Nils Asther
Encyclopedia
Nils Anton Alfhild Asther (17 January 1897 – 19 October 1981) was a Danish
-born Swedish
actor active in Hollywood from 1926 to the mid 1950s, known for his beautiful face and often called "the male Greta Garbo
". Between 1916 and 1963 he appeared in over 70 feature films, whereof 16 done in the silent era
.
in the Copenhagen
suburb of Hellerup
to unknown biological parents, Asther was adopted shortly after birth by a wealthy couple in Malmö
, Sweden
, where he grew up. As a young man he moved to Stockholm
, where he received acting lessons from local star Augusta Lindberg, who also became his mistress, although almost 30 years older than he was. Through her, he received his first theatrical engagement at Lorensbergsteatern in Gothenburg
, and in 1916 Mauritz Stiller
cast him in The Wings
. This soon lead to a number of film roles in both Sweden, Denmark and Germany between 1918 and 1926.
In 1927 he left for Hollywood, where his first film was Topsy and Eva. The film also featured the Duncan Sisters
, and in 1930 he married one of them, Vivian Duncan, who gave him a daughter, Evelyn.
By 1928 his good looks had made him into a leading man, playing opposite such stars as Pola Negri
, Marion Davies
, Joan Crawford
and Greta Garbo
, with whom he made two films. He grew a thin mustache which amplified his suave appearance.
With the arrival of sound in movies, Asther took voice lessons so as to minimize the presence of his accent, and was generally cast in roles where an accent wasn't a problem, such as the role as Chinese General Yen in The Bitter Tea of General Yen
.
Between 1935 and 1940 he was forced work in England
after an alleged breach of contract led to a studio-based blacklist. There he made six films. He returned to Hollywood in 1940, and although he made another 19 films back up to 1949, his career wasn't the same as it used to be. In the early 1950s he tried to restart his career with in TV, but managed only to secure roles in a few episodes of minor TV series.
In 1958 he returned to Sweden, almost destitute. He managed to get an engagement with a local theatre and had four film roles in Sweden and Denmark, before finally giving up on acting in 1963 and devoting his time to painting.
In 1988 his autobiography
, Narrens väg (The Road of the Jester) was posthumously published in Swedish.
For his contribution to the motion picture industry, Nils Asther has a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame
at 6705 Hollywood Blvd.
Denmark
Denmark is a Scandinavian country in Northern Europe. The countries of Denmark and Greenland, as well as the Faroe Islands, constitute the Kingdom of Denmark . It is the southernmost of the Nordic countries, southwest of Sweden and south of Norway, and bordered to the south by Germany. Denmark...
-born Swedish
Sweden
Sweden , officially the Kingdom of Sweden , is a Nordic country on the Scandinavian Peninsula in Northern Europe. Sweden borders with Norway and Finland and is connected to Denmark by a bridge-tunnel across the Öresund....
actor active in Hollywood from 1926 to the mid 1950s, known for his beautiful face and often called "the male Greta Garbo
Greta Garbo
Greta Garbo , born Greta Lovisa Gustafsson, was a Swedish film actress. Garbo was an international star and icon during Hollywood's silent and classic periods. Many of Garbo's films were sensational hits, and all but three were profitable...
". Between 1916 and 1963 he appeared in over 70 feature films, whereof 16 done in the silent era
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...
.
Biography
Born in DenmarkDenmark
Denmark is a Scandinavian country in Northern Europe. The countries of Denmark and Greenland, as well as the Faroe Islands, constitute the Kingdom of Denmark . It is the southernmost of the Nordic countries, southwest of Sweden and south of Norway, and bordered to the south by Germany. Denmark...
in the Copenhagen
Copenhagen
Copenhagen is the capital and largest city of Denmark, with an urban population of 1,199,224 and a metropolitan population of 1,930,260 . With the completion of the transnational Øresund Bridge in 2000, Copenhagen has become the centre of the increasingly integrating Øresund Region...
suburb of Hellerup
Hellerup
Hellerup is a Danish town of Region Hovedstaden, located in the Gentofte Municipality in Denmark. It is bordered to the east by the sound Øresund and to the South by Copenhagen and counted among the most affluent areas in Denmark....
to unknown biological parents, Asther was adopted shortly after birth by a wealthy couple in Malmö
Malmö
Malmö , in the southernmost province of Scania, is the third most populous city in Sweden, after Stockholm and Gothenburg.Malmö is the seat of Malmö Municipality and the capital of Skåne County...
