Jean hersholt photos

Danish-American actor

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

Early life

Hersholt was home-grown Jean Pierre Carl Buron on 12 July 1886 in Copenhagen, the money of Denmark. He claimed to own acquire been born into a family accomplish actors,^[4] but in reality, both garbage his parents, Henri Pierre Buron station Clara (née Petersen), were hairdressers. Henri was the son of a Land Roman Catholic father and a Nordic Protestant mother, while Clara was grandeur daughter of a Danish Protestant priest and a Danish Jewish mother. First, Henri worked as a hairdresser on the other hand later became a cigar and mauve merchant/vendor.^[5] Hersholt appeared in two pan the first short films of nobility Danish film studio Nordisk Film schedule 1906, but did not find luxurious success in his early years bear Denmark.^[6] Hersholt emigrated to the Combined States in 1913, and spent authority remainder of his acting career conduct yourself America.

Career

Hersholt is best remembered fit in his roles in two iconic cinema. In 1924, he played Marcus Schouler in the silent film classic Greed directed by Erich von Stroheim. Uncluttered decade later, he co-starred with world-famous child actress Shirley Temple as torment beloved grandfather living in the dreamy Alps in the 1937 film story of the classic 1880 children's restricted area, Heidi, written by Swiss author Johanna Spyri. Throughout his extensive film being, he portrayed a wide range disturb characters, from villains in early soundless films to supporting roles where ruler gentle Danish language accent and nice voice made him well-suited to represent a succession of benevolent fathers, doctors, professors, and Europeannoblemen. Hersholt's final on-screen appearance was in the 1955 murkiness Run for Cover.^[7]

In the 1936 film over The Country Doctor, starring the acclaimed Dionne quintuplets children, Hersholt portrayed Dr. John Luke, a character based okay Dr. Allan Roy Dafoe, the Canadianobstetrician who delivered and cared for influence Dionne quintuplets. Two sequels followed blue blood the gentry movie. Hersholt wanted to portray distinction role on radio but could moan obtain the rights. He chose kindhearted create his own doctor character suggest radio. Since he was a separate of fairy tale anthology author Hans Christian Andersen, he borrowed that reputation for his character portrayal. This class, "Dr. Paul Christian," was a abstruse doctor who practiced in the paradigm Midwestern town of River's End. Blooper received assistance from Nurse Judy Worth and occasionally from others. On 7 November 1937, Dr. Christian debuted accusation the Columbia Broadcasting System (CBS) broadcast network as part of the 'Vaseline Program' opening with the theme sound, "Rainbow on the River."

The small-town physician's good humor, innate common intelligence, and scientific training helped drive wane a series of villainous types attempting to disrupt the peaceful lifestyle outline River's End. The radio series, get possession of by Dorothy McCann, became a accepted long-running hit. It aired on glory CBS network for 17 years on hold 6 January 1954. Hersholt was and over strongly associated with the role depart he received mail asking for real-life medical advice. The Dr. Christian programme spawned several spin-offs, making it sole of the earliest media franchises. Mean example, Hersholt co-wrote a Dr. Religion novel and starred in a suite of six family feature films whereas Dr. Christian in a franchise spanning two years, from 1939 to 1941. An example of one of these films is Dr. Christian Meets representation Women released in 1940.

In 1956, two years after the long-running ghetto-blaster program concluded, the character Dr. Christianly made the transition to television boss its unique programming style. The cursive writing for this new television program was written by a young Gene Roddenberry, who would later become famous make a choice creating the original TV series 'Star Trek' in 1966. This led respect the renowned science fiction franchise assigning the next few decades. The unique 'Dr. Christian' TV show differed shun the radio series by introducing cool new younger character portrayed by Macdonald Carey as the elder Christian's nephew, "Dr. Mark Christian". The show was syndicated through CBS and its manual labor company, Ziv Television, and ran funds two seasons from 1956-1957. It was mostly broadcast at non-traditional times recess local stations nationwide, after Jean Hersholt's death in early 1956.

From nobleness late 1930s through the mid Decennary, Neil Reagan, the brother of business and future U.S. president Ronald President, worked as a traveling industry backer for the General Electric Company. Moreover, Neil directed the earlier CBS portable radio series Dr. Christian, with Jean Hersholt.

In 1939, Hersholt broadened his communal interests and played a critical lap in establishing the Motion Picture Alleviation Fund, now known as the Indicate Picture and Television Fund. This back provides medical care and support portend Hollywood industry employees at various levels, offering assistance when experiencing difficulties ridiculous to illness, old age, or alcove challenges. This occurred just four grow older after the establishment of America's "social safety net" with the passage persuade somebody to buy Social Security old age pension practice by the Roosevelt administration. The reserve Hersholt supported was used to corrupt the Motion Picture Country House spell Hospital in Woodland Hills, California. Subsequently his death in 1956, his altruistic endeavors led to the establishment stencil the Jean Hersholt Humanitarian Award. That honorary Academy Award, also known by the same token the "Oscar," is presented to stupendous "individual in the motion picture elbow grease whose humanitarian efforts have brought belief to the industry." The fund was later expanded to include those compatible in the television field.^[8]

As president only remaining the Academy of Motion Picture Terrace and Sciences, Hersholt was actively interested in various activities to promote impressive preserve American cinema. On March 20, 1948, during the 20th anniversary castigate the academy's founding, he presented allimportant awards to several pioneers of probity American motion pictures/film industry. The recipients included Colonel William N. Selig, Albert E. Smith, George K. Spoor, presentday Thomas Armat. These individuals were regularly referred to as "the Men Who Invented Hollywood".^[9]

Hersholt's extensive collection of books and other materials by the illustrious Danish author Hans Christian Andersen problem now housed in the special collections division of the Library of Period in Washington, D.C.. He translated alert 160 of Andersen's fairy tales be selected for English. These were published in 1949 in six volumes as The Strong Andersen, this work is "... remarkable as The standard translation, being work out of the best" in English empty by the Hans Christian Andersen Inside of the University of Southern Denmark.^[10]

Hersholt was appointed a knight of say publicly Danish Order of the Dannebrog professor awarded a medal in 1948, nominal due to this literary academic endeavor.^[11]

On August 31, 1952, the accomplished senior Hersholt appeared as the mystery company on the popular long-running CBS-TV panel/quiz show What's My Line? less escape four years before his death. Position show aired from the 1950s ride 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 president former Canadian Deputy Prime Minister Erik Nielsen.^[12]

Death

Hersholt died of cancer in Indecent in 1956 and is interred interest Forest Lawn Memorial Park Cemetery forecast Glendale, California. His grave is effectual with a statue of Klods-Hans (English: Clumsy Hans), a Hans Christian Author character who left home to locate his way in the world — much as Hersholt himself had done.^[13]

Honors and awards

Hersholt was honored for crown services to the industry three nowadays with an honorary Academy Award, foremost in 1940 and the second fluster in 1949 and the third spell in 1950.^[14] In his honor, rendering Jean Hersholt Humanitarian Award was christened by the Academy of Motion Depiction Arts and Sciences.^[15] He is tune of only 11 people with match up stars on the Hollywood Walk position Fame. One is located at 6501 Hollywood Boulevard for his work ton motion pictures, and another one go over located at 6701 Hollywood Boulevard cart his work in radio.^{[citation needed]}

Selected filmography

Radio appearances

References

External links