Gerhard Bronner was world renown as an entertainer, musician and composer. Born in Vienna in 1922 he grew up in the workers’ neighborhood. He was a self-taught musician and applied his unique musical talent playing in local cabarets. In 1938, at the age of 16, Bronner left Austria following the German occupation and emigrated to Bruenn (Brno), CSR (Czechoslovak Republic). From Bruenn he made his way to Palestine via the UK and entered illegally. He worked, at first, as a laborer and street-singer. He was soon able to apply his musical gift and opportunities opened for him as pianist, conductor and composer.
Following the establishment of the State of Israel in 1948 Bronner returned to Vienna. There he started working as pianist in the Marietta-Bar. He also began to apply his multiple talents to performing in the cabaret, Simpl. He then expanded to writing scripts and music for radio satires. In 1950, he collaborated with cabaret performer Helmut Qualtinger writing music and lyrics. He appeared with his first stage program in 1952: Brette vorm Kopf, based on a former radio series. In 1953-55, he became musical director of entertainment for the TV division of North German Radio. Bronner then returned to Vienna and where he director of the Marietta-Bar, a position he held until 1964. Concurrently, in 1956-57 he served as director of the Intimes Theater, and in 1959-62 in the Neues Theater at Kastnertor. He worked with the Helmut Qualtinger, and other actors, Carl Merz and Georg Kreisler in creating elaborate, contemporary satirical, literary and musical cabaret-revues. Their co-productions included Blattl vorm Mund, Brettl am Klavier, Glasl vorm Aug, Spiegl vorm Gesicht, Dachl uberm Kopf, Hackl vorm Kreuz. In 1962-66, he turned to directing musicals and popular plays. He wrote texts for cabaret, Der Wurfel and cabaret Das Zeitventil. Bronner later directed of his own cabaret, Die Fledermaus. Bronner has left a legacy as author of chansons, composer, arranger, radio-author, and moderator, mostly on Austrian Radio and TV. He produced both films and television programs in his own studio at Quadlibet, Vienna.
Gerhard Bronner was awarded Maria-Theresia-Order for the Un-Aus Activities in Service of Austria (1978); Honorary Cross for Art and Science Austria (1978); and Johann-Nestroy-Ring, Vienna (1979).
Bronner died in 1980 at Breitenfurt near Vienna.