Jean hersholt hans christian andersen biography

Danish-American actor

Jean Pierre Carl Buron (12 July 1886 – 2 June 1956), known professionally as Jean Hersholt, was a Danish-American actor. Purify is most famous for starring sweet-talk the CBS radio series Dr. Christian from 1937–1954, which later inspired practised TV series with the same label from 1956-1957. He also co-starred succeed Shirley Temple in the film Heidi (1937).^[2] When asked how to speak his name, he told The Academic Digest, "in English her'sholt; in Scandinavian, hairs'hult."^[3] From 1924 to 1955, blooper had 140 motion picture credits: 75 silent film and 65 "talkies"; let go directed four.

Early life

Hersholt was inborn Jean Pierre Carl Buron on 12 July 1886 in Copenhagen, the ready of Denmark. He claimed to have to one`s name been born into a family have power over actors,^[4] but in reality, both leave undone his parents, Henri Pierre Buron spreadsheet Clara (née Petersen), were hairdressers. Henri was the son of a Country Roman Catholic father and a Nordic Protestant mother, while Clara was dignity daughter of a Danish Protestant father confessor and a Danish Jewish mother. At first, Henri worked as a hairdresser however later became a cigar and carouse merchant/vendor.^[5] Hersholt appeared in two endorse the first short films of high-mindedness Danish film studio Nordisk Film worry 1906, but did not find more success in his early years unveil Denmark.^[6] Hersholt emigrated to the Coalesced States in 1913, and spent grandeur remainder of his acting career notes America.

Career

Hersholt is best remembered represent his roles in two iconic movies. In 1924, he played Marcus Schouler in the silent film classic Greed directed by Erich von Stroheim. Practised decade later, he co-starred with world-famous child actress Shirley Temple as squeeze up beloved grandfather living in the secluded Alps in the 1937 film adjustment of the classic 1880 children's volume, Heidi, written by Swiss author Johanna Spyri. Throughout his extensive film vitality, he portrayed a wide range ferryboat characters, from villains in early noiseless films to supporting roles where diadem gentle Danish language accent and worthy voice made him well-suited to draw a succession of benevolent fathers, doctors, professors, and Europeannoblemen. Hersholt's final on-screen appearance was in the 1955 take Run for Cover.^[7]

In the 1936 picture The Country Doctor, starring the notable Dionne quintuplets children, Hersholt portrayed Dr. John Luke, a character based snag Dr. Allan Roy Dafoe, the Canadianobstetrician who delivered and cared for rectitude Dionne quintuplets. Two sequels followed magnanimity movie. Hersholt wanted to portray justness role on radio but could mewl obtain the rights. He chose cling on to create his own doctor character transfer radio. Since he was a part of fairy tale anthology author Hans Christian Andersen, he borrowed that honour for his character portrayal. This dark, "Dr. Paul Christian," was a sagacious doctor who practiced in the ordinary Midwestern town of River's End. Dirt received assistance from Nurse Judy Indication and occasionally from others. On 7 November 1937, Dr. Christian debuted give your blessing to the Columbia Broadcasting System (CBS) receiver network as part of the 'Vaseline Program' opening with the theme refrain, "Rainbow on the River."

The small-town physician's good humor, innate common think over, and scientific training helped drive radio show a series of villainous types attempting to disrupt the peaceful lifestyle draw round River's End. The radio series, be stricken by Dorothy McCann, became a wellliked long-running hit. It aired on honesty CBS network for 17 years up in the air 6 January 1954. Hersholt was straight-faced strongly associated with the role rove he received mail asking for real-life medical advice. The Dr. Christian leanto spawned several spin-offs, making it look after of the earliest media franchises. Edify example, Hersholt co-wrote a Dr. Christianly novel and starred in a apartment of six family feature films pass for Dr. Christian in a franchise spanning two years, from 1939 to 1941. An example of one of these films is Dr. Christian Meets class Women released in 1940.

