He was born in
Vienna, son of a count's steward. At a very young age he became a field page in
Hungary. Aged seventeen he joined a travelling theatre troupe, initially performing in Vienna's suburbs, for which he played princes and lovers. After appearances with the Viennese Puppet Theatre, Prehauser toured south Germany and Austria as comedian. Around 1720 his director
Hilverding persuaded him to play the stock character of
Hanswurst in
Salzburg. He became known as the 'Salzburg Hanswurst' and as such caught the attention of Viennese theatre director
Josef Anton Stranitzky. Prehauser initially toured with that troupe through
Bohemia,
Moravia and Germany until arriving back in Vienna in 1725. At the
Kärntnertortheater, where Stranitzky introduced him as his successor, he became the 'New Viennese
Hanswurst'. After Stranitzky's death he took over as leader of the 'German Comedians'. Prehauser was an outstanding interpreter of
improvisational theatre as well as 'regular' plays such as those by
Gotthold Ephraim Lessing). He wrote local plays and local
farces for Old Viennese Folk Theatre and satirical-humorous 'New Year's greetings'. == Radio-play versions of
Hanswurst ==