dbinia
Erik Balling

Erik Balling

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.

See more on
The Olsen Gang's Last Trick

The Olsen Gang's Last Trick

1998

Characters, Associate Producer, Script Consultant

Strisser på Samsø

Strisser på Samsø

1997

Writer

Murder in Paradise

Murder in Paradise

1988

Writer

Murder in the Dark

Murder in the Dark

1986

Writer

Anthonsen

Anthonsen

1984

Director, Idea, Creator

The Jönsson Gang Gets Gold Fever

The Jönsson Gang Gets Gold Fever

1984

Original Story

In the Middle of the Night

In the Middle of the Night

1984

Director, Writer

The Jönsson Gang & Dynamite Harry

The Jönsson Gang & Dynamite Harry

1982

Screenplay

The Olsen Gang Long Gone

The Olsen Gang Long Gone

1981

Director, Writer

Beware of the Jönsson Gang

Beware of the Jönsson Gang

1981

Characters

The Olsen Gang Jumps the Fence

The Olsen Gang Jumps the Fence

1981

Director, Author

The Olsen Gang Never Surrenders

The Olsen Gang Never Surrenders

1979

Writer, Director

Matador

Matador

1978

Director, Creator

The Olsen Gang Goes to War

The Olsen Gang Goes to War

1978

Director, Screenplay

The Olsen Gang and Data-Harry Blows Up The World Bank

The Olsen Gang and Data-Harry Blows Up The World Bank

1978

Writer

The Olsen Gang and Dynamite-Harry On The Trail

The Olsen Gang and Dynamite-Harry On The Trail

1977

Writer

The Olsen Gang Outta Sight

The Olsen Gang Outta Sight

1977

Director, Writer

The Moelleby affair

The Moelleby affair

1976

Writer

The Olsen Gang For Full Music

The Olsen Gang For Full Music

1976

Writer

The Olsen Gang Sees Red

The Olsen Gang Sees Red

1976

Screenplay, Director

Kassen stemmer

Kassen stemmer

1976

Writer

Superfos Glasuld – et isoleret tilfælde

Superfos Glasuld – et isoleret tilfælde

1976

Director, Writer

The Olsen Gang on the Track

The Olsen Gang on the Track

1975

Screenplay, Director

The Last Exploits of the Olsen Gang

The Last Exploits of the Olsen Gang

1975

Writer

The Last Exploits of the Olsen Gang

The Last Exploits of the Olsen Gang

1974

Director, Writer

The Olsen Gang meets The King and the Jackal

The Olsen Gang meets The King and the Jackal

1974

Writer

The Olsen Gang and Dynamite-Harry Goes Wild

The Olsen Gang and Dynamite-Harry Goes Wild

1973

Writer

The Olsen Gang Runs Amok

The Olsen Gang Runs Amok

1973

Director, Writer

The Olsen Gang's Big Score

The Olsen Gang's Big Score

1972

Director, Author

The Olsen Gang Takes the Gold

The Olsen Gang Takes the Gold

1972

Writer

The Olsen Gang in Jutland

The Olsen Gang in Jutland

1971

Screenplay, Director

Our Home Is Our Castle

Our Home Is Our Castle

1971

Writer, Director

One of Those Things

One of Those Things

1971

Director, Writer, Producer

Revolution My A..

Revolution My A..

1970

Director, Writer

The Olsen Gang and Dynamite-Harry

The Olsen Gang and Dynamite-Harry

1970

Writer

The House at Christianshavn

The House at Christianshavn

1970

Director, Writer, Producer, Creator, Creator

The Olsen Gang in a Fix

The Olsen Gang in a Fix

1969

Screenplay, Director

The Olsen Gang

The Olsen Gang

1969

Screenplay

The Olsen Gang

The Olsen Gang

1968

Screenplay, Director

Det var en lørdag aften

Det var en lørdag aften

1968

Writer, Director

Martha

Martha

1967

Writer, Director

Jeg er sgu min egen

Jeg er sgu min egen

1967

Director

Relax Freddy

Relax Freddy

1966

Director, Writer

Strike First Freddy

Strike First Freddy

1965

Director, Writer

Landmandsliv

Landmandsliv

1965

Writer, Director

Halløj i himmelsengen

Halløj i himmelsengen

1965

Director

Summer in Tyrol

Summer in Tyrol

1964

Director, Writer

Death Comes at High Noon

Death Comes at High Noon

1964

Director, Writer

Hvis lille pige er du?

Hvis lille pige er du?

1963

Director, Writer

The Girl Gogo

The Girl Gogo

1962

Director

Den kære familie

Den kære familie

1962

Director

Cirkus Buster

Cirkus Buster

1961

Director

Poeten og Lillemor i forårshumør

Poeten og Lillemor i forårshumør

1961

Director, Writer

Forelsket i København

Forelsket i København

1960

Producer

The Poet and Lillemor and Lotte

The Poet and Lillemor and Lotte

1960

Director, Writer

Faith, Hope and Witchcraft

Faith, Hope and Witchcraft

1960

Director, Writer

The Poet and the Little Mother

The Poet and the Little Mother

1959

Director, Writer

6-Day Race

6-Day Race

1958

Producer, Screenplay

Qivitoq

Qivitoq

1956

Director

Kispus

Kispus

1956

Director, Writer, Producer

På tro og love

På tro og love

1955

Writer, Producer

Kongeligt besøg

Kongeligt besøg

1954

Director

Adam and Eve

Adam and Eve

1953

Director, Writer

Vi som går køkkenvejen

Vi som går køkkenvejen

1953

Director

Us Petty Sinners

Us Petty Sinners

1952

Director

For frihed og ret

For frihed og ret

1949

Assistant Director

dbinia use cookies for statistics, which we keep to ourselves and use to make improvements. (Cookie info here)