LEGENDARY German actor Hardy Krüger has died at the age of 93, reports say.

The star passed away at his home “suddenly and unexpectedly” in California on Wednesday.

A statement from the actor's agency said: “His warmth of heart, joie de vivre, and his unshakable sense of justice will make him unforgettable.”

He starred in a leading role in around 75 films and was one of the few German actors to have an international career, according to RND.

Krüger appeared in the films A Bridge Too Far, Hatari!, The Flight of the Phoenix, and Wild Geese.

He played a Vietnam veteran in the French drama film Sundays and Cybèle.

The movie won an Oscar in 1962 in the Best Foreign Language Film category.

It also received a gong at that year's Blue Ribbon Awards and was nominated for a Golden Globe.

Most read in Celebrity

He also played Captain Potzdorf in Stanley Kubrick's 1975 movie Barry Lyndon.

Fans have paid their condolences to the late actor online.

One person said: "Ad Astra Hardy Krüger. Thank you for the countless adventures and trips."

Another commented: "One of Germany's first movie heartthrobs passed away at 93. RIP Hardy Krüger."

Paying homage to the star, BBC journalist Patrick Jackson said: "Thanks also for giving us the scariest officer ever in Barry Lyndon."

Krüger was born in Berlin in 1928 and his father was a supporter of Adolf Hitler.

He was a young actor but was drafted into one of the Nazis armed forces the Wehrmacht in 1944.

He was asked to ambush a group of US soldiers but refused and was nearly executed for cowardice.

Krüger escaped and hid in Italy until the end of the war, before returning to acting.

The actor retired in the late 1980s. He published a series of books and directed several documentaries where he traveled the world.

He was married three times and wed Anita Park in 1978.

Source: Read Full Article