Elith Pio
Encyclopedia
Viggo Elith William Pio was a Danish
actor of stage, screen, radio and television. He is most noted for starring roles in films such as Carl Theodor Dreyer
's Leaves from Satan's Book
, Johan Jacobsen
's Jenny and the Soldier
and Benjamin Christensen
's Häxan
.
. He remained a member of the Royal Theatre until his retirement in 1974. Some of his most famous roles were Aristophanes in Johan Ludvig Heiberg
's A Soul after the Dead, Dr. Relling and Old Ekdal in Henrik Ibsen
's The Wild Duck
(Vildanden) and a chamberlain to in Ibsen's The League of Youth
(De unges forbund). In Denmark Pio was also well-known for his numerous roles on local radio theatre, where his characteristic voice was an invaluable asset.
, in the role of Fridolin. From then on he took part in over forty films. In 1947, Pio appeared as the state's attorney in the film Jenny and the Soldier
(Soldaten og Jenny) which received the first Bodil Award for Best Danish Film
. Pio's last film, The Man Who Thought Life (Manden der tænkte ting) starring John Price
, was nominated for the Palme d'Or
at the Cannes Film Festival
in 1969.
As part of a small group of participants in an emerging Danish cinema, Pio was a favorite of many directors, working more than once with Benjamin Christensen
, Viggo Larsen
, Mogens Skot-Hansen, Emanuel Gregers
, Ole Palsbo, Gabriel Axel
, Knud Leif Thomsen
, Lau Lauritzen Jr.
& Alice O'Fredericks
, Svend Methling
, and the legendary Carl Theodor Dreyer
. He worked four times with director Johan Jacobsen
-- most notably on Jenny and the Soldier
-- and four times with director George Schnéevoigt
, who had worked as the cinematographer for both of Elith's films with Dreyer. Elith also acted in eight films authored by Danish screenwriter Fleming Lynge
, who wrote the 1952 film Meet me on Cassiopeia.
Danish language
Danish is a North Germanic language spoken by around six million people, principally in the country of Denmark. It is also spoken by 50,000 Germans of Danish ethnicity in the northern parts of Schleswig-Holstein, Germany, where it holds the status of minority language...
actor of stage, screen, radio and television. He is most noted for starring roles in films such as Carl Theodor Dreyer
Carl Theodor Dreyer
Carl Theodor Dreyer, Jr. was a Danish film director. He is regarded by many critics and filmmakers as one of the greatest directors in cinema.-Life:Dreyer was born illegitimate in Copenhagen, Denmark...
's Leaves from Satan's Book
Leaves from Satan's Book
Leaves from Satan's Book is a 1921 drama film directed by Carl Theodor Dreyer and starring Helge Nissen.-Synopsis:Satan has been cast out from hell and banished to Earth under decree of heaven. He can return, only through a series of temptations. However, for every soul who gives in to his...
, Johan Jacobsen
Johan Jacobsen
Johan Jacobsen was a Danish film director.Jacobsen was born in Aarhus in 1912. His parents were theatre manager Jacob Jørgen Jacobsen and actress Christel Holch . He made his first films at the film studio Palladium that also produced the films of Carl Theodor Dreyer...
's Jenny and the Soldier
Jenny and the Soldier
Jenny and the Soldier is a 1947 Danish dramatic film written and directed by Johan Jacobsen. The black-and-white film is based on a stage play written by Danish playwright Carl Erik Soya. The gritty romantic drama received critical praise for its authentic portrayal of everyday life...
and Benjamin Christensen
Benjamin Christensen
Benjamin Christensen was a Danish film director, screenwriter and an actor both in film and on the stage. As a director he is most well known for the 1922 film Häxan and as an actor, he is best known for his performance in the film Michael , in which he plays Claude Zoret, the jilted lover of the...
's Häxan
Häxan
Häxan is a 1922 Swedish/Danish silent horror film written and directed by Benjamin Christensen...
.
Theatre
Elith Pio made his theatre debut in 1907 as a member of the Peter Fjelstrup's theater company. He worked in various theaters in Denmark until 1931, when he was employed by the Royal Danish TheatreRoyal 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...
. He remained a member of the Royal Theatre until his retirement in 1974. Some of his most famous roles were Aristophanes in Johan Ludvig Heiberg
Johan Ludvig Heiberg (poet)
Johan Ludvig Heiberg , Danish poet and critic, son of the political writer Peter Andreas Heiberg , and of the novelist, afterwards the Baroness Gyllembourg-Ehrensvärd, was born in Copenhagen....
's A Soul after the Dead, Dr. Relling and Old Ekdal in Henrik Ibsen
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...
