hiː stˈʌdid ˈæktɪŋ ðɛɹ æz ɐ jˈʌŋ mˈæn bˌʌt lˈeɪɾɚ tˈʊk ˌʌp sˈɪŋɪŋ, ɡˈeɪnɪŋ ɛkspˈiəɹɪəns æɾə sˈɪɹiz ʌv pɹəvˈɪnʃəl dʒˈɜːmən θˈiəɾɚz, pɹˈuːvɪŋ təbi ɐ bɹˈɪliənt kˈɑːmɪk ˈæktɚ.
He studied acting there as a young man but later took up singing, gaining experience at a series of provincial German theatres, proving to be a brilliant comic actor.