OUR Helmut BergerThe Austrian actor and star of European cinematic masterpieces such as Luchino Visconti’s The Damned and Vittorio de Sica’s Finzi Contini Garden has died at the age of 78.

The actor died at his home in Austria of natural causes.

During one of the most historic and creative periods of European cinema in the 1960s and 1970s, Berger boldly cemented his place in the pantheon of stars with a series of films such as The Damned, Ludwig and The Talking Play. . These films were huge successes in independent cinemas, receiving rave reviews and awards.

He received a Golden Globe nomination for his performance in The Damned, which was also nominated for an Oscar for Best Screenplay in 1970. He was also honored at the Berlin Film Festival for his innovative, imaginative roles that did not find favor in the “conservative United States.”

But in addition to collaborating with major filmmakers, Berger has had a long and somewhat volatile career as he struggles with his addiction to drugs and alcohol.

At the peak of his career, Berger was one of the paparazzi’s favorite characters as he “sold” his wild demeanor and turbulent personal life. Stories from his personal life have been included in his biography since 1998.

By the 1980s, his erratic behavior ended his film career. Berger guest-starred on the American television soap opera Dynasty. He then left the entertainment industry to take care of his ailing mother. She returned to television in 2013 for the German version of I’m a Celebrity Get Me Out of Here.

According to Variety