Emanuel Gregers
Encyclopedia
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 comedies achieved great popularity in Denmark. Gregers most notable films were romantic comedies starring his wives Bodil Ipsen
and Marguerite Viby
.
, Denmark
. At 16-years-old Gregers debuted at the Horsens summer theater and performed in local theaters for the next 10 years. Around 1909, he moved to Copenhagen and performed in the larger theaters including Norrebros Teater and the Betty Nansen Teatret. Although he quickly shifted to working in film in 1912, Gregers maintained a lifelong attachment to stagework: he owned the Casino theater in Copenhagen and managed it from 1921 to 1931, then continued as a stage director into the 1940s.
In 1912, Gregers debuted on screen with Olaf Fønss
in the silent film Bryggerens datter (The Brewer's Daughter) written by Carl Th. Dreyer. The following year he began work with the Filmfabriken studio, where he performed in another Dreyer story Krigskorrespondenter (The War Correspondent), and became the studio's upcoming star. But by 1914, Gregers interest had shifted to working behind the camera. He directed himself in a couple of smaller films, then moved to Nordisk Film
where he devoted his full attention to writing and directing. In the early 1920s, Gregers directed a series of films with his wife at the time Bodil Ipsen
in the role. Most notable was the melodramatic crime story Lavinen, in which Greger's employed an elaborate flash-back structure to relate how the lead character's past leads to a murder. It was also at this time that Gregers was part of Nordisk Film's push for larger films based on literary works. In 1920, Greger's filmed Den flyvende Hollænder (The Flying Dutchman) based on the 1839 novel The Phantom Ship and, in 1922, he made Den sidste af Slægten (The Last of the Family Tree) based upon a novel by the later Nazi writer Edvard Nielsen-Stevns. For the later film, Gregers ran into trouble with Danish censors. In the climatic ending the villain, a depraved artist, falls to his death from scaffolding inside a church. The censors objected and removed the ending.
Gregers eventually directed 36 films. The most notable were his folk comedies: the wacky 1937 romantic comedy Mille, Marie of mig (Milly, Maria and Me), in which his then current wife, Marguerite Viby
, and the most popular Danish comedienne of the 30's, played three roles ; 1938's Bolettes brudeafærd (Bolettes Bridal Party), which starred his former wife Bodil Ipsen as a sharp-tongued spinster; the witty period comedy Sørensen og Rasmussen which starred both his former wives, Viby and Ipsen; and the 1941 backstage musical, Alle gaar rundt og forelsker sig (Everyone's Falling in Love) -- in which a small part was played by Greger's next wife, Ruth Saabye.
Gregers directed his final film in 1949. He died 22 March 1957 at the age of 75.
lasted three years from 1919 to 1923. After divorcing Ipsen, he immediately married Kiss Gregers (born Karen Oda Andersen). His fourth marriage was with the Danish comic actress Marguerite Viby
(who also was married five times). Their marriage lasted from 1932 to 1938. His final marriage was with Ruth Egede Saabye who played minor roles in Greger's films in the early 1940s.
Denmark
Denmark is a Scandinavian country in Northern Europe. The countries of Denmark and Greenland, as well as the Faroe Islands, constitute the Kingdom of Denmark . It is the southernmost of the Nordic countries, southwest of Sweden and south of Norway, and bordered to the south by Germany. Denmark...
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
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...
until 1949. Critics often dismissed his work as dependable yet uninspired, however many of his light-hearted comedies achieved great popularity in Denmark. Gregers most notable films were romantic comedies starring his wives Bodil Ipsen
Bodil Ipsen
Bodil Ipsen was a Danish actress and film director, and is considered one of the great stars of Danish cinematic history. Her acting career, which began in theater and silent films, was marked by leading roles in large folk comedies and melodramas...
and Marguerite Viby
Marguerite Viby
Marguerite Viby was a Danish actress of stage, film and television. Considered one of the great comedy actresses of Danish cinema, Viby received honorary Bodil and Robert Awards in 2000 for lifetime achievement...
