Lars Mauritz Hanson (26 July 1886 – 8 April 1965) was a Swedish film and stage actor, internationally mostly remembered for his motion picture roles during the

silent film A silent film is a film with no synchronized recorded sound (or more generally, no audible dialogue). Though silent films convey narrative and emotion visually, various plot elements (such as a setting or era) or key lines of dialogue may, when ...

era.

Biography

Born in Göteborg, Sweden, Hanson began his career on the stages of Sweden after studying drama in Helsinki and Stockholm as a Shakespearean actor, appearing in such classics as ''

Othello ''Othello'' (full title: ''The Tragedy of Othello, the Moor of Venice'') is a tragedy written by William Shakespeare, probably in 1603, set in the contemporary Ottoman–Venetian War (1570–1573) fought for the control of the Island of Cypru ...

'' and ''

Hamlet ''The Tragedy of Hamlet, Prince of Denmark'', often shortened to ''Hamlet'' (), is a tragedy written by William Shakespeare sometime between 1599 and 1601. It is Shakespeare's longest play, with 29,551 words. Set in Denmark, the play depicts ...

''. Hanson made his film debut in the 1915 film ''Dolken'', directed by Mauritz Stiller, and his popularity as a leading man in his homeland grew with ensuing roles. He was a student of the

Royal Dramatic Training Academy The Royal Dramatic Training Academy ( sv, Kungliga Dramatiska Teaterns Elevskola, also known as ''Dramatens elevskola''), was the acting school of Sweden's national stage, the Royal Dramatic Theatre, and for many years (1787–1964) seen as the f ...

.Isak Thorsen, Lars Gustaf Andersson, Olof Hedling, Gunnar Iversen. ''Historical Dictionary of Scandinavian Cinema''. p. 192. Rowman & Littlefield Publishers, Inc. 2012. While already a well established popular actor in Sweden and much of continental Europe, Lars Hanson gained greater international recognition for his role as the title character in the 1923 Stiller film ''

Gösta Berlings saga Gösta is a male given name, a variant of Gustav. Gösta may refer to: People * Gösta Åsbrink (1881–1966), Swedish gymnast and modern pentathlete * Gösta Andersson (skier) (1918–1979), Swedish cross-country skier * Gösta Andersson (wrestle ...

'' (English: ''The Story of Gösta Berling)'', which featured a young

Mauritz Stiller Mauritz Stiller (born Moshe Stiller, 17 July 1883 – 18 November 1928) was a Swedish film director of Finnish Jewish origin, best known for discovering Greta Garbo and bringing her to America. Stiller had been a pioneer of the Swedish film ...

protégé named

Greta Garbo Greta Garbo (born Greta Lovisa Gustafsson; 18 September 1905 – 15 April 1990) was a Swedish-American actress. Regarded as one of the greatest screen actresses, she was known for her melancholic, somber persona, her film portrayals of tragedy, ...

in one of her first major appearances on screen as well as film stage actress

Gerda Lundequist Gerda Carola Cecilia Lundequist (; 14 February 1871 – 23 October 1959) was a Swedish stage actress, an Ibsen and Strindberg-thespian that in her time was known throughout Scandinavia as "The Swedish Sarah Bernhardt". Career Lundequist was ...

. At the request of American actress

Lillian Gish Lillian Diana Gish (October 14, 1893February 27, 1993) was an American actress, director, and screenwriter. Her film-acting career spanned 75 years, from 1912, in silent film shorts, to 1987. Gish was called the "First Lady of American Cinema", ...

, Hanson arrived in

Hollywood, California Hollywood is a neighborhood in the central region of Los Angeles, California. Its name has come to be a shorthand reference for the U.S. film industry and the people associated with it. Many notable film studios, such as Columbia Pictures, ...

in 1926 (the same year as Garbo) to star opposite Gish in the film version of ''

The Scarlet Letter ''The Scarlet Letter: A Romance'' is a work of historical fiction Historical fiction is a literary genre in which the plot takes place in a setting related to the past events, but is fictional. Although the term is commonly used as a synonym ...

'' directed by fellow countryman

Victor Sjöström Victor David Sjöström (; 20 September 1879 – 3 January 1960), also known in the United States as Victor Seastrom, was a pioneering Swedish film director, screenwriter, and actor. He began his career in Sweden, before moving to Hollywood in ...

. In 1922, Lars Hanson married the ex-wife of influential director

Gustaf Molander Gustaf Harald August Molander (18 November 1888 – 19 June 1973) was a Sweden, Swedish actor and film director. His parents were director Harald Molander, Sr. (1858–1900) and singer and actress Lydia Molander, ''née'' Wessler, and his brother ...

, Swedish actress

Karin Molander Karin Molander (born Katarina Margareta Elisabet Edwertz, 20 May 1889 – 3 September 1978) was a Swedish stage and film actress whose career spanned over five decades. Career Born Katarina Margareta Elisabet Edwertz in Stockholm, Sweden, ...

