Carlo Rossini Wieth (born Carl Andersen; 11 December 1885 – 30 June 1943) was a Danish stage and film actor whose career began at the turn of the 20th century and lasted until his death in 1943.

Early life and stage career

Wieth was born as Carl Andersen in Copenhagen to Marius Hans Lindegaard Andersen, who was a judge, and his wife Jacobine Kirstine Wieth Andersen.Det Danske Film Database
/ref> He would begin his acting career after adding an "o" to his given name of Carl and taking his mother's maiden name. He was educated 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 ...

from 1903 to 1905 and made his stage debut in 1905. He was an actor at the Danish Royal Theatre from 1905 to 1907, 1908 to 1909 and again from 1923 to 1943. From 1907 to 1908 and 1909 to 1910, he was engaged as an actor at the Dagmar Theatre, from 1911 to 1922 at the Folketeatret, and spent a year at the Betty Nansen Teatret beginning in 1922 before traveling abroad.

Film career

Wieth made his film debut in 1910 for Kinografen before spending nearly the entirety of his film career at

Nordisk Film Nordisk Film A/S () is a Danish entertainment company involved in film production and distribution and a subsidiary of Egmont Group. The multimedia entertainment company is also involved in television production, cinemas, computer games and ...

. In 1911, he appeared in the controversial

August Blom August Blom (26 December 1869 – 10 January 1947) was a Danish film director, producer, and pioneer of silent films during the "golden age" of Danish filmmaking from 1910 to 1914. Career Blom began his acting career in 1893 in Kolding, and was ...

-directed ''Mormonens offer'' (''

A Victim of the Mormons ''A Victim of the Mormons'' () is a 1911 Danish silent drama film directed by August Blom. The film was controversial for demonizing the Mormon religion, and its box-office success is cited for initiating a decade of anti-Mormon propaganda film ...

''). The film was controversial for demonizing the

Mormon Mormons are a religious and cultural group related to Mormonism, the principal branch of the Latter Day Saint movement started by Joseph Smith in upstate New York during the 1820s. After Smith's death in 1844, the movement split into several ...

religion, and its box-office success is cited for initiating a decade of

anti-Mormon Anti-Mormonism refers to individuals, literature and media that are opposed to the beliefs, adherents, or institutions of Mormonism and the Latter Day Saint movement as a whole. It may include hostility, prejudice, discrimination, persecution, ...

propaganda films in America. The film tells the story of an attractive young woman who is seduced and kidnapped by a Mormon missionary, then forced to accompany him to

Utah Utah is a landlocked state in the Mountain states, Mountain West subregion of the Western United States. It is one of the Four Corners states, sharing a border with Arizona, Colorado, and New Mexico. It also borders Wyoming to the northea ...

to become one of his wives. The film became a hit, in part due to the publicity from

the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, informally known as the LDS Church or Mormon Church, is a Nontrinitarianism, nontrinitarian Restorationism, restorationist Christianity, Christian Christian denomination, denomination and the ...

' objections and its failed campaign to ban the film.Wollstein, Hans J
''Mormonens Offer (1911)''
New York Times 2008 Between 1912 and 1914, he appeared in approximately nine Swedish silent films for such directors as

John Ekman John Ekman (15 November 1880 – 22 November 1949) was a Swedish film actor. Biography He first trained as an artist under Richard Bergh (1858–1919). He was employed by various theater companies; Swedish Biograft Theater in Kristianstad ( ...

Mauritz Stiller Mauritz Stiller (born Moshe Stiller, 17 July 1883 – 8 November 1928) was a Finnish film director of Jewish origin, best known for discovering Greta Garbo and bringing her to America. Stiller was a pioneer of the Swedish film industry, writing ...

and

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, ...

before returning to Denmark and appearing in such films as

Gunnar Sommerfeldt Gunnar Sommerfeldt (4 September 1890 – 30 August 1947) was a Danish actor and film maker. In 1919 he directed ''Saga Borgarættarinnar (film), Saga Borgarættarinnar'', which was released in 1920 and was the first feature film shot in Iceland. ...

