old Danish-American actor
Sat, 17 Sep 2005 13:00:50 -0500
Dear colleagues:
Once upon a time, a Danish actor named TORBEN MEYER (1884-1975)
came to Hollywood and wound up playing a huge number of small
supporting roles, most memorably perhaps in 10 of Preston Sturges's
comedies of the 1940s. Sometimes cast as a stolid, even stupid
Teutonic type, Meyer may have inherited Karl Dane's mantle for that
sort of role. Torben Meyer had begun his film career in Denmark,
acting appx. 22 roles in Danish films, 1912-1926, followed by appx.
159 supporting roles in US films, 1928-1963. (Stats extrapolated from
"US.IMDB.COM.")
MY QUESTION. I think I noticed Meyer briefly in Michael Curtiz's
"Noah's Ark" (1928; the "modern story"), although he was not credited.
WAS HE INDEED THERE?
"US.IMDB.COM" indicates that Torben Meyer was already in Hollywood
by 1928, and acted at least 5 film roles in 1928-29 (Universal Studio
3, Columbia 1, MGM 1). But Meyer is not credited in any Warners
productions in those first 2 years ('28-'29), so my possible
identification of Meyer in Warners' "Noah" can't be considered as
proven. I might be wrong.
Any Sturges-ologists out there -- or anyone knowledgeable
about Danish film professionals in the US -- who could confirm
(or deny) that Torben Meyer worked for Warners that early, and
did indeed act in "Noah's Ark" ('28)?
Gratefully,
Steven P Hill,
University of Illinois.
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