Axel Prahl
- Known for
- Acting
- Born
- March 26, 1960 (age 66)
- Birthplace
- Eutin, Germany
Biography
Axel Prahl grew up in Neustadt in Holstein alongside a brother. His mother was a sales assistant, and his stepfather worked at the employment office. At the age of 14, Prahl entered a music competition in Neustadt in Holstein; he won the local round, thereby qualifying to compete at the state level. However, fearing that such success might fundamentally alter his life, he declined to participate in the state finals. He dropped out of a vocational training program in the metalworking trade after just one year, spent time living as a street musician in Spain, subsequently earned his specialized university entrance qualification, and went on to study music and mathematics for five semesters at the College of Education in Kiel. Prahl is an accomplished guitarist and counts Pat Metheny among his musical role models, though during his youth, he also performed Irish folk music. Ultimately, from 1982 to 1985, he completed a degree in acting in Kiel. Prahl began his professional theater career in 1984, subsequently joining the Schleswig-Holstein State Theater. Prahl has lived in Berlin since 1992. This was followed by engagements at the Renaissance-Theater, the Grips-Theater, and the *Kammerspiele* (chamber theater) of the Deutsches Theater in Berlin. During his drama school days—while holding an apprentice contract at the Theater Kiel—Prahl performed with the band Ougenweide and subsequently founded the band Impuls. At that time, his musical and acting pursuits ran in parallel, until Prahl ultimately decided to focus exclusively on acting. Axel Prahl made his television debut in 1992 in Max Färberböck’s *Schlafende Hunde*. Also in 1992, he provided the German voice dubbing for Michael Chiklis in an episode of the series *Miami Vice*. In *Nachtgestalten* (1999)—Prahl’s first feature film—he played a police officer in a supporting role; since then, he has frequently been cast in similar roles, including in *Die Polizistin*, *Die Hoffnung stirbt zuletzt*, and *Der Grenzer und das Mädchen*. The film *Nachtgestalten* also marked the beginning of a successful collaboration with director Andreas Dresen: for *Die Polizistin*, *Halbe Treppe*, and *Willenbrock*, Axel Prahl was honored with various acting awards, including the Adolf Grimme Prize. Since 2002, in his role as Chief Inspector Frank Thiel, he has teamed up with Jan Josef Liefers to form the investigative duo based in Münster for the WDR’s *Tatort* series. In 2007, Prahl also contributed the title song—a reinterpretation of a well-known pop hit—to the feature film *Du bist nicht allein*. In the music video for the song "Wenn es passiert" by the band Wir sind Helden, he appears as a traveling salesman. Prahl and Andreas Dresen perform together in a band with no name, whose repertoire includes cover versions of songs by artists such as Rio Reiser and Gerhard Gundermann. On February 27, 2009, the audiobook *Wo die wilden Maden graben* by Thorsten Nagelschmidt was released, featuring Axel Prahl as a guest narrator alongside Farin Urlaub. Prahl subsequently narrated the audiobook *North Western* in 2013. Axel Prahl has three daughters and one son. He is divorced from his second wife and resides in Berlin.
