Josef Matula is a private investigator in Frankfurt am Main, whose cases are depicted in the detective series A Case for Two. The series has two main characters. Private investigator Matula (portrayed by Claus Theo Gaertner) is a former police officer active as a detective after his retirement. Private investigator Matula is played in all episodes by Claus Theo Gartner.

The second main character of the series is an attorney, who has gone through several changes in the course of time:

    Dr. Dieter Renz (Gunter Strack†), 1981 to 1988

    Dr. Rainer Franck (Rainer Hunold), 1988 to 1997

    Dr. Johannes Voss (Mathias Herrmann), 1997 to 2000

    Dr. Markus Lessing (Paul Frielinghaus), since December 22nd 2000

Detective Matula examines in many cases relief material for innocent clients of the attorney in order to be able to convict the real killers. The private detective often requests an advance or a generous expense report, because he is constantly suffering from lack of money.

First Broadcast

The first episode, entitled The Older Sister, was broadcast on ZDF on 11.09.1981. 280 episodes have been broadcast since then, which of course no one could have guessed at the time. A Case for Two has been airing on ZDF on a regular basis every Friday evening at 20.15 o’clock and new episodes are still regularly being broadcast.

No one was expecting such a huge success. They had only counted on producing about 6-8 episodes. Gradually, the series took on an ever larger audience, and so new episodes were constantly being filmed.

Producer George Althammer wanted to hire Claus Theo Gartner for the role of private detective Matula, but had to work on convincing him for about a year before he finally accepted. Finally he succeeded, because Gartner’s signature on a paper napkin was a commitment to the part of private eye Josef Matula.

Josef Matula – The Person

Josef Matula was initially a member of the Frankfurt police force, however, without having a clue about it, he fell in love with the sister of a main robbery suspect.

The defense lawyer, Dr. Renz (portrayed by Gunter Strack from 1981 to 1988) first made sure that Matula was suspended from duty. After he could prove his innocence, Dr. Renz offered Matula a job as a private investigator. Matula resigned and has since worked as a private investigator in Frankfurt.

The range of cases, that detective Matula is dealing with, is as wide as that of a real-life investigator. Among these are economic crimes such as fraud and extortion, as well as adultery. Now and again Matula manages to get himself into difficult situations and is sometimes even injured in the process.

Joseph Matual is single with constantly changing girlfriends and often surrounded by good looking women. When not investigating, Matula is a very good cook.

Matula was driving an Alfa Romeo in the first episode and has remained faithful to this brand over the (screen) years. Claus Theo Gartner is also an Alfa Romeo driver in real life.

Other Characters in A Case for Two

Apart from the aforementioned actors, the following played in one or more episodes of the series A Case for Two:

Barbara Rudnik, Rolf Zacher, Anja Kruse, Gert Haucke, Armin Rohde, Peter Bongartz, Doris Kunstmann, Ulrich Gebauer, Sabine Kaack, Barbara Valentin, Max Tidof, Volker Lechtenbrink, Martin Semmelrogge, Michaela May, Jan Fedder, Ingrid van Bergen, Helmut Zierl, Klaus J. Behrendt, Leonard Lansink, Uwe Ochsenknecht, Karin Baal, Volker Brandt, Felix von Manteuffel, Peer Augustinski, Sky Dumont, Jurgen Draeger, Jutta Speidel, Ben Becker, Robert Atzorn, Christoph M. Ohrt, Katja Flint, Raimund Harmstorf, Heio von Stetten, Sophie Schutt, Susanne Uhlen, Oliver Mommsen, Jacques Breuer, Simone Thomalla, Volker Brandt, Ingrid Steeger, Armin Mueller-Stahl, Desiree Nosbusch, Thekla Carola Wied, Heiner Lauterbach and many more.