Hans Krause was only 12 years old when he was discovered by German film producer Franz Seitz, Jr. Hans Krause sounds too Prussian to play a character created by Bavarian author Ludwig Thoma, so Seitz decided to use the screenname "Hansi Kraus".
Due to his success the film Tales of a Young Scamp [de] was followed by four installments.
Some 25 years later, he again assumed the role of the now grown-up Pepe Nietnagel in the TV series Ein Schloß am Wörthersee.
In his films as a child actor he worked already regularly with a great many stars (including for example Uschi Glas, Peter Alexander, Rudi Carrell and Theo Lingen) and he has worked successfully as an actor ever since.
As an adult he worked in main as a stage and television actor.