's The Wild Duck
The Wild Duck
The Wild Duck is an 1884 play by the Norwegian playwright Henrik Ibsen.-Plot:The first act opens with a dinner party hosted by Håkon Werle, a wealthy merchant and industrialist. The gathering is attended by his son, Gregers Werle, who has just returned to his father's home following a self-imposed...
(Vildanden) and a chamberlain to in Ibsen's The League of Youth
The League of Youth
The League of Youth is a play by Henrik Ibsen finished in early May 1869. It was Ibsen's first play in colloquial prose and marks a turning point in his style towards realism and away from verse. It was widely considered Ibsen's most popular play in nineteenth-century Norway...
(De unges forbund). In Denmark Pio was also well-known for his numerous roles on local radio theatre, where his characteristic voice was an invaluable asset.
Film
Pio debuted on screen in the 1908 production of A Folk Tale (Et Folkesagn). Thereafter, he performed in approximately 40 silent films. In 1931, well known from his work at the Royal Theatre, Pio starred in his first sound feature, Hotel ParadisHotel Paradis
Hotel Paradis is a 1931 Danish drama directed by George Schnéevoigt. The film, based on a novel by Einar Rousthøj, stars Eyvind Johan-Svendsen and Inger Stender. The film was also known as Hotel Paradisets hemlighed .-Cast:*Eyvind Johan-Svendsen ... Heinrich Schultz/Bremer*Karen Caspersen ... ...
, in the role of Fridolin. From then on he took part in over forty films. In 1947, Pio appeared as the state's attorney in the film Jenny and the Soldier
Jenny and the Soldier
Jenny and the Soldier is a 1947 Danish dramatic film written and directed by Johan Jacobsen. The black-and-white film is based on a stage play written by Danish playwright Carl Erik Soya. The gritty romantic drama received critical praise for its authentic portrayal of everyday life...
(Soldaten og Jenny) which received the first Bodil Award for Best Danish Film
Bodil Award for Best Danish Film
The Bodil Award for Best Danish Film is one of the categories for the Bodil Awards presented annually by the Danish Union of Film Critics . It was created in 1948 and is one of the oldest film prizes in Europe. The judging committee can decide not to give out the award if no deserving films are...
. Pio's last film, The Man Who Thought Life (Manden der tænkte ting) starring John Price
John Price (Danish actor)
John Price was a Danish film actor and director. He appeared in 26 films between 1934 and 1982.-Selected filmography:* Blaavand melder storm * Champagnegaloppen...
, was nominated for the Palme d'Or
Palme d'Or
The Palme d'Or is the highest prize awarded at the Cannes Film Festival and is presented to the director of the best feature film of the official competition. It was introduced in 1955 by the organising committee. From 1939 to 1954, the highest prize was the Grand Prix du Festival International du...
at the Cannes Film Festival
Cannes Film Festival
The Cannes International Film Festival , is an annual film festival held in Cannes, France, which previews new films of all genres including documentaries from around the world. Founded in 1946, it is among the world's most prestigious and publicized film festivals...
in 1969.
As part of a small group of participants in an emerging Danish cinema, Pio was a favorite of many directors, working more than once with Benjamin Christensen
Benjamin Christensen
Benjamin Christensen was a Danish film director, screenwriter and an actor both in film and on the stage. As a director he is most well known for the 1922 film Häxan and as an actor, he is best known for his performance in the film Michael , in which he plays Claude Zoret, the jilted lover of the...
, Viggo Larsen
Viggo Larsen
Viggo Larsen was a Danish film actor, director and producer. He appeared in 75 films between 1906 and 1942. He also directed 60 films between 1906 and 1921.He was born and died in Copenhagen, Denmark....
, Mogens Skot-Hansen, Emanuel Gregers
Emanuel Gregers
Emanuel Gregers was a Danish actor, screenwriter and film director. Gregers made 36 films during a career which extended during four decades from the Danish golden age of silent film until 1949. Critics often dismissed his work as dependable yet uninspired, however many of his light-hearted...
, Ole Palsbo, Gabriel Axel
Gabriel Axel
Gabriel Axel is an Oscar winning Danish film director, actor, writer and producer, best known for the Oscar-winning Babette's Feast , which he wrote and directed....
, Knud Leif Thomsen
Knud Leif Thomsen
Knud Leif Thomsen was a Danish film director and screenwriter. He directed 14 films between 1960 and 1975. His film Duellen was entered into the 12th Berlin International Film Festival. Two years later, his film School for Suicide was entered into the 14th Berlin International Film Festival...
, Lau Lauritzen Jr.
Lau Lauritzen Jr.