's 1918 drama ''En Lykkeper'' in 1918 and in

Carl Theodor Dreyer Carl Theodor Dreyer (; 3 February 1889 – 20 March 1968), commonly known as Carl Th. Dreyer, was a Danish film director and screenwriter. Widely considered one of the greatest filmmakers in history, his movies are noted for emotional austerity ...

's popular 1921 silent drama '' Leaves from Satan's Book'', which tells the tale of Satan's banishment from heaven. ''Leaves Out of the Book of Satan'' would be Wieth's last silent film before returning to the stage. He wouldn't return to the screen until appearing in his first ''

talkie A sound film is a motion picture with synchronized sound, or sound technologically coupled to image, as opposed to a silent film. The first known public exhibition of projected sound films took place in Paris in 1900, but decades passed befo ...

'';

Pál Fejös Pál Fejős (24 January 1897 – 23 April 1963), known professionally as Paul Fejos, was a Hungarian-American film director, director of feature films and documentaries who worked in a number of countries including the United States. He also st ...

's 1935 ''Det gyldne smil'' (''The Golden Smile'') opposite

Bodil Ipsen Bodil Ipsen (; 30 August 1889 – 26 November 1964) was a Danish actress and film director, and is considered one of the great stars of Danish cinematic history. Her acting career, which began in theater and silent films, was marked by leading ...

. He would appear in approximately ten sound films before his death. His last film was in the 1943

romantic comedy Romantic comedy (also known as romcom or rom-com) is a sub-genre of comedy and Romance novel, romance fiction, focusing on lighthearted, humorous plot lines centered on romantic ideas, such as how true love is able to surmount all obstacles. Ro ...

''Vi kunde ha' det saa rart'', opposite Bodil Kjer.

Personal life

Wieth was at various times a member of the Danish Arts Council, the International Union of Actors, and Vice President of the Danish Actors' Union. Wieth was married twice; his first marriage was to Danish stage and screen actress

Clara Pontoppidan Clara Pontoppidan (23 April 1883 – 22 January 1975), also known as Clara Wieth, was a Danish actress. She worked mainly in Swedish and Danish silent films, including ''A Victim of the Mormons'' (Denmark, 1911). Personal life Clara Pontop ...

from 1906 to 1917. The pair had appeared in several films together. Wieth and Pontoppidan divorced and produced no offspring. His second marriage was to actress Agnes Thorberg Wieth (''née'' Sommer) in 1917. The couple had a son, actor Mogens Wieth. Carlo and Agnes would remain married until Wieth's death.

Death

On 30 June 1943, Wieth was on a bicycle excursion in the

Gribskov Gribskov (Grib Forest) is Denmark's fourth largest forest, comprising c. 5,600 ha of woodland situated in northern Zealand, west and south of Lake Esrum. The forest is owned and administered by Directorate of State Forestry (Denmark), the State of ...

forest in the

Hovedstaden The Capital Region of Denmark (, ) is the easternmost administrative region of Denmark, and contains Copenhagen, the national capital. The Capital Region has 29 municipalities and a regional council consisting of 41 elected members. As of 1 ...

region on

Zealand Zealand ( ) is the largest and most populous islands of Denmark, island in Denmark proper (thus excluding Greenland and Disko Island, which are larger in size) at 7,031 km2 (2715 sq. mi.). Zealand had a population of 2,319,705 on 1 Januar ...

when he collapsed from a fatal heart attack, aged 57. He was interred at the

Vestre Cemetery Vestre Cemetery (, meaning "Western Cemetery") is located in a large park setting in the Kongens Enghave district of Copenhagen, Denmark. With its 54 hectares it is the largest cemetery in Denmark. The cemetery is landscaped and serves as an imp ...

in Copenhagen.

