Valdemar Einar Psilander (9 May 1884 – 6 March 1917) was a Danishsilent film actor, who was the highest-paid performer of his period and received critical acclaim as the greatest male lead during the golden era of Danish cinema.
Valdemar Psilander was born in Copenhagen, Denmark on 9 May 1884. At the age of 15, he was employed as an apprentice actor at the Casino theater in Copenhagen and performed at both the Frederiksberg and Dagmar Theaters through 1909. His stage performances were not particularly notable.[1]
Film career
Psilander debuted on screen in the fall of 1910 in The Portrait of Dorian Gray for a small film company, Regia Kunst Film. He was immediately hired away by Nordisk Film to perform in August Blom'sVed Fængslets Port (At the Prison Gates).[2] Psilander's charismatic performance earned him great praise and he quickly became Nordisk's highest-paid actor.[2] Within two years, he was named the most popular male actor in film magazine readership polls around the world.[3] During the course of the next 6 years, Psilander made 83 films.[2]
In 1911, Nordisk Film had a fine international reputation and a wide distribution network, but it was Psilander's films which spearheaded the company's sales. He was especially popular among German, Russian and Hungarian audiences.[1] He appeared in such films as Evangeliemandens Liv (The Candle and the Moth) directed by Holger-Madsen, and Klovnen directed by A.W. Sandberg, which was released after his death.[3] Psilander's fees peaked in 1915, when he earned an annual salary of 100,000 DKK.[2] (By comparison, the next highest paid star of the era, Olaf Fønss, received 14,000 DKK).[2]
Psilander seldom granted interviews.[3] In a rare newspaper interview from 1913, he spoke about his acting method: "We so often see fine stage actors become nothing on film because they don't understand that it depends upon concentration. The interesting thing about film is that we play to all social classes and in all parts of the world. We must in our means of expression appear nearly primitively genuine, truly original. One can perhaps learn to become an actor but you can never learn to be filmed. Studied emotions on film become artificial and false. Film relentlessly demands truthfulness and sincerity."[3][4]
Marriage and death
Psilander married the actress Edith Buemann.[1] On 6 March 1917, Psilander was found dead at age 32 in his suite at the Hotel Bristol in Copenhagen. The official cause of death was cardiac arrest.[5] However, rumors circulated that he had committed suicide. He was buried at the Taarbæk Kirkegård.[2]
^ abcValdemar Psilander, Det Danske Filmistitut, retrieved [2022-10-09]
^ abcdefValdemar Psilander -- a global star from Nordisk Film 2008-11-20 at the Wayback Machine Nordisk Film Press, April 10, 2006, retrieved 2008-05-27
^ abcdLarsen, Lisbeth Richter, "Valdemar Psilander -- A world Star in Danish Film" 2008-09-27 at the Wayback Machine, CINEGRAFIE #17, 2004; retrieved 2008-05-27]
^Valdemar Psilander, Interview, København Avis, March 4, 1913, retrieved [2008-05-27]
^Richter Larsen, Lisbeth. Valdemar Psilander - en Verdensstjerne I Dansk film. Det Danske Filminstitut
Further reading
by Lisbeth Richter Larsen, (2004)
Valdemar Psilander at Det Danske Filmistitut
from Nordisk Film Press Release
February 23, 2023
valdemar, psilander, valdemar, einar, psilander, 1884, march, 1917, danish, silent, film, actor, highest, paid, performer, period, received, critical, acclaim, greatest, male, lead, during, golden, danish, cinema, bornvaldemar, einar, psilander, 1884, 1884cope. Valdemar Einar Psilander 9 May 1884 6 March 1917 was a Danish silent film actor who was the highest paid performer of his period and received critical acclaim as the greatest male lead during the golden era of Danish cinema Valdemar PsilanderValdemar PsilanderBornValdemar Einar Psilander 1884 05 09 9 May 1884Copenhagen DenmarkDied6 March 1917 1917 03 06 aged 32 Copenhagen DenmarkOccupationActorYears active1910 1917SpouseEdith BuemannValdemar Psilander in 1915 Contents 1 Biography 1 1 Early life 1 2 Film career 1 3 Marriage and death 