RIP Bill Ramsey

 

American ex-patriot Bill Ramsey died in his adopted home if Hamburg, Germany on July 2, 2021. He was 90. Born in Cincinnati, Ohio on April 17, 1931, William McCreery Ramsey later served his military service in Germany. His musical career began in Frankfurt am Main when the young GI appeared there as a jazz singer in army clubs in the early 1950s. As the US military broadcaster AFN he was soon able to devote himself entirely to music as the chief producer. Ramsey had great success in Germany in the 1950s and 1960s with hits like "Pigalle - die große Mausefalle", "Zuckerpuppe aus der Bauchtanzgruppe" oder "Ohne Krimi geht die Mimi nie ins Bett". In the 1960s in particular, he also appeared in films, including hit films and Karl May adventures. Around 30 films and even more albums, plus numerous TV programs such as "Talentschuppen" (1974-1980) - Ramsey was a born entertainer. As a moderator, he presented his "Swingtime" for Hessischer Rundfunk even at an advanced age. It wasn't until the beginning of March 2019, shortly before his 88th birthday, that he put an end to the show after more than three decades as an anchorman. Ramsey appeared as a piano player in the 1963 Winnetou western “Apaches Last Battle” starring Lex Barker and Pierre Brice, Dahlia Lavi and Guy Madison.