Warner Oland facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Warner Oland
Oland in 1919
Born	Johan Verner Ölund (1879-10-03)October 3, 1879 Nyby, Bjurholm Municipality, Sweden
Died	August 6, 1938(1938-08-06) (aged 58) Stockholm, Sweden
Resting place	Southborough Rural Cemetery, Southborough, Massachusetts, US
Occupation	Actor
Years active	1902–1937
Known for	Charlie Chan
Spouse(s)	Edith Gardener Shearn ​ (m. 1907⁠–⁠1938)​

Warner Oland (born Johan Verner Ölund; October 3, 1879 – August 6, 1938) was an actor from Sweden who also became an American citizen. He was famous for his roles on Broadway and in many movies. People remember him most for playing Asian characters, especially the detective Charlie Chan in 16 films. He also played Dr. Fu Manchu and Henry Chang in the movie Shanghai Express.

Warner Oland's Early Life

Warner Oland was born in a small village called Nyby in Sweden. When he was 13 years old, his family moved to the United States in November 1892. They first lived in New York City, then settled in New Britain, Connecticut.

Oland studied in Boston. He spoke both English and his native Swedish. He even helped translate some plays by a famous Swedish writer named August Strindberg.

Becoming an Actor

As a young man, Oland wanted to work in theater. He started by designing sets while learning to be an actor. In 1906, he joined a group led by Russian-American actress Alla Nazimova.

The next year, he met and married Edith Gardener Shearn. She was a playwright and portrait painter. Edith learned Swedish and helped Oland translate Strindberg's works. They published these translations together in a book in 1912.

Warner Oland's Film Career

Starting in Movies

After several years in theater, Warner Oland made his first silent movie in 1912. It was called Pilgrim's Progress. Because he had trained as a Shakespearean actor and could easily look serious, he was often chosen to play villains or characters from different backgrounds.

Over the next 15 years, he appeared in more than 30 films. One of his most important roles was in The Jazz Singer (1927). This was one of the first "talkie" movies, meaning it had sound and dialogue.

Oland as the popular Asian character Charlie Chan in 1936's Charlie Chan's Secret

Becoming a Star

Oland's looks fit the way Hollywood often showed Asian characters at the time. He played many Asian roles before getting the main part in the 1929 film The Mysterious Dr. Fu Manchu.

The Mysterious Dr. Fu Manchu was a huge success. It made Oland a star. For the next two years, he played the evil Dr. Fu Manchu in three more films. Because he was so good at these roles, he was then cast as Charlie Chan. This was for the international detective movie Charlie Chan Carries On (1931).

He also appeared in director Josef von Sternberg's 1932 classic film Shanghai Express. In this movie, he acted alongside famous stars like Marlene Dietrich and Anna May Wong. Oland even played a werewolf in the 1935 film Werewolf of London.

The Charlie Chan Movies

The Charlie Chan films were incredibly popular around the world. Oland starred in 16 Charlie Chan movies in total. These movies were so successful that they helped the film studio 20th Century Fox stay strong during the 1930s. Oland earned $40,000 for each movie.

Oland took his role as Charlie Chan very seriously. He studied the Chinese language and calligraphy to better understand his character.

Warner Oland's Final Years

In January 1938, Oland began filming Charlie Chan at the Ringside. However, he stopped working on the movie, and it was not finished. After some time in the hospital, he signed a new deal to make three more Charlie Chan films.

Around this time, Oland was going through a difficult period in his personal life. He was not allowed to travel overseas or move his money abroad.

His Death

Oland left the U.S. by ship and traveled to Europe. He then went to his home country of Sweden, where he stayed with a friend. In Sweden, Oland became very sick with bronchial pneumonia. This was made worse by lung problems, possibly from many years of smoking cigarettes. He died in a hospital in Stockholm on August 6, 1938, when he was 58 years old.

After his body was cremated in Sweden, his ashes were brought back to the United States by his former wife. He was buried in the Southborough Rural Cemetery in Southborough, Massachusetts.

Oland's last film, Charlie Chan at the Ringside, was never finished with him. Instead, his scenes were re-filmed with another actor, Peter Lorre, and the movie was released as Mr. Moto's Gamble (1938).

Oland is mentioned in the book Autobiography of a Yogi by Paramahansa Yogananda. They met on a train. The famous actor was at first critical of Yogananda's clothing, but their conversation soon became a friendly discussion about life and ideas.

Filmography

See also

In Spanish: Warner Oland para niños