BERLIN (Reuters) - Harald Juhnke, the actor and entertainer hailed by many as the German Frank Sinatra, has died aged 75 after a long battle with dementia and alcoholism.
Juhnke, who passed away on Friday, was one of Germany's best-loved stars of television, film and stage, but his later years were clouded by his battle with the bottle and media reports about his deteriorating mental state.
"Harald Juhnke embodied ability and human tragedy like almost no other person," wrote German state broadcaster ARD in remembrance of the Berlin-born tabloid fixture.
His death sparked a wave of tributes, from President Horst Koehler down. The news, announced by his manager, also stopped reports of the Pope's failing health from monopolizing German media coverage.
After making dozens of feature films in West Germany in the 50s and 60s, Juhnke rose to the peak of his fame on television in the decades that followed, both as an actor and presenter.
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