---
name: "Jean Hersholt"
canonical: "https://film.one/person/jean-hersholt"
roles: ["Actor"]
born: "10 July 1886"
died: "2 June 1956"
reviewed_on_fi1m: 1
average_as: "actor"
average_over: 1
updated: "2026-09-19T23:48:43.335701+00:00"
licence: "© Fi1m Ltd. Written by AI under a human editor; checked against sources before publication. Quote with attribution and a link to the canonical URL."
---

# Jean Hersholt

Actor. Born 10 July 1886 in Copenhagen, Denmark. Died 2 June 1956.

## Details

- **Work:** Actor
- **Born:** 10 July 1886, Copenhagen, Denmark
- **Died:** 2 June 1956
- **Also known as:** Jean Pierre Hersholt, Jean Pierre Carl Buron
- **Elsewhere:** https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jean_Hersholt, https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q359251, https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0380965/, https://www.themoviedb.org/person/32138

## Biography

Jean Hersholt was a Danish-American actor. Born in Copenhagen, he emigrated to the United States in 1913 and appeared in more than 140 films between the silent era and the 1950s, of which 75 were silent and 65 were sound films. He also directed four films.

Hersholt is known for roles including Marcus in *Greed* (1924), Senf in *Grand Hotel* (1932), Adolph Kramer in *Heidi* (1937) and Professor Heinrich in *Alexander's Ragtime Band* (1938). He starred as Dr Paul Christian in the CBS radio series *Dr. Christian* from 1937 to 1954 and in related films. He served as president of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences from 1945 to 1949; the Jean Hersholt Humanitarian Award is named in his honour.

*Sources: en.wikipedia.org, imdb.com, catalog.afi.com.*

## On Fi1m (1)

- *Alexander's Ragtime Band* (1938), Fi1m 70, as Prof. Heinrich — [page](https://film.one/film/alexanders-ragtime-band.md)

## Complete filmography (131)

Every credit, newest first. Titles without a page can be requested for review on the HTML page.

