Osa Massen (born Aase Madsen Iversen, 13 January 1914 – 2 January 2006) was a Danish actress who became a successful movie actress in Hollywood. She became a naturalized citizen of the United States in 1941.

Background and early career

Born in Copenhagen, Denmark, she began her career as a newspaper photographer, then became an actress. She first came to the United States in 1937. She was recorded as Aase Madsen-Iversen, Danish actress, aged 23, on the manifest of the S/S ''Normandie'', which sailed from Southampton, England, on December 18, 1937, and arrived at the Port of New York on December 23, 1937. Massen's first film was ''

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'' (1935). She notably appeared as

Melvyn Douglas Melvyn Douglas (born Melvyn Edouard Hesselberg, April 5, 1901 – August 4, 1981) was an American actor. Douglas came to prominence in the 1930s as a suave leading man, perhaps best typified by his performance in the romantic comedy ''Ninotchka ...

' unfaithful wife dealing with blackmailer

Joan Crawford Joan Crawford (born Lucille Fay LeSueur; March 23, ncertain year from 1904 to 1908was an American actress. She started her career as a dancer in traveling theatrical companies before debuting on Broadway. Crawford was signed to a motion pict ...

in ''

A Woman's Face ''A Woman's Face'' is a 1941 American Drama (film and television), drama film directed by George Cukor and starring Joan Crawford, Melvyn Douglas and Conrad Veidt. It tells the story of Anna Holm, a facially disfigured blackmailer, who because of ...

'' (1941). She also appeared as a mysterious woman with something to hide in ''

Deadline at Dawn ''Deadline at Dawn'' is a 1946 American film noir, the only film directed by stage director Harold Clurman. It was written by Clifford Odets and based on a novel of the same name by Cornell Woolrich (as William Irish). The RKO Pictures film rele ...

'' (1946). She also starred with

Lloyd Bridges Lloyd Vernet Bridges Jr. (January 15, 1913 – March 10, 1998) was an American film, stage and television actor who starred in a number of television series and appeared in more than 150 feature films. He was the father of four children, includi ...

in the movie ''

Rocketship X-M ''Rocketship X-M'' (a.k.a. ''Expedition Moon'' and originally ''Rocketship Expedition Moon'') is a 1950 American black-and-white science fiction film from Robert L. Lippert, Lippert Pictures, the first outer space adventure of the post-World War ...

'' (1950), the first space adventure of the post-World War II era. Later in her career, Massen appeared in guest roles on many television programs. She made three guest appearances on ''

Perry Mason Perry Mason is a fictional character, an American criminal defense lawyer who is the main character in works of detective fiction written by Erle Stanley Gardner. Perry Mason features in 82 novels and 4 short stories, all of which involve a cli ...

''. In 1958, she played Lisa Bannister in "The Case of the Desperate Daughter", where she was reunited with her "Master Race" daughter Gigi Perreau, and in 1959, she played Sarah Werner in "The Case of the Shattered Dream". Her last television role was in 1962 when she played Lisa Pedersen in "The Case of the Tarnished Trademark".

Personal life

She was married three times, each with a relatively short duration, including once to Allan Hersholt, the son of

Jean Hersholt Jean Pierre Carl Buron (12 July 1886 – 2 June 1956), known professionally as Jean Hersholt, was a Danish-American actor. He is best known for starring on the radio series '' Dr. Christian'' (1937–1954) and in the film ''Heidi'' (1937).Obitua ...

, on December 15, 1938.

Death

Massen died on January 2, 2006, 11 days before her 92nd birthday, following unspecified surgery in Hollywood, California.The book ''Obituaries in the Performing Arts, 2006: Film, Television, Radio, Theatre, Dance, Music, Cartoons and Pop Culture'' says Massen "... died of complications from surgery in a Santa Monica, California, convalescent home ...". Her remains are buried at

Westwood Memorial Park Pierce Brothers Westwood Village Memorial Park & Mortuary is a cemetery and mortuary located in the Westwood Village area of Los Angeles. It is located at 1218 Glendon Avenue in Westwood, with an entrance from Glendon Avenue. The cemetery was ...

in Los Angeles, California with a plaque that lists her name as Osa Massen Vogel.

Filmography

Notes

References

External links

* * {{DEFAULTSORT:Massen, Osa 1914 births 2006 deaths 20th-century Danish actresses American film actresses American television actresses Danish emigrants to the United States Danish film actresses Actresses from Copenhagen Burials at Westwood Village Memorial Park Cemetery 20th-century American actresses Naturalized citizens of the United States 21st-century American women