.
Career
Emanuel Gregers was born on 28 December 1881 in HorsensHorsens
Horsens is a Danish city in east Jutland. It is the site of the council of Horsens municipality. The city's population is 53,807 and the Horsens municipality's population is 82,835 ....
, Denmark
Denmark
Denmark is a Scandinavian country in Northern Europe. The countries of Denmark and Greenland, as well as the Faroe Islands, constitute the Kingdom of Denmark . It is the southernmost of the Nordic countries, southwest of Sweden and south of Norway, and bordered to the south by Germany. Denmark...
. At 16-years-old Gregers debuted at the Horsens summer theater and performed in local theaters for the next 10 years. Around 1909, he moved to Copenhagen and performed in the larger theaters including Norrebros Teater and the Betty Nansen Teatret. Although he quickly shifted to working in film in 1912, Gregers maintained a lifelong attachment to stagework: he owned the Casino theater in Copenhagen and managed it from 1921 to 1931, then continued as a stage director into the 1940s.
In 1912, Gregers debuted on screen with Olaf Fønss
Olaf Fønss
Olaf Fønss was a Danish actor, director, producer, film censor and one of Denmark and Germany's biggest stars of the silent film era.- Biography :...
in the silent film Bryggerens datter (The Brewer's Daughter) written by Carl Th. Dreyer. The following year he began work with the Filmfabriken studio, where he performed in another Dreyer story Krigskorrespondenter (The War Correspondent), and became the studio's upcoming star. But by 1914, Gregers interest had shifted to working behind the camera. He directed himself in a couple of smaller films, then moved to Nordisk Film
Nordisk Film
Nordisk Film , established in Denmark in 1906 by Danish filmmaker Ole Olsen, is the oldest continuously operating film studio in the world. Olsen started his company in the Copenhagen suburb of Valby under the name "Ole Olsen's Film Factory" but soon changed it to the Nordisk Film Kompagni...
where he devoted his full attention to writing and directing. In the early 1920s, Gregers directed a series of films with his wife at the time Bodil Ipsen
Bodil Ipsen
Bodil Ipsen was a Danish actress and film director, and is considered one of the great stars of Danish cinematic history. Her acting career, which began in theater and silent films, was marked by leading roles in large folk comedies and melodramas...
in the role. Most notable was the melodramatic crime story Lavinen, in which Greger's employed an elaborate flash-back structure to relate how the lead character's past leads to a murder. It was also at this time that Gregers was part of Nordisk Film's push for larger films based on literary works. In 1920, Greger's filmed Den flyvende Hollænder (The Flying Dutchman) based on the 1839 novel The Phantom Ship and, in 1922, he made Den sidste af Slægten (The Last of the Family Tree) based upon a novel by the later Nazi writer Edvard Nielsen-Stevns. For the later film, Gregers ran into trouble with Danish censors. In the climatic ending the villain, a depraved artist, falls to his death from scaffolding inside a church. The censors objected and removed the ending.
Gregers eventually directed 36 films. The most notable were his folk comedies: the wacky 1937 romantic comedy Mille, Marie of mig (Milly, Maria and Me), in which his then current wife, Marguerite Viby
Marguerite Viby
Marguerite Viby was a Danish actress of stage, film and television. Considered one of the great comedy actresses of Danish cinema, Viby received honorary Bodil and Robert Awards in 2000 for lifetime achievement...
, and the most popular Danish comedienne of the 30's, played three roles ; 1938's Bolettes brudeafærd (Bolettes Bridal Party), which starred his former wife Bodil Ipsen as a sharp-tongued spinster; the witty period comedy Sørensen og Rasmussen which starred both his former wives, Viby and Ipsen; and the 1941 backstage musical, Alle gaar rundt og forelsker sig (Everyone's Falling in Love) -- in which a small part was played by Greger's next wife, Ruth Saabye.