, Sweden
Sweden
Sweden , officially the Kingdom of Sweden , is a Nordic country on the Scandinavian Peninsula in Northern Europe. Sweden borders with Norway and Finland and is connected to Denmark by a bridge-tunnel across the Öresund....
, where he grew up. As a young man he moved to Stockholm
Stockholm
Stockholm is the capital and the largest city of Sweden and constitutes the most populated urban area in Scandinavia. Stockholm is the most populous city in Sweden, with a population of 851,155 in the municipality , 1.37 million in the urban area , and around 2.1 million in the metropolitan area...
, where he received acting lessons from local star Augusta Lindberg, who also became his mistress, although almost 30 years older than he was. Through her, he received his first theatrical engagement at Lorensbergsteatern in Gothenburg
Gothenburg
Gothenburg is the second-largest city in Sweden and the fifth-largest in the Nordic countries. Situated on the west coast of Sweden, the city proper has a population of 519,399, with 549,839 in the urban area and total of 937,015 inhabitants in the metropolitan area...
, and in 1916 Mauritz Stiller
Mauritz Stiller
Mauritz Stiller was a Finnish-Swedish actor, screenwriter and silent film director, who was mostly active in Sweden.-Life:...
cast him in The Wings
The Wings (film)
-Production background:The film was directed by Mauritz Stiller, starring Egil Eide, Lars Hanson, Lili Bech, and Julius Hälsig, and was based on Herman Bang's 1902 novel Mikaël, which was the same source Carl Theodor Dreyer used for his 1924 film Michael....
. This soon lead to a number of film roles in both Sweden, Denmark and Germany between 1918 and 1926.
In 1927 he left for Hollywood, where his first film was Topsy and Eva. The film also featured the Duncan Sisters
Duncan Sisters
The Duncan Sisters were a vaudeville duo who became popular in the 1920s with their act Topsy and Eva.-Early career:Rosetta and Vivian Duncan were born in Los Angeles, California, the daughters of a violinist turned salesman...
, and in 1930 he married one of them, Vivian Duncan, who gave him a daughter, Evelyn.
By 1928 his good looks had made him into a leading man, playing opposite such stars as Pola Negri
Pola Negri
Pola Negri was a Polish stage and film actress who achieved worldwide fame for her tragedienne and femme fatale roles from the 1910s through the 1940s during the Golden Era of Hollywood film. She was the first European film star to be invited to Hollywood, and became a great American star. She...
, Marion Davies
Marion Davies
Marion Davies was an American film actress. Davies is best remembered for her relationship with newspaper tycoon William Randolph Hearst, as her high-profile social life often obscured her professional career....
, Joan Crawford
Joan Crawford
Joan Crawford , born Lucille Fay LeSueur, was an American actress in film, television and theatre....
and Greta Garbo
Greta Garbo
Greta Garbo , born Greta Lovisa Gustafsson, was a Swedish film actress. Garbo was an international star and icon during Hollywood's silent and classic periods. Many of Garbo's films were sensational hits, and all but three were profitable...
, with whom he made two films. He grew a thin mustache which amplified his suave appearance.
With the arrival of sound in movies, Asther took voice lessons so as to minimize the presence of his accent, and was generally cast in roles where an accent wasn't a problem, such as the role as Chinese General Yen in The Bitter Tea of General Yen
The Bitter Tea of General Yen
The Bitter Tea of General Yen is a pre-Code 1933 film, directed by Frank Capra based on the novel by Grace Zaring Stone and starring Barbara Stanwyck and Nils Asther....
.
Between 1935 and 1940 he was forced work in England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
after an alleged breach of contract led to a studio-based blacklist. There he made six films. He returned to Hollywood in 1940, and although he made another 19 films back up to 1949, his career wasn't the same as it used to be. In the early 1950s he tried to restart his career with in TV, but managed only to secure roles in a few episodes of minor TV series.
In 1958 he returned to Sweden, almost destitute. He managed to get an engagement with a local theatre and had four film roles in Sweden and Denmark, before finally giving up on acting in 1963 and devoting his time to painting.
In 1988 his autobiography
Autobiography
An autobiography is a book about the life of a person, written by that person.-Origin of the term:...
, Narrens väg (The Road of the Jester) was posthumously published in Swedish.
For his contribution to the motion picture industry, Nils Asther has a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame
Hollywood Walk of Fame
The Hollywood Walk of Fame consists of more than 2,400 five-pointed terrazzo and brass stars embedded in the sidewalks along fifteen blocks of Hollywood Boulevard and three blocks of Vine Street in Hollywood, California...
at 6705 Hollywood Blvd.
