JAN NIKLAS
Resume (selection)

FILM  
Twenty One Hours In Munich
Night Crossing
Loose Connections
All For Love
The Formula
Red Hot
The House Of The Spirits
Assignment Berlin
Colonel Redl*
Dr. M. / Club Extinction
The Rosegarden

D: William Graham
D: Delbert Mann
D: Richard Eyre
D: John Glenister
D: John G. Avildsen
D: Paul Haggis
D: Bille August
D: Tony Randel
D: Istvan Szabo
D: Claude Chabrol
D: Fons Rademakers
   
*OSCAR & GOLDEN GLOBE NOMINATIONS-BEST FOREIGN FILM
   
M.O.W. & MINISERIES  
Summer Solstice Mini Series / ITV 2005
D: Giles Foster
Plain Truth  Lifetime  Television 2004
D: Paul Shapiro
Winter Solstice Mini Series / ITV 2003
D: Martyn Friend
   
Anne Frank Mini Series / ABC
Eleven Emmy Nominations
Emmy “Award Best Mini Series”
Three Golden Globe Nominations including
“Best Mini Series”
2001
D: Robert Dornhelm
   
Anastasia: The Mystery Of Anna – Mini Series / NBC
Three Emmy Nominations including “Best Mini Series”
Golden Globe Nomination “Best Mini Series”
Golden Globe Award for Jan Niklas
D: Marvin Chomsky
   
Peter The Great Mini Series / NBC
Jan Niklas as “Peter The Great”
Three Emmy Awards including “Best Mini Series”
Golden Globe Nomination “Best Mini Series”
Golden Globe Nomination: Jan Niklas – for Best Actor
TV Guide: “Jan Niklas - male discovery of the year”
D: Marvin Chomsky
D: Larry Schiller
   
EUROPEAN FILM / TELEVISION  
 Leading Roles in more than 50 films (theatrical and television) produced in Germany,
Austria, England, Italy, Spain, France.
   
THEATER  
 Schiller Theater, Berlin; Thalia Theater Hamburg; National Theater Munich;
Theater in der Josefstadt, Vienna-Austria.




JAN NIKLAS - BIO


Jan Niklas was born and raised in Munich, Germany. After attending boarding school in England, he took acting classes in London. Following this, he returned to Germany and successfully completed three years of acting training at the renowned Max Reinhardt Academy in Berlin.

Jan Niklas is a well-established, internationally known and critically acclaimed actor. He has appeared in many leading and supporting roles for television, feature films and theater throughout America and Europe. He has worked with an impressive number of European directors including Claude Chabrol of France, England's Richard Eyre, Oscar-winning Danish director Bille August, Oscar-winning Dutch director Fons Rademakers, Oscar-nominated German director Michael Verhoeven and Oscar-winning Hungarian director Istvan Szabo.  In fact, it was Istvan Szabo's Oscar- and Golden Globe-nominated foreign film, "Colonel Redl" that brought Jan's outstanding talents to the attention of the international film industry.

In the U.S.A. Jan was tapped for the lead in the 30-million-dollar, Emmy-winning NBC mini-series "Peter The Great," in which he portrayed the young Czar Peter, the leading role in the first four hours. In this film, he led an international cast including Vanessa Redgrave, Omar Sharif, Trevor Howard and Laurence Olivier. Jan's critically acclaimed performance earned him his first Golden Globe nomination, and TV Guide's title "Male Discovery of the Year."

His "style and flair" was recognized throughout the industry, and brought him to another historical drama, the Emmy- and Golden Globe-nominated mini-series:"Anastasia." Opposite Olivia De Havilland, Rex Harrison and Amy Irving, his "spirited performance" earned him a second Golden Globe nomination, this time winning the Hollywood Foreign Press Association's coveted award.

"Anne Frank," another Emmy-winning ABC miniseries followed. In it Jan played Fritz Pfeffer, one of the eight Jews in hiding with the Frank family during World War II. He co-starred with Ben Kinglsey, Brenda Blethyn and the lovely Hanna Taylor Gordon, as Anne.

Jan`s recent English-speaking roles include ``Winter Solstice``, (Lead) a British Movie-Of-The-Week, for ITV, in which he starred opposite Geraldine Chaplin, Sinead Cusack and Oscar-winner Jean Simmons. The 2004 film “Plain Truth” aired on U.S. Lifetime TV. Jan played opposite Golden-Globe winner Mariska Hargitay. In 2005 he appeared in “Summer Solstice” for British ITV, performing with Jacqueline Bisset, Sinead Cusack and Franco Nero.

