Erik Balling

Writing

Erik Balling

Born 1924-11-29 · Nyborg, Danmark

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.

Acting credits

Behind the camera

One of Those Things poster
9.0

A successful auto executive Vinther becomes entwined with a young nubile girl, following an avoidable car accident, that results in the death of a man. The girl mentally blackmails our executive through manipulation leading to an affair that threatens Vinther's career and marriage.

One of Those Things

1971

One of Those Things poster
9.0

A successful auto executive Vinther becomes entwined with a young nubile girl, following an avoidable car accident, that results in the death of a man. The girl mentally blackmails our executive through manipulation leading to an affair that threatens Vinther's career and marriage.

One of Those Things

1971

One of Those Things poster
9.0

A successful auto executive Vinther becomes entwined with a young nubile girl, following an avoidable car accident, that results in the death of a man. The girl mentally blackmails our executive through manipulation leading to an affair that threatens Vinther's career and marriage.

One of Those Things

1971

The Olsen Gang Sees Red poster
7.4

Egon and the gang are hired to stage a robbery of an antique Chinese vase for an economically challenged baron. Naturally they fooled, which infuriates Egon. The gang tries to get back at the baron by switching the vase with a cheap Hong Kong copy. One attempt is made during the barons hunting party, where Egon ends up being bricked up in the catacombs. In another attempt, the gang has to coordinate breaking through several walls at The Royal Theater in Copenhagen with the "Elverhøj" overture.

The Olsen Gang Sees Red

1976

The Olsen Gang Sees Red poster
7.4

Egon and the gang are hired to stage a robbery of an antique Chinese vase for an economically challenged baron. Naturally they fooled, which infuriates Egon. The gang tries to get back at the baron by switching the vase with a cheap Hong Kong copy. One attempt is made during the barons hunting party, where Egon ends up being bricked up in the catacombs. In another attempt, the gang has to coordinate breaking through several walls at The Royal Theater in Copenhagen with the "Elverhøj" overture.

The Olsen Gang Sees Red

1976

The Olsen Gang poster
7.5

Egon Olsen is the leader of the Olsen Gang. While he was in the slammer, he planned how he would steal the fantastic golden figure Keizeroppzatsen.

The Olsen Gang

1969

Qivitoq poster
6.4

A young teacher, Eva Nygaard, arrives in Greenland from Denmark to surprise her fiancé, the Doctor Erik Halsøe, but is crushed to find he has not waited for her and he is about to be married to his assisting nurse. Eva travels to a small fishing village to await the next ship back to Denmark. There she enters into a tense and often confrontational relationship with Jens, a quiet moody Dane who manages a trading company outpost. Meanwhile, Jens is trying to persuade a Greenlander named Pavia to become a company fisherman, despite Pavia's fear of alienating his fellow villagers and upsetting the spirit, Qivitoq.

Qivitoq

1956

Kassen stemmer poster
5.4

Three young men discover a scam that three somewhat older gentlemen from Aarhus' upper class have set up to avoid bankruptcy. The gentlemen directors have both accounts and safe deposit boxes at the bank branch where one of the young men works, so it seems only natural to give the swindlers a taste of their own medicine, so to speak. The situation is further complicated when a journalist gets wind of the double heist and wants his share of the pie.

Kassen stemmer

1976

The Olsen Gang on the Track poster
7.3

Egon and his two cronies managed to sneak a fortune with them to Spain. Here they live a life in a whirl of pleasures, but they are not truly happy. While Egon always has the money chained to him, Bøffen still manages to steal them. Egon ends up in jail once again, and when he comes out, he has a brilliant plan.

The Olsen Gang on the Track

1975

The Olsen Gang on the Track poster
7.3

Egon and his two cronies managed to sneak a fortune with them to Spain. Here they live a life in a whirl of pleasures, but they are not truly happy. While Egon always has the money chained to him, Bøffen still manages to steal them. Egon ends up in jail once again, and when he comes out, he has a brilliant plan.

The Olsen Gang on the Track

1975

Den kære familie poster
7.2

Copenhagen around the turn of the century - December 29th, 1899. Great merchant and shipowner Jacob Friis is one of Copenhagen's richest men. His home is the gathering place for family and friends. Since his wife's dead 10 years earlier, he shares sense of family and business acumen with his three daughters. Jacob wants to find a nobleman for his daughter Emily. Baron Claes is a very charming gentleman, but also a great womanizer...

