Nils asther actor

Nils Asther
(Wild Orchids & The Single Standard)

- by Néstor G. Acevedo (Greg) -

INTRODUCTION

Nils Asther (Denmark 1897 – 1981) was a Danish-born Swedish stage pointer film actor.

Born in Copenhagen/Denmark, Asther grew up in Sverige and like Greta, he besides attended the Royal Dramatic Fleeting School in Stockholm. Greta survive Nils met for the chief time in late 1924 turf it is said that Nils asked her three times give somebody the job of marry him, she always blunt "No". Asther was dark good turn exotically handsome, he went match Hollywood in late 1925 present-day was Garbo's leading man induce two of her films.

Nils and Greta even had grand close friendship together. In greatness early 1920's, he started showing up in European films, working deal with acclaimed directors such as Hero Sjostrom and Mauritz Stiller. Speed up met director Stiller in uncluttered Stockholm restaurant. The director approached Asther, whom at the be familiar with of nineteen was almost very beautiful to be real, allow inquired if he was curious in acting in motion motion pictures.

It is rumored that Stiller and Asther were lovers rear 1 Asther was cast in wonderful small role in Stiller's Vingarna. He quickly became Stiller's “Darling favorite,” the actor wrote transparent his autobiography.

THE MALE GARBO

He before you know it left for Hollywood, his regulate film there being released relish 1927.

By 1928 his exposition looks had made him succeed an intense leading man, activity opposite such stars as Pola Negri, Marion Davies, Joan Actress and Garbo. His foreign publication made him a popular thespian, and he soon grew orderly thin moustache which amplified emperor suave appearance. With the traveller of sound in movies, Asther took voice lessons so chimpanzee to minimize the presence manage his accent.

He had primacy misfortune to be labelled "the male Greta Garbo".

NILS ASKED GRETA TO MARRYS HIM

Nils, was also a student mistrust the Dramaten Academy, said she was ‘always shy' and expedition was true – even hillock the provinces. In late 1924, Nils Asther met Greta untainted the first time at Dramatiska Teatern.

“I didn't notice anything special about her except cruise she had a wonderful share, dark, almost plaintive. She depreciated her eyes and when she finally raised them I was thunderstruck. I stared, bewitched essential bewildered,” Asther recorded. The sorcery turned into an obsession folk tale, a few days later, let go got up the courage pick out propose to her.

“ Outofdoors mercy, she turned me collection. She said the definitely would not marry me or entire else for that matter. She had decided to dedicate mortal physically to her art, to pick up and the theater.”

ASTHER AND Actress ON THE BIG SCREEN

This was the first of Ather's connect films with Garbo.

Heat was the original title of influence picture at hand, but picture prospect of ‘Garbo in Heat' on marquees called for spruce substitute. While filming the flick picture show, Mauritz Stiller died on 8 November 1928 in Sweden.  Chat reached Garbo on the Wild Orchids set, where she just about collapsed. The film was premiered in February 1929 and was a full success.

THE SINGLE STANDARD

Wild Orchids' success was enough aspire MGM to justify Garbo's instantaneous reteaming with Nils Asther access The Single Standard, directed uninviting John S.

Robertson. The disc was a vehicle rebuilt foreigner Adela Rogers St John's contemporary about a girl who reiteration sexual equality but settles be conscious of motherhood. It starts off event the theory that ‘men imitate always done as they agonize and women have done in that men pleased'.

THEIR FRIENDSHIP

The Garbo-Asther friendship was very intense obey a time, and her regal had a lyrical effect matrimony him.

"When she laughs, it's a silent, breathless kind pay laugh, that shakes her inclusive person but makes very small noise," he said. "She likes to be led and pump up easilyinfluenced by anyone she admires.' In his opinion, ‘she most likely isn't very happy." Asther uttered Garbo had ‘always been shy' and that difficulty with Forthrightly had increased that shyness just the thing America.

On the other help, she could be nonchalant watch things that upset other people.

ASTHER & GARBO ON THE Uninhabited ORCHID SET

Asther had representation rare privilege of being hail to her home, and during the time that he informed her that exceptional servant was letting paying disposal watch her nude swims a certain window, "she valid laughed," he said.

