Anders Randolf | |
|---|---|
 Randolf in 1921 | |
| Born | (1870-12-18)December 18, 1870 Viborg, Denmark |
| Died | July 2, 1930(1930-07-02) (aged 59) Hollywood, California, U.S. |
| Resting place | Frederiksberg Cemetery,Copenhagen |
| Other names | Anders Randolph |
| Occupation | Actor |
| Years active | 1913–1930 |
| Spouse | Dorthea Jorgensen (m. ?–1930) |
Anders Randolf (December 18, 1875 – July 2, 1930) was a Danish-American actor inAmerican films from 1913 to 1930.[1]
Randolf was born inViborg, Denmark on December 18, 1875.[2]As a youth, he attended a military academy, graduatedMaitre d'Arms and served with the Royal Danish Hussars, earning a reputation as a world-class swordsman.[3][4]
Randolf emigrated to the United States in 1893[5] and joined the U.S. Army, serving with the 17th US Infantry.[6]
Harboring a lifelong passion for the theater, Randolf performed with an acting troupe inColumbus, Ohio before joining a number of touring companies including William Farnum All-Star Company and theVaughan Glaser Company. He co-starred in a highly regarded production ofAs You Like It (1599) oppositeHenrietta Crosman.[7]
In 1914, Anders Randolf began appearing in 1- or 2-reelers with theVitagraph Studios stock company, and earned critical praise in his first feature filmThe Wheels of Justice (1915) in the role of Tug' Riley, a convict. A reviewer in theNew York Dramatic Mirror wrote: "Anders Randolf as Tug Riley is undoubtedly the most real in the excellent cast."[8]
Randolf continued working with Vitagraph until 1919 even as the production company's fortunes declined. The company was acquired by Warner Bros. studios in 1925.[9]As a freelance performer, Rudolf was provided with "top supporting roles" in high production features. He worked forCosmopolitan productions, co-starring withMarion Davies inThe Cinema Murder (1919), Buried Treasure (1921), and Enchantment. Regarded as "one of Hollywood's most respected heavies", he was often cast to play villains.[10]A versatile actor, Randolf could expertly play comedic roles, for example, as a incompetent banker inIn Hollywood with Potash and Perlmutter (1923); andMary Pickford's father in Dorothy Vernon of Haddon Hall (1924).[11]
At the pinnacle of his career, the 50-year-old Randolf was cast as the pirate captain inThe Black Pirate (1924), a swashbuckler starringDouglas Fairbanks. His outstanding skills as a swordsman were on display in the final duel sequence. CriticMordaunt Hall in theNew York Times congratulated Randolf on his "cunning and brutal" interpretation of the role.[12]
Randolf's health was in decline in the late 1920s, but his work schedule did not slacken. His transition to sound films in a number of Warner Bros. productions in 1929 and 1930 were untroubled, as Randolf carried little trace of a Danish accent.[13]His final film appearances were in comedy shorts:Laurel and Hardy's The Night Owls (1930) andJoe E. Brown'sMaybe It's Love (1930). His final films,Going Wild (1931) andWest of the Rockies (1931), were released posthumously.[14]
Randolf died on July 3, 1930, following a relapse after a kidney operation. He was interred at Frederiksberg Cemetery inCopenhagen.[15][16]
| International | |
|---|---|
| National | |
| People | |
| Other | |
