Rex Gildo

Rex Gildo (July 2 1936 - October 26 1999) was a German singer of Schlager ballads who reached the height of his popularity in the 1960s and 1970s, selling over 25 million records and starring in film and television roles.cite news
last = Blom
first = Phillip
coauthors =
title = Obituary: Rex Gildo
work = The Independent
pages =
language = English
publisher = LookSmart Ltd
date=1999-10-29
url = http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_qn4158/is_19991029/ai_n14261932
accessdate = 2007-10-22 ]

Gildo was born Ludwig Alexander Hirtreiter in Straubing, Bavaria and was a member of the Regensburger Domspatzen choir before going to acting school. His first performance was with the Munich Kammerspiele theatre group in 1956, but he quickly moved into television and film, as well as performing as a singer; most famously duetting with Danish singer Gitte Haenning as "Gitte & Rex".imdb name |id=0318419]

His most popular songs, such as "Speedy Gonzales" (1962), "Goodbye Susanna" (1965) and "Fiesta Mexicana" (1972) were million sellersFact|article|date=October 2007 and his sentimental, fernweh (wanderlust)-evoking music, often flavoured with Spanish or Mexican lyrics or styles, was especially in demand in the politically unsettled 1960s and 70s. His music and films sold well in Germany, but less so abroad, and he has been compared to Cliff Richard or Tom Jones.cite news
last = Karacs
first = Imre
coauthors =
title = The Entertainer
work = The Independent
pages =
language = English
publisher = LookSmart Ltd
date=1999-11-28
url = http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_qn4158/is_19991128/ai_n14270462/pg_1
accessdate = 2007-10-22 ] He also starred in his own television program, "Gestatten - Rex Gildo".cite news
last =
first =
coauthors =
title = Rex Gildo: Der große Streit ums Erbe
work = Berliner Morgenpost
pages =
language = German
publisher = Rainbow Online
date=2000-10-26
url = http://www.rainbow.or.at/news/972546136
accessdate = 2007-10-22 ]

In 1974, Gildo married his cousin Marion Ohlsen. The couple had no children and separated in 1990.

During the 1980s and 1990s, Gildo's popularity decreased and he felt pressured to maintain his public image. His appearances were mainly at folk festivals, shopping centres and other similar venues where audiences were sometimes less than kind; he was also reported to have problems with alcoholism, although this may have been due to medication he was taking. [cite web
last = Koymasky
first = Matt & Andrei
authorlink =
coauthors =
title = Rex Gildo
work =
publisher =
date=2007-06-25
url = http://andrejkoymasky.com/liv/fam/biog1/gild1.html
format = HTML
doi =
accessdate = 2007-10-22 ] [cite news
last = van der Meyden
first = Henk
coauthors =
title = Rex Gildo overleden
work = Di Telegraaf-i
pages =
language = Dutch
publisher = Dagblad De Telegraaf, Amsterdam
date=1999-10-28
url = http://krant.telegraaf.nl/krant/archief/19991028/teksten/bui.post.rex.gildo.overleden.html
accessdate = 2007-10-22 ] His final performance, on the day of his suicide, was in front of more than 3000 people at a furniture shop outside Frankfurt.

Gildo died in 1999 aged 63, having spent three days in an artificially-induced coma after attempting suicide by jumping from the window of his apartment building. He was said to have been suffering psychological problems. [cite news
last =
first =
coauthors =
title = German pop singer Gildo dies
work = Associated Press Archive
pages =
language = English
publisher = The Associated Press
date=1999-10-28
url = http://nl.newsbank.com/nl-search/we/Archives?p_product=APAB&p_theme=apab&p_action=search&p_maxdocs=200&s_dispstring=%22rex%20gildo%22&p_field_advanced-0=&p_text_advanced-0=(%22rex%20gildo%22)&xcal_numdocs=20&p_perpage=10&p_sort=YMD_date:D&xcal_useweights=no
accessdate = 2007-10-22 ] After his death, it was reported that he had been gay and involved in a relationship with Dave Klingeberg, his secretary with whom he lived, for seven years.

Discography

*"Das Ende der Liebe (Tell Laura I love You)/Minnetonka Mädi" (1959)
*"Sieben Wochen nach Bombay" (1960)
*"Yes My Darling" (1960), together with Conny Froboess
*"Speedy Gonzales" (1962)
*"Zwei blaue Vergißmeinnicht" (1963)
*"Vom Stadtpark die Laternen" (1963), together with Gitte Haenning
*"Zwei auf einer Bank" (1964), together with Gitte Haenning
*"Jetzt dreht die Welt sich nur um dich" (1964), together with Gitte Haenning
*"Hokuspokus" (1964), together with Gitte Haenning
*"Dein Glück ist mein Glück" (1965), together with Gitte Haenning
*"Goodbye Susanna" (1965)
*"Augen wie zwei Sterne" (1966)
*"Der Mond hat seine Schuldigkeit getan" (1967)
*"Ein ring auf gold" (1968)
*"Dondolo" (1969)
*"Memories" (1971)
*"Fiesta Mexicana" (1972)
*"Der Sommer ist vorbei" (1973)
*"Marie der letzte Tanz" (1974)
*"Der letzte Sirtaki" (1975)
*"Küsse von dir" (1976)
*"Love Is In The Air" (1978)
*"Sally komm wieder" (1978)
*"Saragossa" (1979)
*"Holly ho Havanna" (1979)
*"La Bandita" (1980)
*"Wenn ich je deine Liebe verlier" (1981)
*"Und sie hieß Julie" (1983)
*"Und plötzlich ist es wieder da" (1983)
*"Dir fehlt Liebe" (1984)
*"Rendezvous auf spanisch" (1984)
*"Mamma mia" (1985)
*"Du ich lieb Dich" (1985)
*"Was ist schon eine nacht" (1986)
*"Mexicanische nacht" (1989)
*"Margarita" (1991)
*"HOSSA! HOSSA! HOSSA!" (2008)

References