Monica Ingeborg Elisabeth "Mona" MÃ¥rtenson (4 May 1902 â€" 8 July
1956) was a Swedish film actress. She appeared in 28 films between
1923 and 1949. She was born and died in Stockholm, Sweden.Mona grew up
in Helsingborg and studied at the Dramatens elevskola (Royal Dramatic
Theater Academy). She made her first film appearance in Anderssonskans
Kalle på nya upptåg (Kalle Anderssonskan's New Pranks, 1923)
directed by Sigurd Wallén. That same year, Mona and her classmate
Greta Gustafson (who would change her name to Greta Garbo that same
year) were selected by the school to audition for noted Swedish film
director Mauritz Stiller. Both actresses were cast in his upcoming
film, the epic romance Gösta Berlings saga (The Saga of Gosta
Berling) in 1924. The film was based on the 1892 debut novel by Selma
Lagerlöf and featured Lars Hanson as the handsome young priest,
Gösta Berling, who is fired over his drinking and improper lifestyle.
Shamed, he is later hired by an unscrupulous and wealthy woman to be a
tutor to her beautiful step-daughter played by Mona MÃ¥rtenson.After
the success of the film, Garbo, Hanson and director Stiller were
invited to Hollywood, but MÃ¥rtenson reportedly turned down a contract
offer from Louis B. Mayer. She remained in Stockholm, where she worked
in the Royal Dramatic Theater. She also appeared in several films:
Skeppargatan 40 (1925) directed by Gustaf Edgren with Einar Hanson;
the two-part Karl XII (1925) directed by John W. Brunius) and
featuring Gösta Ekman (senior); and Ingmarsarvet (The Ingmar
Inheritance, 1925) directed by Gustav Molander) with Conrad Veidt.
Molander directed Mona and Lars Hanson in another Selma Lagerlöf
adaptation, Till österland (To the Orient, 1926), filmed in Jaffa,
Israel. She again starred for Molander in Förseglade läppar (Sealed
Lips, 1927), co-starring Fred Louis Lerch and Sandra Milovanoff, and
based on a story by Guy de Maupassant. A huge success in Sweden, the
lead role was to have been played by French actress Geneviève
Cargese, who fell ill in Stockholm and was replaced by MÃ¥rtenson.
1956) was a Swedish film actress. She appeared in 28 films between
1923 and 1949. She was born and died in Stockholm, Sweden.Mona grew up
in Helsingborg and studied at the Dramatens elevskola (Royal Dramatic
Theater Academy). She made her first film appearance in Anderssonskans
Kalle på nya upptåg (Kalle Anderssonskan's New Pranks, 1923)
directed by Sigurd Wallén. That same year, Mona and her classmate
Greta Gustafson (who would change her name to Greta Garbo that same
year) were selected by the school to audition for noted Swedish film
director Mauritz Stiller. Both actresses were cast in his upcoming
film, the epic romance Gösta Berlings saga (The Saga of Gosta
Berling) in 1924. The film was based on the 1892 debut novel by Selma
Lagerlöf and featured Lars Hanson as the handsome young priest,
Gösta Berling, who is fired over his drinking and improper lifestyle.
Shamed, he is later hired by an unscrupulous and wealthy woman to be a
tutor to her beautiful step-daughter played by Mona MÃ¥rtenson.After
the success of the film, Garbo, Hanson and director Stiller were
invited to Hollywood, but MÃ¥rtenson reportedly turned down a contract
offer from Louis B. Mayer. She remained in Stockholm, where she worked
in the Royal Dramatic Theater. She also appeared in several films:
Skeppargatan 40 (1925) directed by Gustaf Edgren with Einar Hanson;
the two-part Karl XII (1925) directed by John W. Brunius) and
featuring Gösta Ekman (senior); and Ingmarsarvet (The Ingmar
Inheritance, 1925) directed by Gustav Molander) with Conrad Veidt.
Molander directed Mona and Lars Hanson in another Selma Lagerlöf
adaptation, Till österland (To the Orient, 1926), filmed in Jaffa,
Israel. She again starred for Molander in Förseglade läppar (Sealed
Lips, 1927), co-starring Fred Louis Lerch and Sandra Milovanoff, and
based on a story by Guy de Maupassant. A huge success in Sweden, the
lead role was to have been played by French actress Geneviève
Cargese, who fell ill in Stockholm and was replaced by MÃ¥rtenson.
Share this
SUBSCRIBE OUR NEWSLETTER
SUBSCRIBE OUR NEWSLETTER
Join us for free and get valuable content delivered right through your inbox.