Pontoppidan, Clara (1883–1975)

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Pontoppidan, Clara (1883–1975)

Danish actress. Name variations: Clara Wieth; Clara Wieth Pontoppidan. Born Clara Rasmussen, April 23, 1883, in Copenhagen, Denmark; died Jan 22, 1975; dau. of Eduard Heinrich Rasmussen (1857–1901) and Sara Vilhelmine Caroline Brammer (1859–1935); m. Carlo Rossini Wieth (actor), Oct 20, 1906 (div. 1917); m. Povl Vilhelm Pontoppidan, Feb 2, 1920 (died 1953); children: (adopted) Flemming and Richard.

Famed Danish actress of stage and screen, made film debut as a ballet dancer in Pas de deux (1902); as Clara Wieth, made over 25 silent films (1910–20), and was the 1st screen vampire in Vampyrdanserinden (1912), directed by August Blom; became an international star; began using name Clara Pontoppidan (1921); known for her naturalistic style, was one of the Danish theater's leading tragediennes, working well into her 80s; often appeared in the works of Shakespeare; other films include Häxan (1922) and Carl Theodore Dreyer's Blade of Satans Bog (Leaves from Satan's Book, 1921).