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Nils Asther is a Actor Danois born on 16 january 1897 at Copenhagen (Danemark)

Nils Asther

Nils Asther
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Nationality Danemark
Birth 16 january 1897 at Copenhagen (Danemark)
Death 13 october 1981 (at 84 years) at Stockholm (Suede)

Nils Anton Alfhild Asther (17 January 1897 – 19 October 1981) was a Danish-born Swedish actor active in Hollywood from 1926 to the mid-1950s, known for his beautiful face and often called "the male Greta Garbo". Between 1916 and 1963 he appeared in over 70 feature films, 16 of which were produced in the silent era.

Biography

Born in Denmark in Sankt Matteus parish, Copenhagen, son of Anton Asther and Swedish Hilda Åkerlund (Married in 1898).
Nils Asther was adopted shortly after birth by a wealthy couple in Malmö, Sweden, where he grew up. As a young man he moved to Stockholm, where he received acting lessons from local star Augusta Lindberg, who also became his mistress even though she was almost 30 years older than he was. Through her he received his first theatrical engagement at Lorensbergsteatern in Gothenburg, and in 1916 Mauritz Stiller cast him in The Wings. This soon lead to a number of film roles in Sweden, Denmark and Germany between 1918 and 1926.

In 1927 he left for Hollywood, where his first film was Topsy and Eva. The film also featured the Duncan Sisters, and in 1930 he married one of them, Vivian Duncan, with whom he had a daughter, Evelyn.

By 1928 his good looks had made him into a leading man, playing opposite such stars as Pola Negri, Marion Davies, Joan Crawford and Greta Garbo, with whom he made two films. He grew a thin mustache which amplified his suave appearance.

With the arrival of sound in movies, Asther took diction and voice lessons to minimize his accent, and was generally cast in roles where an accent wasn't a problem, such as the Chinese General Yen in The Bitter Tea of General Yen.

Between 1935 and 1940 he was forced to work in England after an alleged breach of contract led to a studio-based blacklist. He made six films there. He returned to Hollywood in 1940, and although he made another 19 films up until 1949, his career wasn't the same. In the early 1950s he tried to restart his career in TV, but managed only to secure roles in a few episodes of minor TV series.

In 1958 he returned to Sweden, almost destitute. He managed to get an engagement with a local theatre and had four film roles in Sweden and Denmark before finally giving up on acting in 1963 and devoting his time to painting.

In 1988 his autobiography, Narrens väg (The Road of the Jester) was posthumously published in Swedish.

For his contribution to the motion picture industry, Nils Asther has a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame at 6705 Hollywood Blvd.

Best films

Our Dancing Daughters (1928)
(Actor)
Sorrell and Son (1927)
(Actor)

Usually with

Cedric Gibbons
Cedric Gibbons
(13 films)
Adrian
Adrian
(8 films)
Source : Wikidata

Filmography of Nils Asther (50 films)

