Axel Prahl
Known for: Acting
Axel Prahl grew up in Neustadt in Holstein alongside a brother. His mother was a sales assistant, and his stepfather worked at the employment office. At the age of 14, Prahl entered a music competition in Neustadt in Holstein; he won the local round, thereby qualifying to compete at the state level. However, fearing that such success might fundamentally alter his life, he declined to participate in the state finals. He dropped out of a vocational training program in the metalworking trade after just one year, spent time living as a street musician in Spain, subsequently earned his specialized university entrance qualification, and went on to study music and mathematics for five semesters at the College of Education in Kiel. Prahl is an accomplished guitarist and counts Pat Metheny among his musical role models, though during his youth, he also performed Irish folk music. Ultimately, from 1982 to 1985, he completed a degree in acting in Kiel. Prahl began his professional theater career in 1984, subsequently joining the Schleswig-Holstein State Theater. Prahl has lived in Berlin since 1992. This was followed by engagements at the Renaissance-Theater, the Grips-Theater, and the *Kammerspiele* (chamber theater) of the Deutsches Theater in Berlin. During his drama school days—while holding an apprentice contract at the Theater Kiel—Prahl performed with the band Ougenweide and subsequently founded the band Impuls. At that time, his musical and acting pursuits ran in parallel, until Prahl ultimately decided to focus exclusively on acting. Axel Prahl made his television debut in 1992 in Max Färberböck’s *Schlafende Hunde*. Also in 1992, he provided the German voice dubbing for Michael Chiklis in an episode of the series *Miami Vice*. In *Nachtgestalten* (1999)—Prahl’s first feature film—he played a police officer in a supporting role; since then, he has frequently been cast in similar roles, including in *Die Polizistin*, *Die Hoffnung stirbt zuletzt*, and *Der Grenzer und das Mädchen*. The film *Nachtgestalten* also marked the beginning of a successful collaboration with director Andreas Dresen: for *Die Polizistin*, *Halbe Treppe*, and *Willenbrock*, Axel Prahl was honored with various acting awards, including the Adolf Grimme Prize. Since 2002, in his role as Chief Inspector Frank Thiel, he has teamed up with Jan Josef Liefers to form the investigative duo based in Münster for the WDR’s *Tatort* series. In 2007, Prahl also contributed the title song—a reinterpretation of a well-known pop hit—to the feature film *Du bist nicht allein*. In the music video for the song "Wenn es passiert" by the band Wir sind Helden, he appears as a traveling salesman. Prahl and Andreas Dresen perform together in a band with no name, whose repertoire includes cover versions of songs by artists such as Rio Reiser and Gerhard Gundermann. On February 27, 2009, the audiobook *Wo die wilden Maden graben* by Thorsten Nagelschmidt was released, featuring Axel Prahl as a guest narrator alongside Farin Urlaub. Prahl subsequently narrated the audiobook *North Western* in 2013. Axel Prahl has three daughters and one son. He is divorced from his second wife and resides in Berlin.
Filmography
Series
Scene of the Crime
Frank Thiel
1970
ZIBB
Self
2003
Series
Leute heute
Self
1997
Series
DAS!
1991
Series
DAS!
Self
1991
Series
Die Harald Schmidt Show
Self
1995
Volle Kanne
Self
1999
Series
Polizeiruf 110
Paul Kieslowski
1971
Series
Wetten, dass..?
Self
1981
Series
NDR Talk Show
Self
1979
Series
Kölner Treff
Self
1976
Mein Nachmittag
Self
2008
Series
Riverboat
Self
1992
Film
The Pianist
German Soldier - Rummage Bags (uncredited)
2002
The Johannes B. Kerner Show
Self
1998
Series
Wer weiß denn sowas?
2015
Series
Wer weiß denn sowas?
Self
2015
3 nach 9
Self
1974
Series
Nachtcafé
Self
1987
Series
Zimmer frei!
