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Erik Balling

Erik Balling

Writing

Biography

Erik Balling was one of the most beloved Danish filmmaker in the 20th century. Balling was a director, a producer and a writer. Erik Balling was mostly famous for creating such TV epics as "Matador" and "Huset På Christianshavn" and the film-series of "Olsen banden". Erik Balling was born the 19th of November 1925 in the Danish city of Nyborg, as a son of a priest. In 1946 Balling was hired as an assistant at "Nordisk Film Kompagni" - the world's oldest film production company. His talent was soon recognised, and Balling soon had the opportunity to work as a director. His debut as a director came in 1952, with the film: "Vi arme syndere". Balling soon gained a reputation of having good technical skills, and after that film his talent was widely recognised. In 1957 he became head of "Nordisk Film" - the youngest one ever. Balling was mostly famous for his comedies. In his early days he directed Poeten og Lillemor (1959) and Sommer i Tyrol (1964), which were very popular at the time. In the middle of the 1960s Balling tried to chance his style when it came to comedies. At this time the popular James Bond films circled the globe, Balling's next film was inspired by those films, teaming up with Henning Bahs to make the Jamed Bond spoof "Slå Først Frede" (1965), which became very popular in Denmark - so popular it spawned a sequel Slap af, Frede! (1966). This co-work with Henning Bahs was so fruitful that they made many more movies together. This co-work eventually led to film-series of "Olsen banden", which started with Olsen-banden (1968) - and eventually they made a total of 14 "Olsen banden" film, plus a TV series and a movie version where the characters in "Olsen banden" are children. "Olsen banden" was about a small band of small time criminals, trying to become millionaires. "Olsen banden" were not only very popular in Denmark, but also in East-Germany, Poland, Sweden and Norway - especially in Norway and Sweden, who eventually made their own national versions of "Olsen banden", namely the Norwegian "Olsen banden" and the Swedish "Jönssonligan" - Henning Bahs and Erik Balling also helped the Norwegians and the Swedes to write those. In that late 60s and early 70s Balling made the popular Danish TV series "Huset På Christianshavn", which also became the basis for a movie: "Ballade på Christianshavn (1971)". In 1970 Balling produced the very popular Danish TV epic "Matador". More than fifty percent of Denmark's population watched "Matador" in those days. "Matador" was about life in a smaller city in Denmark in the 30s and 40s. Balling was always known for his warm style, when he portrayed humans. Throughout his life, he received many prizes. He was 80 years old when he died the 19th of November 2005.

Known For

Matador
9.1

Matador is a Danish TV series produced and shown between 1978 and 1982. It is set in the fictional Danish town of Korsbæk between 1929 and 1947. It follows the lives of a range of characters from across the social spectrum, focusing specifically on the rivalry between the families of two businessmen: The banker Hans Christian Varnæs, an established local worthy, and social climber Mads Skjern, who arrives in town as the series opens. The name Matador was taken from the localised edition of the boardgame Monopoly, also the series' tentative English title. In addition, in contemporary Danish a "matador" is often used to describe a business tycoon, in the series referring to the character of Mads Skjern and his craftiness as a self-made entrepreneur. Directed by famed Danish film maker Erik Balling, Matador was the idea of author Lise Nørgaard who wrote the bulk of the episodes alongside Karen Smith, Jens Louis Petersen and Paul Hammerich. The series is one of the most well-known and popular examples of Danish television and represents the peak of longtime development of Danish TV drama by the public service channel Danmarks Radio. The series has become part of the modern self-understanding of Danes, partly because of its successful mix of melodrama and a distinct warm Danish humour in the depiction of characters, which were portrayed by a wide range of the most popular Danish actors at the time; but also not least because of its accurate portrayal of a turbulent Denmark from around the start of the Great Depression and through Nazi Germany's occupation of Denmark in World War II.

Matador

1978
The House at Christianshavn
8.0

The series follows the residents of an apartment building on Copenhagen's Christianshavn, as they go about their daily lives and challenges. There is Olsen, a mover with an old fashion view of the world, Clausen who runs the local pet shop, Egon the career focused assistant, their wives who work hard to keep their spouses lives together, the young couple Tue and Rikke who recently moved in, the hard working caretaker Meyer, who never puts in to much effort, and of course Emma, the innkeeper of Rottehullet, where all the important decisions are made while running up the bar tab. The series was produced by Nordisk Film for Danmarks Radio TV station between the years 1970-77. The series' first director was Ebbe Langberg, then Erik Balling and Tom Hedegaard respectively. The series was conceived by an author team of well-known Danish authors such Leif Panduro, Benny Andersen, and Lise Nørgaard.

The House at Christianshavn

1970
Strisser på Samsø
7.0

Strisser på Samsø is a Danish television series in 12 episodes, written and directed by Eddie Thomas Petersen. Produced by Per Holst Filmproduktion, it was first broadcast on TV2 in 1997-1998. The story tells how Christian Torp, a police officer who has lost his wife in an unsuccessful robbery, brings his daughter Sille to the Danish island of Samsø looking for peace and quiet. They have difficulty in integrating into a society full of problems where everyone knows everything about everybody, but they find a friend in Ulla, a secretary. Among others, it stars Lars Bom, Amalie Dollerup and Jesper Milsted. The series was entitled "Island Cop" when broadcast in subtitled form on Ireland's TG4 channel.

Strisser på Samsø

1997
Anthonsen
10.0

No description available.

Anthonsen

1984
The Olsen Gang Never Surrenders
6.8

Egon plans to exploit knowledge gained during his latest term of incarceration. By stealing the unmanipulated financial records of DanInvest he obtains the majority of the stocks in the department store Magasin du Nord, just in time for their closing sale. The attempt to get the red suitcase that will save the day they rob the main vault at the EEC headquarters in Brussels and end up hijacking a tank.