Display filmography as list

Actor

Suddenly, a Woman!, 1h40
Directed by Anker Sørensen
Origin Danemark
Genres Drama
Actors Jørgen Buckhøj, Poul Reichhardt, Nils Asther, Birgitte Federspiel, Yvonne Ingdal
Roles Mr. Roscoe
Rating59% 2.9819752.9819752.9819752.9819752.981975
In this drama, a young woman is pretty enough to draw lovers to her like flies to honey. Among her suitors are her wealthy business-magnate employer and her lesbian landlady. Unfortunately for all of them, the young woman only has eyes for her childhood sweetheart. The would-be lovers prove themselves to be poor sports and mayhem ensues.
Samson and Delilah, 2h11
Directed by Cecil B. DeMille
Origin USA
Genres Drama, Fantasy, Adventure, Historical, Peplum, Romance
Themes Films about religion, Films based on the Bible, Films about Jews and Judaism
Actors Hedy Lamarr, Victor Mature, George Sanders, Angela Lansbury, Henry Wilcoxon, Fay Holden
Roles Prince (uncredited)
Rating67% 3.3962153.3962153.3962153.3962153.396215
Samson, a Danite Hebrew placed under Nazirite vows from birth by his mother Hazelelponit, is engaged to a Philistine woman named Semadar. At their wedding feast, Samson loses a bet with his wedding guests because of Semadar and attacks thirty Philistines to strip them of their cloaks to pay his betting debt. When his deeds become known, Semadar and her father Tubal are killed; Samson becomes a hunted man and in his fury he begins fighting the Philistines. The Saran of Gaza imposes heavy taxes on the Danites, with the purpose of having Samson betrayed by his own people. The Saran's plan works, and frustrated Danites hand over Samson to the Philistines, much to the joy of Delilah, Semadar's younger sister. Samson is taken by Prince Ahtur, the military governor of the land of Dan, and a regiment of Philistine troops. En route back to Gaza, Ahtur decides to taunt Samson. Samson rips apart his chains and ropes and begins to combat the Philistines, toppling Ahtur's war chariot and using the jawbone of an ass to club the Philistine soldiers to death.
The Man in Half Moon Street, 1h32
Directed by Ralph Murphy
Origin USA
Genres Drama, Thriller, Fantasy, Horror
Actors Nils Asther, Helen Walker, Paul Cavanagh, Konstantin Shayne, Edmund Breon, Morton Lowry
Roles Dr. Julian Karell
Rating60% 3.0031353.0031353.0031353.0031353.003135
A scientist, Dr. Karell (Asther), has found a way to prolong life (he is 120 years old) with the help of Dr. Van Bruecken (Schünzel). However, Dr. Karell has now fallen in love, and has discovered that if he doesn't get new glands, he will die.
Jealousy
Jealousy (1945)
, 1h11
Directed by Gustav Machatý
Origin USA
Genres Drama, Noir, Crime
Actors John Loder, Jane Randolph, Karen Morley, Nils Asther, Hugo Haas, Holmes Herbert
Roles Peter Urban
Rating61% 3.0854753.0854753.0854753.0854753.085475
A successful alcoholic writer is murdered and his wife is accused.
Son of Lassie, 1h42
Directed by S. Sylvan Simon
Origin USA
Genres Drama, Action, Adventure
Themes Films about animals, Transport films, Aviation films, Films about dogs, Mise en scène d'un mammifère
Actors Peter Lawford, Pal, Donald Crisp, June Lockhart, Nigel Bruce, Donald Curtis
Roles Olav
Rating63% 3.1942853.1942853.1942853.1942853.194285
In Yorkshire, England, at the estate of the Duke of Rudling (Nigel Bruce), the British Army converted the grounds into a training camp for war dogs. The camp is placed under the supervision of Sam Carraclough (Donald Crisp), the kennel caretaker, who immediately begins the process of selecting the best dogs for training, including Laddie, the young pup of the champion collie, Lassie. Joe Carraclough (Peter Lawford), now an adult, joins the Royal Air Force (RAF) during the Second World War. Departing for training school, he is forced to leave behind his dog Lassie and her pup, Laddie.
The Hour Before the Dawn, 1h15
Directed by Frank Tuttle
Origin USA
Genres Drama, War, Romance
Themes Transport films, Aviation films, Political films
Actors Veronica Lake, Franchot Tone, John Sutton, Binnie Barnes, Henry Stephenson, Philip Merivale
Roles Kurt van der Breughel
Rating57% 2.860412.860412.860412.860412.86041
