Person Details

Birthday:

Aliases: Эрик Баллинг

Gender: Male

Place of birth: Nyborg, Danmark

Homepage:

Movie Involvements: 97

TV Involvements: 3


Most Famous Work

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.

Most Famous Work

Matador
Average
9

Matador

(1978) Creator
The House at Christianshavn
Average
8
For frihed og ret
Average
6

For frihed og ret

(1949) Assistant Director
The Olsen Gang
Average
7

The Olsen Gang

(1968) Screenplay
The Jönsson Gang & Dynamite Harry
Average
6
Beware of the Jönsson Gang
Average
6

Beware of the Jönsson Gang

(1981) Characters
The Olsen Gang Goes to War
Average
7

The Olsen Gang Goes to War

(1978) Screenplay
The Olsen Gang in Jutland
Average
7

The Olsen Gang in Jutland

(1971) Screenplay

Acting

Year Character Movie/Tv
1998 Erik Balling (uncredited)
N/A
Year Character Movie/Tv

Production

Writing

Year Role Movie/Tv
1998 Characters
Script Consultant
1988 Writer
1986 Writer
1984 Writer
1982 Screenplay
1981 Writer
Characters
Author
1979 Writer
1978 Screenplay
Writer
1977 Writer
Writer
1976 Writer
Writer
Screenplay
Writer
1975 Screenplay
Writer
1974 Writer
Writer
1973 Writer
Writer
1972 Author
Writer
1971 Screenplay
Writer
Writer
1970 Writer
Writer
1969 Screenplay
Screenplay
1968 Screenplay
Writer
1967 Writer
1966 Writer
1965 Writer
Writer
1964 Writer
Writer
1963 Writer
1961 Writer
1960 Writer
Writer
1959 Writer
1958 Screenplay
1956 Writer
1955 Writer
1953 Writer
Year Role Movie/Tv

Directing

Year Role Movie/Tv
1984 Director
1981 Director
Director
1979 Director
1978 Director
Director
1977 Director
1976 Director
1975 Director
1974 Director
1973 Director
1972 Director
1971 Director
Director
Director
1970 Director
1969 Director
1968 Director
Director
1967 Director
Director
1966 Director
1965 Director
Director
Director
1964 Director
Director
1963 Director
1962 Director
Director
1961 Director
Director
1960 Director
Director
1959 Director
1956 Director
Director
1954 Director
1953 Director
Director
1952 Director
1949 Assistant Director
Year Role Movie/Tv

Creator

Year Role Movie/Tv
1978 Creator
1970 Creator
Year Role Movie/Tv

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