Annie Bos
Encyclopedia
Johanna "Annie" Bos was a Dutch theater and silent film
actress, known as Holland's first movie star and diva.
Bos started her acting career in Antwerp, but soon returned to the Netherlands and made her theater debut in 1909. She played mostly bit part
s, until she was discovered by movie director Maurits Binger
. Binger had just opened his movie studio Hollandia and contracted Bos as the leading lady of the movies. She made her first film appearance in the film De Levende Ladder. Over the next years, she became a well recognized actress, being nicknamed "the Dutch Asta Nielsen
".
In 1916, Bos starred in Majoor Frans (1916) and became Holland's first star. She got opportunities to choose her own film roles and attempted to prove her acting skills by playing roles with opposite characters. However, when Hollandia neared bankruptcy in 1920, the studio was renewed and the new movie directors fired Bos, saying she was too old. Bos was offered a contract in the United States, where she was known for her role in the Dutch film Een Carmen van het Noorden (1919), which was released internationally. She arrived in New York City in 1921, where she discovered the studio she was contracted to, didn't exist anymore.
Bos stayed in the United States, attempting to get a film contract, but had no success. After playing a small role opposite Pearl White
in the American film Without Fear (1922), she travelled to Germany, but didn't have any luck there either. In 1924, she moved back to the Netherlands, where an old friend gave her the lead in Mooi Juultje van Volendam (1924). The film flopped and was removed from cinemas after one week. Bos felt she didn't belong in the new film industry anymore and returned to theater. She acted in the play Madame DuBarry, which got critical claim.
Bos finally retired in 1925, to marry Cornelis Loeff. She was soon forgotten by the public. Her death in 1975 reached only one newspaper. Actress Willeke van Ammelrooy
portrayed her in a play in 2006.
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...
actress, known as Holland's first movie star and diva.
Bos started her acting career in Antwerp, but soon returned to the Netherlands and made her theater debut in 1909. She played mostly bit part
Bit part
A bit part is a supporting acting role with at least one line of dialogue . In British television, bit parts are referred to as under sixes...
s, until she was discovered by movie director Maurits Binger
Maurits Binger
Maurits Binger was a Dutch film director, producer and screenwriter of the silent era. He directed 39 films between 1913 and 1922 and is considered one of the pioneers of fictional films in the Netherlands...
. Binger had just opened his movie studio Hollandia and contracted Bos as the leading lady of the movies. She made her first film appearance in the film De Levende Ladder. Over the next years, she became a well recognized actress, being nicknamed "the Dutch Asta Nielsen
Asta Nielsen
Asta Nielsen , was a Danish silent film actress who was one of the most popular leading ladies of the 1910s and one of the first international movie stars. Seventy of Nielsen's 74 films were made in Germany where she was known simply as Die Asta...
".
In 1916, Bos starred in Majoor Frans (1916) and became Holland's first star. She got opportunities to choose her own film roles and attempted to prove her acting skills by playing roles with opposite characters. However, when Hollandia neared bankruptcy in 1920, the studio was renewed and the new movie directors fired Bos, saying she was too old. Bos was offered a contract in the United States, where she was known for her role in the Dutch film Een Carmen van het Noorden (1919), which was released internationally. She arrived in New York City in 1921, where she discovered the studio she was contracted to, didn't exist anymore.
Bos stayed in the United States, attempting to get a film contract, but had no success. After playing a small role opposite Pearl White
Pearl White
Pearl Fay White was an American film actress, the so-called "Stunt Queen" of silent films, most notably in The Perils of Pauline.-Early life:...
in the American film Without Fear (1922), she travelled to Germany, but didn't have any luck there either. In 1924, she moved back to the Netherlands, where an old friend gave her the lead in Mooi Juultje van Volendam (1924). The film flopped and was removed from cinemas after one week. Bos felt she didn't belong in the new film industry anymore and returned to theater. She acted in the play Madame DuBarry, which got critical claim.
Bos finally retired in 1925, to marry Cornelis Loeff. She was soon forgotten by the public. Her death in 1975 reached only one newspaper. Actress Willeke van Ammelrooy
Willeke van Ammelrooy
Willy Geertje van Ammelrooij , better known as Willeke van Ammelrooy, is a Dutch actress and director. She was born in Amsterdam, Netherlands....
portrayed her in a play in 2006.
Selected filmography
- De Levende Ladder (1913)
- Nederland en OranjeNederland en OranjeNederland en Oranje is a 1913 Dutch silent historical drama film directed by Louis H. Chrispijn. The film features nineteen short pieces with themes from Dutch national history and was made to celebrate the Dutch Kingdom....
(1913) - The Fatal WomanThe Fatal WomanThe Fatal Woman is a 1915 Dutch silent drama film directed by Maurits Binger and Louis H. Chrispijn.De vloek van het testament can be translated as The curse of the testimony, the film was a big Dutch movie at the time with 48 copys through Europe and 12 copys crossing to America...
(1915) - Majoor Frans (1916)
- Het Geheim van Delft (1917)
- Op Hoop van Zegen (1918)
- A Carmen of the NorthA Carmen of the NorthA Carmen of the North is a 1919 Dutch silent romantic drama film directed by Maurits Binger.-Plot:Jozef is a young farmer who has been ordered to leave his mother and childhood sweetheart Mareike , in order to join the army during the Great War...
(1919) - Schakels (1920, lost)
- Without Fear (1922)
- Mooi Juultje van Volendam (1924)