Bruno Ganz, Who Played Hitler In 'Downfall', Dies At 77

Actor Bruno Ganz, who famously played the role of Hitler in Downfall, has died at the age of 77.

Ganz passed away at his home in Zurich on Friday night (via The BBC), and though no cause has been revealed, previous reports indicate he had been diagnosed with colon cancer. Our thoughts are with his family and friends at this time.

The Swiss actor appeared in many films, including Nosferatu the Vampyre, The American Friend, The Boys from Brazil, Wim Wenders' Wings of Desire, The Reader, The Manchurian Candidate, and most recently The House that Jack Built. He is most famously known though for the film Downfall, in which he portrayed Adolf Hitler, and his performance in the role became a viral sensation.

Downfall recreated the final days of Hitler in the Berlin bunker and ended up winning the BBC Four World Cinema Award. The entire film was recognized, but one particular scene of Hilter with his generals became the biggest topic of discussion, where Ganz gives a fantastic performance of a man coming to terms that the war is over and his time is coming to an end. You can see the scene in question in the video above.

Ganz did four months of research once he got the role, and he wasn't convinced he should do the part at all initially.

"I had some doubts when I was first offered the part of Hitler in Downfall," Ganz told The Guardian. "I asked myself whether I really wanted to get involved in this ugly, terrible stuff. But it was also a temptation - the subject has a fascinating side - so I agreed."

"I did four months of research," Ganz said. "The producers sent me a tape, secretly recorded in Finland in 1942, with Hitler's natural voice - not the screaming orator we are used to, but a soft, attractive voice, a calm baritone. I tried to capture that."

Ganz was also the caretaker for the Iffland-Ring, a ring that is passed from person to person and one that Ganz said was "most significant and worthy". It's not known who he designated as the next person to hold it.