Poul Reumert (1883-1968) was a Danish character actor, arguably the most important in 20th century Danish theatre. In the cinema, he made his film debut in Afgrunden/Abyss (Urban Gad) opposite Asta Nielsen. The lapdance she performs on him made (film) history. He also played the Vicar of Wakefield in David Copperfield (A.W. Sandberg, 1922) and a jeweler in Benjamin Christensen's Häxan/Witchcraft through the Ages (1922).
![Poul Reumert in Livets Dal]()
Danish postcard by Forlag Stenders, no. 1064. Poul Reumert in a production of the play 'Livets Dal' (1907) for the Folketeatret.
Poul Hagen Reumert was born in 1883 in Copenhagen. He was the son of Elith Reumert and Athalia Flammé.
In 1901 Reumert was admitted to the Royal Academy of Music. Theatre, and in 1902 he made his debut at the Royal Theatre. After that, he was associated with the Folketeatret 1902-1908, but it was at the New Theatre between 1908 and 1911 that he first came to the fore and with great success here as the operetta hero in 'Zigøjnerblod' and in 'Dollarprinsessen', in which he had Else Frölich as his partner.
From 1911 to 1918 he was employed at the Royal Theatre. In a few seasons, he made his mark in a way that exceeded the theatre's greatest expectations. His acting embraced an immense range and he became a gripping character actor with countless roles to which he gave new life.
In 1914 he began his legendary collaboration with Bodil Ipsen. Together with the film director Carl Th. Dreyer, Poul Reumert organised an open-air performance of an Offenbach operetta in Dyrehaven around 1919. From 1919 to 1922 he was at the Dagmar Theatre, before returning to the Royal Theatre from 1922 to 1930.
Poul Reumert also made various guest appearances abroad, including in 1925 in Paris at La Comédie Francaise and the Théâtre National de l'Odéon, where he played Moliére in French to great acclaim. He subsequently received offers from both French and English theatres and film companies.
When Adam Poulsen became director of the Royal Theater in 1930 and made a dictatorial speech on taking up his post, Reumert and a number of actors took their leave and went to the Dagmar Theatre, where he was from 1931 to 1937. From 1937 until his death Poul Reumert was again associated with the Royal Theatre.
![Poul Reumert and Kate Meyer in Zigeunerblod]()
Danish postcard by Alex Vincent's Konstforlag, Eneret, no. 952. Photo: N. Pentz. Poul Reumert and Kate Meyer in the operetta 'Zigeunerblod' ('Zigeunerliebe' by Franz Lehar), performed in 1910 at the Copenhagen New Theater (Det ny Theater).
![Poul Reumert and Else Fröhlich in Dollarprinzessin]()
Danish postcard by Alex Vincent's Konstforlag, Eneret, no. 769. Poul Reumert and Else Frölich in the operetta 'Dollarprinzessin' by Leo Fall, performed in 1909 when both were working at the Copenhagen New Theater.
In 1910, Poul Reumert had his film debut in Afgrunden/Abyss (Urban Gad, 1910) opposite Asta Nielsen. The lapdance she performs on him made (film) history. Reumert remained with Gad when the latter moved to Nordisk for Gennem kamp til sejr/Thru Trials to Victory (1911) and Den store flyver/The Aviator's Generosity (1911).
While Gad en Nielsen pursued a career in Germany, Reumert stayed with Nordisk and acted there in films by e.g. Eduard Schnedler-Sörensen, Holger Madsen, and August Blom (Den sorte kansler, 1912 starring Valdemar Psilander, and Bristet Lykke, 1913, starring Olaf Fönss).
During the First World War, Reumert only did a handful of films, in the 1920s only three and in the 1930s only two. He played the Vicar of Wakefield in David Copperfield (A.W. Sandberg, 1922) and a jeweler in Benjamin Christensen's Swedish film Häxan/Witchcraft Through the Ages (1922).
However, it was during the Second World War that Reumert had a quite active second film career in Danish sound cinema, mostly in comedies by Lau Lauritzen and Alice O'Fredericks. He had the lead in Det brændende Spørgsmaal/The Burning Question (Alice O'Fredericks, 1943), one of the first Danish films to highlight the issue of women and women's rights. Another example is the postwar comedy Familien Swedenhielm/Swedenhielm Family (Lau Lauritzen, 1947) in which he had the lead.
Yet, after an absence of a decade, between 1958 and 1963 Reumert had a third wave of film activity, now in TV movies. He also acted often for the radio.
Poul Reumert passed away in Copenhagen in 1968. He is buried next to his third wife, Anna Borg in Mariebjerg Cemetery.
Poul Reumert's first marriage to Helga Ingeborg Meyer produced three children: Supreme Court lawyer Michael Reumert (1914-1983), actress Vibeke Elisabeth Reumert (1909-2003), and Dyveke Reumert (1911-1998). The marriage was dissolved in 1918. In 1919 Reumert married Rigmor Emmy Julie Reumert, née Dinesen (1893-1978). In 1932 he married the Icelandic actress Anna Borg. His third marriage lasted until Borg's death in 1963. Anna Borg was killed in an Icelandair plane accident at Fornebu Airport near Oslo. They had two children, Stefan (1934) and Torsten (1935).
