed by Psst! and Schmidteinander. The biggest boost to his career came in 1992 when he started hosting Verstehen Sie Spass?, after which he was awarded the Adolf-Grimme-Preis and, a year later, honoured as Entertainer of the Year with the Bambi Award and the Golden Camera.
In 1995 Schmidt moved from ARD to Sat.1 to host Die Harald Schmidt Show, a late-night programme modelled on Late Night with Conan O'Brien and Late Show with David Letterman. The show ended in December 2003 before returning in 2011, and in 2004 he began a second run with a new show named Harald Schmidt on ARD. Late in 2007 the format became Schmidt & Pocher when Manuel Andrack was replaced by comedian Oliver Pocher. Schmidt hosted his very last show on 13 March 2014 and announced he would not return to TV.
Videos (32)
Videos 1 to 24 of 32.
14:47Kurt Krömer & Harald Schmidt wollen den Grimme-Preis! | Die Harald Schmidt Show (ARD)
117.1K views
18:00Harald Schmidt als Manuel Andracks Sekretärin | Die Harald Schmidt Show (ARD)
103K views
8:58Harald telefoniert mit Gerhard Schröder | Die Harald Schmidt Show (ARD)
71.3K views
6:08Harald Schmidt im Fußballstadion | Die Harald Schmidt Show (ARD)
63K views
10:32Haralds neue Regierung | Die Harald Schmidt Show (ARD)
32K views
4:49Harald nimmt euch mit auf sein Hotelzimmer | Die Harald Schmidt Show (ARD)
25.7K views
5:04Manuel Andrack macht einen auf Rudolf Heß | Die Harald Schmidt Show (ARD)
24K views
5:58Kurt Krömers Stand-up-Auftritt bei Harald Schmidt | Die Harald Schmidt Show (ARD)
23.3K views
8:29Harald Schmidt zeigt die besten Wahlplakate aus NRW | Die Harald Schmidt Show (ARD)
22.6K views
7:30Harald beim Friseur | Die Harald Schmidt Show (ARD)
19.5K views
2:25Harald Schmidt bei 9Live: "Wo ist der Fehler?!" | Die Harald Schmidt Show (ARD)
17.4K views
7:41Harald sucht den neuen Moderator für die Sat.1-Polit-Talkshow | Die Harald Schmidt Show (ARD)
14.5K views
4:29Harald Schmidt: "Endlich kauft Putin wieder bei uns ein!" | Die Harald Schmidt Show (ARD)
13.1K views
2:23Harald Schmidt und die SPD-Wahlschlappe | Die Harald Schmidt Show (ARD)
11.2K views
4:55Harald Schmidt über Lukas Podolskis Zivildienst | Die Harald Schmidt Show (ARD)
9.9K views
8:56Harald Schmidt versucht sich im Extreme-Biathlon | Die Harald Schmidt Show (ARD)
9K views
3:33Manuel Andracks Fußballschule: Der sensationelle Poldi-Lupfer | Die Harald Schmidt Show (ARD)
8.9K views
6:58Harald als Dirigent und Erfinder von "Verliebt in Berlin" | Die Harald Schmidt Show (ARD)
8.8K views
6:03Harald Schmidt hält eine USA-Büttenrede | Die Harald Schmidt Show (ARD)
8K views
6:04Bügeleisen-Duell mit Harald Schmidt und Manuel Andrack | Die Harald Schmidt Show (ARD)
7.4K views
2:59Harald und die neueste Technik von der CeBIT 2006 | Die Harald Schmidt Show (ARD)
6.7K views
7:11Harald & Andrak analysieren das NRW-TV-Duell | Die Harald Schmidt Show (ARD)
5.2K views
4:33Manuel Andrack im Partyzug | Die Harald Schmidt Show (ARD)
4.9K views
4:43Harald Schmidt und seine kaputte Brille | Die Harald Schmidt Show (ARD)
4.9K viewsGuest appearances (12)
Videos on other comedians' channels featuring Harald Schmidt.
Guest appearances 1 to 12 of 12.
25:55Harald Schmidt und Jürgen von der Lippe - Ein exklusives Gespräch über das Älterwerden
Hans-Jürgen Hubert Dohrenkamp
2.5M views
43:26Hazel, Thomas und Harald Schmidt über Geld, Cancel Culture und Probleme von Late-Night-Sendungen
Hazel Brugger
713.4K views
44:32Was liest du? - Harald Schmidt und Jürgen von der Lippe
Hans-Jürgen Hubert Dohrenkamp
470.6K views
0:34Harald Schmidt bei Karl Dall - Vorbereitungen
Karl Dall
223.2K views
43:55Jürgen von der Lippe - Wat is? mit Harald Schmidt
Hans-Jürgen Hubert Dohrenkamp
181.3K views
19:18Harald Schmidt bei Karl Dall (Dall As, 30.06.1990)
Karl Dall
77.9K views
0:22Karl Dall & Harald Schmidt - Echo der Frau
Karl Dall
45.2K views
9:40Scholz der Pirat, Aiwangers Affaire und Harald Schmidt mit AFD Schwurbler! Der 29. Wochenrückblick
Florian Schroeder
6.4K views
3:24"Das wichtigste ärztliche Instrument ist das Wort" - Eckart von Hirschhausen bei Harald Schmidt
Eckart von Hirschhausen
4.8K views
8:23Rob Vegas - Der Mann, der Harald Schmidt ist / Die große radioeins Satireshow mit Florian Schroeder
Florian Schroeder
2K views
1:06Harald Schmidt über Politik, bei Hangweyrer & Palfrader
Robert Palfrader
213 views
1:04Harald Schmidt zu Gast bei „Hangweyrer & Palfrader“, spricht über Korruption
Robert Palfrader
75 viewsChannels on this page: Hans-Jürgen Hubert Dohrenkamp, Hazel Brugger, Karl Dall, Florian Schroeder, Eckart von Hirschhausen, Robert Palfrader
Frequently asked questions
Who is Harald Schmidt?
Harald Schmidt, born Harald Franz Schmidt on 18 August 1957, is a German actor, comedian, television presenter and writer, best known as the host of two popular German late-night shows.
How did Harald Schmidt begin his career?
He attended drama school in Stuttgart for three years from the age of 21, gained stage experience at the Stadtische Buhne in Augsburg, and in 1984 became a lyricist for the cabaret Kom(m)odchen in Dusseldorf, where he was honoured as Best Newcomer cabaret artist in 1986.
What is Die Harald Schmidt Show?
Die Harald Schmidt Show was a late-night show Schmidt began hosting in 1995 after moving from ARD to Sat.1. It was modelled on Late Night with Conan O'Brien and Late Show with David Letterman and featured stand-up comedy as well as national and international guests.
What awards has Harald Schmidt received?
He was awarded the Adolf-Grimme-Preis after hosting Verstehen Sie Spass? in 1992, and a year later was honoured as Entertainer of the Year and awarded the Bambi Award and the Golden Camera.
When did Harald Schmidt stop hosting his show?
He hosted his very last show on 13 March 2014 and announced that he would not return to TV.
Comedians similar to Harald Schmidt
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