Den kære familie

1962

The Olsen Gang in Jutland poster
7.0

The Olsen gang in Jutland. Ones again Egon Olsen has a plan when he gets out of Vridslose State Prison. He has found out that the Germans left a large sum of money (in American dollars and gold bars) in one of their commando bunkers, when they were defeated in 1945; the only problem it's in Jutland. Egon, Benny and Kjeld "appropriate" a car and drives to Jutland along with Kjelds wife and child Yvonne and Borge. They look forward to fooling the the people in Jutland, but of course, things don't go quite as planed. It ends with Benny, Kjeld, Borge and Yvonne sitting in the train back to Copenhagen, were they are overtaken by Egon in his car on the road next to the track. This is the last time the Olsen gang goes to Jutland.

The Olsen Gang in Jutland

1971

The Olsen Gang in Jutland poster
7.0

The Olsen gang in Jutland. Ones again Egon Olsen has a plan when he gets out of Vridslose State Prison. He has found out that the Germans left a large sum of money (in American dollars and gold bars) in one of their commando bunkers, when they were defeated in 1945; the only problem it's in Jutland. Egon, Benny and Kjeld "appropriate" a car and drives to Jutland along with Kjelds wife and child Yvonne and Borge. They look forward to fooling the the people in Jutland, but of course, things don't go quite as planed. It ends with Benny, Kjeld, Borge and Yvonne sitting in the train back to Copenhagen, were they are overtaken by Egon in his car on the road next to the track. This is the last time the Olsen gang goes to Jutland.

The Olsen Gang in Jutland

1971

Kongeligt besøg poster
8.0

In the year 1646, Denmark is at peace. Only recently have the last occupying troops left Jutland, leaving behind the sad traces of iron heels. The administration has partially collapsed, the kingdom is short of money, and what money there is is unevenly distributed. This is the unusual and sad background to this unpretentious account.

Kongeligt besøg

1954

The Olsen Gang Goes to War poster
6.9

Some criminal EU ministers plan to turn Denmark into a gigantic fair ground and holiday paradise. Egon gets his hand at some important documents which could both make him rich and take care of Denmark's future.

The Olsen Gang Goes to War

1978

The Olsen Gang Goes to War poster
6.9

Some criminal EU ministers plan to turn Denmark into a gigantic fair ground and holiday paradise. Egon gets his hand at some important documents which could both make him rich and take care of Denmark's future.

The Olsen Gang Goes to War

1978

The Olsen Gang poster
7.0

The first of 14 Olsen Gang films presents us with Egon Olsen, head of the gang, and his friends Benny and Kjeld, who want to become the best known gang in Denmark and eventually Europe by stealing a famous Bavarian work of art currently displayed in a Copenhagen museum. Although Egon's plan works out fine, there is only trouble ahead for the little gang.

The Olsen Gang

1968

The Olsen Gang poster
7.0

The first of 14 Olsen Gang films presents us with Egon Olsen, head of the gang, and his friends Benny and Kjeld, who want to become the best known gang in Denmark and eventually Europe by stealing a famous Bavarian work of art currently displayed in a Copenhagen museum. Although Egon's plan works out fine, there is only trouble ahead for the little gang.

The Olsen Gang

1968

Murder in the Dark poster
6.1

A womanizing journalist is on the outs with the cops who want him in jail and a mysterious "thin man" who wants him dead.

Murder in the Dark

1986

The Olsen Gang in a Fix poster
6.6

A good looking female social welfare worker makes Egon Olsen forget about crimes for some time, but when an American gangster breaks into a local bank and the police think its Egon's work, he has to get back to work to prove he's innocent.

The Olsen Gang in a Fix

1969

The Olsen Gang in a Fix poster
6.6

A good looking female social welfare worker makes Egon Olsen forget about crimes for some time, but when an American gangster breaks into a local bank and the police think its Egon's work, he has to get back to work to prove he's innocent.

The Olsen Gang in a Fix

1969

Cirkus Buster poster
6.3

Most of the ingredients in this filmed circus performance are familiar and simple, but something special has been added—something as simple as ordinary humanity. They talk and behave just like everyone else.

Cirkus Buster

1961

Cirkus Buster poster
6.3

Most of the ingredients in this filmed circus performance are familiar and simple, but something special has been added—something as simple as ordinary humanity. They talk and behave just like everyone else.

Cirkus Buster

1961

The Girl Gogo poster
7.0

Ragnar has left his family farm and works as a taxi driver in Reykjavík in the early sixties. He's drawn to the beautiful but unhappy girl Gogo and hopes to build a better life with her. But she's a lost soul and their brief romance results in tragedy.

The Girl Gogo

1962