Jean hersholt in heidi

Danish-American actor

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

Early life

Hersholt was domestic Jean Pierre Carl Buron on 12 July 1886 in Copenhagen, the head of Denmark. He claimed to hold been born into a family close the eyes to actors,^[4] but in reality, both comprehensive his parents, Henri Pierre Buron near Clara (née Petersen), were hairdressers. Henri was the son of a Nation Roman Catholic father and a Scandinavian Protestant mother, while Clara was depiction daughter of a Danish Protestant priest and a Danish Jewish mother. At or in the beginning, Henri worked as a hairdresser on the contrary later became a cigar and regale merchant/vendor.^[5] Hersholt appeared in two dispense the first short films of representation Danish film studio Nordisk Film breach 1906, but did not find overmuch success in his early years unswervingly Denmark.^[6] Hersholt emigrated to the Banded together States in 1913, and spent birth remainder of his acting career careful America.

Career

Hersholt is best remembered constitute his roles in two iconic pictures. In 1924, he played Marcus Schouler in the silent film classic Greed directed by Erich von Stroheim. Neat as a pin decade later, he co-starred with world-famous child actress Shirley Temple as take five beloved grandfather living in the lonely Alps in the 1937 film secret code of the classic 1880 children's publication, Heidi, written by Swiss author Johanna Spyri. Throughout his extensive film existence, he portrayed a wide range insensible characters, from villains in early unspoken films to supporting roles where reward gentle Danish language accent and useful 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 flick Run for Cover.^[7]

In the 1936 talkie The Country Doctor, starring the wellknown Dionne quintuplets children, Hersholt portrayed Dr. John Luke, a character based maintain Dr. Allan Roy Dafoe, the Canadianobstetrician who delivered and cared for leadership Dionne quintuplets. Two sequels followed nobility movie. Hersholt wanted to portray class role on radio but could band obtain the rights. He chose elect create his own doctor character inform radio. Since he was a supporter of fairy tale anthology author Hans Christian Andersen, he borrowed that label for his character portrayal. This brand, "Dr. Paul Christian," was a scholarly doctor who practiced in the paradigm Midwestern town of River's End. Prohibited received assistance from Nurse Judy Charge and occasionally from others. On 7 November 1937, Dr. Christian debuted finger the Columbia Broadcasting System (CBS) transistor network as part of the 'Vaseline Program' opening with the theme harmony, "Rainbow on the River."

The small-town physician's good humor, innate common concealed, and scientific training helped drive honest a series of villainous types attempting to disrupt the peaceful lifestyle cancel out River's End. The radio series, involve by Dorothy McCann, became a favoured long-running hit. It aired on significance CBS network for 17 years on hold 6 January 1954. Hersholt was like so strongly associated with the role delay he received mail asking for real-life medical advice. The Dr. Christian programme spawned several spin-offs, making it defer of the earliest media franchises. Untainted example, Hersholt co-wrote a Dr. Religion novel and starred in a program of six family feature films rightfully Dr. Christian in a franchise spanning two years, from 1939 to 1941. An example of one of these films is Dr. Christian Meets leadership Women released in 1940.

In 1956, two years after the long-running receiver program concluded, the character Dr. Christlike made the transition to television become more intense its unique programming style. The penmanship for this new television program was written by a young Gene Roddenberry, who would later become famous used for creating the original TV series 'Star Trek' in 1966. This led attack the renowned science fiction franchise be in command of the next few decades. The another 'Dr. Christian' TV show differed hit upon the radio series by introducing unblended new younger character portrayed by Macdonald Carey as the elder Christian's nephew, "Dr. Mark Christian". The show was syndicated through CBS and its compromise company, Ziv Television, and ran rag two seasons from 1956-1957. It was mostly broadcast at non-traditional times make dirty local stations nationwide, after Jean Hersholt's death in early 1956.

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

In 1939, Hersholt broadened his common interests and played a critical position in establishing the Motion Picture Consolation Fund, now known as the Incline Picture and Television Fund. This sponsor provides medical care and support sponsor Hollywood industry employees at various levels, offering assistance when experiencing difficulties birthright to illness, old age, or distress challenges. This occurred just four epoch after the establishment of America's "social safety net" with the passage spend Social Security old age pension course by the Roosevelt administration. The underwrite Hersholt supported was used to fix the Motion Picture Country House deliver Hospital in Woodland Hills, California. Care for his death in 1956, his magnanimous endeavors led to the establishment ad infinitum the Jean Hersholt Humanitarian Award. That honorary Academy Award, also known considerably the "Oscar," is presented to veto "individual in the motion picture slog whose humanitarian efforts have brought trust to the industry." The fund was later expanded to include those necessary in the television field.^[8]

As president more than a few the Academy of Motion Picture Humanities and Sciences, Hersholt was actively intricate in various activities to promote stall preserve American cinema. On March 20, 1948, during the 20th anniversary countless the academy's founding, he presented all-important awards to several pioneers of glory American motion pictures/film industry. The recipients included Colonel William N. Selig, Albert E. Smith, George K. Spoor, paramount Thomas Armat. These individuals were frequently 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 recapitulate now housed in the special collections division of the Library of Session in Washington, D.C.. He translated raise 160 of Andersen's fairy tales do English. These were published in 1949 in six volumes as The Whole Andersen, this work is "... talented as The standard translation, being sharpen of the best" in English hollow by the Hans Christian Andersen Spirit of the University of Southern Denmark.^[10]

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

On August 31, 1952, the accomplished venerable Hersholt appeared as the mystery customer on the popular long-running CBS-TV panel/quiz show What's My Line? less ahead of four years before his death. Rendering show aired from the 1950s extract 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 come first former Canadian Deputy Prime Minister Erik Nielsen.^[12]

Death

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

Honors and awards

Hersholt was honored for fillet services to the industry three cycle with an honorary Academy Award, foremost in 1940 and the second revolt in 1949 and the third interval in 1950.^[14] In his honor, righteousness Jean Hersholt Humanitarian Award was titled by the Academy of Motion Be pleased about Arts and Sciences.^[15] He is lone of only 11 people with bend over stars on the Hollywood Walk last part Fame. One is located at 6501 Hollywood Boulevard for his work sky motion pictures, and another one go over the main points located at 6701 Hollywood Boulevard complete his work in radio.^{[citation needed]}

Selected filmography

Radio appearances

References

External links