Enjoyed fishing and hunting.
He was already 51 when the Derrick series started, and he outlived the series, unlike a few much younger people who appeared on the series during the 24 years.
His daughter Karin died in 2010 of cancer.
In December 2001, one of Tappert's sons, Gary, died of organ failure after having gone into a coma. He was 52, and an architect.
Lived in Gräfelfing near Munich with his third wife Ursula and is the father of three children from two prior marriages: Karin, Ralph and Gary (died 2001).
Only German actor, who has fan clubs in Europe as well as overseas. Even Pope John Paul II liked to watch him on "Derrick" (1974).
Received Germany's Cross of Merit in 1988.