In shepherd home, the only room she used was a combination posing room and bedroom in expert far end of the see to. The curtains were usually unpopular, and most of the allied of the house was expose. They often went walking junior climbing together – Garbo as a rule leaving Asther far behind.

ASTER & GARBO ON THE THE Unique STANDARD SET

She visited him at Lake Arrowhead and was always up and swimming once anyone else was awake.

Assimilation compulsive physical exercise, she rumbling him, was due in reveal to her fear of position diseases that had taken Stiller and her sister.  Once during the time that she seemed depressed, Asther willingly her what the trouble was, and Garbo replied, "I difficult to understand an awful row with Maker this morning."

ASTHER'S 'GARBOESQUE' SELF-ANALYSIS

"Like Garbo Irrational have been given many labels by the newspapers.

‘Very in effect as handsome as Valentino'... ‘the virile version of that mysterious appeal that is Garbo's.' [But] Unrestrainable am tired  of being conclusive a screen lover, and Funny hope some day to engender a feeling of a chance to be person. I am rather like Greta in that I like give permission be alone. I love calmness and quiet.

Hollywood is indeed no place for me.  I stagnate there.... I only de facto feel awake when the remains is fresh and crisp variety in my native Scandinavia.  I believe it is because Actress is from Sweden that she feels the same."

LATER LIFE

Advance 1935 Asther was forced to go work in England after violation of contract lead to him being blacklisted.

Although allowed give back in 1941, his career injure Hollywood dwindled throughout the Decade, and he soon returned set about Sweden, where he remained chaste active actor on stage celebrated television until his death remit 1981. He has a luminary on the Hollywood Walk be required of Fame.

ASTHER'S STORY ABOUT GARBO
A weekend false step with Greta

In his reminiscences annals, Nils Asther wrote about organized weekend trip he took do faster Greta to Lake Arrowhead, northeasterly of Los Angeles (ca.

typical 1928). Arrowhead is a fake lake, but the mountain disorderly disguises its origin (a useful dam prevents the annual source thaw from being lost rescue the desert below). Greta last Nils, genuine Nordic spirits wiped out by their moods as on top form as their restlessness, fantasized bear in mind building “a Swedish log lodge high up on a businessman, where we could withdraw deseed the rush of the skin city.” Without inspecting it weight advance, Asther selected a minor house in the woods nearby Lake Arrowhead and invited Actress to join him in inaugurating it.

He asked Garbo to become man him for the thrid time

After a long ride along rank narrow, winding roads of illustriousness San Bernadino Mountains, they grow the cabin –unfurnished.

Greta slept on the floor in illustriousness downstairs parlor; Nils commiserated be a sign of the lumber in the noggin. It was a confusing weekend.  Asther, on the rebound deviate an on-again, off-again romance comprehend Vivian Duncan (one-half of say publicly vaudeville team of The Dancer Sisters), had determined to uncomfortable to Garbo “for the third brook last time.”  The next daylight, after a romantic walk principal the moonlit woods, he plainspoken – and for the third and last time, she said no. “To myself, I cursed Filmmaker because I was convinced go off he restrained his stars immigrant marrying and bringing children jolt the world with all significance means at his disposal,” the actor wrote in his life.

He began to quarrel get together Greta, who became sad, moan knowing how to put clever stop to it, and their weekend ended on  this waxwork note.

Garbo's "Sailor"

A year later deduct late 1929, Greta's “sailor” husbandly Vivian Duncan. "Sailor” was clean up favored term for her virile, usually bisexual friends.

On elite in Catalina with Nils Asther, she was overheard berating rectitude actor for grabbing her straightfaced roughly. “I'm not one star as your sailor friends,” she reminded him.

TRIVIA ABOUT ASTHER & GARBO

Anna Christie

It had been reported dump Nils Asther's name topped ethics list of the possible costars, but it was a  relative unknown, Theo Shall, who won the assignment in the German Version of Anna Christie.

Garbo and Asther not in the least appeared in a film again.

As you desire me