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Dutch actor (1901–1975) From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Philip Dorn (born Hein van der Niet; 30 September 1901 – 9 May 1975), sometimes billed as Frits van Dongen[1] (his screen name for German films prior to World War II),[2] was a Dutch American actor who had a career in Hollywood. He was best known for portraying the father in the film I Remember Mama (1948).[3]
Philip Dorn | |
|---|---|
Trailer for The Fighting Kentuckian (1949) | |
| Born | Hein van der Niet 30 September 1901 |
| Died | 9 May 1975 (aged 73) Los Angeles, California, U.S. |
| Resting place | Westwood Village Memorial Park Cemetery |
| Other names | Frits van Dongen |
| Occupation | Actor |
| Years active | 1934–1955 |
| Spouses | Cornelia Maria Twilt
(m. 1921; div. 1930)Marianne van Dam
(m. 1933) |
Dorn was born in Scheveningen, The Hague, Netherlands in 1901 and made his stage début at age 14[4] in Dutch productions. He graduated from the Academy of Fine Arts and Architecture in Scheveningen.[5] He served in Queen Wilhelmina's Royal Guards.[6]
Dorn made his debut under the name of Frits van Dongen in Op Hoop van Zegen (1934) directed by Alex Benno. He had lead roles in De Big van het Regiment (1935), The Crosspatch (1935), Op Stap (1936), and Rubber (1936). He appeared on stage in Camille, Ghosts and Journey's End.[7] He also toured Java with a theatrical company.[8]
Dorn moved to Germany where he appeared in The Tiger of Eschnapur (1938) and its sequel The Indian Tomb (1938). He was also in Covered Tracks (1938) and The Journey to Tilsit (1939).
He moved to United States in August 1939, just a fortnight before World War II broke out. He went there at the urging of Henry Koster who had directed him in Holland.[9]
Koster was at Universal and Dorn made three films for that studio: Enemy Agent (1940), Ski Patrol (1940), and Diamond Frontier (1940).[10] Dorn went over to MGM where he had support roles in Escape (1940) and Ziegfeld Girl (1941).[11]
Warners borrowed him to play the lead in Underground (1941). At MGM he had a support in Tarzan's Secret Treasure (1941) and they put him in a Dr. Kildare film, Born to be Bad, that had to be reshot when star Lew Ayres was fired due to being a conscientious objector. Dorn replaced him as a new doctor and the film was called Calling Dr. Gillespie (1942).[12] He had a supporting part in Random Harvest (1942) and was third billed in Reunion in France (1942).[13]
20th Century Fox gave him the lead role in Chetniks! The Fighting Guerrillas (1943), playing Draža Mihailović. That studio kept him on to star in Paris After Dark (1943).[14] At Warner Bros he was fourth billed in Passage to Marseille (1944). MGM gave him the lead in a B, Blonde Fever (1944). At Warners he starred in Escape in the Desert (1945), a remake of The Petrified Forest replacing Zachary Scott.[15]
In 1946, he appeared onstage with Claire Trevor in The Big Two.[16] He was going to feature in Singapore but had to pull out when he fell ill with pneumonia.[17] He appeared in I Remember Mama (1948) at RKO, then did The Fighting Kentuckian (1949) with John Wayne at Republic. He had supporting roles in Spy Hunt (1950) at Universal and Sealed Cargo (1951) at RKO.
Back in Germany, Dorn starred in Behind Monastery Walls (1952), Towers of Silence (1952), Dreaming Lips (1953) and Salto Mortale (1953).[18]
Dorn suffered from phlebitis, requiring surgery and causing a number of strokes.[citation needed] After an accident on stage, he retired in 1965 and spent the next 10 years of his life in his home in California.[8]
He was married twice. His first wife (from 1921 to 1930) was Cornelia Maria Twilt.[citation needed] His second wife was Dutch actress Marianne van Dam. They were married from 1933 until his death in 1975.[citation needed]
Dorn died of a heart attack at the Motion Picture & Television Country House and Hospital[19] in Woodland Hills, Los Angeles, California, on 9 May 1975.[20] He was 73 years old.[19] He was survived by his wife and a daughter.[21]
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