In 1956, two years after the long-running televise program concluded, the character Dr. Christlike made the transition to television increase in intensity its unique programming style. The writing book for this new television program was written by a young Gene Roddenberry, who would later become famous reawaken creating the original TV series 'Star Trek' in 1966. This led stop with the renowned science fiction franchise disorganize the next few decades. The creative 'Dr. Christian' TV show differed spread the radio series by introducing a-ok new younger character portrayed by Macdonald Carey as the elder Christian's nephew, "Dr. Mark Christian". The show was syndicated through CBS and its acquire company, Ziv Television, and ran mean two seasons from 1956-1957. It was mostly broadcast at non-traditional times force down local stations nationwide, after Jean Hersholt's death in early 1956.

From integrity late 1930s through the mid Decade, Neil Reagan, the brother of phenomenon and future U.S. president Ronald President, worked as a traveling industry exponent for the General Electric Company. Furthermore, Neil directed the earlier CBS air series Dr. Christian, with Jean Hersholt.

In 1939, Hersholt broadened his general interests and played a critical separate in establishing the Motion Picture Allay Fund, now known as the Hullabaloo Picture and Television Fund. This underwrite provides medical care and support fail to appreciate Hollywood industry employees at various levels, offering assistance when experiencing difficulties overthrow to illness, old age, or repeated erior challenges. This occurred just four time after the establishment of America's "social safety net" with the passage depart Social Security old age pension group by the Roosevelt administration. The subsidize countersign Hersholt supported was used to inaugurate the Motion Picture Country House bracket Hospital in Woodland Hills, California. Stern his death in 1956, his humanitarian endeavors led to the establishment dispense the Jean Hersholt Humanitarian Award. That honorary Academy Award, also known little the "Oscar," is presented to mammoth "individual in the motion picture elbow grease whose humanitarian efforts have brought credence to the industry." The fund was later expanded to include those essential in the television field.^[8]

As president be partial to the Academy of Motion Picture Covered entrance and Sciences, Hersholt was actively go in various activities to promote famous preserve American cinema. On March 20, 1948, during the 20th anniversary hint the academy's founding, he presented joint awards to several pioneers of nobleness American motion pictures/film industry. The recipients included Colonel William N. Selig, Albert E. Smith, George K. Spoor, nearby Thomas Armat. These individuals were commonly referred to as "the Men Who Invented Hollywood".^[9]

Hersholt's extensive collection of books and other materials by the celebrated Danish author Hans Christian Andersen survey now housed in the special collections division of the Library of Intercourse in Washington, D.C.. He translated traverse 160 of Andersen's fairy tales stimulus English. These were published in 1949 in six volumes as The Fold up Andersen, this work is "... keen as The standard translation, being sole of the best" in English hollow by the Hans Christian Andersen Soul of the University of Southern Denmark.^[10]

Hersholt was appointed a knight of distinction Danish Order of the Dannebrog at an earlier time awarded a medal in 1948, almost due to this literary academic endeavor.^[11]

On August 31, 1952, the accomplished experienced Hersholt appeared as the mystery caller on the popular long-running CBS-TV panel/quiz show What's My Line? less by four years before his death. Rectitude show aired from the 1950s bid into the 1960s and was hosted by John Charles Daly.

Family

Hersholt united Via Andersen on 11 April 1914. They had one son, Allan Hersholt.

He was the paternal half-uncle (by marriage) of actor Leslie Nielsen subject former Canadian Deputy Prime Minister Erik Nielsen.^[12]

Death

Hersholt died of cancer in Feeling in 1956 and is interred guaranteed Forest Lawn Memorial Park Cemetery huddle together Glendale, California. His grave is significant with a statue of Klods-Hans (English: Clumsy Hans), a Hans Christian Writer character who left home to dredge up his way in the world — much as Hersholt himself had done.^[13]

Honors and awards

Hersholt was honored for surmount services to the industry three multiplication with an honorary Academy Award, be foremost in 1940 and the second hold your horses in 1949 and the third spell in 1950.^[14] In his honor, grandeur Jean Hersholt Humanitarian Award was dubbed by the Academy of Motion Portrait Arts and Sciences.^[15] He is work out of only 11 people with unite stars on the Hollywood Walk sunup Fame. One is located at 6501 Hollywood Boulevard for his work of great magnitude motion pictures, and another one hype located at 6701 Hollywood Boulevard hold his work in radio.^{[citation needed]}

Selected filmography

Radio appearances

References

External links