Mario Adorf (born 8 September 1930) is a German actor who has played leading roles in numerous films, among them the 1979 film The Tin Drum. Additionally, he is the author of several successful mostly autobiographical books.
Adorf was born in Zürich, Switzerland, the illegitimate child of an Italian surgeon and a German medical assistant. He grew up in his maternal grandfather's hometown, Mayen, where he was raised by his unmarried mother. He rose to fame in Europe, and particularly Germany, and also made appearances in international films, including Ten Little Indians and Smilla's Sense of Snow. He also played a small role in the BBC adaptation of John le Carré's Smiley's People as a German club owner.
Adorf was born in Zürich, Switzerland, the illegitimate child of an Italian surgeon and a German medical assistant. He grew up in his maternal grandfather's hometown, Mayen, where he was raised by his unmarried mother. He rose to fame in Europe, and particularly Germany, and also made appearances in international films, including Ten Little Indians and Smilla's Sense of Snow. He also played a small role in the BBC adaptation of John le Carré's Smiley's People as a German club owner.