Oscar-winning and nominated actors Jan has had the pleasure to work with include: Winona Ryder, Meryl Streep, Vanessa Redgrave, Omar Shariff, Rex Harrison, Olivia De Havilland, Amy Irving, Alan Bates, Jeremy Irons, Liv Ullman, Ben Kingsley, Brenda Blethyn and William Holden.

 

 



JAN NIKLAS
Presse-Kurzbiographie (Auswahl)

Jan Niklas ist in München geboren und aufgewachsen. Nach einem Internatsaufenthalt in England besuchte er eine Schauspielschule in London und absolvierte seine Ausbildung an der Max-Reinhardt-Schule in Berlin. Danach spielte er mehrere Jahre Theater, u.a. am Schillertheater Berlin, Stadttheater Regensburg, Hessischen Staatstheater Wiesbaden, Thalia-Theater Hamburg, Residenztheater München, sowie am Theater in der Josefstadt in Wien. In den darauf folgenden Jahren spielte Jan Niklas in vielen erfolgreichen, nationalen und internationalen Film und Fernsehproduktionen. Bekannt wurde er durch die, mit drei Emmy Awards ausgezeichnete, Hollywoodproduktion ‘PETER THE GREAT’ (NBC) Regie Marvin Chomsky und Larry Schiller, in der er den jungen Zaren ‘Peter der Große’ mit Vanessa Redgrave, Omar Sharif, Laurence Olivier, Trevor Howard und Lilli Palmer spielte. Hierfür bekam Niklas seine erste GOLDEN GLOBE Nominierung und wurde von der größten amerikanischen Fernsehzeitung ‘TV-Guide’ als Entdeckung des Jahres geehrt. Für einen weiteren Exkurs in die russische Geschichte, den U.S. Zweiteiler ‘Anastasia’, Regie M. Chomsky (NBC), spielte Jan Niklas an der Seite von Rex Harrison, Olivia de Havilland, Amy Irving und erhielt für die Rolle „Prinz Erik“ seine zweite GOLDEN GLOBE Nominierung als bester Darsteller. Er gewann die begehrte Auszeichnung, die von der Hollywood Foreign Press Association jährlich vergeben wird. Seitdem kann er auf eine Zusammenarbeit mit mehr als zwanzig Oscarpreisträgern und Oscarnominierten Schauspielern und Schauspielerinnen sowie Regisseuren zurückblicken. In dem 2002 mit einem Emmy Award als bester Film ausgezeichneten und dreimal Golden Globe nominierten U.S. Zweiteiler (ABC) „Anne Frank“, spielte Jan Niklas neben Ben Kingsley und Brenda Blethyn die Rolle des Fritz Pfeffer (A. Dussel), einen der jüdischen versteckten des Amsterdamer Hinterhauses.

 

2006 ‘DIE ZEIT, DIE MAN LEBEN NENNT’, Regie Sharon von Wietersheim, ZDF / ORF
mit Kostja Ullmann, Cheyenne Rushing

2005 ‘SUMMER SOLSTICE’, Regie Giles Foster, ITV
mit Jacqueline Bisset, Sinead Cusack, Franco Nero

2004 ‘PLAIN TRUTH’ Regie Paul Shapiro, Lifetime TV
mit Mariska Hargitay

2004 ‘DIE SPIELER’ Tatort, Regie Michael Verhoeven, ARD
mit Eva Mattes, Otto Sander

2003 ‘GESTERN GIBT ES NICHT’, Regie Marco Serafini, ZDF
mit Suzanne v. Borsody

2003 ‘WINTER SOLSTICE’, Regie Martyn Friend, ITV
mit Geraldine Chaplin, Sinead Cusack, Jean Simmons, Sir Peter Ustinov

2001 ‘ANNE FRANK’, Regie Robert Dornhelm, ABC
mit Ben Kingsley, Brenda Blethyn, Hannah Taylor Gordon

2000 ‘WAMBO’, Grimmepreis Bester Fernsehfilm, Regie Jo Baier, SAT.1, mit Jürgen Tarach

