Dijjers Spanier (born Nicolina Dijjers Spanier; 5 November 1909 â€"
after March 1982), known professionally as Lien Deyers, was a Dutch
actress based in Germany.Nicolina Dijjers Spanier was born in
Amsterdam on 5 November 1909, the daughter of Nathan Spanier, a piano
teacher (1857â€"1916), and Johanna Liefjes, a seamstress
(1889â€"1920). She had a half-brother, Andries Liefjes, (1906â€"1960),
a child from a previous relationship of Liefjes. After Spanier’s
death, Johanna married the hotel-owner Egbert Dijjers (1874â€"1948)
and the family moved to The Hague.At the early age of five her
potential was noted by Amsterdam theatre owner and film producer David
Sluizer, but she did not enter the film business. Deyers spent most of
her childhood years in The Hague until her stepfather, Dijjers,
married the Austrian actress Lotte Erol. Lien then traveled between
The Hague, Vienna (where the family mostly lived) and Lausanne, where
she went to a private school and became fluent in French.In August
1926 the Austrian weekly Mein Film staged a competition for new young
screen talent and Lien submitted her photograph. Together with twenty
other contestants she was chosen for a screen-test by director Hans
Otto, which she won. Subsequently, during an autograph session in the
Mein Film offices in 1927, she was introduced to the well-known
Austrian director Fritz Lang, who happened to be in need of a young
blonde for a role in his new movie Spione, written by his wife, the
novelist and screenwriter Thea von Harbou. Lang had her travel to
Berlin for a screen test, and she was indeed given a secondary, racy
role in Spione. She was billed as Lien Deyers because Dijjers
frequently was misspelled or mispronounced in German-speaking
countries.
after March 1982), known professionally as Lien Deyers, was a Dutch
actress based in Germany.Nicolina Dijjers Spanier was born in
Amsterdam on 5 November 1909, the daughter of Nathan Spanier, a piano
teacher (1857â€"1916), and Johanna Liefjes, a seamstress
(1889â€"1920). She had a half-brother, Andries Liefjes, (1906â€"1960),
a child from a previous relationship of Liefjes. After Spanier’s
death, Johanna married the hotel-owner Egbert Dijjers (1874â€"1948)
and the family moved to The Hague.At the early age of five her
potential was noted by Amsterdam theatre owner and film producer David
Sluizer, but she did not enter the film business. Deyers spent most of
her childhood years in The Hague until her stepfather, Dijjers,
married the Austrian actress Lotte Erol. Lien then traveled between
The Hague, Vienna (where the family mostly lived) and Lausanne, where
she went to a private school and became fluent in French.In August
1926 the Austrian weekly Mein Film staged a competition for new young
screen talent and Lien submitted her photograph. Together with twenty
other contestants she was chosen for a screen-test by director Hans
Otto, which she won. Subsequently, during an autograph session in the
Mein Film offices in 1927, she was introduced to the well-known
Austrian director Fritz Lang, who happened to be in need of a young
blonde for a role in his new movie Spione, written by his wife, the
novelist and screenwriter Thea von Harbou. Lang had her travel to
Berlin for a screen test, and she was indeed given a secondary, racy
role in Spione. She was billed as Lien Deyers because Dijjers
frequently was misspelled or mispronounced in German-speaking
countries.
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