Helle Genie Virkner née Lotinga (15 September 1925 – 10 June 2009) was a Danish

actress An actor or actress is a person who portrays a character in a performance. The actor performs "in the flesh" in the traditional medium of the theatre or in modern media such as film, radio, and television. The analogous Greek term is (), li ...

, author and spouse of Prime Minister

Jens Otto Krag Jens Otto Krag (; 15 September 1914 – 22 June 1978) was a Danish politician who served as prime minister of Denmark from 1962 to 1968 and from 1971 to 1972, and as leader of the Social Democrats from 1962 to 1972. He was president of the Nordi ...

Personal life

Helle Genie Lotinga was born in

Aarhus Aarhus (, , ; officially spelled Århus from 1948 until 1 January 2011) is the second-largest city in Denmark and the seat of Aarhus Municipality. It is located on the eastern shore of Jutland in the Kattegat sea and approximately northwe ...

Jewish Jews ( he, יְהוּדִים, , ) or Jewish people are an ethnoreligious group and nation originating from the Israelites Israelite origins and kingdom: "The first act in the long drama of Jewish history is the age of the Israelites""The ...

rentier Moritz “Morris” Lotinga and Ellen Larsine (née Rasmussen) Her parents divorced when she was 5, at which point she moved with her mother from Ry to Copenhagen. Her paternal family escaped to Sweden in 1943. Helle changed her last name from Lotinga to Virkner in 1944. Helle Virkner was married three times. First to actor William Rosenberg (1920–2014), then to actor

Ebbe Rode Ebbe Rode (10 May 1910 – 23 May 1998) was a Danish stage and film actor. His father was the writer/critic Helge Rode and his mother the writer Edith Rode. Ebbe Rode was married to actress Helle Virkner. Partial filmography *''Tango'' (1933) ...

(1910–1998). Her third marriage was to Danish Prime Minister Jens Otto Krag (1914–1978), with whom she had two children. Her daughter Astrid Helene 'Søsser' Krag, a journalist and former model, died on 5 July 2014, 51 years old. Helle and Søsser lived together in Charlottenlund in the last years of Helle's life.

Career

Virkner's career began in 1944, and two years later she appeared at the Royal Theatre. She eventually left her mark on the acting scene in a string of popular films and television series, including a significant role as Elisabeth Friis in the Danish TV series

Matador A bullfighter (or matador) is a performer in the activity of bullfighting. ''Torero'' () or ''toureiro'' (), both from Latin ''taurarius'', are the Spanish and Portuguese words for bullfighter and describe all the performers in the activit ...

. Her career ended in 2003.

Death

She died at her home in the Copenhagen suburb of Charlottenlund, from cancer, aged 83.Helle Virkner er død
(Obituary in Danish). dr.dk (10 June 2009)

Filmography

* ' – 1944 * '' Otte akkorder'' – 1944 * ' – 1944 * ''

Så mødes vi hos Tove ''We Meet at Tove's'' ( da, Så mødes vi hos Tove) is a 1946 Danish drama directed by Alice O'Fredericks and Grete Frische. The film stars an ensemble cast, including Illona Wieselmann, Gull-Maj Norin, Helle Virkner Helle Genie Virkner n� ...

'' – 1946 * '' My name is Petersen'' – 1947 * ' – 1947 * ' – 1948 * ' – 1948 * ' – 1949 * '' Solstik'' – 1953 * ''

Hendes store aften ''Hendes store aften'' is a 1954 Danish romance film directed by Annelise Reenberg and starring Helle Virkner. Cast * Helle Virkner - Marianne Friis * Poul Reichhardt - John Bagger * Johannes Meyer - Vicevært Julius Jensen * Karin Nellemos ...

'' – 1954 * ' – 1954 * ' – 1955 * ''

På tro og love ''På tro og love'' is a 1955 Danish family film directed by Torben Anton Svendsen and starring Poul Reichhardt. Cast * Poul Reichhardt as Hans * Astrid Villaume as Grete * Helge Kjærulff-Schmidt as Georg * Gunnar Lauring as Chefen * Helle ...

'' – 1955 * '' Kispus'' – 1956 * ' – 1956 * ' – 1957 * ''

Englen i sort ''Englen i sort'' is a 1957 Danish family film directed by Sven Methling and starring Emil Hass Christensen. Cast * Emil Hass Christensen - Overlæge Arne Brandt * Helle Virkner - Betina Brandt * Dorthe Jørgensen - Lille Bente Brandt * Poul ...

'' – 1957 * ' – 1958 * ' – 1958 * ''

Poeten og Lillemor ''The Poet and the Little Mother'' ( da, Poeten og Lillemor) is a 1959 Danish family film directed by Erik Balling and starring Henning Moritzen. It was entered into the 9th Berlin International Film Festival. Cast * Henning Moritzen as Poet ...

'' – 1959 * ''

Tre må man være ''Tre må man være'' is a 1959 Danish family film directed by Sven Methling and starring Poul Reichhardt. Cast * Poul Reichhardt - Peter Halling * Helle Virkner - Elisabeth Halling * Ghita Nørby - Kate Halling * Preben Mahrt - Arkæolog Joh ...

