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Karl Dane (born Rasmus Karl Therkelsen Gottlieb, 12 October 1886 – 14 April 1934) was a Danish-American
comedian A comedian (feminine comedienne) or comic is a person who seeks to entertainment, entertain an audience by making them laughter, laugh. This might be through jokes or amusing situations, or acting foolishly (as in slapstick), or employing prop c ...
and actor known for his work in American films, mainly of the
silent film A silent film is a film without synchronized 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) or key lines of dialogue may, w ...
era. He became a star after portraying “Slim”, a supporting role in one of the most successful silent films of all time, '' The Big Parade'' (1925), directed by
King Vidor King Wallis Vidor ( ; February 8, 1894 – November 1, 1982) was an American film director, film producer, and screenwriter whose 67-year film-making career successfully spanned the silent and sound eras. His works are distinguished by a vivid, ...
and starring John Gilbert. After signing with
MGM Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Studios Inc. (also known as Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Pictures, commonly shortened to MGM or MGM Studios) is an American Film production, film and television production and film distribution, distribution company headquartered ...
in 1926, he appeared in supporting roles in several popular silent films before teaming up with
George K. Arthur Arthur George Brest (27 January 1899 – 30 May 1985), known professionally as George K. Arthur, was an English actor and producer, born in Aberdeen, Scotland,. He appeared in more than 50 films between 1919 and 1935, and is best known as t ...
to form the successful comedy duo Dane & Arthur. They appeared in a number of very successful silent comedy features. When sound films arrived, they made short-subject comedies and toured in
vaudeville Vaudeville (; ) is a theatrical genre of variety entertainment which began in France in the middle of the 19th century. A ''vaudeville'' was originally a comedy without psychological or moral intentions, based on a comical situation: a drama ...
. At the peak of his career, Dane earned $1,500 a week. As the film industry transitioned from silent to
sound film A sound film is a Film, motion picture with synchronization, 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, bu ...
s in the late 1920s, Dane's thick Danish accent became problematic. By 1930, Dane was relegated to less prominent roles, often with little to no dialogue. Later that year,
MGM Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Studios Inc. (also known as Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Pictures, commonly shortened to MGM or MGM Studios) is an American Film production, film and television production and film distribution, distribution company headquartered ...
terminated his contract. Dane attempted to pursue work in other fields but found no success. Broke and despondent, he died of a self-inflicted gunshot wound in April 1934. Karl Dane's rapid career decline, depression, and subsequent death have been cited as an extreme example of the fate that befell many silent film stars who were unable to make the transition from silent to sound films.


