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Franz Antel (June 28, 1913 – August 11, 2007) was a veteran Austrian filmmaker.
Born in Vienna, Antel worked mainly as a film producer in the interwar years. After World War II, he began writing and directing films on a large scale. In the late 1940s, 1950s and 1960s these were mainly comedies (romantic, slapstick, and/or musical) and K.u.k. films all of which, for Austrian and German TV stations alike, have been a staple of weekend afternoon programming ever since. In between there is quite a sober film about the Oberst (Colonel) Redl affair that shook the Austro-Hungarian Monarchy on the eve of World War I.
From the late 1960s, encouraged by the new opportunities in the film industry brought about by the sexual revolution, Antel gradually switched his main interest to soft porn and ribaldry. It was in particular his series of Wirtin ("hostess") films, directed under the pseudonym François Legrand, with which he tried to win international recognition. Titles included The Sweet Sins of Sexy Susan (1967), Sexy Susan Sins Again (1969), Wild, Willing & Sexy (1969) and Don't Tell Daddy (aka Naughty Nymphs in the U.S.A.) (1972).
Among the actors Antel worked with were Hans Moser, Paul Hörbiger, Oskar Werner, Curd Jürgens, Tony Curtis, Herbert Fux, Heinrich Schweiger, Arthur Kennedy, Carroll Baker, Edwige Fenech, George Hilton, Marisa Berenson, Britt Ekland, Andréa Ferréol.
1981 was a turning point in Antel's career when he adapted for the big screen a stage play by Ulrich Becher and Peter Preses. Set from the days of the Anschluss of 1938 until after the end of the war, Der Bockerer is about a Viennese butcher named Karl Bockerer (Karl Merkatz) whose common sense rather than intellect tells him to oppose the Nazis and who dares to show resistance just because he is never fully aware of the possible fateful consequences of his actions. While Bockerer and his wife survive the war unscathed, their son joins the SA but, after some internal intrigue, is sent to the front and killed.
Der Bockerer IV
The film's strong anti-fascist message, the moving dialogue, and performances by the crème de la crème of Austrian actors and actresses (Ida Krottendorf, Alfred Böhm, Heinz Marecek, Hans Holt, Dolores Schmidinger and many more) made Der Bockerer an unusually successful film and gave new impetus to Antel's career. He made three sequels, which follow the lives of the Bockerers well into the 1960s, each depicting a crucial historical event in Austria or one of its neighbouring countries:
Der Bockerer II (1996) is about the ten-year occupation (1945-1955) of Austria by the allied powers;
Der Bockerer III — Die Brücke von Andau (2000) is set at the time of the Hungarian Revolution of 1956; and, finally,
Der Bockerer IV — Der Prager Frühling (2003) deals with Dubček's Prague Spring of 1968.
Antel would recount an anecdote about himself describing how, in order to live up to his reputation as a womanizer, he used to carry a pair of high heels in his luggage which he then would occasionally place in the corridor in front of his hotel room – especially when he was travelling alone.
| 2003 | Der Bockerer IV - Prager Frühling - Director |
| 2003 | Der Bockerer IV - Prager Frühling - Writer |
| 2000 | Der Bockerer III - Die Brücke von Andau - Director |
| 2000 | Der Bockerer III - Die Brücke von Andau - Writer |
| 1996 | Der Bockerer II - Österreich ist frei - Director |
| 1996 | Der Bockerer II - Österreich ist frei - Writer |
| 1994 | Mein Freund, der Lipizzaner - Director |
| 1994 | Mein Freund, der Lipizzaner - Writer |
| 1992 | Die Zwillingsschwestern aus Tirol - Director |
| 1990 | Die Kaffeehaus-Clique - Director |
| 1989 | In der Trafik: Das Feuerzeug - Director |
| 1989 | In der Trafik: Der Brief nach Brüssel - Director |
| 1989 | In der Trafik: Geld oder Leben - Director |
| 1988 | Die Lacher Macher - Director |
| 1987 | Johann Strauß - Der König ohne Krone - Director |
| 1987 | Johann Strauß - Der König ohne Krone - Producer |
| 1987 | Johann Strauß - Der König ohne Krone - Writer |
| 1985 | Sie war keine Lady - Director |
| 1985 | Private Passions - Executive Producer |
| 1984 | Popcorn und Paprika - Producer |
| 1982 | Ohne Ball und ohne Netz - Director |
| 1981 | Der Bockerer - Director |
| 1981 | Der Bockerer - Producer |
| 1979 | Austern mit Senf - Director |
| 1979 | Austern mit Senf - Writer |
| 1978 | Love-Hotel in Tirol - Co-Producer |
| 1978 | Love-Hotel in Tirol - Director |
| 1978 | Poliziotto senza paura - Producer |
| 1978 | Poliziotto senza paura - Screenplay |