2000 ‘DIE GOTTESANBETERIN’, Regie Paul Harather, Allegro Film Wien
neben Christiane Hörbiger

1998 ‘JAN NIKLAS SPECIAL’, Regie Rolf v. Sydow, ZDF mit Christine Neubauer

1997 ‘GEISTERSTUNDE’, Regie Rainer Matsutani u. Sebastian Nieman, RTL
mit Corinna Harfouch und Rolf Hoppe

1997 ‘ZIRKUSBLUT’, internat. Co-Fernsehproduktion mit Christel Tual, Regie Yves Nidal, ZDF

1996 ‘EIN TÖDLICHES VERGEHEN’, Regie Tony Randel, ZDF mit Birgit Doll

1995 ‘BLUTIGE SPUR’, Regie Carlo Rola RTL, mit Hannelore Elsner

1994 ‘TAFELSPITZ’, Regie Xaver Schwarzenberger, TV 60 Film
mit Christiane Hörbiger und Otto Schenk

1993 ‘THE HOUSE OF THE SPIRITS’, Regie Bille August, Constantin Film
mit Meryl Streep, Jeremy Irons und Winona Ryder, Antonio Banderas

1990 ‘DR. M’, mit Jennifer Beals und Alan Bates, Regie Claude Chabrol

1989 ‘THE ROSEGARDEN’ neben Liv Ullman, Regie Fons Rademakers

1987 ‘ANASTASIA’ mit Rex Harrison, Olivia de Havilland und Amy Irving, NBC

1986 ’PETER THE GREAT’ mit Vanessa Redgrave, Omar Sharif, Laurence Olivier, NBC

1986 ‘OBERST REDL’ neben Klaus Maria Brandauer, oskarnominierter Film, Regie Istvan Szabo

1985 ‘EIN BEGRENZTER AUFENTHALT’, öster. TV-Drama, Regie Georg Madeja, ORF

1983 ‘TO THE CAMP AND BACK’, Regie John Glenister, engl. Fernsehfilm, BBC

1982 ‘DIE GERECHTEN’, von Albert Camus, Regie Frank Guthke, ZDF

1980 ‘KABALE UND LIEBE’, als Ferdinand, Regie Heinz Schirk, BR

1978 ‘THEODOR SCHINDLER’, achtteilige Serie Regie H.W. Geisendorfer, WDR




CHERYL J. KAGAN
PUBLIC RELATIONS
ph. 310-701-39114300
fx. 918-298-9714
Email: CKagan5897@aol.com

JAN NIKLAS
Biography


Possessing an innate sense for his craft, critically acclaimed German actor Jan Niklas has successfully used his debonair good looks, irresistible charm, and sophistication, to create a commanding screen presence. This multi-talented Golden Globe winner has worked with some of the world’s best actors including: Meryl Streep, Sir Ben Kingsley, Glenn Close, Brenda Blethyn, Vanessa Redgrave, Antonio Banderas, Jeremy Irons, Winona Ryder, Donald Sutherland, Olivia de Havilland, Alan Bates, Rex Harrison, William Holden, et al.

“I love performing,” states the actor. “My father wanted to be an actor and dreamt one day I would live his dream.” Jan has fulfilled his father’s dream by successfully co-starring in over 100 motion pictures, television and stage productions throughout America and Europe.

Niklas received his first Golden Globe nomination for PETER THE GREAT, a $30-million-dollar NBC-TV mini-series costarring: Vanessa Redgrave, Maximilian Schell, Omar Sharif, Trevor Howard and Sir Laurence Olivier. Jan portrayed the young Czar Peter in the first four hours; Schell portrayed the older Czar. Niklas received glowing press reviews praising his “style and flair” and TV Guide named him “Male Discovery of the Year.” PETER THE GREAT won an Emmy Award for outstanding mini-series.

The actor states, “Czar Peter was one of my most demanding roles since he was such a profound historic figure. I studied for months to try to capture his essence. I also loved working with such a stellar cast. I idolized these actors as a young man.”

“This mini-series was the first, big, American production shot in Russia and the border of Afghanistan. The weather was freezing, but the six month shoot was exhilarating.”

NBC-TV was so delighted with Jan Niklas’ outstanding work in PETER THE GREAT, that they offered him the leading role in another historical drama: ANASTASIA. He starred opposite screen legends, Olivia De Havilland and Rex Harrison, and Amy Irving played Anastasia.

