Valda Valkyrien
Encyclopedia
Valda Valkyrien was a Danish
prima ballerina
and a silent film
actress.
, Iceland
, under the stage name
Valda Valkyrien she was prima ballerina of the Royal Danish Ballet
. She married Danish nobleman and author, Baron Hrolf von Dewitz and in 1912 began appearing in motion pictures for Nordisk Film productions
of Copenhagen
. For them, she performed in at least six silent films including one feature-length production. Of these, the film Den Stærkeste (Vanquished) was an American/Danish production released in the United States by the Great Northern Film Company, the Nordisk Film subsidiary in New York City
. This led to Valkyrien going to the U.S. where she was signed by the Bayonne, New Jersey
, studio owner David Horsley
. In 1914, she made her American film debut in the "Baroness Film Series" for Horsley's Centaur Film Company
.
raging in Europe, in 1915 a New York City
publisher released her husband's book titled War's New Weapons which received considerable publicity. That same year, Thanhouser Studios capitalized on her husband's success and her aristocratic title, billing her as Baroness von Dewitz in a film about Norse mythology
titled The Valkyrie. The resulting success brought Valda Valkyrien an offer from the Fox Film Corporation and in 1916 she signed on to make feature-length productions. However, the contractual relationship soured after one film and she left Fox to work in feature-length films back at Thanhouser as well as for Lewis J. Selznick's
studio.
Valkyrien's last film is probably her most remembered, although she had only a secondary role. Bolshevism on Trial was an anti-Marxist melodrama
about a wealthy father who purchases an island off the coast of Florida
and establishes a commune for his son in order to prove to the idealistic young man that communism
can't work.
in southern California
. She married a second time to the New York industrialist Robert Stuart Otto with whom she had another child, Jean Otto.
Valda Valkyrien moved to the West Coast
where she lived until her death in Los Angeles
in 1956 after a lengthy illness. She was interred in the Forest Lawn Memorial Park Cemetery in Glendale, California
.
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...
prima ballerina
Ballerina
A ballerina is a title used to describe a principal female professional ballet dancer in a large company; the male equivalent to this title is danseur or ballerino...
and a 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...
actress.
Early life and career
Born Adele Eleonore Freed in ReykjavíkReykjavík
Reykjavík is the capital and largest city in Iceland.Its latitude at 64°08' N makes it the world's northernmost capital of a sovereign state. It is located in southwestern Iceland, on the southern shore of Faxaflói Bay...
, Iceland
Iceland
Iceland , described as the Republic of Iceland, is a Nordic and European island country in the North Atlantic Ocean, on the Mid-Atlantic Ridge. Iceland also refers to the main island of the country, which contains almost all the population and almost all the land area. The country has a population...
, under the stage name
Stage name
A stage name, also called a showbiz name or screen name, is a pseudonym used by performers and entertainers such as actors, wrestlers, comedians, and musicians.-Motivation to use a stage name:...
Valda Valkyrien she was prima ballerina of the Royal Danish Ballet
Royal Danish Ballet
The Royal Danish Ballet is one of the oldest ballet companies in the world. Based in Copenhagen, Denmark, it originates from 1748, when the Royal Danish Theatre was founded, and was finally organized in 1771 in response to the great popularity of French and Italian styles of dance...
. She married Danish nobleman and author, Baron Hrolf von Dewitz and in 1912 began appearing in motion pictures for Nordisk Film productions
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...
of 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...
. For them, she performed in at least six silent films including one feature-length production. Of these, the film Den Stærkeste (Vanquished) was an American/Danish production released in the United States by the Great Northern Film Company, the Nordisk Film subsidiary in New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
. This led to Valkyrien going to the U.S. where she was signed by the Bayonne, New Jersey
Bayonne, New Jersey
Bayonne is a city in Hudson County, New Jersey, United States. Located in the Gateway Region, Bayonne is a peninsula that is situated between Newark Bay to the west, the Kill van Kull to the south, and New York Bay to the east...
, studio owner David Horsley
David Horsley
David Horsley was an English born pioneer of the movie industry who built the first movie studio in Hollywood....
. In 1914, she made her American film debut in the "Baroness Film Series" for Horsley's Centaur Film Company
Centaur Film Company
Centaur Film Company - Nestor Studios merged with Universal Studios in 1912.-Formation:David Horsley met a former employee of Biograph Studios, Charles Gorman, and along with his brother William Horsley , they formed the Centaur Film Company in a converted store.By 1910, their operation was...
