Peter Lustig

Peter Fritz Willi Lustig (German: [ˈpeːtɐ ˈlʊstɪç] ; 27 October 1937 – 23 February 2016) was a German television presenter, voice actor and author of children's books who has become especially well known as leading actor in the weekly children's television show Löwenzahn, which he hosted from 1979 up until 2006. During its first year the show was called Pusteblume. He also hosted the show Mittendrin (1987–95), narrated the film Gordos Reise ans Ende der Welt (2007) and provided the German voice for the computer game character Gary Gadget.

Biography

Lustig was not a trained actor or host. He originally qualified as a broadcast engineer and an electronics engineer. Working for American Forces Network as a radio engineer in 1963, he was responsible for the recording of US President John F. Kennedy's speech Ich bin ein Berliner held in Berlin.

Starting in 1970, he began appearing in front of the camera. His first appearance was a short sketch in the popular German children's show Die Sendung mit der Maus, where a raw egg was dropped onto his bald head, with him making a funny commentary about it. He went on to have small roles in Die Sendung mit der Maus and the German segments of Sesame Street. His popularity increased, which led to him starring in his own show Löwenzahn from 1979 onwards, where he explained various phenomena of science and nature to children.

He often ended an episode with a proposal to turn off the TV now with his famous hand turning gesture, as if he was turning off an old TV. His show persona always wore characteristic blue dungarees and lived in a wooden building site cabin in fictitious Bärstadt ("Beartown").