John Olsen (12 August 1888 – 9 December 1959) was a Danish

film producer A film producer is a person who oversees film production. Either employed by a production company or working independently, producers plan and coordinate various aspects of film production, such as selecting the script, coordinating writing, di ...

screenwriter A screenplay writer (also called screenwriter, scriptwriter, scribe or scenarist) is a writer who practices the craft of screenwriting, writing screenplays on which mass media, such as films, television programs and video games, are based. ...

and theater owner. Olsen founded the

Saga Studio Saga Studio (or Saga Film A/S) was a film production company in Denmark founded by John Olsen. The company existed from 1942 to 1976. History Several years after Olsen co-founded ASA Film Studio with Lau Lauritzen Jr. and Henning Karmark, t ...

Copenhagen, Denmark Copenhagen ( or .; da, København ) is the capital and most populous city of Denmark, with a proper population of around 815.000 in the last quarter of 2022; and some 1.370,000 in the urban area; and the wider Copenhagen metropolitan ar ...

where he produced more than 30 films from 1941 to 1959, including the

Danish Culture Canon The Danish Culture Canon ( da, Kulturkanonen) consists of 108 works of cultural excellence in eight categories: architecture, visual arts, design and crafts, film, literature, music, performing arts, and children's culture. An initiative of Brian ...

film ''

Soldaten og Jenny ''Jenny and the Soldier'' ( da, Soldaten og Jenny) is a 1947 Danish dramatic film written and directed by Johan Jacobsen. The black-and-white film is based on the 1940 stage play ''Brudstykker af et mønster'' () written by Danish playwright Ca ...

''. He wrote 24 films between 1936 and 1960. In 1941, Olsen built and operated one of Scandinavia's largest movie theaters, the 1513-seat Saga Teatret in Copenhagen.

Early life

Friedjohn Fulton Olsen was born in Copenhagen, the second youngest son of manufacturer Frederik Ferdinand Olsen, who ran a small business of collecting rags and bones for further processing. He attended Vestre Borgerdydsskole where he earned a primary diploma, and then moved to Germany for a merchant apprenticeship.

Career

In 1910, Olsen began work for the Moving Picture Agency in London, working variously as a developer, cinematographer, distributor and company representative. After 3 years, he opened his own distribution company in London for the sale of films to Scandinavia. In 1915 he returned to Denmark and renamed the business Overseas Film Trading Company. While spending much of the year traveling to Hollywood, Olsen secured the distribution rights for the films of

Charlie Chaplin Sir Charles Spencer Chaplin Jr. (16 April 188925 December 1977) was an English comic actor, filmmaker, and composer who rose to fame in the era of silent film. He became a worldwide icon through his screen persona, the Tramp, and is consider ...

and

D.W. Griffith David Wark Griffith (January 22, 1875 – July 23, 1948) was an American film director. Considered one of the most influential figures in the history of the motion picture, he pioneered many aspects of film editing and expanded the art of the na ...

as well as the received the films at First National and

Warner Bros. Warner Bros. Entertainment Inc. (commonly known as Warner Bros. or abbreviated as WB) is an American film and entertainment studio headquartered at the Warner Bros. Studios complex in Burbank, California, and a subsidiary of Warner Bros. Di ...

After starting a separate movie rental company in 1933, Olsen also began producing his own films at a studio in

Hellerup Hellerup () is a very affluent district of Gentofte Municipality in the suburbs of Copenhagen, Denmark. The most urban part of the district is centred on Strandvejen and is bordered by Østerbro to the south and the Øresund to the east. It compri ...

. In 1936 Olsen joined

Lau Lauritzen Jr. Lau Lauritzen Jr. (26 June 1910 – 12 May 1977), 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

Henning Karmark Henning Karmark (17 December 1907 – 11 January 1989) was a Danish film producer. He produced 90 films between 1937 and 1971 and was one of the most active producers of the ASA Film studio. He was born in Varde, Denmark and died in Nice, F ...

in the founding of the ASA Film Studio, where he helped to produce twenty films. In 1942, after a falling out with Henning Karmark over financial issues, Olsen started his own production company, film studio,

Saga Studios Saga Studio (or Saga Film A/S) was a film production company in Denmark founded by John Olsen. The company existed from 1942 to 1976. History Several years after Olsen co-founded ASA Film Studio with Lau Lauritzen Jr. and Henning Karmark, the ...

Charlottenlund Charlottenlund is a suburban area on the coast north of Copenhagen, Denmark. It is the administrative seat of Gentofte Municipality. Bordered to the east by the Øresund, to the South by Hellerup and to the north by Klampenborg, it is one of the w ...

. The same year he also built the 1513-seat Saga Theater, one of Scandinavia's largest cinema. At Saga Studio, Olsen was producer for every production. To a large extent, he was also a writer or co-creator, working with

Victor Borge Børge Rosenbaum (3 January 1909 – 23 December 2000), known professionally as Victor Borge ( ), was a Danish-American comedian, conductor, and pianist who achieved great popularity in radio and television in the North America and Europe. His ...