Early life

Dane was born Rasmus Karl Therkelsen Gottlieb (not Karl Daen as sometimes reported) in Turesensgade 23 in central Copenhagen, Denmark, to Rasmus Carl Marius Gottlieb and Anne Cathrine (née Simonsen) Gottlieb. He had two brothers: Reinald Marius and Viggo Eiler. His parents' marriage was apparently stormy, with his father having trouble with alcohol and money management. In 1903, Dane's parents divorced, leaving him in the custody of his mother. His father was a glove maker by trade but enjoyed the theatre. Around the start of the 20th century, he built a toy theatre which people began to pay to see; during this time, Dane and his brother Reinald would perform for the crowds. His father worked as a curtain puller at the local theatre, to which his two sons accompanied him. Dane later said this would inspire him to act. In 1900, Dane and his brother apprenticed as machinists, a job he would perform on and off throughout his life. In 1907, he began compulsory military service in the First Artillery Battalion. He was promoted to
lance corporal Lance corporal is a military rank, used by many English-speaking armed forces worldwide, and also by some police forces and other uniformed organisations. It is below the rank of corporal. Etymology The presumed origin of the rank of lance corp ...
in June 1908. After being discharged from the military, he married dressmaker Carla Dagmar Hagen on 10 September 1910. The marriage produced two children: Ejlert Carl (born March 1911) and Ingeborg Helene (July 1912). With the outbreak of
World War I World War I or the First World War (28 July 1914 – 11 November 1918), also known as the Great War, was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War I, Allies (or Entente) and the Central Powers. Fighting to ...
, Dane was recalled up to duty; he was stationed again at
Trekroner Fort Trekroner Søfort (literally ''Three Crowns Sea Fortress'') is a sea fort at the entrance to the Copenhagen harbour. From 1713 until after World War I, Trekroner Fort was part of the fortifications of Copenhagen. The original location of Tre ...
in August 1914. He was promoted to
corporal Corporal is a military rank in use by the armed forces of many countries. It is also a police rank in some police services. The rank is usually the lowest ranking non-commissioned officer. In some militaries, the rank of corporal nominally corr ...
in November 1915. On 25 January 1916, Dane headed for the
United States The United States of America (USA), also known as the United States (U.S.) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It is a federal republic of 50 U.S. state, states and a federal capital district, Washington, D.C. The 48 ...
alone. He intended to send for his family later. He boarded the '' SS Oscar II'' with $25 in his pocket and speaking no English. The ship arrived on 11 February 1916 at
Ellis Island Ellis Island is an island in New York Harbor, within the U.S. states of New Jersey and New York (state), New York. Owned by the U.S. government, Ellis Island was once the busiest immigrant inspection and processing station in the United State ...
. Dane passed immigrant inspection and moved to 345 Court Street in
Brooklyn Brooklyn is a Boroughs of New York City, borough of New York City located at the westernmost end of Long Island in the New York (state), State of New York. Formerly an independent city, the borough is coextensive with Kings County, one of twelv ...
with a friend named Charles Lindgren. The same day, he found work in a
foundry A foundry is a factory that produces metal castings. Metals are cast into shapes by melting them into a liquid, pouring the metal into a mold, and removing the mold material after the metal has solidified as it cools. The most common metals pr ...
. Sometime in 1916 he moved to
Lincoln, Nebraska Lincoln is the List of capitals in the United States, capital city of the U.S. state of Nebraska. The city covers and had a population of 291,082 as of the 2020 census. It is the state's List of cities in Nebraska, second-most populous city a ...
, where he worked as an
auto mechanic An auto mechanic is a mechanic who services and repairs automobiles, sometimes specializing in one or more List of car brands, automobile brands or sometimes working with any brand. In fixing cars, their main role is to Diagnosis, diagnose and ...
. By summer 1917, he returned to
New York City New York, often called New York City (NYC), is the most populous city in the United States, located at the southern tip of New York State on one of the world's largest natural harbors. The city comprises five boroughs, each coextensive w ...
where he again worked as a mechanic.


Career


Early years

In late 1917, Dane made his film début in a bit part in a
Vitagraph Studios Vitagraph Studios, also known as the Vitagraph Company of America, was a United States motion picture studio. It was founded by J. Stuart Blackton and Albert E. Smith in 1897 in Brooklyn, New York, as the American Vitagraph Company. By 1907 ...
short filmed in
Fort Lee, New Jersey Fort Lee is a Borough (New Jersey), borough at the eastern border of Bergen County, New Jersey, Bergen County, in the U.S. state of New Jersey, situated along the Hudson River atop The Palisades (Hudson River), The Palisades. As of the 2020 Uni ...
. He made $3 a day (as a mechanic he had been making $3 a week) for his part. However, his scenes were cut and the title of this film is not known. Any footage is presumed lost. Dane then appeared in
Warner Bros. Warner Bros. Entertainment Inc. (WBEI), commonly known as Warner Bros. (WB), is an American filmed entertainment studio headquartered at the Warner Bros. Studios complex in Burbank, California and the main namesake subsidiary of Warner Bro ...
anti-German sentiment Anti-German sentiment (also known as anti-Germanism, Germanophobia or Teutophobia) is fear or dislike of Germany, its Germans, people, and its Culture of Germany, culture. Its opposite is Germanophile, Germanophilia. Anti-German sentiment main ...
film ''My Four Years in Germany'' as Chancellor von Bethmann-Hollweg. This would be the first of many such roles for Dane in his early career. The film was released 29 April 1918 and was a success, earning an approximate $500,000 at the box office (the film had a budget of $50,000). His next film was ''Wolves of Kultur'' which contained 15 chapters (running about three hours total). The film was released chapter by chapter between 1918 and 1919. He then followed with the June Mathis-penned film '' To Hell with the Kaiser!'', reprising his role as Chancellor von Bethmann-Hollweg. Dane completed two more anti-German propaganda style films, ''The Great Victory, Wilson or the Kaiser? The Fall of the Hohenzollerns'' and ''Daring Hearts'', both released in 1919. In 1920, Dane portrayed "The Wolf" in another 15-chapter serial ''The Whirlwind''. That film is now presumed lost. In early 1921, Dane met a Swedish immigrant named Helen Benson. He then quit acting and moved with Benson to
Van Nuys, California Van Nuys ( ) is a neighborhood in the central San Fernando Valley region of Los Angeles, California. Home to Van Nuys Airport and the Van Nuys City Hall, Valley Municipal Building, it is the most populous neighborhood in the San Fernando Valley ...
, where they opened a chicken farm. They married on 15 June 1921. On 9 August 1923, Benson died in childbirth as did the couple's daughter. In December 1923, Dane ran into his old friend Charles Hutchison who convinced him to appear in a serial he was then producing.


