Lars Hanson facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Lars Hanson
Born	(1886-07-26)26 July 1886 Gothenburg, Sweden
Died	8 April 1965(1965-04-08) (aged 78) Stockholm, Sweden
Nationality	Swedish
Occupation	Actor
Years active	1915–1951
Spouse(s)	Karin Molander ​ (m. 1922)​

Lars Mauritz Hanson (born July 26, 1886 – died April 8, 1965) was a famous actor from Sweden. He was well-known around the world, especially for his movies made during the time of silent films. These were movies without spoken dialogue, where actors used their expressions and body language to tell the story.

A Star is Born

Lars Hanson was born in Gothenburg, Sweden. He started his acting journey on stage after studying drama in Helsinki and Stockholm. He became a skilled Shakespearean actor, performing in famous plays like Othello and Hamlet. Lars first appeared in a movie called Dolken in 1915. It was directed by Mauritz Stiller. After this, his popularity grew quickly in Sweden. He was a student at the Royal Dramatic Training Academy.

Hollywood Calling

Lars Hanson was already a very popular actor in Sweden and Europe. But he became even more famous internationally in 1923. This was for his role in the film Gösta Berlings saga (also known as The Story of Gösta Berling). In this movie, a young actress named Greta Garbo also had one of her first big roles.

In 1926, a famous American actress named Lillian Gish asked Lars to come to Hollywood, California. He moved there the same year as Greta Garbo. In Hollywood, he starred opposite Lillian Gish in the movie The Scarlet Letter. This film was directed by another Swede, Victor Sjöström.

In 1922, Lars Hanson married Karin Molander, who was also a Swedish actress. They stayed married until Lars passed away in 1965.

Silent Film Success

Lars Hanson's acting career in Hollywood grew steadily during the 1920s. He worked with Greta Garbo again in two more movies. These were Flesh and the Devil in 1927 and The Divine Woman in 1928. Flesh and the Devil was a big hit for MGM studios. Victor Sjöström also directed Lars Hanson in another film with Lillian Gish called The Wind (1928).

However, by the end of the 1920s, silent films were becoming less popular. New movies with sound, called "talkies," were taking over. Lars Hanson had a strong Swedish accent. He worried this might make it hard for him to get roles in American sound films. So, he decided to move back to Europe.

Return to Europe and Stage Career

After returning to Europe in 1928, Lars Hanson starred in a German film called Heimkehr. The next year, he acted in a British movie called The Informer.

Lars Hanson continued to act in Swedish films until the early 1950s. His last movie was Dårskapens hus (The Nuthouse) in 1951.

Besides his film work, Lars Hanson also had an amazing career on stage in Sweden. He gave memorable performances in plays like A Dream Play (1935) and The Ghost Sonata (1942). He also played James Tyrone in the very first performance of Eugene O'Neill's famous play Long Day's Journey into Night in 1956.

In 1956, Lars Hanson and actress Inga Tidblad were the first two actors to receive The Eugene O'Neill Award. This is now Sweden's most important theater award. It is given every year to the country's best stage actors. Lars Hanson was also a fantastic Shakespearean actor. He was especially known for his roles as Richard III and Hamlet.

Lars Hanson passed away in Stockholm, Sweden, in 1965. He was 78 years old.

Selected Filmography

See also

In Spanish: Lars Hanson para niños