Gildo, Rex (1939-1999)

Gildo, Rex

SINGER (GERMANY)

BORN 2 Jul 1939, Straubing, Bayern - DIED 26 Oct 1999, München, Bayern
BIRTH NAME Hirtreiter, Ludwig Alexander
CAUSE OF DEATH suicide by jumping from window
GRAVE LOCATION München, Bayern: Ostfriedhof, St.-Martins-Platz 1 (122-1-21)

Rex Gildo had his first small acting part at the Münchner Kammerspiele in 1956. He was contracted by Ada Tschechowa, who helped him to his debut in "Immer wenn der Tag beginnt". In 1958 he had a main part in "Hula-Hopp, Conny" next to the popular Conny Froeboess.

As an actor he used the name Alexander Gildo and he changed this to Rex Gildo when he embarked on a singing successful career in the 1960s. He sang duets with Conny Froboess, Vivi Bach and Angela Durand. With Durand he participated in the Eurovision Song Contest in 1960. Together with Gitte Hænning he was successful as Gitte & Rex. He continued his movie career and in 1969 he joined the Eurovision Song Context again but without success. In 1974 he married his cousin Marion von Olsen, but he was homosexual and his manager Fred W. Miekley was his companion for years.

In 1981 he had his own television show on German television. During the 1990s he made more records but they were not as successfull as his earlier work. In 1999 he jumped out of a window of his appartment and died a few days later. He had probably quarreled with his companion and he probably had the intention to kill himself. He was buried next to Fred Miekley (d.1987).

Images

The grave of Rex Gildo (whose real name was Ludwig Hirtreiter) at the Ostfriedhof, Munich.
Picture by Androom (19 Jan 2004)