- The secret "Tatort" star is dead.
Horst Lettenmayer, whose eyes and legs have been appearing in the opening credits of "Tatort" crime series for more than five decades, has passed away. The former actor and lighting producer died on July 20, as confirmed by his daughter Julia-Alina Lettenmayer to the German Press Agency. He was buried on July 31 at the Munich North Cemetery, which would have been his 83rd birthday. The Munich "Abendzeitung" was the first to report this.
With a few exceptions, Lettenmayer has been staring into German living rooms through a slit every Sunday at 8:15 PM since the beginning of the "Tatort" series, a white thread cross encircling his left iris before the dramatic music of Klaus Doldinger plays. For his appearance, Lettenmayer received a one-time payment of 400 Deutsche Marks - unaware that the footage would become a cult classic and be used for decades.
His daughter described that he had overcome his publicly expressed frustration about this and had dedicated himself fully to his lighting company in recent decades. "Whatever he did, he gave it 1000 percent, there was nothing half-hearted about him." Even on the day of his death, he worked as usual in the company, whose management his 32-year-old daughter has already taken over - although he was still actively involved as the owner.
Despite his initial payment of 400 Deutsche Marks, Horst Lettenmayer's appearance in "Tatort" television series eventually became a cult classic, lasting for decades. In his later years, Lettenmayer channeled his energy into his lighting company, working with dedication and passion until his passing.
Every Sunday at 8:15 PM, German viewers would tune into their televisions, greeted by Lettenmayer's eyes through the slit of the "Tatort" opening credits, a ritual that spanned over five decades of the crime series.