Stardom

In December 1924,
MGM Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Studios Inc. (also known as Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Pictures, commonly shortened to MGM or MGM Studios) is an American Film production, film and television production and film distribution, distribution company headquartered ...
casting director Robert McIntyre — who had previously hired Dane back at Vitagraph — recommended the actor for a role in
King Vidor King Wallis Vidor ( ; February 8, 1894 – November 1, 1982) was an American film director, film producer, and screenwriter whose 67-year film-making career successfully spanned the silent and sound eras. His works are distinguished by a vivid, ...
's latest project, '' The Big Parade''. Dane was selected to play the part of Slim, alongside John Gilbert and Renée Adorée. The movie was a major success, both critically and financially, becoming the second highest grossing silent film of all time, making almost $6.5 million (approximately $ today). As a consequence, Dane's career blossomed. In 1926, he co-starred with
Rudolph Valentino Rodolfo Pietro Filiberto Raffaello Guglielmi di Valentina d'Antonguella (May 6, 1895 – August 23, 1926), known professionally as Rudolph Valentino and nicknamed The Latin Lover, was an Italian actor who starred in several well-known sile ...
and Vilma Bánky in '' The Son of the Sheik''. The film was released after Valentino's death in August 1926 and became a massive success. It was re-released several more times well into the late 1930s. After working on ''The Son of the Sheik'', Dane signed a contract with MGM in June 1926. He began to appear in comic relief roles in several films including ''
The Scarlet Letter ''The Scarlet Letter: A Romance'' is a historical novel by American author Nathaniel Hawthorne, published in 1850. Set in the Puritan Massachusetts Bay Colony during the years 1642 to 1649, the novel tells the story of Hester Prynne, who concei ...
'' (directed by
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, ...
and starring
Lillian Gish Lillian Diana Gish (October 14, 1893 – February 27, 1993) was an American actress best known for her work in movies of the silent era. Her film-acting career spanned 75 years, from 1912, in silent film shorts, to 1987. Gish was dubbed the "F ...
), ''
La Bohème ''La bohème'' ( , ) is an opera in four acts,Puccini called the divisions '':wikt:quadro, quadri'', ''wikt:tableau, tableaux'' or "images", rather than ''atti'' (acts). composed by Giacomo Puccini between 1893 and 1895 to an Italian libretto b ...
'' (again directed by Vidor, and starring Gish, Gilbert and Adorée), and '' Alias Jimmy Valentine'' with William Haines and Leila Hyams.


Dane & Arthur

Soon after signing his MGM contract, Dane began work on the Vidor film, '' Bardelys the Magnificent''. It was on this film that MGM executive Harry Rapf decided to pair the burly Dane with the slight English actor
George K. Arthur Arthur George Brest (27 January 1899 – 30 May 1985), known professionally as George K. Arthur, was an English actor and producer, born in Aberdeen, Scotland,. He appeared in more than 50 films between 1919 and 1935, and is best known as t ...
. The new comedy team was dubbed Dane & Arthur. In May 1927, the duo's first film, '' Rookies'', opened and was an instant success. In June 1927, MGM signed Dane to a long-term contract. He co-starred in the Dane & Arthur comedies and played character roles in dramatic films like '' The Trail of '98''. In April 1928, Dane broke his shoulder on the set. He developed a serious case of bronchial pneumonia but eventually recovered and went back to work. At the peak of his success and popularity, Dane earned $1500 a week.


