The Story - update #3 : A Life in Pictures

Ulrike Butz was born in Miesbach (the Southern part of Bavaria) where she grew up in this house:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

When she was 11 years old, her family moved less than 2 miles North, to a more secluded area nearby a huge lake:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

After her parents divorced, Ulrike stayed with her mother, as she and her boyfriend at the time rented this beautiful home around 1969:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I was fortunate enough to talk to the owner, who built this house himself.

He remembered renting it out to the Butz family and claimed they only lived there for about a year or two.

Sadly, the owner can't remember any particular stories and doesn't have any photographs depicting Ulrike, yet he does recall the house always being filled with free-spirited folks, hanging out in their bathing suits and bikinis, having a good time. 

He also learned through the neigborhood grapevine (a very small community) that Ulrike was making films of a sexy nature, meaning she was already acting before moving to Munich on her own!

So apparently she didn't just run away without any kind of plan or prospects, as implied in 'The Story'.

He confirmed Ulrike's mother is no longer alive, but has no information regarding her siblings.

 

 

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Very likely, one of these early films she made while still living at home was "Die dressierte Frau" (1972) which was shot in Munich.  More precisely here:

 

And some more:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

This area around Munich's Nikolaiplatz was frequently used in other films which starred Ulrike:

 

"Liebe in 3 Dimensionen" (1973) co-starring Ingrid Steeger.

 

"Mädchen, die nach München kommen" (1972) co-starring Christina Lindberg

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Speaking of "Mädchen, die nach München kommen", here is another location from that film:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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In 2000 Ulrike passed away and her remains were cremated here:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Her ashes were scattered anonymously on these grounds, so there is no marked grave. 

Only dust.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Locations from "Die dressierte Frau" were provided by ulrikebutz-club blogspot.

Click on any picture to enlarge.

27th August 2000 - 2015

Let us commemorate the unfortunate day Ulrike shuffled off this mortal coil, exactly
15 years ago.
Although she was only 46, she left a modest yet notable legacy for us to cherish till the
end of time.

Qui? Police - issue 123, 1981

"Qui? Police" was a weekly French magazine containing crime related news articles.
Published between 1979 and 1982, it presented contemporary stories as a detective novel, failing to mention any kind of source.  Often writers placed themselves in the participating role of a direct witness rather than adopting the investigative approach of a reporter.
So its contents can be called dubious at the very least.

Issue 123 published on 28th May 1981 saw Ulrike on the cover stating: "The announcer prostitutes herself at night in a brothel".

The article itself makes claims ranging from doubtful to outright preposterous.
It tries to convince us that Ulrike begged her father to make her an announcer on a television station, which she apparantly became at age 19.  Her rise in fame led to parties where she was introduced to various drugs resulting in a destructive heroin addiction.  Desperately in need of money for her next fix, she got lured into shooting porn films (sometimes simulated) sporting a wig and a pseudonym, while resuming her career in broadcasting.

Still not earning enough cash, she then followed a friend's advice and became a lady of the night.  While working at a Hanover brothel as a prostitute she got a surprise visit from her father, to whom she confessed all of her troubles.  When short after her father passed away, she was left behind all alone and attempted suicide.
Yes, that is where this "story" ends.

Lobby Cards #3

"Speedball" uses Ulrike's life as a template

I'm very pleased to see more people are becoming aware of Ulrike's life and career and are in some way inspired by it.

Compagnie de Comédie will put on a stage play titled "Speedball - Vom Leinwandstrip zum Drogentrip" premiering on 04-09-2014 in Rostock.
Director Fabian Ranglack informed me that this play is (very loosely) based on the life and career of Ulrike Butz.


























From the press release:
"Ulrike Butz, one of the most wanted actresses in the German sexfilmindustry of the early seventies, died in 2000 at the age of 46.
She, the pretty girl from next door, who had high ambitions and dreamed of the big breakthrough when she left her parents house at 17, has become a tragic symbol of a filmindustry that shamelessly used the dreams of young girls for moneymaking purposes.
But SPEEDBALL is no biography of Ulrike Butz, neither a portait of the early seventies. It is simply the story of a young girl who went out into the world to become famous - at any cost ...  This year she would have celebrated her 60th birthday.

Eins hat Daria Elena Hasse, die die Rolle der Ulrike übernimmt, mit ihrer darzustellenden Figur gemein: Sie kennt den nervenaufreibenden Kampf eine anerkannte Schauspielerin zu werden: Das Tingeln von Schauspielschule zu Schauspielschule, die Castings, die Selbstzweifel ... Die 19jährige hat bei der Compagnie de Comédie ihr freies kulturelles Jahr absolviert und stellt mit dieser Inszenierung ihre Abschlussarbeit vor."

Contact details:
Tel.: 0381 / 20 36 084
E-mail: info@compagnie-de-comedie.de

"Kumpelfilme" book features Ulrike

Author Martin Hentschel informed me that his latest book "Lass jucken! Die Kumpelfilme der 1970er" is on sale now.  Not only is Ulrike featured on the cover, there is a chapter devoted to her as well!
As I haven't read it yet, it's too early for any comments, although it's nice to see her being acknowledged.

 

Taschenbuch: 364 Seiten
Verlag: CreateSpace Independent Publishing Platform; Auflage: 1 (16. August 2014)
Sprache: Deutsch
Grösse: 20,3 x 13,3 x 1,9 cm

Ulrike Butz: the exhibition

During the 32nd Filmfestival in Munich, a gorgeous and colorful exhibition celebrating Ulrike Butz's career took place at the City Kino cinema from 27th June to 5th July.
On display were various original film posters, lobby cards and magazine article clippings.

I'm forever grateful to Michael M. Rüdel for organizing and executing this amazing concept – another giant leap forward in educating and exposing the general public to a somewhat forgotten era and star actress, who would've turned 60 earlier this month.
My sincerest thanks goes out to everyone who contributed in making this heart-warming tribute a reality.

 

 

All pictures courtesy of Ulrich Karrenbach
Concept and realization by Michael M. Rüdel