Greta Nissan
Encyclopedia
Greta Nissen, real name Grethe Ruzt-Nissen, (January 30, 1906-May 17, 1988) was an early film actress of the late 1920s through the late 1930s.
Born in Oslo, Norway, she studied dance
in her youth, and immigrated to the United States with her family as a child. She had roles in two films in 1923 and 1924, and two in 1925, with one, The Wanderer, bringing her to the attention of producers
. However, like many stars of the silent film
era, Nissan had difficulty making the transition to talking films. She won the lead role in the movie Hell's Angels
in 1930, but was replaced by actress Jean Harlow
due to Nissan's heavy Norwegian
accent. The film made Harlow a superstar.
Throughout the 1930s, despite the Hell's Angels setback, she stayed fairly active in films. She played the lead role in the 1932 film Rackety Rax, which was the first film for up and coming B-movie
actress Nell O'Day
. From 1931 to 1935 she starred in sixteen films. Her last role was in the 1937 film Cafe Colette, after which she retired from acting.
She disappeared from acting circles for several decades. She died of Parkinson's disease
on May 17, 1988, in Montecito, California
. In 2003, fifteen years after her death, she was featured in a documentary
titled Norwegian Actresses in Hollywood, directed by Oyvind Asbjornsen and Niels Petter Solberg. The film featured interviews with actress Virginia Mayo
, who was not of Norwegian origin but who was used for insight into the world of Hollywood in its early years. The documentary also featured interviews with actor Forrest J. Ackerman, Patricia Morison, Jeff Corey, in addition to featuring many interviews with actresses who were of Norwegian origin: Julie Ege, Vera Zorina, Sigrid Gurie, Anna-Lisa and Greta Gynt.
Born in Oslo, Norway, she studied dance
Dance
Dance is an art form that generally refers to movement of the body, usually rhythmic and to music, used as a form of expression, social interaction or presented in a spiritual or performance setting....
in her youth, and immigrated to the United States with her family as a child. She had roles in two films in 1923 and 1924, and two in 1925, with one, The Wanderer, bringing her to the attention of producers
Film producer
A film producer oversees and delivers a film project to all relevant parties while preserving the integrity, voice and vision of the film. They will also often take on some financial risk by using their own money, especially during the pre-production period, before a film is fully financed.The...
. However, like many stars of the silent film
Silent film
A silent film is a film with no synchronized recorded sound, especially with no spoken dialogue. In silent films for entertainment the dialogue is transmitted through muted gestures, pantomime and title cards...
era, Nissan had difficulty making the transition to talking films. She won the lead role in the movie Hell's Angels
Hell's Angels (film)
Hell's Angels is a 1930 American war film, directed by Howard Hughes and starring Jean Harlow, Ben Lyon, and James Hall. The film, which was produced by Hughes and written by Harry Behn and Howard Estabrook, centers on the combat pilots of World War I...
in 1930, but was replaced by actress Jean Harlow
Jean Harlow
Jean Harlow was an American film actress and sex symbol of the 1930s. Known as the "Blonde Bombshell" and the "Platinum Blonde" , Harlow was ranked as one of the greatest movie stars of all time by the American Film Institute...
due to Nissan's heavy Norwegian
Norway
Norway , officially the Kingdom of Norway, is a Nordic unitary constitutional monarchy whose territory comprises the western portion of the Scandinavian Peninsula, Jan Mayen, and the Arctic archipelago of Svalbard and Bouvet Island. Norway has a total area of and a population of about 4.9 million...
accent. The film made Harlow a superstar.
Throughout the 1930s, despite the Hell's Angels setback, she stayed fairly active in films. She played the lead role in the 1932 film Rackety Rax, which was the first film for up and coming B-movie
B-movie
A B movie is a low-budget commercial motion picture that is not definitively an arthouse or pornographic film. In its original usage, during the Golden Age of Hollywood, the term more precisely identified a film intended for distribution as the less-publicized, bottom half of a double feature....
actress Nell O'Day
Nell O'Day
Nell O'Day was an accomplished equestrian and B-movie actress of the 1930s and 1940s. Born in Prairie Hill, Texas, O'Day was a good looking woman in her youth, and had her first screen roles in the 1920s as a teenager.Her first starring role was in 1932 when she starred in Rackety Rax opposite...
. From 1931 to 1935 she starred in sixteen films. Her last role was in the 1937 film Cafe Colette, after which she retired from acting.
She disappeared from acting circles for several decades. She died of Parkinson's disease
Parkinson's disease
Parkinson's disease is a degenerative disorder of the central nervous system...
on May 17, 1988, in Montecito, California
Montecito, California
Montecito is an unincorporated community in Santa Barbara County, California. As a census-designated place, it had a population of 8,965 in 2010. This does not include areas such as Coast Village Road, that, while usually considered part of Montecito, are actually within the city limits of Santa...
. In 2003, fifteen years after her death, she was featured in a documentary
Documentary film
Documentary films constitute a broad category of nonfictional motion pictures intended to document some aspect of reality, primarily for the purposes of instruction or maintaining a historical record...
titled Norwegian Actresses in Hollywood, directed by Oyvind Asbjornsen and Niels Petter Solberg. The film featured interviews with actress Virginia Mayo
Virginia Mayo
Virginia Mayo was an American film actress.After a short career in vaudeville, Mayo progressed to films and during the 1940s established herself as a supporting player in such films as The Best Years of Our Lives and White Heat .Mayo remained an A-list actress into the mid-'50s, but then went...
, who was not of Norwegian origin but who was used for insight into the world of Hollywood in its early years. The documentary also featured interviews with actor Forrest J. Ackerman, Patricia Morison, Jeff Corey, in addition to featuring many interviews with actresses who were of Norwegian origin: Julie Ege, Vera Zorina, Sigrid Gurie, Anna-Lisa and Greta Gynt.