"100 episodes ok! CTG." This declaration of intent, written on an invoice pad after a night of revelry, lays the foundation for a cult figure known to every child in Germany: TV detective Matula makes actor Claus Theo Gärtner an overnight star. This role is just one of many fortunate coincidences in a life that begins with a bang: In 1943, Berlin under bombardment, mother Lotti runs for her life with baby Klaus. On the way to the bunker, the boy falls out of the stroller and lies for minutes between panicking feet. He survives, miraculously unscathed. Luck remains a constant that Gärtner often and willingly challenges in his life. Whether on stage, behind the wheel, or on the other side of the world: Wherever Gärtner is, adventure is not far away.