danishactresses

Asta Nielsen (LOC)

from The Library of Congress

• swanq said:

  en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Asta_Nielsen "Asta Nielsen (11 September 1881 – 24 May 1972) was a Danish silent film actress who was one of the most popular leading ladies of the 1910s and one of the first international movie stars.[1] Seventy of Nielsen's 74 films were made in Germany where she was known simply as Die Asta (The Asta). Noted for her large dark eyes, mask-like face and boyish figure, Nielsen most often portrayed strong-willed passionate women trapped by tragic circumstances. Due to the erotic nature of her performances, Nielsen's films were heavily censored in the United States and her work remained relatively obscure to American audiences."

• Pixel Wrangler said:

  There are several clips of Asta Nielsen on YouTube, including this 3 minute clip from The Abyss. I would say it's very sensual by 1910 standards. The Abyss also apparently appears in it's entirety [36 min].

• Pixel Wrangler said:

  A little more on Astra (Asta Sofie Amalie Nielsen [Geburtsname]; Asta Gad [Ehename]) – from FemBio:

  "For late bloomers of every stripe there is no better role model than the astonishingly multi-talented Asta Nielsen: She began her literary career at 65. Danish Nobel Laureate in Literature Johannes V. Jensen wrote of her memoirs: 'If you weren't a great actress, then you would have become a great author.' In fact, she continued writing – stories, articles for newspapers and, later, a series of radio lectures entitled Growing Old: A New Life. At the same time, she produced some successful work as a visual artist: 'I created a new form of painting, not with brush and paint, but with colorful fabric from which I assemble people and animals, landscapes and flowers.' "She directed her first film at 86. After a film about her life did not meet with her approval, she set to work on the project herself. The result was a work of art. At the beginning of the 1960’s, 83-year-old Asta Nielsen had to come to terms with the most severe blow of her life: Her daughter Jesta committed suicide following the death of her husband. "Finally, at 88 years of age, Asta Nielsen married her third husband, Christian Theede, an art dealer 18 years her junior and the great love of her life. The two enjoyed their travels together so much that they decided to leave their fortune to a foundation to fund trips for the elderly. 'It was so lovely to travel,' said Asta Nielsen, 'we want to make that possible for others now too.'"

• swanq said:

  And more biographies:
  wfpp.cdrs.columbia.edu/pioneer/asta-nielsen-2/
  www.kortermand.dk/tshirt/asta_uk.htm
  
  and a Flickr album of portraits, posters, etc. from the Film Museum