Self
1996
Series
Inas Nacht
Self
2007
Grimme Award
Self
1964
Romy Award
Self - Presenter
1990
Romy Award
Self
1990
Menschen der Woche
Self
2000
Goldene Kamera
Self
1984
Quizduell
Self
2014
Series
Wolffs Revier
Georg Ackermann
1992
Im Namen des Gesetzes
Wirt Patschke
1994
Series
Ringlstetter
self
2016
Series
Ringlstetter
Self
2016
Tietjen und Bommes
Self
1997
Series
Dalli Dalli
Self
1971
Series
Circus Halligalli
2013
Series
Klein gegen Groß - Das unglaubliche Duell
Self
2011
Series
Balko
Robin Friedensreich
1995
Series
Bella Block
1993
Bavarian Film Awards
Self
1979
Series
Kommissar Stolberg
Raimund Görlitz
2006
Series
Nachtschicht
Fritz Schulz
2003
Thadeusz
self
2005
Series
Adelheid und ihre Mörder
Rainer Kohler
1993
MDR um 11
self
2017
Abendshow
Self
2017
Series
Die Cleveren
Jens Stuber
1998
Series
Krömer - Die internationale Show
Self
2007
Series
Die große Maus-Show
Self
2006
Film
Spy Cat
Elvis (voice)
2019
Series
Sesamstraße präsentiert: Eine Möhre für zwei
Kapitän
2010
Series
Denn sie wissen nicht, was passiert
Self
2018
Film
The Red Baron
General von Hoeppner
2008
Series
Das Quiz
Self
2008
Spiel für dein Land
Self
2015
Film
The Little Witch
Abraxas (voice)
2018
Da kommst Du nie drauf! - Die große Show der schrägen Fragen
Self
2017
Goldene Henne
Self
1995
Das Duo
Jost Kupitzki
2002
Film
99€ Films
2001
Weihnachten bei uns
Self
1993
Evelyn Hamanns Geschichten aus dem Leben
Klempner
1993
Film
Trenk, the Little Knight
Ritter Hans (voice)
2015
Film
Hundsköpfe
Konrad "Bussi"
2003
Martin Rütter - Die große Tiershow
Self
2013
Wir können auch anders
Self
2023
Bronski und Bernstein
Heinz Körner
2001
Film
The Legend of Timm Thaler: or The Boy Who Sold His Laughter
Behemoth
2017
Ein roter Teppich für....
Self
2002
Das Quiz mit Jörg Pilawa
Self
2002
Film
Lessons of a Dream
Schricker Sen.
2011
Film
Summer in Berlin
Kneipengast (uncredited)
2005
Film
60 Jahre Dinner for One - Die Jubiläumsshow
Self
2023
Film
Tödliches Spiel - Das Krimi-Dinner
Harry Raven
2025
Film
Gun-shy
Schwimmer in der Nacht
2003
Film
The Wild Chicks
Willis Vater
2006
Series
Soundtrack Deutschland
Self
2015
Film
Ottos Märchenshow
Self
2022
Series
Die Wölfe
Bernd 2
2009
Film
Falcons
Car Rental Dealer
2002
Herzrasen
Chris
2001
Film
Ich bin! Margot Friedländer
Reuter
2023
Film
Blame Game
Dr. Joachim Rauhweiler
2019
Series
Die Himmelsleiter
Armin Zettler
2015
Film
Capt'n Sharky
Alter Bill (voice)
2018
Film
Night Shapes
Polizeibeamter
1999
Series
The Miracle of Lengede
Erwin
2003
Film
alaska.de
Polizist Wünsche
2000
Geschichtenerzähler
Narrator
2012
Unsere Besten im Norden
Self
2011
Film
Willenbrock
Willenbrock
2005
Wir sind 30
Self
2020
Film
Spieglein, Spieglein
Frank Thiel
2019
Zuckerbrot
Vater
2003
Film
Here Comes Lola!