.
Hollywood career
With World War IWorld War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
raging in Europe, in 1915 a New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
publisher released her husband's book titled War's New Weapons which received considerable publicity. That same year, Thanhouser Studios capitalized on her husband's success and her aristocratic title, billing her as Baroness von Dewitz in a film about Norse mythology
Norse mythology
Norse mythology, a subset of Germanic mythology, is the overall term for the myths, legends and beliefs about supernatural beings of Norse pagans. It flourished prior to the Christianization of Scandinavia, during the Early Middle Ages, and passed into Nordic folklore, with some aspects surviving...
titled The Valkyrie. The resulting success brought Valda Valkyrien an offer from the Fox Film Corporation and in 1916 she signed on to make feature-length productions. However, the contractual relationship soured after one film and she left Fox to work in feature-length films back at Thanhouser as well as for Lewis J. Selznick's
Lewis J. Selznick
Lewis J. Selznick was a Jewish-Ukrainian-American producer in the early years of the film industry.-Personal life and early career:...
studio.
Valkyrien's last film is probably her most remembered, although she had only a secondary role. Bolshevism on Trial was an anti-Marxist melodrama
Melodrama
The term melodrama refers to a dramatic work that exaggerates plot and characters in order to appeal to the emotions. It may also refer to the genre which includes such works, or to language, behavior, or events which resemble them...
about a wealthy father who purchases an island off the coast of Florida
Florida
Florida is a state in the southeastern United States, located on the nation's Atlantic and Gulf coasts. It is bordered to the west by the Gulf of Mexico, to the north by Alabama and Georgia and to the east by the Atlantic Ocean. With a population of 18,801,310 as measured by the 2010 census, it...
and establishes a commune for his son in order to prove to the idealistic young man that communism
Communism
Communism is a social, political and economic ideology that aims at the establishment of a classless, moneyless, revolutionary and stateless socialist society structured upon common ownership of the means of production...
can't work.
Later life
Divorced in 1919, Valkyrien's marriage to Hrolf von Dewitz produced a son, Arden von Dewitz (1915–2004), who went on to become a successful painterPainting
Painting is the practice of applying paint, pigment, color or other medium to a surface . The application of the medium is commonly applied to the base with a brush but other objects can be used. In art, the term painting describes both the act and the result of the action. However, painting is...
in southern California
California
California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
. She married a second time to the New York industrialist Robert Stuart Otto with whom she had another child, Jean Otto.
Valda Valkyrien moved to the West Coast
West Coast of the United States
West Coast or Pacific Coast are terms for the westernmost coastal states of the United States. The term most often refers to the states of California, Oregon, and Washington. Although not part of the contiguous United States, Alaska and Hawaii do border the Pacific Ocean but can't be included in...
where she lived until her death in Los Angeles
Los Ángeles
Los Ángeles is the capital of the province of Biobío, in the commune of the same name, in Region VIII , in the center-south of Chile. It is located between the Laja and Biobío rivers. The population is 123,445 inhabitants...
in 1956 after a lengthy illness. She was interred in the Forest Lawn Memorial Park Cemetery in Glendale, California
Glendale, California
Glendale is a city in Los Angeles County, California, United States. As of the 2010 Census, the city population is 191,719, down from 194,973 at the 2000 census. making it the third largest city in Los Angeles County and the 22nd largest city in the state of California...
.
Filmography
- De Uheldige friere (1912)
- En Moders kaerlighed (1912)
- Frederik Buch som skopudser (1912)
- En Staerkere magt (1912)
- Dodsspring til hest fra Cirkuskuplen (1912)
- Dennyeskopudser (1912)
- Den Stærkeste (Vanquished) (1912)
- Baroness Film Series (1914)
- Youth (1915)
- The Valkyrie (1915)
- Diana (1916)
- The Hidden Valley (1916)
- The Cruise of Faith (1916)
- The Unwelcome Mother (1916)
- Magda (1917)
- The Crusher (1917)
- The Image Maker (1917)
- Huns Within Our Gates (1918)
- T'Other Dear Charmer (1918)
- Bolshevism on Trial (1919)