2 Selected filmography 3 References 4 Further readingBiography EditEarly life Edit Valdemar Psilander was born in Copenhagen Denmark on 9 May 1884 At the age of 15 he was employed as an apprentice actor at the Casino theater in Copenhagen and performed at both the Frederiksberg and Dagmar Theaters through 1909 His stage performances were not particularly notable 1 Film career Edit Psilander debuted on screen in the fall of 1910 in The Portrait of Dorian Gray for a small film company Regia Kunst Film He was immediately hired away by Nordisk Film to perform in August Blom s Ved Faengslets Port At the Prison Gates 2 Psilander s charismatic performance earned him great praise and he quickly became Nordisk s highest paid actor 2 Within two years he was named the most popular male actor in film magazine readership polls around the world 3 During the course of the next 6 years Psilander made 83 films 2 In 1911 Nordisk Film had a fine international reputation and a wide distribution network but it was Psilander s films which spearheaded the company s sales He was especially popular among German Russian and Hungarian audiences 1 He appeared in such films as Evangeliemandens Liv The Candle and the Moth directed by Holger Madsen and Klovnen directed by A W Sandberg which was released after his death 3 Psilander s fees peaked in 1915 when he earned an annual salary of 100 000 DKK 2 By comparison the next highest paid star of the era Olaf Fonss received 14 000 DKK 2 Psilander seldom granted interviews 3 In a rare newspaper interview from 1913 he spoke about his acting method We so often see fine stage actors become nothing on film because they don t understand that it depends upon concentration The interesting thing about film is that we play to all social classes and in all parts of the world We must in our means of expression appear nearly primitively genuine truly original One can perhaps learn to become an actor but you can never learn to be filmed Studied emotions on film become artificial and false Film relentlessly demands truthfulness and sincerity 3 4 Marriage and death Edit Psilander married the actress Edith Buemann 1 On 6 March 1917 Psilander was found dead at age 32 in his suite at the Hotel Bristol in Copenhagen The official cause of death was cardiac arrest 5 However rumors circulated that he had committed suicide He was buried at the Taarbaek Kirkegard 2 Selected filmography Edit source source source source source source source source source source The Clown The Portrait of Dorian Gray Axel Strom 1910 The Black Dream Urban Gad 1911 as Count Johan Waldberg At the Prison Gates August Blom 1911 as Aage Hellertz A Victim of the Mormons August Blom 1911 as Andrew Larson Mormon Priest The Great Circus Catastrophe Eduard Schnedler Sorensen 1912 as Count Willy von Rosenorn Livets Baal Eduard Schnedler Sorensen 1912 as Herbert Jyrtel Professor of Chemistry The Strike at the Old Factory Robert Dinesen 1913 as Hans The Evangelist s Life Holger Madsen 1915 as John Redmond Evangelist Poison Arrow August Blom 1916 as Edmond Vernon Detective The Clown A W Sandberg 1917 as The Clown Joe Higgins The Secret of the Desert 1918 References Edit a b c Valdemar Psilander Det Danske Filmistitut retrieved 2022 10 09 a b c d e f Valdemar Psilander a global star from Nordisk FilmArchived 2008 11 20 at the Wayback Machine Nordisk Film Press April 10 2006 retrieved 2008 05 27 a b c d Larsen Lisbeth Richter Valdemar Psilander A world Star in Danish Film Archived 2008 09 27 at the Wayback Machine CINEGRAFIE 17 2004 retrieved 2008 05 27 Valdemar Psilander Interview Kobenhavn Avis March 4 1913 retrieved 2008 05 27 Richter Larsen Lisbeth Valdemar Psilander en Verdensstjerne I Dansk film Det Danske FilminstitutFurther reading EditValdemar Psilander A World Star in Danish Film by Lisbeth Richter Larsen 2004 Valdemar Psilander at Det Danske Filmistitut Valdemar Psilander a global star from Nordisk Film from Nordisk Film Press Release Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Valdemar Psilander amp oldid 1115018293, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
