Astrid Holm (born Astrid Vilhelmine Rasmussen; 29 March 1893 – 29 October 1961) was a

Danish Danish may refer to: * Something of, from, or related to the country of Denmark People * A national or citizen of Denmark, also called a "Dane," see Demographics of Denmark * Culture of Denmark * Danish people or Danes, people with a Danish a ...

theater and film actress whose career began on the stage and in the early

silent film A silent film is a film with no synchronized Sound recording and reproduction, recorded sound (or more generally, no audible dialogue). Though silent films convey narrative and emotion visually, various plot elements (such as a setting or era) ...

era.

Early life and stage career

Born Astrid Vilhelmine Rasmussen in Sønder Bjerge Sogn,

Sorø Municipality Sorø Municipality is a municipality (Danish, '' kommune'') in Region Sjælland on the island of Zealand (''Sjælland'') in east Denmark. The municipality covers an area of , and has a total population of 29,331 (2015). The main town and the site ...

Zealand Zealand ( da, Sjælland ) at 7,031 km2 is the largest and most populous island in Denmark proper (thus excluding Greenland and Disko Island, which are larger in size). Zealand had a population of 2,319,705 on 1 January 2020. It is the 1 ...

, she was the daughter of hotelier Hans Peter Rasmussen and his wife Maren Sofie Rasmussen (''née'' Larsen). She studied at the

Royal Danish Ballet The Royal Danish Ballet is an internationally renowned classical ballet company, based at the Royal Danish Theatre in Kongens Nytorv, Copenhagen, Denmark. It is one of the oldest ballet companies in the world and originates from 1748, when the R ...

, but left in 1910 to pursue a career as a stage actress. During the World War I years, she performed at Det Ny Teater in the capital city of

Copenhagen Copenhagen ( or .; da, København ) is the capital and most populous city of Denmark, with a proper population of around 815.000 in the last quarter of 2022; and some 1.370,000 in the urban area; and the wider Copenhagen metropolitan ar ...

. During the early 1920s, she was engaged at the

Royal Danish Theatre The Royal Danish Theatre (RDT, Danish: ') is both the national Danish performing arts institution and a name used to refer to its old purpose-built venue from 1874 located on Kongens Nytorv in Copenhagen. The theatre was founded in 1748, first s ...

for four seasons by request of theater director

Johannes Poulsen Johannes Poulsen (17 November 1881 – 14 October 1938) was a Danish actor and director. He debuted with the Dagmar Theatre in 1901. In 1909 he joined the Royal Theatre as an actor, and from 1917 was also a stage director. Memorable roles ...

. From 1927 to 1940 she was engaged at several theaters throughout Denmark and often left the theater to live abroad. In the early 1940s she was engaged at the

Frederiksberg Frederiksberg () is a part of the Capital Region of Denmark. It is formally an independent municipality, Frederiksberg Municipality, separate from Copenhagen Municipality, but both are a part of the City of Copenhagen. It occupies an area of ...

Theatre under direction of Svend Melsing and then the Allé-Scenen Theatre under direction of

Svend Rindom Svend Rindom (30 June 1884 – 11 December 1960) was a Danish screenwriter and film actor. He wrote for 36 films between 1911 and 1950 and appeared in approximately twelve films from 1912 to 1943. He was born in Copenhagen and died in Copen ...

. From the mid-1940s she rarely appeared on stage, but occasionally performed in

radio theater Radio drama (or audio drama, audio play, radio play, radio theatre, or audio theatre) is a dramatized, purely acoustic performance. With no visual component, radio drama depends on dialogue, music and sound effects to help the listener imagine t ...

Film career

Astrid Holm made her screen debut for Dansk Filmfabrik in 1917's ''Søstrene Morelli'' (''The Sisters Morelli'') and the following year was under contract to

Nordisk Film Nordisk Film A/S (lit. "Nordic Film") is a Danish entertainment company established in 1906 in Copenhagen by filmmaker Ole Olsen. It is the fourth-oldest film studio in the world behind the Gaumont Film Company, Pathé, and Titanus ...

. Her first film for Nordisk was a role in the 1918

Holger-Madsen Holger-Madsen (11 April 1878 – 30 November 1943) was a Danish film director, actor and screenwriter. He directed more than 40 films between 1912 and 1936. He also appeared in more than 20 films between 1908 and 1935. Selected filmography ...

-directed ''Folkets Ven'' (''The People's Friend''), opposite

Gunnar Tolnæs Gunnar Tolnæs (1879–1940)Database (undated)."Gunnar Tolnæs" ''Internet Movie Database''. Accessed 13 January 2010 was a Norwegian-born film actor who worked for most of his career in Denmark. Early life He was born in Oslo, Norway. ...

and Svend Kornbeck. This was followed by several popular films for

Emanuel Gregers Emanuel Gregers (28 December 1881 – 22 March 1957) was a Danish actor, screenwriter and film director. Gregers made 36 films during a career which extended over four decades from the Danish golden age of silent film until 1949. Critics often ...

