Nikolaus Gunther Nakszynski grew up in poverty. In the late 1940s at the age of 22, he got into the movies. One of the greatest actor who ever lived was perfecting his craft, using the raw emotion and his life experiences. He had an unusual sense of humor and enjoyed acting a little bit crazy or outlandish sometimes. 

His most famous films were made with Werner Herzog and include Aguirre: The Wrath of God (1972), Nosferatu: Phantom der Nacht (1978), Woyzeck (1979), Fitzcarraldo (1982), Cobra Verde (1988). The love-hate relationship between the two obsessive men drove them to creative heights, but eventually to a final split in 1987.  Kinski was an extremely hard worker and strove for perfection, but was frequently at odds with co-workers and directors, and rarely a team player.  A man who several times literally almost killed cast and crew members or even Interview teams.

WATCH ONE OF HIS FAMOUS INTERVIEWS 

On the positive side, Klaus Kinski was unusually creative and brought about beneficial and healing changes in the lives of others, motivated by his deeply felt love. Few actors trying to be great would deny their secret knowledge that the art, the profession, whatever, is demented and deranging. Kinski's originality was in living that secret to the full.