Swiss actor, Bruno Ganz who played Adolf Hitler in the movie "Downfall" passed away at 77

Bruno was born in Zürich, Switzerland in 1941. He was renowned as one of the greatest actors in the German-speaking world.

The star - who played Adolf Hitler in 2004 movie Downfall - died at his home in Zurich on Friday after a career which spanned 50 years.

He was diagnosed with cancer of the colon in 2018, and immediately started chemotherapy, forcing him to cancel an appearance at the Salzburg Festival.

In 1996, he received the Iffland-Ring, a prestigious award for German-speaking actors, which the bearer traditionally disposes of until death and passes on by will to the male actor he considers the best in German-language theater.

His last film performance was as Verge in Lars von Trier's horror movie "The House That Jack Built" (2018), playing a character that alludes to the figure of Virgil in Dante's "Inferno."