- *Run for Cover* (1955), as Mr. Swenson
- *Dancing in the Dark* (1949), as Jean Hersholt
- *To the People of the United States* (1944), as Colonel Jensen - Medical Corps
- *Stage Door Canteen* (1943), as Jean Hersholt
- *Hedda Hopper's Hollywood No. 2* (1941), Actor
- *They Meet Again* (1941), as Doctor Paul Christian
- *Melody for Three* (1941), as Doctor Paul Christian
- *Remedy for Riches* (1940), as Doctor Paul Christian
- *Dr. Christian Meets the Women* (1940), as Doctor Paul Christian
- *The Courageous Dr. Christian* (1940), as Doctor Paul Christian
- *Meet Dr. Christian* (1939), as Doctor Paul Christian
- *Mr. Moto in Danger Island* (1939), as Mr. Sutter
- *Five of a Kind* (1938), as Dr. John Luke
- *I'll Give a Million* (1938), as Victor
- *Alexander's Ragtime Band* (1938), as Prof. Heinrich — Fi1m 70, [page](https://film.one/film/alexanders-ragtime-band.md)
- *Happy Landing* (1938), as Lars Ericksen
- *Heidi* (1937), as Adolph Kramer
- *Seventh Heaven* (1937), as Father Chevillon
- *One in a Million* (1937), as Heinrich Muller
- *Reunion* (1936), as Dr. John Luke
- *His Brother's Wife* (1936), as Professor 'Pop' Fahrenheim
- *Sins of Man* (1936), as Christopher Freyman
- *The Country Doctor* (1936), as Dr. John Luke
- *Tough Guy* (1936), as Dr. Mulback
- *Break of Hearts* (1935), as Professor Thalma
- *Murder in the Fleet* (1935), as Victor Hanson
- *Mark of the Vampire* (1935), as Baron Otto
- *The Painted Veil* (1934), as Herr Koerber
- *The Fountain* (1934), as Baron von Leyden
- *Men in White* (1934), as Dr. Hochberg
- *The Cat and the Fiddle* (1934), as Professor Bertier
- *Dinner at Eight* (1933), as Jo Stengel
- *Christopher Bean* (1933), as Rosen
- *Song of the Eagle* (1933), as Otto Hoffman
- *The Crime of the Century* (1933), as Dr. Emil Brandt
- *Flesh* (1932), as Mr. Herman
- *The Mask of Fu Manchu* (1932), as Von Berg
- *Grand Hotel* (1932), as Senf
- *Hearts of Humanity* (1932), as Sol Bloom
- *Skyscraper Souls* (1932), as Jake
- *Unashamed* (1932), as Mr. Schmidt
- *Night Court* (1932), as Herman the Janitor
- *New Morals for Old* (1932), as James Hallett
- *Are You Listening?* (1932), as George Wagner
- *The Beast of the City* (1932), as Samuel "Sam" Belmonte
- *Emma* (1932), as Frederick Smith
- *Private Lives* (1931), as Oscar
- *The Sin of Madelon Claudet* (1931), as Dr. Dulac
- *Susan Lenox* (1931), as Karl Ohlin
- *The Phantom of Paris* (1931), as Herman
- *Transatlantic* (1931), as Rudolph aka Jed Kramer
- *Daybreak* (1931), as Herr Schnabel
- *Viennese Nights* (1930), as Herr Hofner, Elsa's Father
- *The Third Alarm* (1930), as Frank 'Dad' Morton
- *The Cat Creeps* (1930), as Dr. Patterson
- *East Is West* (1930), as Man
- *Hell Harbor* (1930), as Joseph Horngold
- *Mamba* (1930), as August Bolte (Mamba)
- *The Case of Sergeant Grischa* (1930), as Posnanski
- *The Climax* (1930), as Luigi Golfanti
- *Modern Love* (1929), as François Renault
- *The Younger Generation* (1929), as Julius Goldfish - Pa
- *The Girl on the Barge* (1929), as McCadden
- *Give and Take* (1928), as John Bauer
- *Jazz Mad* (1928), as Franz Hausmann
- *The Battle of the Sexes* (1928), as William Judson
- *Abie's Irish Rose* (1928), as Solomon Levy
- *The Secret Hour* (1928), as Tony
- *The Student Prince in Old Heidelberg* (1928), as Dr. Jüttner
- *13 Washington Square* (1928), as 'Deacon' Pyecroft
- *Alias The Deacon* (1927), as George Caswell or The Deacon
- *The Wrong Mr. Wright* (1927), as Seymour White
- *The Old Soak* (1926), as Clement Hawley, Sr.
- *Flames* (1926), as Ole Bergson
- *It Must Be Love* (1926), as Pop Schmidt
- *My Old Dutch* (1926), as 'Erb 'Uggins
- *The Greater Glory* (1926), as Gustav Schmidt
- *Stella Dallas* (1925), as Ed Munn
- *A Woman's Faith* (1925), as Jules Cluny
- *Don Q Son of Zorro* (1925), as Don Fabrique Borusta
- *Fifth Avenue Models* (1925), as Mr. Jones - a Crook
- *Dangerous Innocence* (1925), as Gilchrist
- *So Big* (1924), as Aug Hempel
- *Cheap Kisses* (1924), as Gustaf Borgstrom
- *Greed* (1924), as Marcus
- *Her Night of Romance* (1924), as Joe Diamond
- *Sinners in Silk* (1924), as Dr. Eustace
- *The Woman on the Jury* (1924), as Jury Foreman
- *The Goldfish* (1924), as Herman Krauss
- *The City of Stars: A Reporters Visit to the Universal Studios* (1924), Actor
- *Torment* (1924), as Boris
- *Red Lights* (1923), as Ezra Carson
- *Quicksands* (1923), as Ring Member
- *Jazzmania* (1923), as Prince Otto of Como
- *The Strangers' Banquet* (1922), as Fiend
- *Tess of the Storm Country* (1922), as Ben Letts
- *Heart's Haven* (1922), as Henry Bird
- *Golden Dreams* (1922), Assistant Director
- *When Romance Rides* (1922), as Joel Creech
- *The Man Of The Forest* (1921), as Lem Beasley
- *A Certain Rich Man* (1921), as Adrian Brownwell
- *The Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse* (1921), as Prof. von Hartrott (uncredited)
- *The Servant in the House* (1921), as Manson, The Servant in the House
- *The Deceiver* (1920), Director
- *Merely Mary Ann* (1920), as Stranger
- *The Golden Trail* (1920), as Harry Teal · Director
- *The Red Lane* (1920), as Vetal Beaulieu
- *Love's Prisoner* (1919), as Party Guest (uncredited)
- *Whom the Gods Would Destroy* (1919), Actor
- *The Answer* (1918), as Shepard
- *Little Red Decides* (1918), as Sour Milk
- *Madame Spy* (1918), as Count Von Ornstorff
- *Princess Virtue* (1917), as Emile Carre
- *'49 – '17* (1917), as 'Gentleman Jim' Raynor
- *A Stormy Knight* (1917), as Dr. Fraser
- *The Soul Herder* (1917), as The Minister
- *Southern Justice* (1917), as Caleb Talbot
- *The Clash of Steel* (1917), as Prince Feodor
- *Perils of the Secret Service* (1917), as Prince Feodor (Episode #2)
- *The Saintly Sinner* (1917), as Undetermined Role
- *The Terror* (1917), as Jimm, the Dope
- *Love Aflame* (1917), as Reginald
- *Fighting for Love* (1917), as Ferdinand
- *Black Orchids* (1917), Actor
- *Kinkaid, Gambler* (1916), Actor
- *The Aryan* (1916), as (uncredited)
- *Bullets and Brown Eyes* (1916), Actor
- *Hell's Hinges* (1916), as Bartender (uncredited)
- *The Disciple* (1915), as Mob Member
- *Never Again* (1915), Actor
- *A New Hat for the Madam* (1906), Actor

