Betty Nansen
Encyclopedia
Betty Nansen (19 March 1873 – 15 March 1943) was a Danish actress and theatre director of the theater that carries her name, the Betty Nansen Theatre.
She had her debut in the fall of 1893 in Copenhagen
's Casino Theater as the title character in Victorien Sardou
's Dora. She went on to play Magda in Hermann Sudermann
's Homeland as well as the title character in Alexandre Dumas'
The Lady of the Camellias
. In the fall of 1896 she changed to the Royal Danish Theatre
, where she had her debut as Martha in Ibsen's
The Pillars of Society
.
In 1913 to 1916, she went to the United States
to try to make a career as a movie actress. She starred in a number of unsuccessful films by J. Gordon Edwards
, e.g. Anna Karenina
(which is now considered lost
) The Song of Hate, Should a Mother Tell, A Woman's Resurrection, and The Celebrated Scandal. After this failed attempt at movie stardom, she took over management of the Alexandra Theatre in Frederiksberg
, which she went on to rename the Betty Nansen Theatre. She managed the theatre for 26 seasons until her death in 1943.
In 1896, she married the writer, journalist and director of Gyldendal
, Peter Nansen
(1861–1918). Her second marriage was to the actor Henrik Bentzon.
She had her debut in the fall of 1893 in 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...
's Casino Theater as the title character in Victorien Sardou
Victorien Sardou
Victorien Sardou was a French dramatist. He is best remembered today for his development, along with Eugène Scribe, of the well-made play...
's Dora. She went on to play Magda in Hermann Sudermann
Hermann Sudermann
Hermann Sudermann was a German dramatist and novelist.- Early career :He was born at Matzicken, a village just to the east of Heydekrug in the Province of Prussia , close to the Russian frontier...
's Homeland as well as the title character in Alexandre Dumas'
Alexandre Dumas, fils
Alexandre Dumas, fils was a French author and dramatist. He was the son of Alexandre Dumas, père, also a writer and playwright.-Biography:...
The Lady of the Camellias
The Lady of the Camellias
The Lady of the Camellias is a novel by Alexandre Dumas, fils, first published in 1848, and subsequently adapted for the stage. The Lady of the Camellias premiered at the Théâtre du Vaudeville in Paris, France on February 2, 1852. The play was an instant success, and Giuseppe Verdi immediately set...
. In the fall of 1896 she changed to the Royal Danish Theatre
Royal Danish Theatre
The Royal Danish Theatre is both the national Danish performing arts institution and a name used to refer to its old purpose-built venue from 1874 located on Kongens Nytorv in Copenhagen. The theatre was founded in 1748, first serving as the theatre of the king, and then as the theatre of the...
, where she had her debut as Martha in Ibsen's
Henrik Ibsen
Henrik Ibsen was a major 19th-century Norwegian playwright, theatre director, and poet. He is often referred to as "the father of prose drama" and is one of the founders of Modernism in the theatre...
The Pillars of Society
The Pillars of Society
The Pillars of Society is an 1877 play written by Norwegian playwright Henrik Ibsen....
.
In 1913 to 1916, she went to the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
to try to make a career as a movie actress. She starred in a number of unsuccessful films by J. Gordon Edwards
J. Gordon Edwards
J. Gordon Edwards was a Canadian-born film director, producer, and a writer who began his career as a stage actor and as a stage director. He made his directorial debut on film in 1914's St. Elmo. Soon went on helming all of the Fox studio's mega-budget spectacles, including all of actress Theda...
, e.g. Anna Karenina
Anna Karenina (1915 film)
Anna Karenina is a 1915 silent drama film directed by J. Gordon Edwards and starring Betty Nansen. The film is considered to be lost. It was the first American adaptation of the novel by Leo Tolstoy.-Cast:* Betty Nansen - Anna Karenina...
(which is now considered lost
Lost film
A lost film is a feature film or short film that is no longer known to exist in studio archives, private collections or public archives such as the Library of Congress, where at least one copy of all American films are deposited and catalogued for copyright reasons...
) The Song of Hate, Should a Mother Tell, A Woman's Resurrection, and The Celebrated Scandal. After this failed attempt at movie stardom, she took over management of the Alexandra Theatre in Frederiksberg
Frederiksberg
Frederiksberg Kommune is a municipality on the island of Zealand in Denmark. It surrounded by the city of Copenhagen. The municipality, co-extensive with its seat, covers an area of and has a total population of 98,782 making it the smallest municipality in Denmark area-wise, the fifth most...
, which she went on to rename the Betty Nansen Theatre. She managed the theatre for 26 seasons until her death in 1943.
In 1896, she married the writer, journalist and director of Gyldendal
Gyldendal
Gyldendal may refer to:*Gyldendal, a Danish publishing house*Gyldendal Norsk Forlag, a Norwegian publishing house founded as a demerger from the Danish one*Søren Gyldendal, the founder of the Danish publishing house...
, Peter Nansen
Peter Nansen
Peter Nansen was a Danish novelist, journalist, and publisher.He is best known as the author of the novels Julie's Diary, Marie, and God's Peace, which together constitute Love's Trilogy...
(1861–1918). Her second marriage was to the actor Henrik Bentzon.