Talkies and decline

By 1929, sound films were rising in popularity and MGM was worried that actors with thick foreign accents would not be ideal for sound films. In his memoirs, George K. Arthur claimed that after MGM tested the duo for sound films, they felt his British accent was "more desirable" and thought Dane's thick Danish accent made his English difficult for audiences to understand. As a result, MGM discontinued the Dane & Arthur series after ''China Bound'' (1929) and began offering Dane fewer roles. Dane & Arthur's only talking MGM credit was a brief guest appearance in the all-star musical comedy '' The Hollywood Revue of 1929'', and their skit was staged with very little dialogue. In 1930, Dane had a supporting role in '' Montana Moon'', a musical Western starring
Joan Crawford Joan Crawford (born Lucille Fay LeSueur; March 23, 190? was an American actress. She started her career as a dancer in traveling theatrical companies before debuting on Broadway theatre, Broadway. Crawford was signed to a motion-picture cont ...
and Johnny Mack Brown. He followed with another supporting role (in which he had no dialogue) in the prison drama '' The Big House'', starring Robert Montgomery,
Wallace Beery Wallace Fitzgerald Beery (April 1, 1885 – April 15, 1949) was an American film and stage actor. He is best known for his portrayal of Bill in '' Min and Bill'' (1930) opposite Marie Dressler, as General Director Preysing in '' Grand Hotel'' (1 ...
and Chester Morris. Later that year MGM terminated Dane's contract, citing his Danish accent. In his final interview in September 1933, Dane claimed that MGM wanted to renew his contract but he declined as he had suffered a nervous breakdown. Dane admitted that he had found it difficult to transition from silent to sound films due to his accent, but also said that he was exhausted from years of constant filming and was grieving the death of his father who died in September 1930.Petersen Balogh 2009 p.150 Although the Dane & Arthur series had been terminated by MGM, they did star in 10 sound films, albeit less prestigious short subjects. In 1930, Dane & Arthur were signed by producer
Larry Darmour Lawrence J. Darmour (1895–1942) was an American film producer, operator of Larry Darmour Productions from 1926, and a significant figure in Hollywood's low-budget production community. Career Darmour was born in Flushing, Queens, New York. Aft ...
for six short-subject comedies, released through
RKO Radio Pictures RKO Radio Pictures Inc., commonly known as RKO Pictures or simply RKO, is an American film production and distribution company, historically one of the "Big Five" film studios of Hollywood's Golden Age. The business was formed after the Kei ...
. In December 1930
Paramount Pictures Paramount Pictures Corporation, commonly known as Paramount Pictures or simply Paramount, is an American film production company, production and Distribution (marketing), distribution company and the flagship namesake subsidiary of Paramount ...
' theater chain offered Dane & Arthur a 23-week
vaudeville Vaudeville (; ) is a theatrical genre of variety entertainment which began in France in the middle of the 19th century. A ''vaudeville'' was originally a comedy without psychological or moral intentions, based on a comical situation: a drama ...
tour. In July 1931, Dane & Arthur were signed for four more shorts to be produced at Paramount's New York studio, beginning with ''The Lease Breakers'' (released in September 1931). The final film, ''Summer Daze'' (1932), ended the series and the Dane-Arthur partnership. In November 1931, Dane and some friends formed a mining corporation called Avelina Mines. The venture failed. By February 1932, Dane had returned to vaudeville, this time as a solo comedian. His act was panned by critics and apparently short-lived. Dane's final film appearance was a bit role as a dispatcher in the 1933 thriller '' The Whispering Shadow'', starring
Bela Lugosi Blaskó Béla Ferenc Dezső (; October 20, 1882 – August 16, 1956), better known by the stage name Bela Lugosi ( ; ), was a Hungarian–American actor. He was best remembered for portraying Count Dracula in the horror film classic Dracula (19 ...
.