Gregers directed his final film in 1949. He died 22 March 1957 at the age of 75.
Personal life
Gregers was married five times, all with actresses with whom he worked. He married the first time in 1907 with Ella Olsen. His second marriage to Bodil IpsenBodil Ipsen
Bodil Ipsen was a Danish actress and film director, and is considered one of the great stars of Danish cinematic history. Her acting career, which began in theater and silent films, was marked by leading roles in large folk comedies and melodramas...
lasted three years from 1919 to 1923. After divorcing Ipsen, he immediately married Kiss Gregers (born Karen Oda Andersen). His fourth marriage was with the Danish comic actress Marguerite Viby
Marguerite Viby
Marguerite Viby was a Danish actress of stage, film and television. Considered one of the great comedy actresses of Danish cinema, Viby received honorary Bodil and Robert Awards in 2000 for lifetime achievement...
(who also was married five times). Their marriage lasted from 1932 to 1938. His final marriage was with Ruth Egede Saabye who played minor roles in Greger's films in the early 1940s.
Director
- Lejlighed til leje (1949)
- Den stjaalne minister (1949)
- Man elsker kun en gang (1945)
- Det bødes der for (1944)
- Biskoppen (1944)
- Alt for karrieren (1943)
- Lykken kommer (1942)
- Forellen (1942)
- Thummelumsen (1941)
- En søndag på Amager (1941)
- Alle går rundt og forelsker sig (1941)
- En mand af betydningEn mand af betydningEn mand af betydning is a 1941 Danish family film directed by Emanuel Gregers and starring Osvald Helmuth.-Cast:* Osvald Helmuth - Baldur Justesen* Sigrid Horne-Rasmussen - Fru Sonja Jensen* Inger Stender - Anita Justesen...
(1941) - Thorvald StauningThorvald StauningThorvald August Marinus Stauning was the first social democratic Prime Minister of Denmark. He served as Prime Minister from 1924 to 1926 and again from 1929 until his death in 1942....
(1941) - Sørensen og Rasmussen (1940)
- En pige med pep (1940)
- Komtessen paa Steenholt (1939)
- Sketch til Apolloteatret (1939)
- Bolettes brudefærd (1938)
- Milly, Maria och jag (1938)
- Cocktail (1937)
- Mille, Marie og mig (1937)
- Min kone er husar (1935)
- Skaf en sensation (1934)
- Saa til søs (1933)
- Stamherren (1925)
- Solskinsdalen (1925)
- Madsalune (1923)
- Frie fugle (1922)
- Den sidste af slægten (1922)
- Lavinen (1920)
- Den flyvende Hollænder I-IV (1920)
- Krigsmillionæren (1919)
- Lykkens blændværk (1919)
- Zigeunerprinsessen (1918)
- Brændte vinger (1917)
- Hvem er hun? (1914)
Actor
- Forellen (1942) .... Bankfuldmægtig Carl Møller
- Søndag på Amager, En (1941) .... Sangstemme
- Odds 777 (1932) .... Godsejer Rosen
- Zigeunerprinsessen (1918)
- Hvem er hun? (1914)
- Pigen fra Hidalgo Fyret (1914) .... Tom, gårdejerens søn
- Guldhornene (1914) .... Leif
- Krigskorrespondenter (1913) ... aka The War Correspondent (literal English title)
- Bryggerens datter (1912) ... aka The Brewer's Daughter (literal English title)
Writer
- Cocktail (1937) (writer)
- Solskinsdalen (1925) (writer)
- Frie fugle (1922) (writer)
- Lavinen (1920) (writer)
- Flyvende Hollænder I-IV, Den (1920) (writer)
- Lykkens blændværk (1919) (writer)
- Zigeunerprinsessen (1918) (writer)
- Brændte vinger (1917) (writer)
- Hvem er hun? (1914) (writer)
External links
- Emanuel Gregers at IMDb
- Emanuel Gregers at Det Danske Filminstitut