Known For
Photos
Filmography
Block 10
Movie · as Prof. Dr. Carl Clauberg
Moinsen! Ich bin Axel Prahl
Movie · as Self
Tödliches Spiel - Das Krimi-Dinner
Movie · as Harry Raven
Andreas Dresen - Ein Leben für den Film
Movie · as Self
Ich bin! Margot Friedländer
Movie · as Reuter
60 Jahre Dinner for One - Die Jubiläumsshow
Movie · as Self
Wir können auch anders
TV · as Self · 2 eps
Love Your Enemies
Movie · as Herr Schimke
Die Geschichte der Menschheit - leicht gekürzt
Movie · as Sokrates
Extraklasse - On Tour
Movie · as Ralph Friesner
Ottos Märchenshow
Movie · as Self
Eisland
Movie · as Marko Wendrichs
Extraklasse 2+
Movie · as Ralph Friesner
Wir sind 30
TV · as Self · 1 ep
Spieglein, Spieglein
Movie · as Frank Thiel
Blame Game
Movie · as Dr. Joachim Rauhweiler
Spy Cat
Movie · as Elvis (voice)
Nur mit Dir zusammen
Movie · as Wim
Das Märchen von der Regentrude
Movie · as Iven
Gundermann
Movie · as Führungsoffizier
The Little Witch
Movie · as Abraxas (voice)
Capt'n Sharky
Movie · as Alter Bill (voice)
Extraklasse
Movie · as Ralph Friesner
Gloria, die schönste Kuh meiner Schwester
Movie · as Thomas
Denn sie wissen nicht, was passiert
TV · as Self · 1 ep
Gott ist auch nur ein Mensch
Movie · as Frank Thiel
The Legend of Timm Thaler: or The Boy Who Sold His Laughter
Movie · as Behemoth
Regrettably Kin
Movie · as Knud Lühr
Der gute Bulle
Movie · as Roland Bischoff
MDR um 11
TV · as self · 1 ep
Da kommst Du nie drauf! - Die große Show der schrägen Fragen
TV · as Self · 2 eps
Abendshow
TV · as Self · 1 ep
Mullewapp - A Pig's Tail
Movie · as Waldemar (voice)
Udo Lindenberg: Stärker als die Zeit - Live
Movie
Ringlstetter
TV · as self, Self · 1 ep
Schwanensee
Movie · as Frank Thiel
Die Mutter des Mörders
Movie · as David Bacher
Trenk, the Little Knight
Movie · as Ritter Hans (voice)
Wer weiß denn sowas?
TV · as Self · 1 ep
Soundtrack Deutschland
TV · as Self · 3 eps
Die Himmelsleiter
TV · as Armin Zettler · 2 eps
Spiel für dein Land
TV · as Self · 2 eps
The Whole Shebang
Movie · as Helmut
The Pasta Detectives
Movie · as Herr Marrak
Die Lichtenbergs - zwei Brüder, drei Frauen und jede Menge Zoff
Movie · as Jochen Lichtenberg -
The Burrow
Movie · as Franz
Quizduell
TV · as Self · 2 eps
Harms
Movie · as Menges
Secrets of the North Sea
Movie · as Narrator (voice)
Circus Halligalli
TV · 1 ep
Die Deutschen Meister 2013
TV · as Self · 1 ep
Martin Rütter - Die große Tiershow
TV · as Self · 1 ep
An Enemy to Die For
Movie · as Friedrich Mann
Das Millionen Rennen
Movie · as Mathias Wengeler
Geschichtenerzähler
TV · as Narrator · 7 eps
Die Lehrerin
Movie · as Weininger
Lessons of a Dream
Movie · as Schricker Sen.
In der Welt habt ihr Angst
Movie · as Paul Krämer
Die Sterntaler
Movie · as Grobian
Unsere Besten im Norden
TV · as Self · 1 ep
Tietjen auf Touren
TV · as Self · 1 ep
Klein gegen Groß - Das unglaubliche Duell
TV · as Self · 3 eps
Here Comes Lola!
Movie · as Felix Jungherz
Sesamstraße präsentiert: Eine Möhre für zwei
TV · as Kapitän · 2 eps
12 Winter
Movie · as Klaus Starck
Berlin '36
Movie · as Hans Waldmann
Die Schimmelreiter
Movie · as Tilmann Koch
Dorfpunks
Movie · as Mascher
Die Wölfe
TV · as Bernd 2 · 3 eps
Peaceful Times
Movie · as Karl
Mondkalb
Movie · as Piet Hatzky
The Red Baron
Movie · as General von Hoeppner
Stella and the Star of the Orient
Movie · as Kleinheinz
Die Weisheit der Wolken
Movie · as Georg Paulsen
Summer Sunday
Movie · as Bruno Hansen
Liesl Karlstadt und Karl Valentin
Movie · as Erich Engels
The Godmother - No Way Back
TV · as Tom Kranold · 3 eps
Mein Nachmittag
TV · as Self · 1 ep
Das Quiz
TV · as Self · 1 ep
You're Not Alone
Movie · as Hans Moll
Inas Nacht
TV · as Self · 1 ep
Krömer - Die internationale Show
TV · as Self · 1 ep
The Wild Chicks
Movie · as Willis Vater
Not All Were Murderers
Movie · as Erwin Redlich
Die Mauer – Berlin '61
Movie · as Erwin Sawatzke
Die Kette
Movie · as Bernd
Die große Maus-Show
TV · as Self · 2 eps
Kommissar Stolberg
TV · as Raimund Görlitz · 1 ep
Willenbrock
Movie · as Willenbrock
Summer in Berlin
Movie · as Kneipengast (uncredited)
Der Grenzer und das Mädchen
Movie · as Hans-Werner Müller
Thadeusz
TV · as self · 1 ep
Liberated Zone
Movie · as Rolf Kubicek
I Love You All
Movie · as Narrator (Major S.)