| 1977 | Casanova & Co. - Director |
| 1977 | Casanova & Co. - Producer |
| 1976 | Ab morgen sind wir reich und ehrlich - Director |
| 1976 | Ab morgen sind wir reich und ehrlich - Producer |
| 1975 | Wenn Mädchen zum Manöver blasen - Director |
| 1975 | Prima ti suono e poi ti sparo - Director |
| 1975 | Die gelbe Nachtigall - Director |
| 1973 | Das Wandern ist Herrn Müllers Lust - Co-Producer |
| 1973 | Das Wandern ist Herrn Müllers Lust - Director |
| 1973 | Blau blüht der Enzian - Director |
| 1973 | Frau Wirtin's tolle Töchterlein - Director |
| 1972 | Die liebestollen Apothekerstöchter - Director |
| 1972 | Die lustigen Vier von der Tankstelle - Director |
| 1972 | Sie nannten ihn Krambambuli - Director |
| 1972 | Ausser Rand und Band am Wolfgangsee - Director |
| 1971 | Einer spinnt immer - Director |
| 1971 | Mein Vater, der Affe und ich - Director |
| 1971 | Mein Vater, der Affe und ich - Producer |
| 1971 | Mein Vater, der Affe und ich - Story |
| 1970 | Musik, Musik - da wackelt die Penne - Director |
| 1970 | Frau Wirtin treibt es jetzt noch toller - Director |
| 1970 | Frau Wirtin bläst auch gern Trompete - Director |
| 1970 | Frau Wirtin bläst auch gern Trompete - Producer |
| 1969 | Die liebestollen Dirndl von Tirol - Director |
| 1969 | Die liebestollen Dirndl von Tirol - Executive Producer |
| 1969 | Warum hab ich bloss zwei mal ja gesagt - Director |
| 1969 | Frau Wirtin hat auch eine Nichte - Director |
| 1968 | Frau Wirtin hat auch einen Grafen - Director |
| 1968 | Der Turm der verbotenen Liebe - Director |
| 1968 | Otto ist auf Frauen scharf - Director |
| 1968 | Otto ist auf Frauen scharf - Producer |
| 1967 | Das große Glück - Director |
| 1967 | Susanne, die Wirtin von der Lahn - Director |
| 1967 | Susanne, die Wirtin von der Lahn - Producer |
| 1966 | Happy-End am Wolfgangsee - Director |
| 1966 | Happy-End am Wolfgangsee - Producer |
| 1965 | Ruf der Wälder - Director |
| 1964 | Liebesgrüße aus Tirol - Director |
| 1964 | Die große Kür - Director |
| 1964 | Frühstück mit dem Tod - Director |
| 1964 | ... e la donna creo l'uomo - Producer |
| 1964 | ... e la donna creo l'uomo - Writer |
| 1964 | Rote Lippen soll man küssen - Director |
| 1963 | Im singenden Rössel am Königssee - Director |
| 1963 | Im singenden Rössel am Königssee - Screenplay |
| 1963 | Maskenball bei Scotland Yard - Producer |
| 1962 | Und ewig knallen die Räuber - Director |
| 1962 | Ohne Krimi geht die Mimi nie ins Bett - Director |
| 1962 | Ohne Krimi geht die Mimi nie ins Bett - Producer |
| 1962 | Das ist die Liebe der Matrosen - Director |
| 1961 | Im schwarzen Rössl - Director |
| 1961 | … und du mein Schatz bleibst hier - Director |
| 1960 | Glocken läuten überall - Director |
| 1959 | Der Schatz vom Toplitzsee - Director |
| 1958 | Liebe, Mädchen und Soldaten - Director |
| 1958 | Ooh... diese Ferien - Director |
| 1958 | Solang' die Sterne glüh'n - Director |
| 1957 | Heimweh... dort, wo die Blumen blüh'n - Director |
| 1957 | Heimweh... dort, wo die Blumen blüh'n - Writer |
| 1957 | Vier Mädels aus der Wachau - Director |
| 1957 | Das Glück liegt auf der Straße - Director |
| 1956 | Roter Mohn - Director |
| 1956 | Kaiserball - Director |
| 1956 | Lumpazivagabundus - Director |
| 1956 | Symphonie in Gold - Director |
| 1955 | Der Kongreß tanzt - Director |
| 1955 | Heimatland - Director |
| 1955 | Spionage - Director |
| 1955 | Ja, so ist das mit der Liebe - Director |
| 1954 | Verliebte Leute - Director |
| 1954 | Kaisermanöver - Director |
| 1954 | Die süßesten Früchte - Director |
| 1954 | Rosen aus dem Süden - Director |
| 1953 | Ein tolles Früchtchen - Director |
| 1953 | Kaiserwalzer - Director |
| 1953 | Kaiserwalzer - Screenplay |
| 1953 | Heute nacht passiert’s - Director |
| 1952 | Der Obersteiger - Director |
| 1952 | Der Obersteiger - Screenplay |
| 1952 | Der Mann in der Wanne - Director |
| 1952 | Ideale Frau gesucht - Director |
| 1952 | Hallo Dienstmann - Director |
| 1951 | Die Alm an der Grenze - Director |
| 1951 | Eva erbt das Paradies - Director |
| 1951 | Eva erbt das Paradies - Screenplay |
| 1951 | Der alte Sünder - Director |
| 1951 | Der alte Sünder - Writer |
| 1950 | Auf der Alm, da gibt's ka Sünd' - Director |
| 1949 | Kleiner Schwindel am Wolfgangsee - Director |
| 1949 | Kleiner Schwindel am Wolfgangsee - Screenplay |
| 1949 | Forellen-Quintett von Franz Schubert - Director |
| 1948 | Das singende Haus - Director |
| 1948 | Das singende Haus - Screenplay |
| 1937 | Millionenerbschaft - Producer |
| 1935 | Unsterbliche Melodien - Producer |
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