Dirch Hartvig Passer (18 May 1926 – 3 September 1980) was a Danish actor and comedian. He was renowned for his improvisational skills and, with a filmography comprising 90 films, one of Denmark's most prolific actors. His life is depicted in the Danish semi-biographical film '' A Funny Man'' (2011; Danish title: ''Dirch'') directed by

Martin Zandvliet Martin Pieter Zandvliet (born 7 January 1971 in Fredericia) is a Danish film director and screenwriter. Career Zandvliet originally began as an editor, before writing and directing the documentary ''Angels of Brooklyn'' in 2002. His first m ...

and starring

Nikolaj Lie Kaas Nikolaj Lie Kaas (; born 22 May 1973) is a Danish actor whose career rose in the 1990s. Kaas graduated from the National Theater School in Denmark in 1998. He first appeared on screen in Søren Kragh-Jacobsen's film ''The Boys from St. Petri'' i ...

as Dirch Passer.

Life

When he was young, Passer was very shy, but had an ambition to become an actor. Instead, he conformed to his father's wishes by attending the J. Lauritzen sea training school near

Svendborg Svendborg () is a town on the island of Funen in south-central Denmark, and the seat of Svendborg Municipality. With a population of 27,616 (1 January 2025), Svendborg is Funen's second largest city.seasickness, he later attended the drama school ''De frederiksbergske teatres Elevskole''. During the 1950s he formed a duo with his friend and fellow actor Kjeld Petersen. Their revue sketches, based upon the contrast between Petersen's mixture of joviality and desperate anger and Passer's deadpan responses, are still considered classics by the public. The sudden death of Kjeld Petersen in 1962 led Passer to avoid revues for five years, but he built up an individual reputation and in 1967 he returned to the revue gaining new victories. Many thin jokes in the scripts were greatly improved by his performance. In particular, his many amiable eccentrics and "nature experts" together with his sketch roles as a baby and as a nonsense "Russian"-speaking clown made him famous. From his later years must be mentioned an almost silent sketch in which he portrays a man's vain attempt to stop smoking (also shown in

West German West Germany was the common English name for the Federal Republic of Germany (FRG) from its formation on 23 May 1949 until its reunification with East Germany on 3 October 1990. It is sometimes known as the Bonn Republic after its capital c ...

TV). It was told that he could speak any language, however he wouldn't understand any of it, which was one of his good qualities. In his life, Dirch Passer wanted to play more serious roles instead of remaining in comedy. However, his image as a comedian was so solid that his attempt to break into serious acting proved to be unsuccessful.

Career

He was often referred to as a loud actor in spite of the fact that under-acting was responsible for much of his force. A Danish critic, Jens Kistrup, once said that one of the secrets behind the comedy of Passer was its combination of elements that are normally regarded as incompatible. He possessed noisiness and discretion, loudness and quietness, boundlessness and complete control, craziness and softness – all this combined with a special intimacy with the audience. Among the inspirations he mentioned Joe E. Brown but he was also known for his admiration of the British comedian

Tommy Cooper Thomas Frederick Cooper (19 March 1921 – 15 April 1984) was a Welsh prop comedian and magician. As an entertainer, his appearance was large and lumbering at , and he habitually wore a red fez when performing. He served in the British Army ...

. In his films, which were of very mixed quality, he often played kind and somewhat crazy "Everymen" or

antihero An antihero (sometimes spelled as anti-hero or two words anti hero) or anti-heroine is a character in a narrative (in literature, film, TV, etc.) who may lack some conventional heroic qualities and attributes, such as idealism and morality. Al ...

es. Among his best movie roles were stage roles transferred to film; here must be mentioned the hero in ''

Charley's Aunt ''Charley's Aunt'' is a farce in three acts written by Brandon Thomas. The story centres on Lord Fancourt Babberley, an undergraduate whose friends Jack and Charley persuade him to impersonate the latter's aunt. The complications of the plot in ...

'' (1959), Celestin-Floridor in '' Frøken Nitouche'' (1963) and Leopold in '' Summer in Tyrol'' (1964, based on '' The White Horse Inn''). Numerous Danish actors see him as a role model. In day-to-day life he was quite shy in behaviour, somewhat the opposite of his theatrical appearances.

Death

On 3 September 1980, Passer collapsed from cardiac arrest behind the stage curtain, in his clown costume, just before the opening number of the annual Tivoli Revue at the Glass Hall in Tivoli Gardens. An hour or two later, the doctors at the hospital declared him dead. Passer is buried in the church cemetery in Dragør, Denmark.