. One of her most popular roles was as Sister Edith in the 1921

Victor Sjöström Victor David Sjöström (; 20 September 1879 – 3 January 1960), also known in the United States as Victor Seastrom, was a pioneering Swedish film director, screenwriter, and actor. He began his career in Sweden, before moving to Hollywood in ...

-directed Swedish silent ''Körkarlen'' (''The Phantom Carriage''). The film was based on the 1912 novel '' Thy Soul Shall Bear Witness!'' by

Nobel prize The Nobel Prizes ( ; sv, Nobelpriset ; no, Nobelprisen ) are five separate prizes that, according to Alfred Nobel's will of 1895, are awarded to "those who, during the preceding year, have conferred the greatest benefit to humankind." Alfr ...

-winning Swedish author

Selma Lagerlöf Selma Ottilia Lovisa Lagerlöf (, , ; 20 November 1858 – 16 March 1940) was a Swedish author. She published her first novel, '' Gösta Berling's Saga'', at the age of 33. She was the first woman to win the Nobel Prize in Literature, which she wa ...

. In 1925 she starred opposite Johannes Meyer in the Carl Theodor Dreyer-directed drama ''

Du skal ære din hustru ''Master of the House'' ( da, Du skal ære din hustru, literally ''Thou Shalt Honour Thy Wife'') is a 1925 Danish silent drama film directed and written by acclaimed filmmaker Carl Theodor Dreyer. The film marked the debut of Karin Nellemose, ...

'' (''Thou Shalt Honor Thy Wife''). This would be Holm's last film role for many years. Astrid Holm returned to film in 1942's ''Ta' briller på'', directed by

Arne Weel Arne Weel (15 January 1891 – 2 October 1975) was a Danish actor and film director. He appeared in more than 50 films between 1910 and 1967. He also directed films between 1935 and 1950. He was born in Århus, Denmark and died in Denmark. Se ...

and starring Liva Weel and

Hans Egede Budtz Hans Egede Budtz (8 August 1889 – 29 June 1968) was a Danish stage and film actor. Early life and education Born in Slagelse, Zealand, he was the son of Carl Budtz and Alvida Marie Budtz (''née'' Svendsen). He studied at the Sorø Acade ...

. She would appear in four more films throughout the 1940s before retiring from the screen due to failing health. Her final film appearance would be in the 1947 Holger Gabrielsen-directed ''Mani''.

Personal life

Astrid Holm was married to ballet dancer Holger Holm, who died in 1916. During the 1950s, she became reclusive, suffering from a number of ailments. She died in 1961 at age 68.

Filmography

*''Søstrene Morelli'' (1917) as Elvira Morelli *''Det store Mørke'' (1917) as Maria *''Folkets ven'' (1918) as Jonna Kamp - Waldo's Wife *''Mod lyset'' (1919) as Wenka *''Lavinen'' (1920) as Hanni Kvissel *''

The Phantom Carriage ''The Phantom Carriage'' ( sv, Körkarlen, literally "The Wagoner") is a 1921 Swedish silent film directed by and starring Victor Sjöström, based on the 1912 novel '' Thy Soul Shall Bear Witness!'' (''Körkarlen'') by Swedish author Selma Lag ...

'' (1921) (Swedish: ''Körkarlen'') as Edit *''

Häxan ''Häxan'' (, "The Witch"; Danish: ''Heksen''; English: ''The Witches''; released in the US in 1968 as ''Witchcraft Through the Ages'') is a 1922 silent horror essay film written and directed by Benjamin Christensen. Consisting partly of d ...

'' (Danish: ''Heksen''. English release titles: ''The Witches'' or, ''Witchcraft Through the Ages'') (1922) as Anna *''Den sidste af slægten'' (1922) as Lise *''

'' (English release title: ''Master of the House'') (1925) as Ida - Hans Hystru *''Ta' briller på'' (1942) as Fru Ester Berg *''Hans store aften'' (1946) as Anna Tingby *''Diskret Ophold'' (1946) as Fru Lehmann *'' Jeg elsker en anden'' (''I Love Another'') (1946) *''Mani'' (1947) as Fru Frank (final film role)

References

External links

* {{DEFAULTSORT:Holm, Astrid 1893 births 1961 deaths Danish stage actresses Danish film actresses Danish silent film actresses People from Sorø Municipality 20th-century Danish actresses Place of death missing