Lars Hanson

Black and white photograph of a man's head over black text on a white background

Lars Hanson was born in Sweden in 1886. He established a successful film and stage career in his home country before moving to Hollywood in the 1920s. Hanson first caught the attention of American filmmakers with his role in the Swedish film, The Saga of Gosta Berling (1924). The film is also considered the breakout performance for Greta Garbo, one of the most successful actresses of all time. Hanson made his American film debut two years later in The Scarlet Letter (1926). The actor subsequently appeared in numerous American silent films, including two more with Garbo. With the advent of sound in film, however, concern over Hanson's thick Swedish accent led him to leave Hollywood and return to his stage career in Sweden. He died in Stockholm in 1965.