Lau Lauritzen Jr.

Last updated

Lau Lauritzen Jr.
Lau Lauritzen Jr..jpg
Promotional Photo of Lauritzen for the 1935 film Weekenden
Born(1910-06-26)26 June 1910
Vejle, Denmark
Died12 May 1977(1977-05-12) (aged 66)
Copenhagen, Denmark
Occupation(s)Actor, director, studio head, screenwriter
Years active19311965
Spouse Lisbeth Movin
Awards Bodil Award
1949 Støt står den danske sømand

Bodil Award
1951 Café Paradis

Bodil Award
1952 Det Sande Ansigt

Bodil Award
1954 Farlig Ungdom

Palme D'or
1946 De Røde Enge

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 served as the studio's artistic director (19371945) and administrative director (19451964).

Contents

Career

Lau Lauritzen Jr. was born 26 June 1910 in Vejle, Denmark, the son of silent film actor and director Lau Lauritzen Sr. He pursued an education in the film industry by working at film studios in England, Germany, France, and Belgium. After returning to Denmark, he worked for his father at Palladium Film productions in multiple positions including screenwriter, cameraman, soundman, and director's assistant. In 1934, Lauritzen made his acting debut in the comedy Barken Margrethe . Earlier that same year, before he was 24 years old, Lauritzen made his directorial debut with the 1934 farcical comedy, Ud I den kold sne (Out in the Cold Snow). Lauritzen co-directed the film with Alice O'Fredericks who had also been working as a director's assistant for Lauritzen's father at Palladium. The Lauritzen-O'Fredericks partnership flourished and they eventually made 27 films together during the 1930s and 1940s.

In 1937, Lauritzen, along with director John Olsen and Henning Karmark, established the ASA Film studio, where Lauritzen worked as the company's artistic director. At ASA, he often co-directed films, notably with the leading women directors Alice O'Fredericks and Bodil Ipsen. During the years of German occupation in World War II, Lauritzen directed 22 films through ASA Film. In 1946, Lauritzen shared with Ipsen the Palme D'Or at the Cannes Film Festival for their film The Red Meadows ( De røde enge ) which told about Danish resistance fighters during the German occupation. The film starred Lauritzen's new wife, Lisbeth Movin, whom he had married the previous year.

Lauritzen shared with Ipsen the Bodil Award for Best Danish Film three times: In 1949, for Støt står den danske sømand ( The Viking Watch of the Danish Seaman ) which also starred both Lauritzen and Movin; in 1951, for Café Paradis (Paradise Cafe), which has received praise as a Danish "masterpiece"; and in 1952, for Det Sande Ansigt (The True Face), a taut psychological thriller which starred Lauritzen as an architect wrongly accused of rape and murder. In 1954, Lauritzen was again awarded the Bodil Award, this time as the sole director for his crime drama Farlig Ungdom (Dangerous Youth). Lauritzen's four Bodils for Best Danish film was a record that would stand more than forty years until Lars von Trier in 1997 received his fourth Best Danish Film Bodil for Breaking the Waves . [1] [2]

From 1945 until 1965, Lauritzen was the administrative director of ASA Film. He directed and produced his final film, Me and My Kid Brother and Doggie in 1969. During his career, Lauritzen directed 64 films, acted in 27 movies, and wrote 25 produced screenplays. Lauritzen died on 12 May 1977 and is buried in Hørsholm church cemetery.

Personal life

Lauritzen was married for the first time to Nina Borthen, the daughter of a Norwegian shipping magnate. He married the second time on 30 January 1945 to the Danish actress Lisbeth Movin. Lauritzen is the father of the actress Lone Lau.

Filmography

Director

Actor

  • Sømand i knibe (1960) .... Admiral
  • Taxa K 1640 efterlyses (1956) .... Jacob Svendsen
  • En Sømand går i land (1954) .... Frederik Larsen
  • Det Sande Ansigt (1951) .... Architect Troels Rolff
  • Café Paradis (1950) .... Psychologist Ivers
  • The Viking Watch of the Danish Seaman (1948) .... Kaj Frische .
  • Værelse søges (1948) .... Narrator
  • I Love You Karlsson (1947) .... Karlsson Jr.
  • Lise kommer til Byen (1947) .... Film Director Hans Berg
  • De røde enge (1945) .... Toto
  • Den Usynlige Hær (1945) .... German Defender
  • Afsporet (1942)
  • Tag til Rønneby Kro (1941) .... Attorney
  • En Ganske almindelig pige (1940) .... Filmmaker Poul Hansen
  • Nordhavets mænd (1939) .... Sigurd Jernø
  • Tre måske fire, De (1939) .... Officed Worker
  • Blaavand melder Storm (1938) .... Svend Larsen
  • Julia jubilerar (1938) .... Erik Kruse
  • Alarm (1938) .... Jess Clark
  • Der var engang en vicevært (1937)
  • Frk. Møllers jubilæum (1937) .... Engineer Peter Juhl
  • Fuldendt gentleman, En (1937) .... Baron Henrik Falkenstjerne
  • Panserbasse (1936)
  • Snushanerne (1936)
  • Week-end (1935) .... Poul
  • Barken Margrethe (1934) .... First Mate Poul Hansen
  • Ud i den kolde sne (1934)

