Beck was born in
Heidelberg. After his
Abitur in 1976 (roughly equivalent to an associate degree, or A-Levels in England) and completing his
Zivildienst (alternative to required military service), he studied
Islamic Studies,
Ethnology, and
Philosophy at the
University of Heidelberg. During his studies he also performed on stage in Heidelberg. He also appeared onstage at the Sauerländischen State Theater, the State Theater Tübingen,
Schauspiel Frankfurt,
Schauspiel Köln, and the Bayerisches Staatsschauspiel. In 1989, Beck was named Young Actor of the Year by
Theater heute. He also won that year the Young Actor Prize of the Association of the Friends of Bavarian Theater. Beck began touring in the early 1990s and was very successful. Then in 1994, he acted in the film
Der bewegte Mann, a role for which he won a
Bambi. In 1998 he was nominated for a German Film Prize for his role in
Jimmy the Kid. Since 1998 his career highlights include a return to the stage as a guest in the famed
Berliner Ensemble and the role of
Mephisto in
Goethe's
Faust at the
Bad Hersfelder Festival. He won the
Hersfeld-Preis (Großer Hersfeld-Preis) in 2006. He is the father of actor
Jonathan Beck. ==Dubbing roles==