. The couple remained married until Hanson's death in 1965. Hanson's Hollywood career as an actor steadily grew momentum during the 1920s and he was paired with Greta Garbo in two more motion pictures;

MGM Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Studios Inc., also known as Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Pictures and abbreviated as MGM, is an American film, television production, distribution and media company owned by Amazon through MGM Holdings, founded on April 17, 1924 a ...

's 1927 box-office hit ''

Flesh and the Devil ''Flesh and the Devil'' is an American silent romantic drama film released in 1927 by Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer and stars Greta Garbo, John Gilbert, Lars Hanson, and Barbara Kent, directed by Clarence Brown, and based on the novel ''The Undying P ...

'', which also starred Garbo's offscreen lover, the successful film actor John Gilbert, and 1928's ''

The Divine Woman ''The Divine Woman'' (1928) is an American silent film directed by Victor Sjöström and starring Greta Garbo. Produced and distributed by Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer. Only a single nine-minute reel and an additional 45-second excerpt are currently know ...

'', again directed by Victor Sjöström. Sjöström also directed Hanson in a performance opposite Lillian Gish in '' The Wind'' (1928). By the end of the 1920s however, the era of the silent film was waning, and seeing that his heavy Swedish accent might be a liability in American films, Lars Hanson returned to Europe. Upon arriving back in Europe in 1928, Hanson starred in the aptly titled German film ''

Heimkehr ''Heimkehr'' (English: "Homecoming") is a 1941 Nazi German anti-Polish propaganda film directed by Gustav Ucicky. It received the rare honor "Film of the Nation" in Nazi Germany, bestowed on films considered to have made an outstanding contribut ...

'' (English: ''Homecoming'') opposite

Gustav Fröhlich Gustav Fröhlich (21 March 1902 – 22 December 1987) was a German actor and film director. He landed secondary roles in a number of films and plays before landing his breakthrough role of Freder Fredersen in Fritz Lang's 1927 film ''Metropoli ...

and

Dita Parlo Dita Parlo (born Grethe Gerda Kornstädt or Gerda Olga Justine Kornstädt; 4 September 1908 – 12 December 1971) was a German film actress. Early life and career Dita Parlo was born on 4 September 1908 in Stettin, Pomerania, then in the G ...

. The following year, he starred in a British version of '' The Informer'' filmed at

Elstree Studios Elstree Studios is a generic term which can refer to several current and demolished British film studios and television studios based in or around the town of Borehamwood and village of Elstree in Hertfordshire, England. Production studios ha ...

, playing the same role for which

Victor McLaglen Victor Andrew de Bier Everleigh McLaglen (10 December 1886 – 7 November 1959) was a British boxer-turned-Hollywood actor.Obituary ''Variety'', 11 November 1959, page 79. He was known as a character actor, particularly in Westerns, and made se ...

won an

Academy Award for Best Actor The Academy Award for Best Actor is an award presented annually by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences (AMPAS). It is given to an actor who has delivered an outstanding performance in a leading role in a film released that year. The ...

in the

John Ford John Martin Feeney (February 1, 1894 – August 31, 1973), known professionally as John Ford, was an American film director and naval officer. He is widely regarded as one of the most important and influential filmmakers of his generation. He ...

-directed version six years later. Lars Hanson continued to appear in Swedish films until the early 1950s before retiring. Hanson's last performance was in the 1951 film ''Dårskapens hus (The Nuthouse)''. In Sweden, Hanson balanced his film work with an outstanding stage career, making memorable appearances in ''

A Dream Play ''A Dream Play'' ( sv, Ett drömspel) is a fantasy play in 14 scenes written in 1901 by the Swedish playwright August Strindberg. It was published in Swedish in 1902 and first performed in Stockholm on 17 April 1907. It remains one of Strindberg' ...

'' (1935), ''

The Ghost Sonata ''The Ghost Sonata'' ( sv, Spöksonaten, links=no) is a play in three acts by the Swedish playwright August Strindberg. Written in 1907, it was first produced at Strindberg's Intimate Theatre in Stockholm on 21 January 1908. Since then, it has be ...

'' (1942), and as James Tyrone in the world premiere of

Eugene O'Neill Eugene Gladstone O'Neill (October 16, 1888 – November 27, 1953) was an American playwright and Nobel laureate in literature. His poetically titled plays were among the first to introduce into the U.S. the drama techniques of realism, earlier ...

's '' Long Day's Journey into Night'' (1956). In 1956, Hanson, along with actress

Inga Tidblad Inga Sofia Tidblad (29 May 1901 – 12 September 1975) was a Swedish actress. She was one of the most praised actresses in Swedish theatre during her lifetime. Biography Tidblad grew up in Stockholm as daughter to engineer Otto Tidblad and ...

