Los Angeles County
Biographies
JEAN HERSHOLT
Jean Hersholt, actor, was born in Copenhagen, Denmark, July 12, 1886; son of Henry and Clara (Petersen) Hersholt.
Received his education at Knud School and College, Copenhagen. Received honorary M.A. degree from Bowdoin College, Brunswick, Maine. He came to the United States in 1913 and was naturalized in 1920.
Mr. Hersholt began his acting career in the Dagmar Theater in Copenhagen, Denmark, in 1904 and continued on the European stage until 1913, at which time he moved to Hollywood, California. He was given a contract with Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Film Corporation and played in more than four hundred pictures, including “Four Horsemen,” “Greed,” “Stella Dallas,” “Old Heidelberg,” “Emma,” “Old Soak,” “Alias the Deacon,” “Men in White,” “Grand Hotel,” “The Country Doctor” (Dr. Dafoe of Dionne quintuplets), “Sins of Man,” “Reunion,” “Heidi,” and has starred as Doctor Christian in “Dr. Christian” radio series since 1937.
He was knighted by King Christian X of Denmark in 1946 for work as president of America-Denmark Relief, Inc., during World War II; awarded the King’s Medal of Liberation.
President of Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences since October of 1945; partner and member of Board of Directors of Sol Lesser Productions, Inc., Hollywood; honorary president of California-Denmark Home Foundation; president of Motion Picture Relief Fund and was awarded their Medallion in 1946; received a plaque from Independent Motion Picture Producers Association in 1946. Received the degree of Doctor of Humanities from Rollins College, Winter Park, Florida. He did the first and complete translation of Hans Christian Andersen’s fairy tales and stories and is the co-author of “Dr. Christian’s Office.”
Member of the Masonic Order; Elks Lodge; and the following clubs: University Players (New York); 233 Masonic; and Bohemian (San Francisco).
Mr. Hersholt married Via Andersen on April 11, 1914, and has one son, Allan.
Home 602 Rodeo Drive, Beverly Hills, California.
Transcribed 8-11-14 Marilyn R. Pankey.
Source: Eminent Californians
1953, by Lee E. Johnson & C. W. Taylor.
Pages 439-440, C. W. Taylor Publ., Palo Alto,
California, 1953.
© 2014 Marilyn R. Pankey.
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