He is most famous for his portrayal of the lead character Leo Kress in the ZDF crime series The Old Fox (German: Der Alte) from 1986 to 2007.
[2] Television viewers know Schimpf best for his portrayal of Leo Kress in the ZDF crime series The Old Fox (German: Der Alte) from February 1986 to December 2007, as the first successor to the show's first lead actor Siegfried Lowitz.
[4] However he still appeared in a guest role as retired chief inspector Leo Kress in the 340th episode Taximörder in May 2009.
In June 2010 the couple moved to the Augustinum old people's home in Neufriedenheim in Munich, where Schimpf stayed until November 2023.
[14] In late 2023, Schimpf, at that time suffering from dementia himself, had to move to a different old people's home because of financial difficulties.