JEAN HERSHOLT BIOGRAPHY & FILMOGRAPHY:
Jean Hersholt was born on July 12th, 1886 in Copenhagen, Denmark. His family was very involved in show business and as a young boy he would tour and perform with them.
After graduating from the Copenhagen Art School he continued to gain experience as a stage actor. Soon, Hersholt set his mind on film acting and first began with appearing in two short silent films in Germany before he decided if he really wanted to make anything of his film career, he needed to relocate to the United States.
In 1914, he arrived in Hollywood and found work as a movie extra for a number of years before he began receiving more substantial film roles. He was seen on the big screen in such silent films as, "The Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse" (1921), "Man of the Forest" (1921), "Heart's Haven" (1922), "The Stranger's Banquet" (122) and "Jazzmania" (1923).
He was becoming a leading actor in the industry and became most well know for his role in the film, "Greed" (1924). He never limited himself to working with just one studio, he did films with paramount and Samuel Goldwyn among others.
When the silent era came to an end he made the transition to sound films with ease. He was seen on the big screen in such features as, "The Climax" (1930), "Grand Hotel" (1932), "The Mask of Fu Manchu" (1932), "Dinner at Eight" (1933), "One in a Million" (1936) and "Heidi" (1937).
Along with working as a film actor he began doing some radio work as well. Another role he is well remembered by is playing Dr. Christian in the films, "The Country Doctor" (1936) and "Five of a Kind" (1938). Then between 1939 and 1941 he starred in six Dr. Christian films. His last known role was on the television series, "Dr. Christian" (1956).
In addition to his acting credits he was also a writer and wrote a number of articles about Anderson and literary pursuits such as co-writing a novel based on his Dr. Christian role.
He was also a very charitable man contributing to, The Motion Picture Fund which helped support industry employees with medical care and helped fund the creation of a hospital. All this lead up to the creation of the Jean Hersholt Humanitarian Award which is given to a deserving individual at the Academy Awards as a special Oscar.
In addition to everything else he was involved in, Hersholt also served as President of the Academy of Motion Pictures Arts and Sciences between 1945 and 1949.
He received two stars on the Hollywood Walk of Fame for his contribution to Radio and Motion Pictures.
Jean Hersholt married only once to Via Hersholt in 1914 and they had two children together and remained married until he passed away from cancer on June 2nd, 1956. His remains are interred at Forest Lawn Memorial Cemetery in Glendale, California.
Filmography
1956 Dr. Christian
1955 Run for Cover
1951 It's a Big Country
1949 Dancing in the Dark
1941 They Meet Again
1941 Melody for Three
1940 Dr. Christian Meets the Women
1940 The Courageous Dr. Christian
1940 Remedy for Riches
1939 Meet Dr. Christian
1939 Mr. Moto in Danger Island
1938 Five of a Kind
1938 I'll Give a Million
1938 Alexander's Ragtime Band
1938 Happy Landing
1937 Heidi
1937 Seventh Heaven
1936 One in a Million
1936 Reunion
1936 His Brother's Wife
1936 Sins of Man
1936 The Country Doctor
1936 Tough Guy
1935 Murder in the Fleet
1935 Break of Hearts
1935 Mark of the Vampire
1934 The Painted Veil
1934 The Fountain
1934 Men in White
1934 The Cat and the Fiddle
1933 Christopher Bean
1933 Dinner at Eight
1933 Song of the Eagle
1933 The Crime of the Century
1932 Flesh
1932 The Mask of Fu Manchu
1932 Hearts of Humanity
1932 Skyscraper Souls
1932 Unashamed
1932 New Morals for Old
1932 Night Court
1932 Grand Hotel
1932 Are You Listening?
1932 The Beast of the City
1932 Emma
1931 Private Lives
1931 The Sin of Madelon Claudet
1931 The Phantom of Paris
1931 Transatlantic
1931 Daybreak
1931 The Voice of Hollywood No. 7
1930 Viennese Nights
1930 The Third Alarm
1930 The Cat Creeps
1930 A Soldier's Plaything
1930 East Is West
1930 Hell Harbor
1930 Mamba
1930 The Case of Sergeant Grischa
1930 The Climax
1929 Modern Love
1929 The Younger Generation
1929 Girl on the Barge
1928 Give and Take
1928 Jazz Mad
1928 The Battle of the Sexes
1928 Abie's Irish Rose
1928 The Secret Hour
1928 13 Washington Square
1927 The Student Prince in Old Heidelberg
1927 Alias the Deacon
1927 The Wrong Mr. Wright
1926 The Old Soak
1926 Flames
1926 It Must Be Love
1926 My Old Dutch
1926 The Greater Glory
1925 Stella Dallas
1925 A Woman's Faith
1925 Don Q Son of Zorro
1925 If Marriage Fails
1925 Fifth Avenue Models
1925 Dangerous Innocence
1924 So Big
1924 Cheap Kisses
1924 Greed
1924 Her Night of Romance
1924 The Woman on the Jury
1924 The Goldfish
1924 Torment
1923 Red Lights
1923 Quicksands
1923 Jazzmania
1922 The Strangers' Banquet
1922 Tess of the Storm Country
1922 Heart's Haven
1922 When Romance Rides
1921 Man of the Forest
1921 A Certain Rich Man
1921 The Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse
1921 The Servant in the House
1920 The Deceiver
1920 The Golden Trail
1920 Merely Mary Ann
1920 The Red Lane
1919 In the Land of the Setting Sun
1919 Love's Prisoner
1919 Whom the Gods Would Destroy
1918 The Answer
1918 Madame Spy
1917 Princess Virtue
1917 '49-'17
1917 A Stormy Knight
1917 The Show Down
1917 The Soul Herder (short)
1917 The Greater Law
1917 The Gunman's Gospel
1917 The Townsend Divorce Case
1917 Her Primitive Man
1917 The Clash of Steel
1917 Perils of the Secret Service
1917 The Saintly Sinner
1917 The Terror
1917 Love Aflame
1917 Fighting for Love
1917 Black Orchids
1916 Scratched
1916 Kinkaid, Gambler
1916 It's All Wrong
1916 As the Candle Burned
1916 Some Medicine Man
1916 The Apostle of Vengeance
1916 The Aryan
1916 Hell's Hinges
1916 Bullets and Brown Eyes
1916 The Desert
1915 The Disciple
1915 Never Again
1906 En ny hat til Madammen
1906 Konfirmanden på Frederiksberg el
1905 Et Opløb på Frederiksberg