![Poul Reumert in Hans Majestaet]()
Danish postcard by Müllers Kunstforlag, no. 46. Photo: Juncker Jensen. Poul Reumert in the play 'Hans Majestaet' (His Majesty), in which he starred opposite Ellen Aggerholm at the Fahlstrøms Teater in 1910.
Sources: Wikipedia (Danish and English), IMDb, Filmdatabasen, and Danskefilm.dk.
Danish postcard by Forlag Stenders, no. 1064. Poul Reumert in a production of the play 'Livets Dal' (1907) for the Folketeatret.
Exceding the theatre's greatest expectations
Poul Hagen Reumert was born in 1883 in Copenhagen. He was the son of Elith Reumert and Athalia Flammé.
In 1901 Reumert was admitted to the Royal Academy of Music. Theatre, and in 1902 he made his debut at the Royal Theatre. After that, he was associated with the Folketeatret 1902-1908, but it was at the New Theatre between 1908 and 1911 that he first came to the fore and with great success here as the operetta hero in 'Zigøjnerblod' and in 'Dollarprinsessen', in which he had Else Frölich as his partner.
From 1911 to 1918 he was employed at the Royal Theatre. In a few seasons, he made his mark in a way that exceeded the theatre's greatest expectations. His acting embraced an immense range and he became a gripping character actor with countless roles to which he gave new life.
In 1914 he began his legendary collaboration with Bodil Ipsen. Together with the film director Carl Th. Dreyer, Poul Reumert organised an open-air performance of an Offenbach operetta in Dyrehaven around 1919. From 1919 to 1922 he was at the Dagmar Theatre, before returning to the Royal Theatre from 1922 to 1930.
Poul Reumert also made various guest appearances abroad, including in 1925 in Paris at La Comédie Francaise and the Théâtre National de l'Odéon, where he played Moliére in French to great acclaim. He subsequently received offers from both French and English theatres and film companies.
When Adam Poulsen became director of the Royal Theater in 1930 and made a dictatorial speech on taking up his post, Reumert and a number of actors took their leave and went to the Dagmar Theatre, where he was from 1931 to 1937. From 1937 until his death Poul Reumert was again associated with the Royal Theatre.
Danish postcard by Alex Vincent's Konstforlag, Eneret, no. 952. Photo: N. Pentz. Poul Reumert and Kate Meyer in the operetta 'Zigeunerblod' ('Zigeunerliebe' by Franz Lehar), performed in 1910 at the Copenhagen New Theater (Det ny Theater).
Danish postcard by Alex Vincent's Konstforlag, Eneret, no. 769. Poul Reumert and Else Frölich in the operetta 'Dollarprinzessin' by Leo Fall, performed in 1909 when both were working at the Copenhagen New Theater.
Three waves of film activity
In 1910, Poul Reumert had his film debut in Afgrunden/Abyss (Urban Gad, 1910) opposite Asta Nielsen. The lapdance she performs on him made (film) history. Reumert remained with Gad when the latter moved to Nordisk for Gennem kamp til sejr/Thru Trials to Victory (1911) and Den store flyver/The Aviator's Generosity (1911).
While Gad en Nielsen pursued a career in Germany, Reumert stayed with Nordisk and acted there in films by e.g. Eduard Schnedler-Sörensen, Holger Madsen, and August Blom (Den sorte kansler, 1912 starring Valdemar Psilander, and Bristet Lykke, 1913, starring Olaf Fönss).
During the First World War, Reumert only did a handful of films, in the 1920s only three and in the 1930s only two. He played the Vicar of Wakefield in David Copperfield (A.W. Sandberg, 1922) and a jeweler in Benjamin Christensen's Swedish film Häxan/Witchcraft Through the Ages (1922).
However, it was during the Second World War that Reumert had a quite active second film career in Danish sound cinema, mostly in comedies by Lau Lauritzen and Alice O'Fredericks. He had the lead in Det brændende Spørgsmaal/The Burning Question (Alice O'Fredericks, 1943), one of the first Danish films to highlight the issue of women and women's rights. Another example is the postwar comedy Familien Swedenhielm/Swedenhielm Family (Lau Lauritzen, 1947) in which he had the lead.
Yet, after an absence of a decade, between 1958 and 1963 Reumert had a third wave of film activity, now in TV movies. He also acted often for the radio.
Poul Reumert passed away in Copenhagen in 1968. He is buried next to his third wife, Anna Borg in Mariebjerg Cemetery.
Poul Reumert's first marriage to Helga Ingeborg Meyer produced three children: Supreme Court lawyer Michael Reumert (1914-1983), actress Vibeke Elisabeth Reumert (1909-2003), and Dyveke Reumert (1911-1998). The marriage was dissolved in 1918. In 1919 Reumert married Rigmor Emmy Julie Reumert, née Dinesen (1893-1978). In 1932 he married the Icelandic actress Anna Borg. His third marriage lasted until Borg's death in 1963. Anna Borg was killed in an Icelandair plane accident at Fornebu Airport near Oslo. They had two children, Stefan (1934) and Torsten (1935).
Danish postcard by Müllers Kunstforlag, no. 46. Photo: Juncker Jensen. Poul Reumert in the play 'Hans Majestaet' (His Majesty), in which he starred opposite Ellen Aggerholm at the Fahlstrøms Teater in 1910.
Sources: Wikipedia (Danish and English), IMDb, Filmdatabasen, and Danskefilm.dk.