Personal life

Dane became an American citizen on 13 July 1928Petersen Balogh 2009 p.53 and legally changed his name to Karl Dane.


Marriages and relationships

Dane's first marriage was to Carla Dagmar Hagen. The couple married 10 September 1910 at Saint Paul's Church in Copenhagen. Dane's only living children were born during this union; son Ejlert Carl, in 1911 and daughter Ingeborg Helene in 1912. When Dane immigrated to the US, in 1916, he intended to send for his family later. However, by the time his career became successful, Dane had begun to lose touch with his family. Carla no longer wanted to join him, as she was suffering from ill health. The pair separated in 1918 and divorced in 1919. In early 1921, Dane met Swedish immigrant Helen Benson. It was then he quit films and moved to Van Nuys. The couple married on 15 June 1921. Benson died in childbirth 9 August 1923, as did the couple's daughter. Unable to cope with the loss of his wife and daughter, Dane rushed into a marriage with telephone operator supervisor Emma Awilda Peabody Sawyer, seven years his senior. The couple married on 8 March 1924, and separated on 30 September 1924. In June 1928, Dane reportedly fell in love with a Russian dancer, Thais Valdemar. The couple began dating and eventually claimed to be married though they indeed never were (many sources incorrectly state that she was his legal wife). The couple lived together at Dane's
Beverly Hills Beverly Hills is a city located in Los Angeles County, California, United States. A notable and historic suburb of Los Angeles, it is located just southwest of the Hollywood Hills, approximately northwest of downtown Los Angeles. Beverly Hil ...
home, until November 1928, when Valdemar moved out. By December, she filed a breach of promise suit against Dane for $75,000, but the case was ultimately dropped in 1929.


Later years and death

By the summer of 1933, Dane had given up on his film career and made a second attempt at mining. He spent three months driving up and down the West Coast trying to find a good mining deal. In September 1933, Dane lost $1,100 on a mining deal that failed to gain traction and advance. Deeply depressed by this lack of success, Dane subsequently worked as a mechanic and as a carpenter, but he was unable to stay employed for an extended period. In 1933, Dane began working as a waiter in a "tiny cafe" in
Westwood, Los Angeles Westwood is a commercial and residential neighborhood in the northern central portion of the Westside (Los Angeles County), Westside region of the city of Los Angeles, California. It is the home of the University of California, Los Angeles (UCL ...
. According to Dane's biographer, Laura Petersen Balough, oft-told accounts that Dane "bought stake in a hot dog stand outside the gates of MGM Studios" which was supposedly shunned by his former co-workers are likely false. The "hot dog stand" or "hot dog cart" that is often referred to was actually similar to a luncheonette, a small, permanent structure that had a counter and seating for patrons. Dane eventually bought a stake in the cafe after the owner thought that having a former film star as a co-owner would drum up business.Petersen Balogh 2009 pp.163-164 Dane's former comedy partner, George K. Arthur, mentioned Dane's final venture in his memoir:
Another man might have kidded and clowned and made a feature of being "mine host" in a restaurant, but when Karl opened his hot dog stand in Westwood his own feeling of despair must have been served across the counter with the hamburgers. People could not bear to watch it. So they didn't come to buy his hamburgers.
By 1934, Dane's restaurant venture had failed and he was once again unemployed and broke. He then tried to seek work as carpenter or as an
extra Extra, Xtra, or The Extra may refer to: Arts, entertainment and media Film * The Extra (1962 film), ''The Extra'' (1962 film), a Mexican film * The Extra (2005 film), ''The Extra'' (2005 film), an Australian film Literature * Extra (newspaper), ...
at MGM and Paramount Pictures. He was reportedly turned down for extra work because his body type and look were too distracting. On 13 April 1934, Dane was pickpocketed of all the money he had: $18. On 14 April, he was to meet his friend, Frances Leake, with whom he planned to see a movie. After he failed to show, Leake became worried. She went to his apartment (at 626 South Burnside Avenue) and with the assistance of the landlady, they were able to open the door. There they found Dane, dead of a self-inflicted gunshot wound to the head, in his chair with a gun at his feet. Leake fainted at the scene. When she was revived, Leake found Dane's suicide note on a nearby table, next to a scrapbook filled with memorabilia, including photos, reviews and contracts, from his acting career. The note read, "To Frances and all my friends-goodbye." Neither friends nor relatives came forward to claim Karl Dane's body. Police tagged his body with the note, "May have relatives in Denmark. Hold for awhile." For the next few days, authorities attempted to find his family, even placing ads in major Copenhagen newspapers. However, the Gottliebs did not find out about Dane's death until weeks later. Fellow Danish actor Jean Hersholt stepped forward and insisted that MGM should pay for a funeral and burial. MGM agreed and, on 18 April, held a public funeral for Dane. There were around fifty attendees. Hersholt was a pallbearer, as was Tom O'Brien. Dane was interred at the
Hollywood Forever Cemetery Hollywood Forever Cemetery is a full-service cemetery, funeral home, crematorium, crematory, and cultural events center which regularly hosts community events such as live music and summer movie screenings. It is one of the oldest cemeteries ...
. At the time of his death, Dane's estate was valued at $197.