Lau Lauritzen, Jr., , was a Danish actor, screenwriter, and film director. As a director, he was a 4-time recipient of the Bodil Award for Best Danish Film. Lauritzen co-founded the Danish film studio ASA Film and served as the studio's artistic director and administrative director .-Career:Lau...
& Alice O'Fredericks
Alice O'Fredericks
Alice O'Fredericks was a Danish actress, screen writer, and film director. She is best known for directing the series of Far til Fire comedies and the series of family dramas based on Morten Korch novels. Having written 38 produced screenplays and directed 72 feature films, O'Fredericks was one...
, Svend Methling
Svend Methling
Svend Methling was a Danish actor and film director.He was a director for Dansk Skolescene 1924-1929, for Folkescenen 1925 and for Komediehuset 1929-1930.He also worked as a director at the Det Ny Teater 1926-1929....
, and the legendary Carl Theodor Dreyer
Carl Theodor Dreyer
Carl Theodor Dreyer, Jr. was a Danish film director. He is regarded by many critics and filmmakers as one of the greatest directors in cinema.-Life:Dreyer was born illegitimate in Copenhagen, Denmark...
. He worked four times with director Johan Jacobsen
Johan Jacobsen
Johan Jacobsen was a Danish film director.Jacobsen was born in Aarhus in 1912. His parents were theatre manager Jacob Jørgen Jacobsen and actress Christel Holch . He made his first films at the film studio Palladium that also produced the films of Carl Theodor Dreyer...
-- most notably on Jenny and the Soldier
Jenny and the Soldier
Jenny and the Soldier is a 1947 Danish dramatic film written and directed by Johan Jacobsen. The black-and-white film is based on a stage play written by Danish playwright Carl Erik Soya. The gritty romantic drama received critical praise for its authentic portrayal of everyday life...
-- and four times with director George Schnéevoigt
George Schnéevoigt
George Schnéevoigt was a Danish film director, cinematographer, and actor of the 1930s and early 1940s....
, who had worked as the cinematographer for both of Elith's films with Dreyer. Elith also acted in eight films authored by Danish screenwriter Fleming Lynge
Fleming Lynge
Fleming Lynge was a Danish screenwriter. He wrote for 72 films between 1929 and 1959.He was born and died in Denmark.-Selected filmography:* Vi arme syndere * Besættelse * Melody of Murder...
, who wrote the 1952 film Meet me on Cassiopeia.
Select filmography
- HäxanHäxanHäxan is a 1922 Swedish/Danish silent horror film written and directed by Benjamin Christensen...
- 1922 - Hotel ParadisHotel ParadisHotel Paradis is a 1931 Danish drama directed by George Schnéevoigt. The film, based on a novel by Einar Rousthøj, stars Eyvind Johan-Svendsen and Inger Stender. The film was also known as Hotel Paradisets hemlighed .-Cast:*Eyvind Johan-Svendsen ... Heinrich Schultz/Bremer*Karen Caspersen ... ...
- 1931 - Kirke og orgel - 1932
- Tango - 1933
- Kongen bød - 1938
- Et skud før midnat - 1942
- Forellen - 1942
- Tordenskjold går i land - 1942
- Vi kunne ha' det så rart - 1942
- Alt for karrieren - 1943
- Drama på slottet - 1943
- Kriminalassistent Bloch - 1943
- Når man kun er ung - 1943
- Som du vil ha' mig - 1943
- Otte akkorder - 1944
- Biskoppen - 1944
- Affæren BirteAffæren BirteAffæren Birte is a 1945 Danish family film directed by Lau Lauritzen, Jr. and Alice O'Fredericks.-Cast:* Poul Reumert - Dr.med. Hans Ellekær* Anna Borg - Martha Ellekær* Verna Olesen - Birte Ellekær* Ib Schønberg - Laboratorieassistent...
- 1945 - Mens sagføreren sover - 1945
- Ta', hvad du vil ha - 1947
- Soldaten og Jenny - 1947
- For frihed og ret - 1949
- Den opvakte jomfru - 1950
- Familien Schmidt - 1951
- Sønnen - 1953
- Eventyrrejsen - 1960
- Ullabella - 1961
- Løgn og løvebrøl - 1961
- DuellenDuellenDuellen is a 1962 Danish drama film directed by Knud Leif Thomsen. It was entered into the 12th Berlin International Film Festival.-Cast:* Frits Helmuth - Mikael* Malene Schwartz - Tina* John Price - Claes* Axel Strøbye - Basse...
- 1962 - Tine - 1964
- Dyden går amok - 1966
- Manden der tænkte tingThe Man Who Thought LifeThe Man Who Thought Life is a 1969 Danish science fiction thriller film directed by Jens Ravn and based upon the 1938 novel by Valdemar Holst...
- 1969