Jean Hersholt facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Jean Hersholt
Hersholt in 1929
Born	Jean Pierre Carl Buron (1886-07-12)12 July 1886 Copenhagen, Denmark
Died	2 June 1956(1956-06-02) (aged 69) Los Angeles, California, U.S.
Resting place	Forest Lawn Memorial Park, Glendale, California
Other names	Jean Pierre Hersholt Jean Buron Hersholt
Occupation	Actor
Years active	1906–1955
Spouse(s)	Via Hersholt ​ (m. 1914)​
Children	2 sons

Jean Pierre Carl Buron (born July 12, 1886 – died June 2, 1956) was a famous actor from Denmark who also became an American citizen. He was known by his professional name, Jean Hersholt. People remember him best for playing the main character in the radio show Dr. Christian from 1937 to 1954. He also starred in the 1937 movie Heidi. Jean Hersholt acted in 75 silent films and 65 sound films, making a total of 140 movies. He also directed four films.

Early Life and Moving to America

Jean Hersholt was born in Copenhagen, Denmark. His birth name was Jean Pierre Carl Buron. While he often said his family were actors, his parents, Henri Pierre Buron and Clara Petersen, were actually hairdressers. Later, his father sold cigars and wine.

Hersholt appeared in two of the first short films made by the Danish film studio Nordisk Film in 1906. However, he did not find much success as an actor in Denmark during his early years. In 1913, he moved to the United States. He spent the rest of his acting career in America.

Jean Hersholt's Acting Career

A flyer for the radio show Dr. Christian on Seattle station KIRO.

Jean Hersholt played many memorable roles in movies. One of his famous roles was Marcus Schouler in the 1924 film Greed. He is also well-known for playing Shirley Temple's kind grandfather in the 1937 movie Heidi. This movie was based on the popular children's book Heidi by Swiss author Johanna Spyri.

Throughout his long career, Hersholt played many different characters. In silent films, he sometimes played villains. After sound films became popular, his gentle Danish accent and pleasant voice made him perfect for playing friendly fathers, doctors, professors, and European noblemen. His last movie role was in the 1955 film Run for Cover.

Dr. Christian: From Film to Radio Star

In the 1936 movie The Country Doctor, Jean Hersholt played Dr. John Luke. This character was based on Dr. Allan Roy Dafoe, a Canadian doctor who helped deliver and care for the famous Dionne quintuplets. After this movie, two more films followed with Hersholt as Dr. John Luke.

Hersholt wanted to bring the doctor character to radio. Since he loved the stories of Hans Christian Andersen, he decided to create his own doctor character named Dr. Paul Christian. This kind and wise doctor practiced medicine in a small Midwest town called River's End. Nurse Judy Price helped him in his office.

The radio show Dr. Christian started on CBS on November 7, 1937. It began with the theme music "Rainbow on the River". The show became very popular and ran until January 6, 1954. Jean Hersholt was so good at playing Dr. Christian that people would send him letters asking for medical advice!

Hersholt also helped write a Dr. Christian novel. He starred in six family movies as Dr. Christian between 1939 and 1941, like Dr. Christian Meets the Women in 1940. Later, in 1956, the Dr. Christian character even appeared on television. Macdonald Carey played Dr. Mark Christian, the nephew of Jean Hersholt's character.

Helping Others in the Film Industry

In 1939, Jean Hersholt helped start the Motion Picture & Television Fund. This fund was created to help people who worked in the film industry get medical care if they were having a tough time. The fund led to the creation of the Motion Picture Country House and Hospital in Woodland Hills, California.

Because of his great work helping others, the Jean Hersholt Humanitarian Award was created in 1956. This special award is given by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences. It honors someone in the movie industry whose kind actions have brought good credit to the industry.

Jean Hersholt also served as the president of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences. On March 20, 1948, he presented special awards to the founders of the American film industry. These founders included Colonel William N. Selig, Albert E. Smith, George K. Spoor, and Thomas Armat.

Love for Hans Christian Andersen

Jean Hersholt had a very large collection of books by Hans Christian Andersen. This collection is now kept at the Library of Congress. Hersholt also translated over 160 of Andersen's famous fairy tales into English. These translations were published in 1949 in six books called The Complete Andersen. Many people consider his translations to be among the best in English.

Because of his efforts, especially with Andersen's works, Jean Hersholt was made a knight of the Order of the Dannebrog in 1948. This is a special honor from Denmark.

Jean Hersholt's Family

Jean Hersholt married Via Andersen on April 11, 1914. They had one son named Allan Hersholt. Jean Hersholt was also the half-uncle of the famous actor Leslie Nielsen and former Canadian Deputy Prime Minister Erik Nielsen.

Jean Hersholt's Passing

Jean Hersholt's grave at Forest Lawn Memorial Park Cemetery in Glendale, California.

Jean Hersholt passed away from cancer in Hollywood in 1956. He is buried at Forest Lawn Memorial Park Cemetery in Glendale, California. His grave has a statue of Klods-Hans, which means "Clumsy Hans". This is a character from a Hans Christian Andersen story who leaves home to find his way in the world. This was much like Jean Hersholt's own journey.

Awards and Special Recognitions

Jean Hersholt received many honors for his contributions to the film industry. He was given an honorary Academy Award twice, first in 1940 and again in 1950. As mentioned before, the Jean Hersholt Humanitarian Award was named in his honor by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences.

He is one of only 11 people who have two stars on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. One star is at 6501 Hollywood Boulevard for his work in movies. The other star is at 6701 Hollywood Boulevard for his work in radio.

Selected Filmography

Radio Appearances

See also

In Spanish: Jean Hersholt para niños