## Gallery

- ![Jean Hersholt](https://film.one/media/person/1230559/gallery-bea4b0d7d597.jpg) Jean Hersholt — Universal Studios, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons (https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/5/5b/Jean_Hersholt_1929.jpg?utm_source=commons.wikimedia.org&utm_campaign=imageinfo&utm_content=thumbnail_unscaled)
- ![Believed to have been published by the LA Times in 1941. DESCRIPTION Handwriting on back of negative states "Mary Pickford, Edward Arnold, Jean Hersholt, Willia](https://film.one/media/person/1230559/gallery-2d402fc034e6.jpg) Believed to have been published by the LA Times in 1941. DESCRIPTION Handwriting on back of negative states "Mary Pickford, Edward Arnold, Jean Hersholt, Willia — Los Angeles Times, CC BY 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons (https://thumb.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/f/f5/Jean_Hersholt%2C_Mary_Pickford_and_Edward_Arnold_at_ground_breaking_ceremony_for_the_Motion_Picture_Relief_Fund_House_of_Woodland_Hills%2C_Calif.%2C_1941.jpg/1280px-Jean_Hersholt%2C_Mary_Pickford_and_Edward_Arnold_at_ground_breaking_ceremony_for_the_Motion_Picture_Relief_Fund_House_of_Woodland_Hills%2C_Calif.%2C_1941.jpg?utm_source=commons.wikimedia.org&utm_campaign=imageinfo&utm_content=thumbnail)
- ![Jean Hersholt grave at Forest Lawn Cemetery in Glendale, California. December 2011.](https://film.one/media/person/1230559/gallery-ded7fc5c69a2.jpg) Jean Hersholt grave at Forest Lawn Cemetery in Glendale, California. December 2011. — Meribona, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons (https://thumb.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/e/e8/Jean_Hersholt_grave_at_Forest_Lawn_Cemetery_in_Glendale%2C_California.JPG/1280px-Jean_Hersholt_grave_at_Forest_Lawn_Cemetery_in_Glendale%2C_California.JPG?utm_source=commons.wikimedia.org&utm_campaign=imageinfo&utm_content=thumbnail)
- ![(From left) Ned Sparks, Ralph Graves, June Marlowe, Jean Hersholt, and Tom Kennedy in the American drama film Alias the Deacon (1927).](https://film.one/media/person/1230559/gallery-e378c3735675.jpg) (From left) Ned Sparks, Ralph Graves, June Marlowe, Jean Hersholt, and Tom Kennedy in the American drama film Alias the Deacon (1927). — Universal Pictures Corporation, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons (https://thumb.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/8/8d/Ned_Sparks%2C_Ralph_Graves%2C_June_Marlowe%2C_Jean_Hersholt%2C_and_Tom_Kennedy_in_Alias_the_Deacon.jpg/1280px-Ned_Sparks%2C_Ralph_Graves%2C_June_Marlowe%2C_Jean_Hersholt%2C_and_Tom_Kennedy_in_Alias_the_Deacon.jpg?utm_source=commons.wikimedia.org&utm_campaign=imageinfo&utm_content=thumbnail)
- ![Jean Hersholt](https://film.one/media/person/1230559/gallery-8ec0007b9c06.jpg) Jean Hersholt — Image via TMDB

## Awards

### Other awards — 3 won

- star on Hollywood Walk of Fame 1960: star on Hollywood Walk of Fame (won)
- Ingenio et arti 1955: Ingenio et arti (won)
- Knight of the Order of the Dannebrog 1946: Knight of the Order of the Dannebrog (won)

*From Wikidata, which records wins more completely than nominations.*

---
© Fi1m Ltd. Written by AI under a human editor; checked against sources before publication. Quote with attribution and a link to the canonical URL. Canonical: https://film.one/person/jean-hersholt