Additionally, Braeden has one of the highest TVQ’s on television, according to A.C. Nielsen, and is one of the most recognized actors in the world. On July 20 2007, Braeden was the recipient of a Star on The Hollywood Walk Of Fame and become the first German born actor since Marlene Dietrich to receive such an honor.
In 2008, Braeden executive produced and starred in the Lionsgate feature film The Man Who Came Back, a western set in the 1870’s against one of the worst labor strikes in American History and starred opposite Billy Zane, Armand Assante, George Kennedy, Sean Young, Carol Alt, Jennifer O’Dell, Peter Jason and James Patrick Stuart.
This year marks Braeden’s 51st year in film and television, where he has starred with such luminaries as Marlon Brando, Bette Davis, Leonardo DiCaprio, Geraldine Page, Burt Reynolds, Dennis Hopper, James Earl Jones, Curt Jurgens, Raquel Welch, Tyne Daly, James Arness, Mary Tyler Moore, Dennis Weaver and Jack Lord among others..
Braeden has also appeared in over 120 television series and feature films. He starred as Captain Hans Dietrich in the classic ABC primetime series, The Rat Patrol.
Braeden also starred as Charles Forbin in the science fiction classic, Colossus: The Forbin Project, directed by Joe Sargent; and he portrayed John Jacob Astor in James Cameron’s epic Academy Award winner, Titanic.
Braeden’s other credits include starring in 100 Rifles, Morituri, Escape From the Planet Of The Apes, Operation Eichmann, The Ultimate Chase, The Ultimate Thrill, Herbie Goes To Monte Carlo, Meet The Deedles Dayton’s Devils and many others.
Braeden’s numerous primetime series credits include guest-starring on the CBS series How I Met Your Mother as the father of actress Cobie Smulders as well as the telefilms Jackie Collins’ Lady Ice, Lucky Chances, The Judge And Jake Wyler, How The West Was Won and Perry Mason: The Case Of The Wicked Wives.
In addition, he has guest-starred on such shows as Gunsmoke, The Mary Tyler Moore Show, Combat, Diagnosis Murder, The Nanny, Mission Impossible, McCloud, The Night Stalker, The Man From U.N.C.L.E., Vegas,, The Six Million Dollar Man, Hawaii 5-0, Perry Mason, Mannix, Murder She Wrote, Matt Helm and The Gallant Men.
Braeden was born Hans Gudegast in Kiel, Germany, a port city near the Baltic Sea. In 1958, he won the German Youth Team Championship in Discus, Javelin and Shot put. In 1959, Braeden immigrated to the United States, working in the University of Texas medical school lab before moving to Missoula, Montana where he received a track and field scholarship at The University of Montana. He went on to conquer the River of No Return (aka The Salmon River) in Idaho and made a documentary of his journey prior to moving to Los Angeles.
In 1972-73 he won the U.S. National Soccer Championship for the Los Angeles Maccabees and, in 1989, Braeden was chosen as the only actor on the newly formed German American Advisory Board. The illustrious group has included Dr. Henry Kissinger, Katherine Graham, Alexander Haig, Steffi Graff and Paul Volcker.
In 1995, Braeden received the highest honor in Italian Television from Prime Minister Berlusconi and in 1998 was honored at the 38th Annual Monte Carlo TV Festival.
In 1998, Braeden received The People’s Choice Award as Favorite Actor in a Daytime Drama Series and in 1998 was the recipient of an Emmy Award as Outstanding Actor In A Daytime Drama Series.
In 2004, Braeden joined Prime Minister Ariel Sharon at the Annual Tourism Conference in Israel and the following year he joined Ariel Sharon, Elie Weisel and the Prime Ministers of Poland and Hungary at Auschwitz for “The March Of The Living” along with 20,0000 Christian and Jews.
Braeden has twice received the Federal Medal Of Honor by the President of Germany for his contributions to German American Relations.
In May 2007, Braeden was honored with a Lifetime Achievement Award from the nationally renowned organization The Pacific Pioneer Broadcasters Association in Los Angeles. Braeden was also the recipient of The 2007 Ellis Island Federal Medal Of Honor.
In September 2008, Braeden was honored by the City Of Hamburg and the Senate of Germany for his humanitarian contributions.
During Braeden’s free time, he is an avid sportsman and plays in celebrity tennis tournaments around the world, while continuing to play soccer. He also does Olympic weight lifting.
He resides in Los Angeles, and has been married for over 40 years to Dale Gudegast and has a son, Christian Gudegast, who is a screenwriter and director.
No comments:
Post a Comment