Olaf Fønss Explained

Olaf Fønss
Birth Name:	Olaf Holger Axel Fønss
Birth Date:	17 October 1882
Birth Place:	Århus, Denmark
Death Place:	Copenhagen, Denmark
Occupation:	Actor, Director, Producer Film Censor Union Leader
Yearsactive:	1903 - 1947
Spouse:	Thilda Elisabeth Lilja Johnsen Else Dorthea Bast
Relatives:	Aage Fønss (brother), Johannes Fønss (brother), Jorgen Fønss (Nephew)

Olaf Holger Axel Fønss (17 October 1882  - 11 March 1949) was a Danish actor, director, producer, film censor and one of Denmark and Germany's biggest stars of the silent film era.^[1]

Career

Fønss' leading role in the 1913 Danish classic Atlantis made his face recognizable to movie fans. It was his role as the artificial creature in the 1916 German science fiction film series, Homunculus, that earned Fønss status as a top matinee idol.^[2] In the 1930s, Fønss became politically active by directing two films for Denmark's Socialdemokratiske Parti (Social Democracy Party), Den Store Dag (1930) and Under Den Gamle Fane (1932).^[3] He was president of the Danish Actor's Union from 1933 - 1947 and was a censor for the National Film Censor of Denmark for 14 years.^[1] Fønss was the older brother of actors Johannes and Aage Fønss.

Filmography

As actor

• Vask, videnskab og velvære (1932)
• Die seltsame Vergangenheit der Thea Carter (1929) ... a.k.a. The Unusual Past of Thea Carter (International: English title)
• Ich lebe für Dich (1929) ... a.k.a. Triumph of Love (USA)
• Die Waise von Lowood (1926) ... a.k.a. Orphan of Lowood (International: English title)
• Lace (1926)
• Vajsenhusbarn (1926)
• Fra Piazza del Popolo (1925)... a.k.a. Mists of the Past (UK)
• Das Unbekannte Morgen (1923) ... a.k.a. The Unknown Tomorrow
• Das Indische Grabmal

Die Sendung des Yoghi (1921) ... a.k.a. The Indian Tomb: Part I, the Mission of the Yogi (USA: video title)

• A Debt of Honour (1921)
• Der Gang in die Nacht (1921) ... a.k.a. The Dark Road (USA)
• Elskovs Magt (1921)
• Hendes Fortid (1921)
• Das Indische Grabmal

Der Tiger von Eschnapur (1921) ... a.k.a. The Indian Tomb: Part II, the Tiger of Bengal (USA: video title)

• Munkens Fristelser (1921)
• Bajadser (1919)
• Præsten fra Havet (1918)
• Dommens dag (1918)
• Hævneren (1918)
• Lægen (1918)
• Fangen fra Erie County (1918)
• Gengældelsens Ret (1917)
• Selskabsdamen (1916)
• Verdens Undergang (1916) ... a.k.a. The End of the World (USA)
• Gentlemansekretæren (1916)
• Syndens datter (1916)
• Hendes ungdomsforelskelse (1916)
• Homunculus -- film series 1 through six (1916)
• Cowboymillionæren (1915)
• Lille Teddy (1915)
• Den Hvide Rytterske (1915)
• Ned Med Vaabnene (1914) ... a.k.a. Down with Weapons (USA)
• Af Elskovs Naade (1914)
• En Stærkere Magt (1914)
• Atlantis (1913)
• Under Mindernes Træ (1913)
• Zigeurnerorkestret (1912)
• Bryggerens Datter (1912) ... a.k.a. The Brewer's Daughter (literal English title)
• Dødsridtet (1912)

As director

• Hævneren (1919)
• Samvittighedskvaler (1920)
• B.T.'s amatørfilm (1923)
• Den store Dag (1930)
• Under den gamle Fane (1932)

External links

• • Det Danske Filminstitut (In Danish)
• Olaf Fønss postcards

Notes and References

1. Web site: Olaf Fønss . Den Danske Filmdatabase (The Danish Film Database) . 2008-05-22.
2. Book: Kreimeier. Klaus . Kimber. Robert . Kimber. Rita . The Ufa Story: A History of Germany's Greatest Film Company, 1918-1945 . 1999 . University of California Press . 0-520-22069-2. 51.
3. Web site: Olaf Fønss 1882-1949. Fakta om Film. Det Danske Filminstitut. 21 January 2013. https://web.archive.org/web/20121010153402/http://www.dfi.dk/faktaomfilm/nationalfilmografien/nfperson.aspx?id=119183. 10 October 2012. dead.