Osa Massen Explained

Birth Date:13 January 1914
Birthname:Aase Madsen Iversen
Birth Place:Copenhagen, Denmark
Death Place:Santa Monica, California, U.S.
Occupation:Actress
Yearsactive:1935 - 1981
Spouse:Allan Hersholt (1938 - 1945)
Harvey R. Cummins (1947 - 1951)
Dr. Stanley Vogel (1953 - 1962?)

Osa Massen (born Aase Madsen Iversen, 13 January 1914[1]  - 2 January 2006) was a Danish actress who became a successful movie actress in Hollywood. She became a naturalized citizen of the United States in 1941.[2]

Background and early career

Born in Copenhagen, Denmark,[3] she began her career as a newspaper photographer, then became an actress. She first came to the United States in 1937. She was recorded as Aase Madsen-Iversen, Danish actress, aged 23, on the manifest of the S/S Normandie, which sailed from Southampton, England, on December 18, 1937, and arrived at the Port of New York on December 23, 1937.

Massen's first film was Kidnapped (1935).[4] She notably appeared as Melvyn Douglas' unfaithful wife dealing with blackmailer Joan Crawford in A Woman's Face (1941). She also appeared as a mysterious woman with something to hide in Deadline at Dawn (1946). She also starred with Lloyd Bridges in the movie Rocketship X-M (1950), the first space adventure of the post-World War II era.

Later in her career, Massen appeared in guest roles on many television programs. She made three guest appearances on Perry Mason. In 1958, she played Lisa Bannister in "The Case of the Desperate Daughter", where she was reunited with her "Master Race" daughter Gigi Perreau, and in 1959, she played Sarah Werner in "The Case of the Shattered Dream". Her last television role was in 1962 when she played Lisa Pedersen in "The Case of the Tarnished Trademark".

Personal life

She was married three times, each with a relatively short duration, including once to Allan Hersholt, the son of Jean Hersholt, on December 15, 1938.

Death

Massen died on January 2, 2006, 11 days before her 92nd birthday, following unspecified surgery in Hollywood, California.[5] [6] [7] Her remains are buried at Westwood Memorial Park in Los Angeles, California[3] with a plaque that lists her name as Osa Massen Vogel.

Filmography

YearTitleRoleNotes
1935 Kidnapped Grethe
Bag Københavns kulisser Eva Lindemann
1939 Honeymoon in Bali Noel Van Ness
1941Honeymoon for Three Julie Wilson
A Woman's Face Vera Segert
Accent on Love Osa
You'll Never Get Rich Sonya
The Devil Pays Off Valeria DeBrock
1942 Iceland Helga Jonsdottir
1943 Background to Danger Ana Remzi
Jack London Freda Maloof
Undercover Sailor's Girlfriend uncredited
1944 The Black Parachute Marya Orloff
Cry of the Werewolf Elsa Chauvet
The Master Race Helena
1946 Tokyo Rose Greta Norburg
Deadline at Dawn Helen Robinson
The Gentleman Misbehaves Chincilla
Strange Journey Christine Jenner
1948 Million Dollar Weekend Cynthia Strong
1949 Night Unto Night Lisa
1950 Rocketship X-M Dr. Lisa Van Horn
1955 Wiegenlied
1958 Outcasts of the City Leda Mueller

Notes and References

  1. Book: Hans J. Wollstein. Strangers in Hollywood: the history of Scandinavian actors in American films from 1910 to World War II. 30 July 2010. 1994. Scarecrow Press. 978-0-8108-2938-1. 227.
  2. http://interactive.ancestrylibrary.com/3998/40735_1220706418_0030-00456/1706636?backurl=http%3a%2f%2fsearch.ancestrylibrary.com%2f%2fcgi-bin%2fsse.dll%3fgss%3dangs-c%26new%3d1%26rank%3d1%26gsfn%3dOsa%26gsln%3dMassen%26MSAV%3d0%26uidh%3d57k%26pcat%3dIMG_CITIZENSHIP%26h%3d1706636%26recoff%3d20%2b21%26db%3dLosAngelsCANaturalization%26indiv%3d1%26ml_rpos%3d1&ssrc=&backlabel=ReturnRecord#?imageId=40735_1220706418_0030-00456 Copy of Petition for Naturalization #90276, filed in Los Angeles, California under the name 'Aase Madsen Iversen Hersholt
  3. Book: Wilson, Scott. Resting Places: The Burial Sites of More Than 14,000 Famous Persons, 3d ed.. 17 August 2016. McFarland. 9780786479924. 8 June 2019. Google Books.
  4. Web site: Osa Massen, 91; 1940s Danish-Born Actress Famous as Femme Fatale. Los Angeles Times. 14 February 2006 . 13 September 2017. live. https://web.archive.org/web/20170913003950/http://articles.latimes.com/2006/feb/14/local/me-passings14. 13 September 2017.
  5. Book: Screen World 2007. John. Willis. Barry. Monush. 1 May 2010. Hal Leonard Corporation. 9781557837295. 8 June 2019. Google Books.
  6. The book Obituaries in the Performing Arts, 2006: Film, Television, Radio, Theatre, Dance, Music, Cartoons and Pop Culture says Massen "... died of complications from surgery in a Santa Monica, California, convalescent home ...".
  7. Book: Lentz. Harris M. III. Obituaries in the Performing Arts, 2006: Film, Television, Radio, Theatre, Dance, Music, Cartoons and Pop Culture. 2007. McFarland. 9780786452118. 230–231. 13 September 2017. en.