Writer

  • Danmarks konge (1957)
  • Klingende toner (1945)
  • Bedstemor går amok (1944)
  • Tror du jeg er født i Gaar! (1941)
  • Västkustens hjältar (1940)
  • De Tre måske fire (1939)
  • Blaavand melder Storm (1938)
  • Julia jubilerar (1938)
  • Alarm (1938)
  • Der var engang en vicevært (1937)
  • Frk. Møllers jubilæum (1937)
  • Panserbasse (1936)
  • Snushanerne (1936)
  • Week-end (1935)
  • Kidnapped (1935/I)
  • Barken Margrethe (1934)
  • Ud i den kolde sne (1934)
  • Københavnere (1933)
  • Med fuld musik (1933)
  • Han, hun og Hamlet (1932)
  • I kantonnement (1932)
  • Krudt med knald (1931)
  • Pas paa pigerne (1930)
  • Hr. Tell og søn (1930)
  • Højt paa en kvist (1929)

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ib Schønberg</span> Danish actor (1902–1955)

Ib Christian Albert von Cotta Schønberg was a Danish film actor, and is considered one of the leading actors of Danish film in the 20th century.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Poul Reichhardt</span> Danish actor (1913–1985)

Poul David Reichhardt was a Danish actor, well known for his roles in Danish 1940s/1950s comedies. Later on, he also played more serious and varied roles; he has also starred in Huset på Christianshavn, Matador and as various minor characters in the Olsen-banden films.

Lisbeth Movin was a Danish actress of stage and film best known for her role as Anne, the pastor's wife accused of witchcraft in the film Day of Wrath (1943) directed by Carl Theodor Dreyer. She also appeared as the widow in the screen adaptation of Babette's Feast (1987), directed by Gabriel Axel. She was the mother of actress Lone Lau.

<i>Der var engang en vicevært</i> 1937 film

Der var engang en vicevært is a 1937 Danish family film directed by Lau Lauritzen Jr. and Alice O'Fredericks and written by Børge Müller. The film stars Osvald Helmuth and Connie Meiling.

<i>Frk. Møllers jubilæum</i> 1937 film

Frøken Møllers jubilæum is a 1937 Danish comedy film directed and written by Lau Lauritzen Jr. and Alice O'Fredericks. The film stars Liva Weel and Victor Borge.

Alice O'Fredericks was a Danish actress, screenwriter, and film director. She is best known for directing the series of Far til Fire comedies and the series of family dramas based on Morten Korch novels. Having written 38 produced screenplays and directed 72 feature films, O'Fredericks was one of the most prolific directors in Danish cinema. O'Fredericks also directed the first Danish films which highlighted women's rights. The Alice Award, presented annually to the Best Female Director at the Copenhagen International Film Festival, is named in her honor.

Julia jubilerar is a 1938 Swedish-Danish comedy film directed by Lau Lauritzen Jr. and Alice O'Fredericks.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Osvald Helmuth</span> Danish stage and film actor and revue singer

Osvald Helmuth was a Danish stage and film actor and revue singer.

Torkil Lauritzen was a Danish actor.

Per Gundmann was a Danish stage and film actor.

Tror du jeg er født i går! is a 1941 Danish family film directed by Lau Lauritzen Jr. and Alice O'Fredericks.

Sigurd Bengt Langberg was a Danish stage and film actor.

Connie Meiling is a retired Danish child actress of the 1930s.

Erika Voigt was a Danish stage and film actress and singer. Her son, Jens Brenaa was also an actor in the mid-1970s.

Ellen Jansø was a Danish film actress. She appeared in twelve films between 1933 and 1951.

Alex Suhr was a Danish film actor. He appeared in 32 films between 1923 and 1963. He was born in Copenhagen, Denmark and died in Denmark.

Asbjørn Andersen was a Danish film actor and director. He appeared in more than 90 films between 1930 and 1976. He also directed nine films between 1946 and 1952.

Ernst Marischka was an Austrian screenwriter and film director. He wrote for more than 90 films between 1913 and 1962. He also directed 29 films between 1915 and 1962. He wrote and directed the Sissi trilogy - Sissi (1955), Sissi – The Young Empress (1956) and Sissi – Fateful Years of an Empress (1957). The films were based on the life of Empress Elisabeth of Austria. He was the brother of Hubert Marischka. He was named for the Academy Award for Best Original Screenplay in 1946, for A Song to Remember (1945).

A/S Palladium was a Danish film production company which existed from 1919 to 2017.

Marie Ejlersen was a Danish film editor active in the 1930s, 1940s, and 1950s. She was the editor on many of directors Alice O'Fredericks and Lau Lauritzen.

References

  1. Paw Pedersen (May 2012). Direktor Lau Lauritzen (in Danish). BoD – Books on Demand. p. 270. ISBN   978-87-7114-705-6.
  2. Claus Hesselberg (2000). Bodil: historien om en filmpris : 1948-1999 (in Danish). Filmmedarbejderforeningen. ISBN   978-87-987836-0-2.

Sources