Selected filmography

* ' (1947) – Publikum (uncredited) * '' Stjerneskud'' (1947) – Hendes hårdtslående ven * '' Lykke på rejsen'' (1947) – Statist * '' Den opvakte jomfru'' (1950) – Sømand i 1520 * '' Som sendt fra himlen'' (1951) – Soldat * '' Dorte'' (1951) – Amerikaner * '' Vi arme syndere'' (1952) – Værtshusgæst * '' Vejrhanen'' (1952) – Ekspeditionssekretær i Kirkeministeriet * '' Rekrut 67, Petersen'' (1952) – Lillebilchauffør Larsen * '' Drömsemester'' (1952) – Mogens Jensen * '' Solstik'' (1953) – Politimanden * '' Ved kongelunden...'' (1953) – Konduktør Svendsen * '' Sju svarta be-hå'' (1954) – Jens Nielsen * '' I kongens klæ'r'' (1954) – Søren Rask – rekrut 66 * '' Sju svarta be-hå'' (1954) * ' (1954) * '' Far och flyg'' (1955) – Peder * '' Det var paa Rundetaarn'' (1955) – Hans Ramløse, musiker * '' Hvad vil De ha'?'' (1956) – Jansen * '' Den store gavtyv'' (1956) – K.M.M. Mathisen * ''

Færgekroen ''Færgekroen'' is a 1956 Danish film directed by Poul Bang and starring Dirch Passer. Cast * Dirch Passer - Erik Hansen * Ove Sprogøe - Lars Tofte * Kjeld Petersen - Jens Ravn * Lily Broberg - Kamilla * Poul Müller - Niels Ermandsen * Else ...

'' (1956) – Erik Hansen * '' Tag til marked i Fjordby'' (1957) – 'Lange' Emil Andersen * ' (1957, Short) * '' Krudt og klunker'' (1958) – Fotograf * '' Styrmand Karlsen'' (1958) – Valdemar Bøgelund * '' Pigen og vandpytten'' (1958) – Fabrikant Munk * '' Møde ved midnat'' (1958, TV Short) – Mr. Fox * ' (1958, Short) * '' Poeten og Lillemor'' (1959) – Bageren * '' Onkel Bill fra New York'' (1959) – Hans Høj * ''

Soldaterkammerater rykker ud ''Soldaterkammerater rykker ud'' (English: Fellow soldiers on the move) is a 1959 Danish comedy film directed by Sven Methling and starring Louis Miehe-Renard. Cast * Louis Miehe-Renard – Knud Petersen (616) * Ebbe Langberg – Peter 'Ras' R ...

'' (1959) – Vagtsoldat * '' Charles' tante'' (1959) – Grev Ditlev Lensby * '' Vi er allesammen tossede'' (1959) – Sporvognskonduktør Knudsen * '' TV te' vands'' (1959, TV Movie) – Chef * '' Poeten og Lillemor og Lotte'' (1960) – The baker * '' Elefanter på loftet'' (1960) – Dennis * '' Baronessen fra benzintanken'' (1960) – Hans Høy * '' Sømand i knibe'' (1960) – Freddy * '' Summer and Sinners'' (1960) – Kansas Joe * '' Skibet er ladet med'' (1960) – Guvernør Alfond d. 1 / Alfond d. 2 * '' Panik i paradis'' (1960) – Greven * '' Forelsket i København'' (1960) – Kunstmaler Kobolski * ''

Reptilicus ''Reptilicus'' is the mutual title of two monster films about a giant, prehistoric reptile. A pair of Danish-American co-productions produced by Cinemagic and Saga Studio, the Danish-language ''Reptilicus'' was directed by Poul Bang and release ...

'' (1961) – Petersen * '' Peters baby'' (1961) – William Thorsen * '' Poeten og Lillemor i forårshumør'' (1961) – Bageren * '' Støv på hjernen'' (1961) – Alf Thomsen * '' Gøngehøvdingen'' (1961) – Ib * '' Lykkens musikanter'' (1962) – Elevatorfører Gogol * '' Han, Hun, Dirch og Dario'' (1962) – Eigil Hansen * '' Det tossede paradis'' (1962) – Angelus Bukke * ''

Sømænd og svigermødre '' Sømænd og svigermødre'' (transl. Sailors and mothers-in-law) is a 1962 Danish comedy film directed by Bent Christensen and starring Dirch Passer. Cast * Dirch Passer - Kanusti Mogensen * Ove Sprogøe - Peter Jensen * Kjeld Petersen - ...

'' (1962) – Kanusti Mogensen * ' (1962, Short) * ''

Det støver stadig ''Det støver stadig'' (transl. It's still dusty) 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 * ...

'' (1962) – Alf Thomsen * '' Oskar'' (1962) – Martin Kristiansen * '' Svinedrengen og prinsessen på ærten'' (1962) – (voice) * '' Venus fra Vestø'' (1962) – Ditlev Egede-Schack * '' Pigen og pressefotografen'' (1963) – Bastian * '' Vi har det jo dejligt'' (1963) – Thorvald Madsen * '' Hvis lille pige er du?'' (1963) – Hans * '' Frøken Nitouche'' (1963) – Floridor / Celestin * '' Bussen'' (1963) – Buschauffør Martin * '' Tre piger i Paris'' (1963) – Kok Harald Mikkelsen * '' Støv for alle pengene'' (1963) – Alf Thomsen * '' Majorens oppasser'' (1964) – Thomas Edison Hansen * '' Sommer i Tyrol'' (1964) – Leopold Ulrik Joackim Brantmeyer * '' Blåjackor'' (1964) – Sam * ''

Don Olsen kommer til byen ''Don Olsen kommer til byen'' (transl. Don Olsen comes to town) is a 1964 Danish comedy film directed by Anker Sørensen. The film stars Dirch Passer and Buster Larsen. Cast * Dirch Passer * Buster Larsen * Bodil Udsen * Birgitte Price * M ...