'' – 1959 * ''

Onkel Bill fra New York ''Onkel Bill fra New York'' is a 1959 Danish comedy film directed by Peer Guldbrandsen and starring Dirch Passer. Cast * Dirch Passer - Hans Høj * Helle Virkner - Susanne Høj * Ove Sprogøe - Johnny Jensen * Ulla Lock - Kate * Emil Hass Ch ...

'' – 1959 * ''

Poeten og Lillemor og Lotte ''Poeten og Lillemor og Lotte'' is a 1960 Danish comedy film directed by Erik Balling and starring Henning Moritzen. Cast * Henning Moritzen as The poet * Helle Virkner as Lillemor * Ove Sprogøe as Anton * Lis Løwert as Vera * Dirch Passe ...

'' – 1960 * ''

Cirkus Buster ''Cirkus Buster'' is a 1961 Danish movie directed by Erik Balling. The film is based on a TV show with the same name. Cast * Buster Larsen as Cirkusdirektør and the clown Buster * Helle Virkner as Jasmine * Viggo Brodthagen as him self * Ole ...

'' – 1961 * ''

Poeten og Lillemor i forårshumør ''Poeten og Lillemor i forårshumør'' is a 1961 Danish comedy film directed by Erik Balling and starring Henning Moritzen. Cast * Henning Moritzen as Poeten * Helle Virkner as Lillemor * Eva Hast Nystad as Lotte (as Eva Nystad) * Ove Sprog ...

'' – 1961 * '' Støv på hjernen'' – 1961 * ''

Det støver stadig ''Det støver stadig'' is a 1962 Danish comedy film directed by Poul Bang and starring Helle Virkner. Cast * Helle Virkner – Fru Henriksen * Søren Elung Jensen – Hr. Henriksen * Dirch Passer – Alf Thomsen * Hanne Borchsenius – Frk. M ...

'' – 1962 * ''

Den kære familie ''Den kære familie'' is a 1962 Danish comedy film directed by Erik Balling based on a play by Gustav Esmann. It was entered into the 3rd Moscow International Film Festival where cinematographer Jørgen Skov won a Silver Prize for photography ...

'' – 1962 * ''

Støv for alle pengene ''Støv for alle pengene'' is a 1963 Danish comedy film directed by Poul Bang and starring Søren Elung Jensen, with Dirch Passer. Cast * Søren Elung Jensen as Hr. Henriksen *Helle Virkner as Bodil Henriksen *Jan Priiskorn-Schmidt as Klaus H ...

'' – 1963 * ''

Peters landlov ''Peters landlov'' is a 1963 Danish family film directed by and starring Ebbe Langberg. Cast * Ebbe Langberg as Sandy * Christoffer Bro as Peter * Jimmie Moore as Billy * Poul Reichhardt as Hr. Berg *Helle Virkner as Minna Berg * Ulla Pia as ...

'' – 1963 * ''

Døden kommer til middag ''Death Comes at High Noon'' ( da, Døden kommer til middag) is a 1964 Danish crime film directed by Erik Balling and starring Poul Reichhardt. Cast * Poul Reichhardt as Peter Sander *Helle Virkner as Eva Lindberg *Birgitte Federspiel as Mere ...

'' – 1964 * '' Landmandsliv'' – 1965 * ''

Passer passer piger ''Passer passer piger'' is a 1965 Danish comedy film directed by Sven Methling and starring Helle Virkner. Cast *Helle Virkner as Fru Henriksen *Poul Reichhardt as Hr. Henriksen *Jan Priiskorn-Schmidt as Peter *Dirch Passer as Alf Thomsen *Han ...

'' – 1965 * ' – 1965 * ' – 1966 * ' – 1968 * '' The Only Way'' – 1970 * '' Rend mig i revolutionen'' – 1970 * ' – 1971 * ''

Olsen-banden i Jylland ''The Olsen Gang in Jutland'' ( da, Olsen-banden i Jylland) is a 1971 Danish comedy film directed by Erik Balling and starring Ove Sprogøe. The film was the third installment in the Olsen Gang-series. Plot The film starts like most of the Olse ...

'' – 1971 * '' Ballade på Christianshavn'' – 1971 * ''

Olsen-bandens store kup ''The Olsen Gang's Big Score'' ( da, Olsen-bandens store kup) is a 1972 Danish comedy film directed by Erik Balling and starring Ove Sprogøe. The film was the fourth in the ''Olsen-banden''-series. Cast *Ove Sprogøe as Egon Olsen *Morten Gr ...

'' – 1972 * '' Olsen-banden går amok'' – 1973 * '' Nitten røde roser'' – 1974 * ' – 1976 * ''

Pas på ryggen, professor ''Mind Your Back, Professor'' ( da, Pas på ryggen, professor) is a 1977 Danish comedy film directed by Jens Okking and starring Ulf Pilgaard Ulf Pilgaard (born 15 November 1940) is a Danish Danish may refer to: * Something of, from, or rela ...

'' – 1977 * ''

'' (TV series) – 1978–81 * ' – 1983 * '' Riget 1'' – 1994 * '' Riget 2'' – 1997 * '' Blinkende lygter'' – 2000 * ' – 2001 * ' – 2003

References

External links

* 1925 births 2009 deaths Best Actress Bodil Award winners Bodil Honorary Award recipients Danish film actresses Danish television actresses Deaths from cancer in Denmark People from Aarhus Spouses of prime ministers of Denmark Danish people of Jewish descent {{Denmark-actor-stub