Felix Jungherz
2010
Film
Die Geschichte der Menschheit - leicht gekürzt
Sokrates
2022
Film
Mondkalb
Piet Hatzky
2008
Film
Not All Were Murderers
Erwin Redlich
2006
Film
12 Winter
Klaus Starck
2009
Film
Moinsen! Ich bin Axel Prahl
Self
2025
Film
The Pasta Detectives
Herr Marrak
2014
Series
The Godmother - No Way Back
Tom Kranold
2008
Schleudertrauma
Bens Anwalt
2002
Film
Berlin '36
Hans Waldmann
2009
Tietjen auf Touren
Self
2011
Beim nächsten Coup wird alles anders
Ulf
2001
Film
NeuFundLand
Leo
2003
Film
Das Märchen von der Regentrude
Iven
2018
Film
Summer Sunday
Bruno Hansen
2008
Film
Grill Point
Uwe
2002
Film
Das Wunder von Lengede
Erwin
2003
Film
Andreas Dresen - Ein Leben für den Film
Self
2024
Film
Gundermann
Führungsoffizier
2018
Film
Mullewapp - A Pig's Tail
Waldemar (voice)
2016
Film
An Enemy to Die For
Friedrich Mann
2012
Film
Extraklasse 2+
Ralph Friesner
2021
Film
Secrets of the North Sea
Narrator (voice)
2013
Film
Die Schimmelreiter
Tilmann Koch
2009
Film
Dorfpunks
Mascher
2009
Film
Peaceful Times
Karl
2008
Film
The Whole Shebang
Helmut
2014
Die Deutschen Meister 2013
Self
2013
Paulas Schuld
Gründlin
2001
Film
Stella and the Star of the Orient
Kleinheinz
2008
Film
Harms
Menges
2013
Film
Love Your Enemies
Herr Schimke
2022
Film
Liesl Karlstadt und Karl Valentin
Erich Engels
2008
Film
Eisland
Marko Wendrichs
2021
Film
I Love You All
Narrator (Major S.)
2004
Film
Nur mit Dir zusammen
Wim
2019
Film
Die unheimlichen Briefe
Taxi driver
2002
Film
Der gute Bulle
Roland Bischoff
2017
Film
Die Lehrerin
Weininger
2011
Film
Gott ist auch nur ein Mensch
Frank Thiel
2017
Film
The Burrow
Franz
2014
Film
You're Not Alone
Hans Moll
2007
Film
Liberated Zone
Rolf Kubicek
2004
Film
Policewoman
Mike
2000
Film
Gloria, die schönste Kuh meiner Schwester
Thomas
2018
Ich bring Dich hinter Gitter
Günther Szerba
2002
Die Weisheit der Wolken
Georg Paulsen
2008
Film
Block 10
Prof. Dr. Carl Clauberg
2026
Film
Das Phantom
1994
Film
Udo Lindenberg: Stärker als die Zeit - Live
2016
Liebe und Verrat
Daniel Bullrich
2002
Film
Die Hoffnung stirbt zuletzt
Eddy Garbitsch
2002
Film
Die Mutter des Mörders
David Bacher
2015
Film
Zoom - It's Always About Getting Closer
Beamter
2001
In der Welt habt ihr Angst
Paul Krämer
2011
Film
Die Sterntaler
Grobian
2011
Film
Die Lichtenbergs - zwei Brüder, drei Frauen und jede Menge Zoff
Jochen Lichtenberg -
2014
Film
Das Millionen Rennen
Mathias Wengeler
2012
Geht nicht gibt's nicht
Heinz Treibel
2002
Film
Die Mauer – Berlin '61
Erwin Sawatzke
2006
Film
Extraklasse - On Tour
Ralph Friesner
2022
Film
Extraklasse
Ralph Friesner
2018
Film
Run While You Can
Oswald Kosinski
2001
Film
Schwanensee
Frank Thiel
2015
Die Kette
Bernd
2006
Der Grenzer und das Mädchen
Hans-Werner Müller
2005
Film
Regrettably Kin
Knud Lühr
2017