The year is 1923 in England and General Hetherton is instructing his grandson Jim to shoot with a rifle. Unfortunately Jim's dog runs in the way and Jim accidentally shoots and kills him. The incident affects Jim deeply and he becomes a pacifist.
Alaska
Alaska (1944)
, 1h16
Directed by George Archainbaud
Origin USA
Genres Drama, Adventure, Crime, Western
Actors Kent Taylor, Margaret Lindsay, John Carradine, Dean Jagger, Nils Asther, Iris Adrian
Roles Thomas Leroux
Rating53% 2.6979852.6979852.6979852.6979852.697985
Gary Corbett kills a pair of claim jumpers who did likewise to his father. He is charged with murder, but cannot be taken to Juneau to stand trial until the weather permits. Marshal John Masters keeps him in town until the prisoner can be moved.
Bluebeard
Bluebeard (1944)
, 1h12
Directed by Edgar George Ulmer
Origin USA
Genres Thriller, Horror, Crime
Themes Peinture, Serial killer films, Children's films
Actors John Carradine, Jean Parker, Nils Asther, Ludwig Stössel, Teala Loring, George Irving
Roles Inspector Lefevre
Rating58% 2.949232.949232.949232.949232.94923
All Paris is frightened by the murders attributed to "Bluebeard". Modiste Lucille (Jean Parker) is introduced to Gaston Morrell (John Carradine), a puppeteer and painter, by her friend. They are attracted to each other, and she accepts a commission to design some costumes for his puppets.
Submarine Alert, 1h6
Directed by Frank McDonald
Origin USA
Genres War, Thriller, Action, Spy
Themes Spy films, Political films
Actors Richard Arlen, Wendy Barrie, Nils Asther, Roger Pryor, Abner Biberman, Marc Lawrence
Roles Dr. Arthur Huneker
Rating53% 2.661412.661412.661412.661412.66141
During World War II, with shipping being sunk by submarines and with an American scientist working on radio technology killed by Nazi spies, FBI agent G. B. Fleming (Roger Pryor) comes up with a plan to catch the Nazis. He believes that radio signals are alerting the Germans about ship movements. His plan is to fire all the local radio specialists, who likely will seek any employment, including working with the enemy. Tailing the jobless radio men will help the FBI find the Nazis.
Night Monster, 1h13
Directed by Ford Beebe
Origin USA
Genres Drama, Thriller, Horror, Crime
Actors Bela Lugosi, Lionel Atwill, Leif Erickson, Irene Hervey, Ralph Morgan, Don Porter
Roles Agor Singh
Rating61% 3.0995653.0995653.0995653.0995653.099565
In a small town bordering a swampy region, unexplained murders and rumors of mysterious happenings surround the swamp-based home of the reclusive but respected Curt Ingston (Morgan). Ingston uses a wheelchair, and has invited to his home the three doctors who were trying to cure him when his paralysis set in. Already in the household are his grim-humored butler Rolf; a lecherous chauffeur, Lawrie; a mannish housekeeper, Miss Judd; an Eastern mystic, Agar Singh; and Ingston's allegedly mentally-ill sister, Margaret. Outside, the gate is watched by a shrivelled old hunchback called Torque.
Dr. Kildare's Wedding Day, 1h23
Directed by Harold S. Bucquet
Origin USA
Genres Drama
Actors Lew Ayres, Lionel Barrymore, Laraine Day, Red Skelton, Alma Kruger, Samuel S. Hinds
Roles Constanzo Labardi
Rating62% 3.1457653.1457653.1457653.1457653.145765
Dr. James Kildare (Lew Ayres) is finally marrying nurse Mary Lamont (Laraine Day) and everyone at Blair General Hospital in New York is preparing for the wedding. The wedding renders mixed feelings for James' mentor, the wheelchair-bound Dr. Leonard Gillespie (Lionel Barrymore), who realizes his protégé will have less time for him.
Flying Blind, 1h9
Directed by Frank McDonald
Origin USA
Genres Drama, Comedy, Action
Themes Spy films, Transport films, Aviation films
Actors Richard Arlen, Jean Parker, Nils Asther, Marie Wilson, Eddie Quillan, Dick Purcell
Roles Eric Karolek
Rating47% 2.3561252.3561252.3561252.3561252.356125
After being fired for taking the blame for his co-pilot's incompetence, airline pilot Jim Clark (Richard Arlen) starts his own airline, Honeymoon Air, flying for weddings and divorces between Los Angeles and Las Vegas/Reno. He brings stewardess Shirley Brooks (Jean Parker) with him as a partner.