Hansi Hinterseer

Austria's Hansi Hinterseer translated his fame as a downhill skiing champion into subsequent careers as a singer and actor. Born in Kitzbühel on February 2, 1954, he was the son of Ernst Hinterseer, who earned a gold medal in slalom skiing at the 1960 Winter Olympics. Following in his father's footsteps, Hansi joined the Austrian Ski Team in 1972 and a year later won the Alpine Skiing World Cup in giant slalom competition, the first of six World Cup victories. In 1974, Hinterseer claimed the silver medal at the world championship in St. Moritz, and in 1976 took part in the Innsbruck Winter Olympics. Upon retiring from competition in 1981, he signed with the National Austrian Broadcasting Corporation as a skiing commentator, and in 1994 launched a pop music career with the LP Wenn Man Sich Lieb Hat, the first in a series of hit releases including Danke für Deine Liebe, Du Bist Alles, and Vater, Dein Wille Geschehe. Concurrently, Hinterseer forged an acting career as well, primarily appearing in telefilms including 1996's Hochwürdens Ärger mit dem Paradies and 2006's Da Wo das Glück Beginnt. In 2005, Hinterseer topped the Austrian charts for the first time with his album Heut Ist Dein Tag, and would do so again the following year with Meine Berge, Meine Heimat. A very successful run followed with seven more albums going gold in his home country. He continued to star in several films during this period, but his musical successes took the forefront with his 2013 album Heut Ist Dein Tag reaching number one in both Austria and Germany.