Selected filmography
- The WingsThe Wings (film)-Production background:The film was directed by Mauritz Stiller, starring Egil Eide, Lars Hanson, Lili Bech, and Julius Hälsig, and was based on Herman Bang's 1902 novel Mikaël, which was the same source Carl Theodor Dreyer used for his 1924 film Michael....
(1916) - The Golden ButterflyThe Golden ButterflyThe Golden Butterfly is a 1926 German film directed by Michael Curtiz.-Cast:* Hermann Leffler - Mac Farland* Lili Damita - Lilian, seine Pflegetochter* Nils Asther - Andy, sein Sohn* Jack Trevor - Aberdeen, Millionär...
(1926) - Sorrell and SonSorrell and SonSorrell and Son is a silent film released on December 2, 1927 and nominated for the Academy Award for Best Director in the 1st Academy Awards the following year...
(1927) - The CossacksThe Cossacks (1928 film)The Cossacks is a 1928 silent film produced and distributed by MGM and directed by George Hill and Clarence Brown, with much reshot footage by Brown. The picture starred John Gilbert and Renee Adoree. It is an extant film...
(1928) - Laugh, Clown, LaughLaugh, Clown, LaughLaugh, Clown, Laugh is a 1928 silent film starring Lon Chaney and Loretta Young. The movie was directed by Herbert Brenon and produced and released through MGM Studios.-Cast:*Lon Chaney - Tito/Flick*Loretta Young - Simonetta...
(1928) - Our Dancing DaughtersOur Dancing DaughtersOur Dancing Daughters is a 1928 MGM silent drama film starring Joan Crawford and John Mack Brown , about the "loosening of youth morals" that took place during the 1920s. The film was directed by Harry Beaumont and produced by Hunt Stromberg...
(1928) - The Single StandardThe Single StandardThe Single Standard is a 1929 romantic drama film directed by John S. Robertson and starring Greta Garbo, Nils Asther, and Johnny Mack Brown....
(1929) - Wild OrchidsWild Orchids (1929 film)Wild Orchids is a 1929 drama film directed by Sidney Franklin and starring Greta Garbo, Lewis Stone and Nils Asther. Only these three stars received cast credit....
(1929) - The Sea BatThe Sea BatThe Sea Bat is a 1930 thriller film directed by Lionel Barrymore and Wesley Ruggles, starring Raquel Torres and featuring Boris Karloff. Part of the movie was filmed on location in Mazatlán, Mexico....
(1930) - The Bitter Tea of General YenThe Bitter Tea of General YenThe Bitter Tea of General Yen is a pre-Code 1933 film, directed by Frank Capra based on the novel by Grace Zaring Stone and starring Barbara Stanwyck and Nils Asther....
(1933) - Night of January 16th (1941)
- Flying BlindFlying Blind (1941 film)Flying Blind is a 1941 American film directed by Frank McDonald.- Cast :*Richard Arlen as Jim Clark*Jean Parker as Shirley Brooks*Nils Asther as Eric Karolek*Marie Wilson as Veronica Gimble*Roger Pryor as Rocky Drake*Eddie Quillan as Riley...
(1941) - Night MonsterNight MonsterNight Monster is a 1942 American black-and-white horror film featuring Bela Lugosi and produced and distributed by Universal Pictures Company. The movie uses an original story and screenplay by Clarence Upson Young and was produced and directed by Ford Beebe...
(1942) - BluebeardBluebeard (1944 film)Bluebeard is a 1944 film directed by Edgar G. Ulmer, starring John Carradine in the title role. After the film's release, it became a favorite of horror movie fans and still later, a cult classic. It would also be registered as a film in thepublic domain...
(1944) - The Man in Half Moon StreetThe Man in Half Moon StreetThe Man in Half Moon Street is a fantasy film dealing with a man who retains his youth and cannot die, living throughout the ages. It bears some comparison to Oscar Wilde's Picture of Dorian Gray, except that there are more logical explanations for the eternal youth of the main character...
(1944) - The Feathered SerpentThe Feathered Serpent (film)The Feathered Serpent is a 1948 mystery film, the fifth of six in which Roland Winters portrayed Charlie Chan. It is the only Chan film which featured both Keye Luke and Victor Sen Yung together. Luke had been popular in the Warner Oland Chan films while Yung appeared primarily in the Sidney...
(1948) - Suddenly, a Woman!Suddenly, a Woman!Suddenly, a Woman! is a 1963 Danish drama film directed by Anker Sørensen and starring Laila Andersson.-Plot:In this drama, a young woman is pretty enough to draw lovers to her like flies to honey. Among her suitors are her wealthy business-magnate employer and her lesbian landlady. Unfortunately...
(1963)