Karen Poulsen (10 May 1881 – 15 February 1953) was a Danish stage and early film actress. She performed regularly at the Royal Danish Theatre until 1938 and took part in many silent and sound films from 1911 to 1950.
Early life Born in Copenhagen on 10 May 1881, Karen Poulsen was the daughter of the celebrated stage actor Olaf Poulsen (1849–1923) and his wife, the ballet dancer Henriette Emilie née Bryde (1846–1909). After being trained by her father, she became a pupil at the school of the Royal Danish Theatre where she made her debut on 4 February 1900 as Pernille in Ludvig Holberg's Gert Westphaler. She was appreciated for her good humour and clear diction.
Career
After gaining further experience while performing for a number of seasons at Copenhagen's , she went on to perform in the provinces, including a period at the Aarhus Theatre, where she played the leading role in Hervé's Frøken Nitouche. She then performed at Det Ny Teater in Copenhagen from its opening in 1908. With her father's assistance, she was able to return to the Royal Theatre in 1912 where she performed comic roles such as Tante Malle in Bjørnstjerne Bjørnson's Geografi og Kærlighed. Maintaining a good place in the company's repertoire, she performed particularly well in her Holberg roles. She remained with the company until 1938, when disappointed with her lack of progress, she left to perform in the more promising private theatres of Copenhagen. At the Frederiksberg Teater, she took the leading role in Gustav Wied's Hendes gamle Naade (1941) and played Julia Gibbs, a mother in Thornton Wilder's Our Town (1942).
Poulsen made her film debut in 1911 with Nordisk Film, appearing in 28 silent movies until 1928. In 1931, as Tosse-Grete in Hotel Paradis, she embarked on her career in sound films taking mainly fairly minor roles, frequently as a strong or bohemian women. She was however acclaimed for playing the Grandmother in Ditte, Child of Man (1946). Her last film appearance was in 1950 as Ane, the fortune teller in Historien om Hjortholm. Poulsen also frequently took part in Danish radio dramas.
Marriages Karen Poulsen was married three times, first to the actor Valdemar Lund in 1902, then to the journalist and athlete Bjørn Thalbitzer in 1919, and finally to the banker Mogens la Cour Kruse in 1928. As a result, she also appeared as Karen Lund and Karen Thalbitzer.
Filmography This list includes her appearances as Karen Lund and Karen Tralbizter. Year Title Role Notes1911 Privatsekretæren Rigs wife 1911 Balletdanserinden Simon's Frau 1912 Jernbanens datter Alexandra 1912 Den kære Afdøde Mrs. Bang 1913 Paa Vildspor 1915 Billedhuggeren Nanna 1915 Zirli Sasa 1916 Gloria 1916 Lotte vil paa Landet Singer 1916 Mørkets Fyrste Cleo Bernard - Adventuress 1917 Naar Hadet slukkes Lolo - Adventuress 1918 Dommens dag Pitch black, gypsy woman 1920 Sons of the Soil 1921 Growth of the Soil Inger 1922 Jafet, der søger sig en Fader I-IV Natté - Gipsy 1922 Der var engang Bolette 1931 Hotel Paradis Tosse-Grete 1932 Kirke og orgel Grethis moster 1933 Nyhavn 17 Hilda Rask 1933 Tango Tangobar-gæst 1934 Nøddebo Præstegård Sidse 1937 Det begyndte ombord Emma Fischer 1939 Elverhøj Mor Karen 1940 Sommerglæder Fru Graa 1941 Gå med mig hjem Enkefrue 1942 Alle mand på dæk Hertuginde i bar 1943 Møllen Lises mor 1944 Mordets melodi Påklæderske Flora Kristiansen 1946 Fyrtøjet Heksen Voice1946 Ditte Menneskebarn Maren - Dittes bedstemor 1950 Historien om Hjortholm Ane Steffens (final film role)
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