Raoul Retzer

Actor

Vienna, Austria

May 22, 1919

Biography

Raoul Retzer (born Raoul Richard Karl Pollitzer; May 22, 1919 – August 8, 1974) was an Austrian actor who began his career as a child performer on Vienna’s major stages, including the Burgtheater and Volkstheater, and appeared in film from an early age. After serving as a soldier during World War II, he resumed acting in cabaret, revue theatre, and comedy venues in Vienna. From the early 1950s onward, Retzer became a prolific character actor in Austrian and German cinema and television, often appearing in small, uncredited roles, particularly in comedies directed by Franz Antel. Typically cast as servants, policemen, or petty criminals, he was a familiar face in popular entertainment of the era. Despite his extensive career, Retzer died in modest circumstances in 1974, leaving behind a vast body of stage, film, and television work.