People active in the silent era and people who keep the silent era alive. Copyright © 1999-2025 by Carl Bennett and the Silent Era Company. All Rights Reserved.

Photograph: Silent Era image collection.

Jean Hersholt

Born 12 July 1886 in Copenhagen, Denmark, as Jean Pierre Carl Buron Hersholt.
Died 2 June 1956 in Hollywood, California, USA, of cancer.

Married Via Hersholt, 2 April 1914; until Jean’s death, 2 June 1956;
son, actor Allan Hersholt, born 4 December 1914.
Uncle of actor Leslie Nielsen and Erik Nielsen.

Jean Hersholt worked for Goldwyn Pictures Corporation in 1923-1924, and Paramount Famous Lasky Corporation in 1929.

Hersholt won popular fame as the character Dr. Christian in the Golden Era.

His well-known philanthropy led to the establishment of the Jean Hersholt Humanitarian Award by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences.