ACTOR
Jean Hersholt
Known for What's My Line? · The Beast of the City · The Ed Sullivan Show
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia Jean Pierre Hersholt (12 July 1886 – 2 June 1956) was a Danish-born actor who lived in the United States, where he was a leading film and radio talent, best known for his 17 years starring on radio in Dr. Christian and for playing Shirley Temple's grandfather in Heidi. Asked how to pronounce his name, he told The Literary Digest, "In English, her'sholt; in Danish, hairs'hult." Of his total credits,…
Snapshot 2026-10-16
- Born
- Jul 10, 1886
- Died
- Jun 2, 1956
- Birthplace
- Copenhagen, Denmark
- Known For
- Acting
Biography
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Jean Pierre Hersholt (12 July 1886 – 2 June 1956) was a Danish-born actor who lived in the United States, where he was a leading film and radio talent, best known for his 17 years starring on radio in Dr. Christian and for playing Shirley Temple's grandfather in Heidi. Asked how to pronounce his name, he told The Literary Digest, "In English, her'sholt; in Danish, hairs'hult." Of his total credits, 75 were silent films and 65 were sound films. He appeared in 140 films and directed four.
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Known For
TV
What's My Line?Self · 1950
★ 7.0
★ 7.0
MOVIE
The Beast of the CitySamuel "Sam" Belmonte · 1932
★ 5.9
★ 5.9
TV
The Ed Sullivan ShowSelf · 1948
★ 6.8
★ 6.8
TV
This Is Your LifeSelf · 1952
★ 6.5
★ 6.5
MOVIE
Complicated WomenSelf (archive footage) · 2003
★ 6.9
★ 6.9
MOVIE
Her Night of RomanceJoe Diamond · 1924
★ 6.8
★ 6.8
MOVIE
A Star Is Born World PremiereSelf · 1954
★ 8.0
★ 8.0
MOVIE
Cavalcade of the Academy AwardsSelf · 1940
★ 6.3
★ 6.3
Filmography
Movies
A New Hat for the Madam
1906NA
Never Again
1915
The DiscipleMob Member
1915BA
Bullets and Brown Eyes
1916
Hell's HingesBartender (uncredited)
1916KG
Kinkaid, Gambler
1916
The Aryan(uncredited)
1916
'49 – '17'Gentleman Jim' Raynor
1917
A Stormy KnightDr. Fraser
1917
Black Orchids
1917
Fighting for LoveFerdinand
1917
Love AflameReginald
1917
Perils of the Secret ServicePrince Feodor (Episode #2)
1917
Princess VirtueEmile Carre
1917
Southern JusticeCaleb Talbot
1917TC
The Clash of SteelPrince Feodor
1917
The Saintly SinnerUndetermined Role
1917
The Soul HerderThe Minister
1917
The TerrorJimm, the Dope
1917LR
Little Red DecidesSour Milk
1918
Madame SpyCount Von Ornstorff
1918
The AnswerShepard
1918
Love's PrisonerParty Guest (uncredited)
1919
Whom the Gods Would Destroy
1919
Merely Mary AnnStranger
1920
The Deceiver
1920The DeceiverDirector
1920
The Golden TrailHarry Teal
1920The Golden TrailDirector
1920
The Red LaneVetal Beaulieu
1920
A Certain Rich ManAdrian Brownwell
1921
The Four Horsemen of the ApocalypseProf. von Hartrott (uncredited)
1921
The Man Of The ForestLem Beasley
1921TS
The Servant in the HouseManson, The Servant in the House
1921
Golden DreamsAssistant Director
1922
Heart's HavenHenry Bird
1922
Tess of the Storm CountryBen Letts
1922
The Strangers' BanquetFiend
1922
When Romance RidesJoel Creech
1922
JazzmaniaPrince Otto of Como
1923
QuicksandsRing Member
1923
Red LightsEzra Carson
1923
Souls for SaleSelf - Celebrity Actor
1923
Cheap KissesGustaf Borgstrom
1924
GreedMarcus
1924
Her Night of RomanceJoe Diamond
1924
Sinners in SilkDr. Eustace
1924
So BigAug Hempel
1924TC
The City of Stars: A Reporters Visit to the Universal Studios
1924
The GoldfishHerman Krauss
1924
The Woman on the JuryJury Foreman
1924
TormentBoris
1924AW
A Woman's FaithJules Cluny
1925
Dangerous InnocenceGilchrist
1925
Don Q Son of ZorroDon Fabrique Borusta
1925
Fifth Avenue ModelsMr. Jones - a Crook
1925
Stella DallasEd Munn
1925
FlamesOle Bergson
1926
It Must Be LovePop Schmidt
1926
My Old Dutch'Erb 'Uggins
1926
The Greater GloryGustav Schmidt
1926
The Old SoakClement Hawley, Sr.
