Franz Jarnach (14 October 1943 – 16 January 2017) was a German performer who combined careers in music and television. As both a professional musician and a character actor, he became best known to wide audiences for his recurring role on the improvised comedy series Dittsche, and to music fans for his work as a pianist with 1960s beat bands and later with the rock group The Rattles. He also used the stage name Mr. Piggi in parts of his musical career and public persona.

Career and roles

Jarnach's career spanned decades and two main fields: live and recorded music, and television acting. On screen he gained recognition for playing the character called Schildkröte on the German improvisational comedy show (an improvisation format) Dittsche. The program relied on improvised dialogue and recurring figures; Jarnach appeared repeatedly over many seasons and became a familiar presence in the show’s informal bar-room scenes. Contemporary accounts list him among the program's most frequent guest performers.

Musically, Jarnach was trained as a pianist and performed with several groups. During the 1960s he was associated with the British beat scene as a pianist for Lee Curtis and the All-Stars, appearing with the group on television music programs of the era. Later, in the early 1990s, he joined the German rock band The Rattles for a period, contributing to the ensemble’s live work and lineup changes. His background combined pop, beat and rock idioms typical of musicians who moved between studio work, live shows and television appearances.

Early life and background

Franz Jarnach was born in the Bad Godesberg quarter of Bonn in the state of North Rhine-Westphalia. His family had a musical pedigree: his father, the composer Philipp Jarnach (1892–1982), was active in 20th-century classical music. Growing up in a musical household helped shape Franz Jarnach's early interests and provided a foundation for the professional life he later pursued across Germany and in international pop settings.

Notable appearances and formats

  • Television comedy: long-running appearances on Dittsche, where his character work became publicly recognizable.
  • 1960s music television: performances with Lee Curtis and the All-Stars on programs like the German music show Beat-Club and similar broadcasts.
  • Rock band membership: a spell with The Rattles during the early 1990s, participating in live concerts and band activities in Germany and beyond.

Legacy and later life

Jarnach remained active in entertainment for most of his adult life, moving between studio, stage and television work. He is remembered for bridging generations of popular music and for his contribution to a distinctive style of German TV comedy that relied on improvisation and recurring ensemble players. He lived and worked in several German cities over the years, having been born near Bonn in the district of Bad Godesberg and passing away in Hamburg.

Franz Jarnach died of a heart attack on 16 January 2017 at the age of 73. His varied career—pianist, band member, and character actor—left a modest but recognizable footprint in post-war German popular culture, particularly through the visibility afforded by frequent television appearances and his work with well-known musical groups.

For further context on the shows and groups with which he worked, consult contemporary listings of music television in the 1960s and histories of German rock bands of the late 20th century. Additional biographical details are available in music and television archives and program credits from the productions in which he participated.

Franz Jarnach is often described in summaries as both an actor and musician, reflecting the dual strands of his professional life.