Partial filmography

*''En rekrut fra 64'' (1910) - Recruit *''Ekspeditricen'' (1911) - Edgar, their son *'' Mormonens offer'' (''A Victim of the Mormons'') (1911) - Sven Berg *''Anna fra Æbeltoft'' (1911) - Lt. Peter *''Historien om en moder'' (1912) - Son *''Kommandørens døtre'' (1912) - Jan Børresen, kommandørens nevø *''Vennerne fra Officersskolen'' (1913) - Lt. Emile *''På livets ödesvägar'' (1913) - Benjamin Green *'' The Miracle'' (Swedish: ''Miraklet'') (1913) - Armand *'' The Clergyman'' (Swedish: ''Prästen'') (1914) - Frans *'' Hearts That Meet'' (Swedish: ''Hjärtan som mötas'') (1914, Short) - Albert *'' Guilt Redeemed'' (Swedish: ''Sonad skuld'') (1915) - Hennis bror *''Skildpadden'' (1915) - John O'Brien *''Dr. X'' (1915) - Dr. Felix *''Den hvide djævel'' (1916) - C. Herveau - Barrister *''Det unge Blod'' (1916) - Count Preben *''I livets brænding'' (1916) - Ernst *''Truet lykke'' (1916) - Robert Malcolm *''Guldets gift'' (1916) - Karl Breide *''Danserindens hævn'' (1916) - Edvin Sparre *''Maharadjahens yndlingshustru I'' (1917) - Lt. Kuno von Falkenberg *'' Pax aeterna'' (''Eternal Peace'') (1917) - Crown Prince Alexis *''Handelen med Menneskeliv'' (1917) - Emile Bernhard *''Studenterkammeraterne'' (1917) - Kai Frank *''En Lykkeper'' (1918) - Peter Lykke *''Hans Kæreste'' (1918) - Count Paul *''Kærlighedens almagt'' (1919) - Dr. Victor *''Lykkens blændværk'' (1919) - Poul Bang *''Den flyvende Hollænder I-IV'' (1920) - Filip Vanderdecken *''

Blade af Satans bog A blade is the sharp, cutting portion of a tool, weapon, or machine, specifically designed to puncture, chop, slice, or scrape surfaces or materials. Blades are typically made from materials that are harder than those they are intended to cut. ...

'' (''Leaves from Satan's Book'') (1920) - Paavo (fourth sequence) *''Jafet, der søger sig en Fader I-IV'' (1922) - Jafet Newland *''Den sidste af slægten'' (1922) - Niels *'' Det gyldne smil'' (''The Golden Smile'') (1935) - Peter Clark *''Kongen bød'' (1938) - Christian Ditlev Reventlow *'' Livet paa Hegnsgaard'' (''Life on the Hegn Farm'') (1938) - Proprietær Nørholm *'' Skilsmissens børn'' (''Children of Divorce'') (1939) - Mr. Lang *''

Nordhavets mænd ''Nordhavets mænd'' is a 1939 Danish family adventure film directed by Lau Lauritzen. Cast * Johannes Meyer as Sigurds far, konsul Jernø * Lau Lauritzen as Sigurd Jernø *Poul Reichhardt as Lorens * Gull-Maj Norin as Aino Flatø * Knud Alm ...

'' (1939) - Kaptajn Ek *''Elverhøj'' (1939) - Erik Walkendorff *''Natekspressen P903'' (1942) - Politimester Aagesen *'' Tyrannens fald'' (1942) - Skovrider Axel Høegh *''Vi kunde ha' det saa rart'' (1942) - Dr.med. Poul Ryding (final film role)

References

External links

*
Photograph of Carlo WiethDet Danske Filminstitut
{{DEFAULTSORT:Wieth, Carlo 1885 births 1943 deaths 20th-century Danish male actors Danish male stage actors Danish male film actors Danish male silent film actors Male actors from Copenhagen Burials at Vestre Cemetery, Copenhagen Deaths from coronary thrombosis