Johannes Poulsen (17 November 1881 â€" 14 October 1938) was a Danish
actor and director. He debuted with the Dagmar Theatre in 1901. In
1909 he joined the Royal Theatre as an actor, and from 1917 was also a
stage director. Memorable roles included Peer Gynt, Shylock, Henry
VIII and the fool in Twelfth Night. Poulsen debuted on film in 1910
with Regia Art Films, and later starred in four films for Nordisk
Film. He wrote the book Gennem de fagre riger (English: Through the
Fair Realms) which was published in 1916.In 1919 Poulsen staged Adam
Oehlenschläger's drama Aladdin with music to be composed by Carl
Nielsen. After accepting the contract, Nielsen found that Poulsen was
making the orchestra play under the huge staircase in the center of
the scenery and using the orchestra pit in the set. When Poulsen cut
out large parts of the music during final rehearsals and changed the
sequence of dances, Nielsen demanded that his name be removed from the
poster and the program.Poulsen remained with the Royal Theatre until
1927. From 1928 to 1930 he gave guest appearances in several European
capitals, before returning the Royal Theatre where he became its
director.While in this capacity, he was invited by the California
Festival Association in 1936 to stage an outdoor production of the
medieval pageant, Everyman, at the Hollywood Bowl. Legendary film
producer Irving Thalberg arranged for the play's backing through the
support of Dr. A.H. Giannini of the Bank of America, with the proviso
that a large portion of the production's profits would benefit Jewish
refugees from Hitler's Germany. Thalberg hosted a lavish dinner for
Dr. Poulsen the week before its premiere, attended by MGM chairman,
Louis B. Mayer, among other Hollywood elite, and the production itself
- an expensively-mounted spectacular of the 15th century morality play
- opened to a star-studded premiere with 12,000 people in the
audience. (This was Thalberg's last professional work before his death
at age 36 later that month. )
actor and director. He debuted with the Dagmar Theatre in 1901. In
1909 he joined the Royal Theatre as an actor, and from 1917 was also a
stage director. Memorable roles included Peer Gynt, Shylock, Henry
VIII and the fool in Twelfth Night. Poulsen debuted on film in 1910
with Regia Art Films, and later starred in four films for Nordisk
Film. He wrote the book Gennem de fagre riger (English: Through the
Fair Realms) which was published in 1916.In 1919 Poulsen staged Adam
Oehlenschläger's drama Aladdin with music to be composed by Carl
Nielsen. After accepting the contract, Nielsen found that Poulsen was
making the orchestra play under the huge staircase in the center of
the scenery and using the orchestra pit in the set. When Poulsen cut
out large parts of the music during final rehearsals and changed the
sequence of dances, Nielsen demanded that his name be removed from the
poster and the program.Poulsen remained with the Royal Theatre until
1927. From 1928 to 1930 he gave guest appearances in several European
capitals, before returning the Royal Theatre where he became its
director.While in this capacity, he was invited by the California
Festival Association in 1936 to stage an outdoor production of the
medieval pageant, Everyman, at the Hollywood Bowl. Legendary film
producer Irving Thalberg arranged for the play's backing through the
support of Dr. A.H. Giannini of the Bank of America, with the proviso
that a large portion of the production's profits would benefit Jewish
refugees from Hitler's Germany. Thalberg hosted a lavish dinner for
Dr. Poulsen the week before its premiere, attended by MGM chairman,
Louis B. Mayer, among other Hollywood elite, and the production itself
- an expensively-mounted spectacular of the 15th century morality play
- opened to a star-studded premiere with 12,000 people in the
audience. (This was Thalberg's last professional work before his death
at age 36 later that month. )
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