About

Known credits:
108
Birthday:
1924-11-29
Place of birth:
Nyborg, Danmark
Website:
N/A

Erik Balling

Overview

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

Acting
2005 Skide godt, Balling! Actor N/A
N/A
1998 The Olsen Gang's Last Trick Actor Erik Balling (uncredited) 58
Average
1978 Bandefører Balling Actor N/A
N/A

Directing
1984 Anthonsen Directing Director N/A
N/A
1984 In the Middle of the Night Directing Director 59
Average
1981 The Olsen Gang Long Gone Directing Director 59
Average
1981 The Olsen Gang Jumps the Fence Directing Director 59
Average
1979 The Olsen Gang Never Surrenders Directing Director 59
Average
1978 Matador Directing Director 75
Good
1978 The Olsen Gang Goes to War Directing Director 59
Average
1977 The Olsen Gang Outta Sight Directing Director 59
Average
1976 The Olsen Gang Sees Red Directing Director 60
Fair
1975 The Olsen Gang on the Track Directing Director 59
Average
1974 The Last Exploits of the Olsen Gang Directing Director 59
Average
1973 The Olsen Gang Runs Amok Directing Director 59
Average
1972 The Olsen Gang's Big Score Directing Director 59
Average
1971 The Olsen Gang in Jutland Directing Director 59
Average
1971 Our Home Is Our Castle Directing Director 58
Average
1971 One of Those Things Directing Director N/A
N/A
1970 Revolution My A.. Directing Director 59
Average
1969 The Olsen Gang in a Fix Directing Director 59
Average
1968 The Olsen Gang Directing Director 59
Average
1968 Det var en lørdag aften Directing Director 59
Average
1967 Martha Directing Director 59
Average
1967 Jeg er sgu min egen Directing Director 59
Average
1966 Relax Freddy Directing Director 59
Average
1965 Strike First Freddy Directing Director 59
Average
1965 Landmandsliv Directing Director 58
Average
1965 Halløj i himmelsengen Directing Director 59
Average
1964 Summer in Tyrol Directing Director 58
Average
1964 Death Comes at High Noon Directing Director 59
Average
1963 Hvis lille pige er du? Directing Director 59
Average
1962 The Girl Gogo Directing Director 59
Average
1962 Den kære familie Directing Director 59
Average
1961 Cirkus Buster Directing Director 59
Average
1961 Poeten og Lillemor i forårshumør Directing Director 58
Average
1960 The Poet and Lillemor and Lotte Directing Director 59
Average
1960 Faith, Hope and Witchcraft Directing Director 59
Average
1959 The Poet and the Little Mother Directing Director 59
Average
1959 The Poet and little mother Directing Director N/A
N/A
1956 Qivitoq Directing Director 59
Average
1956 Kispus Directing Director 59
Average
1954 Kongeligt besøg Directing Director 59
Average
1953 Adam and Eve Directing Director 58
Average
1953 Vi som går køkkenvejen Directing Director N/A
N/A
1952 Vi arme syndere Directing Director 59
Average
1949 For frihed og ret Directing Assistant Director 59
Average

Writing
1998 The Olsen Gang's Last Trick Writing Script Consultant 58
Average
1998 The Olsen Gang's Last Trick Writing Characters 58
Average
1997 Strisser på Samsø Writing Writer 69
Fair
1988 Murder in Paradise Writing Writer 59
Average
1986 Murder in the Dark Writing Writer 59
Average
1984 Anthonsen Writing Idea N/A
N/A
1984 In the Middle of the Night Writing Writer 59
Average
1982 The Jönsson Gang & Dynamite Harry Writing Screenplay 58
Average
1981 The Olsen Gang Long Gone Writing Writer 59
Average
1981 Beware of the Jönsson Gang Writing Characters 59
Average
1981 The Olsen Gang Jumps the Fence Writing Author 59
Average
1979 The Olsen Gang Never Surrenders Writing Writer 59
Average
1978 The Olsen Gang Goes to War Writing Screenplay 59
Average
1978 The Olsen Gang and Data-Harry Blows Up The World Bank Writing Writer 59
Average
1977 The Olsen Gang and Dynamite-Harry On The Trail Writing Writer 59
Average
1977 The Olsen Gang Outta Sight Writing Writer 59
Average
1976 The Moelleby affair Writing Writer 59
Average
1976 The Olsen Gang For Full Music Writing Writer 59
Average
1976 The Olsen Gang Sees Red Writing Screenplay 60
Fair
1976 Kassen stemmer Writing Writer 59
Average
1975 The Olsen Gang on the Track Writing Screenplay 59
Average
1975 The Last Exploits of the Olsen Gang Writing Writer 59
Average
1974 The Last Exploits of the Olsen Gang Writing Writer 59
Average
1974 The Olsen Gang meets The King and the Jackal Writing Writer 59
Average
1973 The Olsen Gang and Dynamite-Harry Goes Wild Writing Writer 59
Average
1973 The Olsen Gang Runs Amok Writing Writer 59
Average
1972 The Olsen Gang's Big Score Writing Author 59
Average
1972 The Olsen Gang Takes the Gold Writing Writer 59
Average
1971 The Olsen Gang in Jutland Writing Screenplay 59
Average
1971 Our Home Is Our Castle Writing Writer 58
Average
1971 One of Those Things Writing Writer N/A
N/A
1970 Revolution My A.. Writing Writer 59
Average
1970 The Olsen Gang and Dynamite-Harry Writing Writer 59
Average
1969 The Olsen Gang in a Fix Writing Screenplay 59
Average
1969 The Olsen Gang Writing Screenplay 59
Average
1968 The Olsen Gang Writing Screenplay 59
Average
1968 Det var en lørdag aften Writing Writer 59
Average
1967 Martha Writing Writer 59
Average
1966 Relax Freddy Writing Writer 59
Average
1965 Strike First Freddy Writing Writer 59
Average
1965 Landmandsliv Writing Writer 58
Average
1964 Summer in Tyrol Writing Writer 58
Average
1964 Death Comes at High Noon Writing Writer 59
Average
1963 Hvis lille pige er du? Writing Writer 59
Average
1961 Poeten og Lillemor i forårshumør Writing Writer 58
Average
1960 The Poet and Lillemor and Lotte Writing Writer 59
Average
1960 Faith, Hope and Witchcraft Writing Writer 59
Average
1959 The Poet and little mother Writing Writer N/A
N/A
1959 The Poet and the Little Mother Writing Writer 59
Average
1958 6-Day Race Writing Screenplay 59
Average
1956 Kispus Writing Writer 59
Average
1955 På tro og love Writing Writer 59
Average
1953 Adam and Eve Writing Writer 58
Average

Production
1998 The Olsen Gang's Last Trick Production Associate Producer 58
Average
1971 One of Those Things Production Producer N/A
N/A
1970 The House at Christianshavn Production Producer 71
Good
1960 Forelsket i København Production Producer 59
Average
1958 6-Day Race Production Producer 59
Average
1956 Kispus Production Producer 59
Average
1955 På tro og love Production Producer 59
Average

Crew
1970 The House at Christianshavn Crew Creator 71
Good