(who played Mary Tyrone) also became the first two actors to receive

The Eugene O'Neill Award The Eugene O'Neill Award (Swedish: ''O'Neill-stipendiet'') is one of Sweden's finest awards for stage actors. It is a scholarship for actors at the Swedish theater. It has been awarded annually by the Royal Dramatic Theatre since 1956. Histor ...

; today known as Sweden's most prestigious theatre award and presented annually to the country's most outstanding stage actors. Hanson was also a successful Shakespearean actor, especially for his performances as

Richard III Richard III (2 October 145222 August 1485) was King of England and Lord of Ireland from 26 June 1483 until his death in 1485. He was the last king of the House of York and the last of the Plantagenet dynasty. His defeat and death at the Battl ...

and

. Lars Hanson died in Stockholm, Sweden in 1965 after a short illness at the age of 78.

Selected filmography

* '' The Wings'' (1916) * ''

The Lass from the Stormy Croft ''The Lass from the Stormy Croft'' ( sv, Tösen från Stormyrtorpet) is a 1917 Swedish drama film directed by Victor Sjöström, based on the 1908 novella with the same title by Selma Lagerlöf. It was the first in a series of successful Lagerlö ...

'' (1917) * '' A Dangerous Wooing'' (1919) * '' Synnöve Solbakken'' (1919) * '' Erotikon'' (1920) * ''

The Saga of Gosta Berling ''The Saga of Gösta Berling'' ( sv, Gösta Berlings saga) is a 1924 Swedish romantic drama film directed by Mauritz Stiller and released by AB Svensk FAB Svensk Filmindustri, starring Lars Hanson, Gerda Lundequist and Greta Garbo in her domest ...

'' (1924) * ''

Ingmar's Inheritance ''Ingmar's Inheritance'' (Swedish: ''Ingmarsarvet'') is a 1925 Swedish silent drama film directed by Gustaf Molander and starring Lars Hanson, Conrad Veidt and John Ekman.Hjort & Lindqvist p.253 It was shot at the Råsunda Studios in Stockholm ...

'' (1925) * ''

To the Orient ''To the Orient'' (Swedish: ''Till österland'') is a 1926 Swedish silent drama film directed by Gustaf Molander and starring Lars Hanson, Jenny Hasselqvist and Mona Mårtenson.Qvist & Von Bagh p.29 It was shot at the Råsunda Studios in Stockh ...

'' (1926) * ''

'' (1927) * '' Captain Salvation'' (1927) * ''

'' (1928) * ''

Sin In a religious context, sin is a transgression against divine law. Each culture has its own interpretation of what it means to commit a sin. While sins are generally considered actions, any thought, word, or act considered immoral, selfish, s ...

'' (1928) * '' The Wind'' (1928) * ''

'' (1928) * '' The Call of the North'' (1929) * '' The Informer'' (1929) * ''

Walpurgis Night Walpurgis Night (), an abbreviation of Saint Walpurgis Night (from the German ), also known as Saint Walpurga's Eve (alternatively spelled Saint Walburga's Eve), is the eve of the Christian feast day of Saint Walpurga, an 8th-century abbess in ...

'' (1935) * ''

Conflict Conflict may refer to: Arts, entertainment, and media Films * ''Conflict'' (1921 film), an American silent film directed by Stuart Paton * ''Conflict'' (1936 film), an American boxing film starring John Wayne * ''Conflict'' (1937 film) ...

'' (1937) * ''

Första divisionen ''Första divisionen'' ( eng, First Squadron) is a 1941 Swedish drama film directed by Hasse Ekman. Plot summary After a period of hospitalization, caused by an aircraft accident, second lieutenant Gunnar Bråde returns to his old squadron. Dur ...

'' (1941) * ''

Ride Tonight! ''Ride Tonight!'' (Swedish: ''Rid i natt'') is a 1942 Swedish historical drama film directed by Gustaf Molander and starring Lars Hanson, Oscar Ljung, Gerd Hagman and Eva Dahlbeck. It is an adaptation of the 1941 novel ''Ride This Night'' by Vilhe ...

'' (1942) * ''

There's a Fire Burning ''There's a Fire Burning'' (Swedish: ''Det brinner en eld'') is a 1943 Swedish drama film directed by Gustaf Molander and starring Inga Tidblad, Lars Hanson and Victor Sjöström. It was made at the Råsunda Studios in Stockholm. The film's sets ...

'' (1943) * ''

His Excellency Excellency is an honorific style (manner of address), style given to certain high-level officers of a sovereign state, officials of an international organization, or members of an aristocracy. Once entitled to the title "Excellency", the holder ...

'' (1944)

References

External links

* * *
Photographs and literature
{{DEFAULTSORT:Hanson, Lars 1886 births 1965 deaths Swedish male film actors Swedish male silent film actors Swedish male stage actors Eugene O'Neill Award winners People from Gothenburg 20th-century Swedish male actors Swedish expatriates in the United States