NeuFundLand
Movie · as Leo
Gun-shy
Movie · as Schwimmer in der Nacht
Das Wunder von Lengede
Movie · as Erwin
Hundsköpfe
Movie · as Konrad "Bussi"
Zuckerbrot
Movie · as Vater
Nachtschicht
TV · as Fritz Schulz · 1 ep
ZIBB
TV · as Self · 2 eps
The Miracle of Lengede
TV · as Erwin · 2 eps
Grill Point
Movie · as Uwe
Die unheimlichen Briefe
Movie · as Taxi driver
Ich bring Dich hinter Gitter
Movie · as Günther Szerba
Falcons
Movie · as Car Rental Dealer
Geht nicht gibt's nicht
Movie · as Heinz Treibel
Liebe und Verrat
Movie · as Daniel Bullrich
Schleudertrauma
Movie · as Bens Anwalt
The Pianist
Movie · as German Soldier - Rummage Bags (uncredited)
Die Hoffnung stirbt zuletzt
Movie · as Eddy Garbitsch
Das Quiz mit Jörg Pilawa
TV · as Self · 1 ep
Ein roter Teppich für....
TV · as Self · 1 ep
Das Duo
TV · as Jost Kupitzki · 1 ep
Run While You Can
Movie · as Oswald Kosinski
Paulas Schuld
Movie · as Gründlin
Zoom - It's Always About Getting Closer
Movie · as Beamter
99€ Films
Movie
Herzrasen
Movie · as Chris
Bronski und Bernstein
TV · as Heinz Körner · 1 ep
Beim nächsten Coup wird alles anders
TV · as Ulf · 5 eps
Policewoman
Movie · as Mike
alaska.de
Movie · as Polizist Wünsche
Menschen der Woche
TV · as Self · 1 ep
Night Shapes
Movie · as Polizeibeamter
Volle Kanne
TV · as Self · 1 ep
Die Cleveren
TV · as Jens Stuber · 1 ep
Die Johannes B. Kerner Show
TV · as Self · 1 ep
Leute heute
TV · as Self · 2 eps
Tietjen und Bommes
TV · as Self · 1 ep
Zimmer frei!
TV · as Self · 2 eps
Die Harald Schmidt Show
TV · as Self · 1 ep
Balko
TV · as Robin Friedensreich · 1 ep
Goldene Henne
TV · as Self · 1 ep
Das Phantom
Movie
Im Namen des Gesetzes
TV · as Wirt Patschke · 1 ep
Bella Block
TV · 1 ep
Evelyn Hamanns Geschichten aus dem Leben
TV · as Klempner · 1 ep
Adelheid und ihre Mörder
TV · as Rainer Kohler · 1 ep
Weihnachten bei uns
TV · as Self · 1 ep
Wolffs Revier
TV · as Georg Ackermann · 1 ep
Riverboat
TV · as Self · 6 eps
DAS!
TV · as Self · 1 ep
Romy Award
TV · as Self - Presenter · 1 ep
Nachtcafé
TV · as Self · 1 ep
Goldene Kamera
TV · as Self · 1 ep
Wetten, dass..?
TV · as Self · 1 ep
Bavarian Film Awards
TV · as Self · 1 ep
NDR Talk Show
TV · as Self · 6 eps
Kölner Treff
TV · as Self · 2 eps
3 nach 9
TV · as Self · 2 eps
Polizeiruf 110
TV · as Paul Kieslowski · 1 ep
Dalli Dalli
TV · as Self · 1 ep
Scene of the Crime
TV · as Frank Thiel · 48 eps
Grimme Award
TV · as Self · 3 eps