Niklas portrayed Prinz Erik, Anastasia’s romantic interest. Daily Variety called his role, “A remarkable performance” and The Hollywood Foreign Press awarded him a coveted Golden Globe. The mini-series received Emmy and Golden Globe nominations for “Best Mini-Series.”

“My character believed, like so many others, that Anastasia was the one member of royalty who escaped assassination, even though she refused to speak one single word of Russian. Erik stood by her, and fought one of the longest lasting trials in U.S. history on her behalf.

Very recently, DNA tests of her remains showed that the “media darling” in Europe and America was a hoax.

Jan Niklas has always had a passion for history and playing colorful, controversial characters. He co-starred as Fritz Pfeffer, a dentist with a dismal life in ABC-TV’s mini-series: ANNE FRANK.

Jan describes his character as “one of the eight Jews hiding with the Frank family during World War II. Pfeffer felt extremely confined in such a small area and unfortunately, as Anne writes in her diary, did not get along with Anne.”

“I learned what true acting is all about, by watching Sir Ben Kingsley during our two month shoot in Prague,” states Niklas. “He played ‘Anne’s’ father Otto Frank, and his metamorphosis into the character, when the cameras were rolling, was absolutely mesmerizing.”

One of Jan’s proudest moments took place when ANNE FRANK premiered at the prestigious Holocaust Museum in Washington, D.C. He remembers being filled with “awe and compassion, and such an overwhelming feeling of sadness and distress looking at photos of real people and their belongings, and thinking of the horrendous crimes against millions of Jews during the darkest times on our planet.”

ANNE FRANK received 11 Emmy Nominations, winning an Emmy for “Best Mini-Series” it also received 3 Golden Globe Nominations.

Since then, Niklas has starred in several other illustrious television projects including: WINTER SOLSTICE (UK Hallmark) opposite Geraldine Chaplin and Oscar winner Jean Simmons; PLAIN TRUTH (Lifetime) opposite Golden Globe winner Mariska Hargitay and SUMMER SOLSTICE (UK Hallmark) with Jacqueline Bissett, Sinead Cusack and Franco Nero.

He has also worked with an impressive number of European directors. The list includes: France’s Claude Chabrol, England’s Richard Eyre, Oscar winning Danish director Billie August, Oscar winning Dutch director Fons Rademakers, Oscar nominated German director Michael Verhoeven and Oscar winning Hungarian director Istvan Szabo. Szabo’s Oscar and Golden Globe nominated motion picture COLONEL REDL first brought Jan’s outstanding talents to the attention of the international film industry.

Jan Niklas was born and raised in Munich, Germany and Salzburg, Austria. His father, studied as an actor in Berlin and his mother, was one of the #1 interior designers in Europe. His “cosmopolitan” parents took him to wonderful plays in London, Berlin, Vienna and to Broadway. “My greatest joy” recalls Niklas, “was starring opposite my all time idol Rex Harrison in ANASTASIA and telling him that I decided to become an actor after seeing him in MY FAIR LADY on Broadway when I was a teenager.”

As a teen, Jan attended boarding school in England, and after returning to Germany he landed his first job at the Bavaria Film Studios in Munich.

SITUATION HOPELESS BUT NOT SERIOUS starring Sir Alec Guiness and Robert Redford was being filmed at the studio. Jan had to take care of a goose, who played an important role in the movie. He had to feed it, keep the cage clean and have it ready when needed for the scenes. He must have done an extraordinary job, because in just two short weeks, he was promoted to assistant to the director, and to running lines with Sir Alec and Robert Redford in their trailers.

Niklas attended the Max Reinhardt School of Acting in Berlin, which was the most illustrious drama school in Germany. During his three years at the academy, he learned everything about acting and the arts, and upon graduating, Jan began co-starring in plays throughout Germany and Austria. He performed on stage for ten years in Shakespeare, German/French comedy, and political plays. Director Larry Schiller visited Munich and cast Jan in PETER THE GREAT and Americans became fans of the actor’s body of work.

Currently Jan Niklas, his wife Heiki and their son Luis live in Los Angeles, California.












Jan Niklas is sometimes credited as: Yan Nicklas

Jan Niklas is sometimes credited as: Jan Nicklas
Jan Niklas is sometimes credited as: Yan Niklas