1926
Alias The DeaconGeorge Caswell or The Deacon
1927
The Wrong Mr. WrightSeymour White
1927
13 Washington Square'Deacon' Pyecroft
1928
Abie's Irish RoseSolomon Levy
1928GA
Give and TakeJohn Bauer
1928
Jazz MadFranz Hausmann
1928
The Battle of the SexesWilliam Judson
1928
The Secret HourTony
1928
The Student Prince in Old HeidelbergDr. Jüttner
1928
Modern LoveFrançois Renault
1929
The Girl on the BargeMcCadden
1929
The Younger GenerationJulius Goldfish - Pa
1929
East Is WestMan
1930
Hell HarborJoseph Horngold
1930
MambaAugust Bolte (Mamba)
1930
The Case of Sergeant GrischaPosnanski
1930
The Cat CreepsDr. Patterson
1930
The ClimaxLuigi Golfanti
1930
The Third AlarmFrank 'Dad' Morton
1930
Viennese NightsHerr Hofner, Elsa's Father
1930
DaybreakHerr Schnabel
1931
Private LivesOscar
1931
Susan LenoxKarl Ohlin
1931
The Phantom of ParisHerman
1931
The Sin of Madelon ClaudetDr. Dulac
1931
TransatlanticRudolph aka Jed Kramer
1931
Are You Listening?George Wagner
1932
EmmaFrederick Smith
1932
FleshMr. Herman
1932
Grand HotelSenf
1932
Hearts of HumanitySol Bloom
1932
New Morals for OldJames Hallett
1932
Night CourtHerman the Janitor
1932
Skyscraper SoulsJake
1932
The Beast of the CitySamuel "Sam" Belmonte
1932
The Mask of Fu ManchuVon Berg
1932
UnashamedMr. Schmidt
1932
Christopher BeanRosen
1933
Dinner at EightJo Stengel
1933
Song of the EagleOtto Hoffman
1933
The Crime of the CenturyDr. Emil Brandt
1933
Men in WhiteDr. Hochberg
1934
The Cat and the FiddleProfessor Bertier
1934
The FountainBaron von Leyden
1934
The Painted VeilHerr Koerber
1934
Break of HeartsProfessor Thalma
1935
Mark of the VampireBaron Otto
1935
Murder in the FleetVictor Hanson
1935
His Brother's WifeProfessor 'Pop' Fahrenheim
1936
ReunionDr. John Luke
1936
Sins of ManChristopher Freyman
1936
The Country DoctorDr. John Luke
1936
Tough GuyDr. Mulback
1936
HeidiAdolph Kramer
1937
One in a MillionHeinrich Muller
1937
Seventh HeavenFather Chevillon
1937
Alexander's Ragtime BandProf. Heinrich
1938
Five of a KindDr. John Luke
1938
Happy LandingLars Ericksen
1938
I'll Give a MillionVictor
1938
Meet Dr. ChristianDoctor Paul Christian
1939
Mr. Moto in Danger IslandMr. Sutter
1939
Cavalcade of the Academy AwardsSelf
1940
Dr. Christian Meets the WomenDoctor Paul Christian
1940
Remedy for RichesDoctor Paul Christian
1940
The Courageous Dr. ChristianDoctor Paul Christian
1940
Hedda Hopper's Hollywood No. 2
1941
Melody for ThreeDoctor Paul Christian
1941
They Meet AgainDoctor Paul Christian
1941
Stage Door CanteenJean Hersholt
1943
To the People of the United StatesColonel Jensen - Medical Corps
1944
Dancing in the DarkJean Hersholt
1949
A Star Is Born World PremiereSelf
1954
Run for CoverMr. Swenson
1955
Complicated WomenSelf (archive footage)
2003CO
Checking Out: Grand HotelSelf (archive footage)
2004
Photos
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