, Arvid Muller,

Paul Sarauw Paul Sarauw (30 November 1883 – 24 April 1959) was a Danish screenwriter. He wrote for more than 50 films between 1916 and 1959. He was born and died in Denmark. Selected filmography * ''Skal vi vædde en million?'' (1932) * ''Lalla vinne ...

Annelise Reenberg Annelise Reenberg (16 September 1919 – 12 December 1994) was a Danish cinematographer, film director and screenwriter. She directed 23 films between 1950 and 1971. Filmography (selected) * ' (1950) * '' 24 timer'' (1951) * '' Fra den gamle ...

and others. His Saga Studio productions were very successful and included the popular hit comedies of

Dirch Passer Dirch Hartvig Passer (18 May 1926 – 3 September 1980) was a celebrated Danish actor. He was greatly renowned for his improvisational skills and, with a filmography comprising 90 movies, one of Denmark's most prolific actors. His life is depic ...

. In addition, Olsen produced some more serious, critically acclaimed films including ''

Der kom en dag ''Der kom en dag'' () is a 1955 Danish dramatic film directed by Sven Methling, It stars John Wittig, Kjeld Jacobsen and Astrid Villaume as Danish resistance fighters during the last days of the German occupation of Denmark in World War II. ...

'' and ''

'' which won the first

Bodil Award The Bodil Awards are the major Danish film awards given by the Danish Film Critics Association. The awards are presented annually at a ceremony in Copenhagen. Established in 1948, it is one of the oldest film awards in Europe. The awards are given ...

for best film and is one of ten films in the Danish Cultural Canon. Olsen wrote more than twenty screenplays between 1936 and 1960, including ''Recrut 67, Petersen'', ''Det var pa Rundetarn'', ''Ferry Inn'', ''Mate Karlsen'' and ''Baronessen fra Benzintanken'', his last film. Olsen died in Copenhagen on 9 December 1959 and was buried in Frederiksberg Cemetery. John Flemming Olsen, his son from his marriage to Inger Marie Karmann on 8 April 1916, continued the leadership of the Saga Studios until it closed in 1974.

Selected filmography

* '' Sun Over Denmark'' (1936) * '' For Better, for Worse'' (1938) * ''

Rekrut 67, Petersen ''Rekrut 67, Petersen'' is a 1952 Danish family film directed by Poul Bang. Cast *Lily Broberg as Grete Petersen * Gunnar Lauring as Kaptajn Fang *Kate Mundt as Anna Mogensen *Ib Schønberg as Dr. Christiansen *Buster Larsen as Peter Rasmussen ...

'' (1952) * ''

I kongens klæ'r I kongens klæ'r or I kongens klær may refer to: * I kongens klæ'r (1954 film), a Danish film * I kongens klær (1933 film), a Norwegian film {{dab ...

'' (1954) * ''

Det var paa Rundetaarn ''Det var paa Rundetaarn'' is a 1955 Danish comedy film directed by Poul Bang and starring Dirch Passer. Cast *Dirch Passer as Poul Jensen *Ove Sprogøe as Hans Ramløse *Clara Østø as Fru Hambro *Kjeld Petersen as Landsretsagfører Hartsen ...

'' (1955) * ''

Færgekroen ''Færgekroen'' is a 1956 Danish film directed by Poul Bang and starring Dirch Passer. Cast * Dirch Passer - Erik Hansen * Ove Sprogøe - Lars Tofte * Kjeld Petersen - Jens Ravn * Lily Broberg - Kamilla * Poul Müller - Niels Ermandsen * Else ...

'' (1956) * ''

Tag til marked i Fjordby ''Tag til marked i Fjordby'' is a 1957 Danish comedy film directed by Poul Bang and starring Dirch Passer. Cast * Dirch Passer - 'Lange' Emil Andersen * Ove Sprogøe - Knud Tofte * Buster Larsen - Lasse Larsen * Lily Broberg - Gunhild * Sonja ...

'' (1957) * ''

Onkel Bill fra New York ''Onkel Bill fra New York'' is a 1959 Danish comedy film directed by Peer Guldbrandsen and starring Dirch Passer. Cast * Dirch Passer - Hans Høj * Helle Virkner - Susanne Høj * Ove Sprogøe - Johnny Jensen * Ulla Lock - Kate * Emil Hass Chri ...

'' (1959) * ''

Charles' Aunt ''Charles' Aunt'' ( da, Charles' tante) is a 1959 Danish comedy film directed by Poul Bang and starring Dirch Passer based on Charley's Aunt. Cast * Dirch Passer as Grev Ditlev Lensby * Ove Sprogøe as Charles Smith * Ebbe Langberg as Peter Ahl ...

'' (1959) * ''

Baronessen fra benzintanken ''Baronessen fra benzintanken'' (''The Baroness from the Gas Station'') is a 1960 Danish comedy film directed by Annelise Reenberg and starring Maria Garland, Ghita Nørby, Dirch Passer and Ove Sprogøe. Cast * Maria Garland - Dowager baroness ...

'' (1960)

References

External links

*
John Olsen Biography
at the Danish Film Database
John Olsen
at the Danish Film Institute {{DEFAULTSORT:Olsen, John 1888 births 1959 deaths Danish male screenwriters Danish film producers 20th-century screenwriters People from Copenhagen