Legacy

Many of Dane's films still exist today and a few are available on DVD including ''Son of the Sheik'', ''The Big Parade'', and ''The Whispering Shadow.'' ''Bardelys the Magnificent'' was thought lost, but most of the film has been found. It has been restored and released on DVD. Of the 10 Dane & Arthur shorts, five still exist. Producer Robert Youngson included a sampling of the Dane & Arthur silent comedies in his feature film ''M-G-M's Big Parade of Comedy'' (1964). Dane received a star on the
Hollywood Walk of Fame The Hollywood Walk of Fame is a landmark which consists of 2,813 five-pointed terrazzo-and-brass stars embedded in the sidewalks along 15 blocks of Hollywood Boulevard and three blocks of Vine Street in the Hollywood, Los Angeles, Hollywood dist ...
for his contributions to film, which is located at 6140 Hollywood Blvd (located in front of the Henry Fonda Music Box Theater). Renewed interest has been shown in Dane's career, especially in his native Denmark. On 12 October 2006, Danish weekly paper ''FOKUS'' published an article on Dane to commemorate what would have been his 120th birthday. In February 2007, an issue of the monthly ''Classic Images'' (#380) included an article on Dane. In the July 2007 biannual publication ''The Bridge'' (Volume 30 Number 1 2007), published by the Danish American Heritage Society, featured an article on Dane. In December 2007, the Danish Film Festival '' Kosmorama'' published an article about Dane in their newsletter. On 28 January 2008, the Danish Film Institute held a 'Karl Dane Retrospective' in Copenhagen, Denmark. A speech was given by Laura Petersen Balogh and featured clips from Dane's films followed by a screening of one of his features.DFI Presentation – January 29, 2008
/ref> The event was attended by some of Dane's descendants. In 2009, a biography about Dane written by Balogh was released through
McFarland & Company McFarland & Company, Inc., is an American independent book publisher based in Jefferson, North Carolina, that specializes in academic An academy (Attic Greek: Ἀκαδήμεια; Koine Greek Ἀκαδημία) is an institution of tert ...
.McFarland & Company website
/ref>


Selected filmography


References


External links

*
Karl Dane
at Forever Studios *
Karl Dane
at Virtual History {{DEFAULTSORT:Dane, Karl 1886 births 1934 deaths 20th-century American male actors American male film actors American male silent film actors American male stage actors Burials at Hollywood Forever Cemetery Danish emigrants to the United States 20th-century Danish farmers 20th-century American farmers Danish male film actors Danish male silent film actors 20th-century Danish male actors Danish male stage actors 20th-century Danish military personnel Foundrymen Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer contract players Male actors from Copenhagen Suicides by firearm in California Danish vaudeville performers American vaudeville performers People from Carroll Gardens, Brooklyn 1934 suicides Danish male comedians American male comedians Comedians from Brooklyn Male actors from Brooklyn