The Olsen Gang Never Surrenders

1979
The Olsen Gang
7.0

The first of 14 Olsen Gang films presents us with Egon Olsen, head of the gang, and his friends Benny and Kjeld, who want to become the best known gang in Denmark and eventually Europe by stealing a famous Bavarian work of art currently displayed in a Copenhagen museum. Although Egon's plan works out fine, there is only trouble ahead for the little gang.

The Olsen Gang

1968
Martha
6.9

The oldest ship in the fleet, Martha, and her jolly crew, must race Harald and win, or it's the scrappers next.

Martha

1967
The Olsen Gang Goes to War
6.9

Some criminal EU ministers plan to turn Denmark into a gigantic fair ground and holiday paradise. Egon gets his hand at some important documents which could both make him rich and take care of Denmark's future.

The Olsen Gang Goes to War

1978
The Olsen Gang Jumps the Fence
6.9

As usual, Egon has an ingenious plan. And, as usual, it works just fine until one of the gang members makes some kind of funny error. This time, however, even Egon's life is in danger, for some international criminals try to get rid of him by throwing him into a container filled with acid.

The Olsen Gang Jumps the Fence

1981
The Olsen Gang's Last Trick
5.9

Egon escapes from the psychiatric ward, where he has been incarcerated since the gang's last coup. Keld and Benny pick him up, and when Egon, as always, is planning the big heist, the Olsen Gang is once again on the move.

The Olsen Gang's Last Trick

1998
The Olsen Gang in Jutland
7.0

The Olsen gang in Jutland. Ones again Egon Olsen has a plan when he gets out of Vridslose State Prison. He has found out that the Germans left a large sum of money (in American dollars and gold bars) in one of their commando bunkers, when they were defeated in 1945; the only problem it's in Jutland. Egon, Benny and Kjeld "appropriate" a car and drives to Jutland along with Kjelds wife and child Yvonne and Borge. They look forward to fooling the the people in Jutland, but of course, things don't go quite as planed. It ends with Benny, Kjeld, Borge and Yvonne sitting in the train back to Copenhagen, were they are overtaken by Egon in his car on the road next to the track. This is the last time the Olsen gang goes to Jutland.

The Olsen Gang in Jutland

1971
The Last Exploits of the Olsen Gang
7.2

The Olsen Gang has finally made it. They are in Mallorca, having fulfilled their dream. Almost, that is. They don't have any money, so Egon has to open a safe at a restaurant to get some. As usual, however, Egon ends up in prision. When they return to Denmark, he has a new plan.

The Last Exploits of the Olsen Gang

1974
Summer in Tyrol
6.5

At the Gästhaus "Den Hvide Hest" in the Austrian Alps, romantic entanglements are in full swing. Waiter Leopold is in love with landlady Josepha, who has her eye on charming manufacturer Sigismund, who in turn hits on all women almost as a matter of principle. Klara and Lene also join the battle for the popular manufacturer, while waiter apprentice Mickey would rather just have a goat.

Summer in Tyrol

1964
The Olsen Gang on the Track
7.2

Egon and his two cronies managed to sneak a fortune with them to Spain. Here they live a life in a whirl of pleasures, but they are not truly happy. While Egon always has the money chained to him, Bøffen still manages to steal them. Egon ends up in jail once again, and when he comes out, he has a brilliant plan.

The Olsen Gang on the Track

1975
In the Middle of the Night
6.7

Benny and Arnold are homeless and along with others living on Nørrebro in Copenhagen. The police is set to clear the building they squat in, but on the night of the forced eviction, local acid head Spacy jumps from the sixth floor.

In the Middle of the Night

1984
Den kære familie
7.2

Copenhagen around the turn of the century - December 29th, 1899. Great merchant and shipowner Jacob Friis is one of Copenhagen's richest men. His home is the gathering place for family and friends. Since his wife's dead 10 years earlier, he shares sense of family and business acumen with his three daughters. Jacob wants to find a nobleman for his daughter Emily. Baron Claes is a very charming gentleman, but also a great womanizer...

Den kære familie

1962
The Olsen Gang Long Gone
6.6

Criminal genius Egon Olsen presents his accomplices Benny and Keld with yet another infallible plan that can only end badly. The booty is a red suitcase containing values ​​worth five million. The sinister mastermind Bang-Johansen carries the suitcase. The Olsen Gang follows him to Paris, where they put their cunning and carefully organized plan into motion.

The Olsen Gang Long Gone

1981
Beware of the Jönsson Gang
6.2

A botched burglary leads to the arrest of the Jönsson gang’s leader, Sickan. After serving ten months in prison, he is released and unexpectedly recruited by the enigmatic banker Wall-Enberg Jr. to steal the legendary Bedford Diamonds in Switzerland. Though Sickan successfully carries out the heist, he is betrayed and nearly captured. Returning to Sweden and reuniting with his old accomplices, he sets out to take calculated revenge on the man who double-crossed him.

Beware of the Jönsson Gang

1981
The Olsen Gang in a Fix
6.6

A good looking female social welfare worker makes Egon Olsen forget about crimes for some time, but when an American gangster breaks into a local bank and the police think its Egon's work, he has to get back to work to prove he's innocent.

The Olsen Gang in a Fix

1969
The Olsen Gang's Big Score
6.8

After his usual stay behind bars, Egon has another cunning plan involving millions. They rob over 4 million from a money transport. The gang keeps a low profile and hide the money. But it's stolen by "Kongen" and "Knægten", who immediately start living it up - in the penthouse suite at the Sheraton. The suitcase with the money changes hands several times, before Kongen's daughter takes of with all the money.

The Olsen Gang's Big Score

1972