'' (1964) – Thorsen * '' Här kommer bärsärkarna'' (1965) – Garm * '' Passer passer piger'' (1965) – Alf Thomsen * '' Flådens friske fyre'' (1965) – Valdemar Jensen * '' Pigen og millionæren'' (1965) – Jens Møller * '' Jag – en älskare'' (1966) – Mortensen * ''

Der var engang ''Der var engang'' (transl. Once upon a time) is a 1966 Danish family film directed by John Price and starring Birgitte Bruun. Cast * Birgitte Bruun - Prinsessen af Illyrien * Hans W. Petersen - Kongen af Illyrien * Peter Steen - Prinsen ...

'' (1966) – Kasper Røghat * '' Slap af, Frede!'' (1966) – Fettucino * '' Pigen og greven'' (1966) – Andreas Lillelys * '' Copenhagen Design'' (1967, TV Movie) * '' Elsk... din næste!'' (1967) – Olaf * '' Cirkusrevyen 67'' (1967) * ''

Onkel Joakims hemmelighed ''Onkel Joakims hemmelighed'' (transl. Uncle Joakim's secret), also known as ''Nyhavns glade gutter'', is a 1967 Danish family film directed by Carl Ottosen and starring Gunnar Lauring. Cast * Gunnar Lauring as Viktor Erdner * Sigrid Horne-Ra ...

'' (1967) – Fyrst Fingernem (uncredited) * '' Mig og min lillebror'' (1967) – Søren Severinsen * '' Soldaterkammerater på bjørnetjeneste'' (1968) – Vagtkommandør 419 (uncredited) * '' Mig og min lillebror og storsmuglerne'' (1968) – Søren Severinsen * '' Min søsters børn vælter byen'' (1968) – Dr. Mogensen * '' Dyrlægens plejebørn'' (1968) – Dyrlæge Linsager * '' Musikken var af Kai Normann Andersen'' (1968, TV Movie) * '' Sjov i gaden'' (1969) – Peter Jensen * '' Pigen fra Egborg'' (1969) – John Søgaard * '' Mig og min lillebror og Bølle'' (1969) – Søren Severinsen * '' Kyrkoherden'' (1970) – Bartolomeus * '' Amour'' (1970) – Blikkenslager * '' Nøglen til paradis'' (1970) – Gudmund (præst og rejsearrangør) * '' Præriens skrappe drenge'' (1970) – Biggy * '' Hurra for de blå husarer'' (1970) – Spjellerup * '' Den Gyldenblonde fortæller'' (1970, TV Movie) * '' Hvor er liget, Møller?'' (1971) – Vilhelm Hårlung * '' Guld til præriens skrappe drenge'' (1971) – Biggy * '' Min søsters børn, når de er værst'' (1971) – Viggo * '' Takt og tone i himmelsengen'' (1972) – Grev Axel von Hasteen * '' Lenin, din gavtyv'' (1972) – General Ludendorff * '' Solstik på badehotellet'' (1973) – Doktor Grå * '' Mig og mafiaen'' (1973) – Victor 'Viffer' Hansen * '' Mafiaen – det er osse mig!'' (1974) – Victor 'Viffer' Hansen * ''Dirch'' (1974, TV Movie) – Himself / Babyen * ''

Piger i trøjen ''Girls at Arms'' () is a 1975 Danish comedy film The comedy film is a film genre that emphasizes humor. These films are designed to amuse audiences and make them laugh. Films in this genre typically have a happy ending, with dark comedy b ...

'' (1975) – Oversergent Vasby * '' Spøgelsestoget'' (1976) – Theodor 'Teddy' T. Thönder * '' Piger i trøjen 2'' (1976) – Vasby * ''

Alt på et bræt ''Going for Broke'' () is a 1977 Danish comedy film directed by Gabriel Axel and starring Preben Kaas and Dirch Passer. When three out of work actors break into a bank through the toilet of a railroad station comedy ensues. Plot Cast * P ...

'' (1977) – Alfred Emanuelsen * '' Piger til søs'' (1977) – Seniorsergent Vasby * ''

Fængslende feriedage ''Fængslende feriedage'' (transl. Captivating holidays) is a 1978 Danish comedy family film directed by Finn Henriksen and starring Jørgen Ryg. This was Dirch Passer's final film. Four guys serve their prison sentences in the jovial and not-v ...

'' (1978) – Fængselsinspektør Frost

References

External links