Erik Balling

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.

Crew

The Olsen Gang
Director, Screenplay
The Olsen Gang in Jutland
Director, Screenplay
The Olsen Gang on the Track
Director, Screenplay
The Olsen Gang Sees Red
Director, Screenplay
Martha
Director, Writer
The Last Exploits of the Olsen Gang
Director, Writer
The Olsen Gang Never Surrenders
Director, Writer
Relax Freddy
Director, Writer
Strike First Freddy
Director, Writer
The Olsen Gang in a Fix
Director, Screenplay
The Olsen Gang Goes to War
Director, Screenplay
In the Middle of the Night
Director, Writer
Murder in the Dark
Writer
The Olsen Gang Outta Sight
Director, Writer
The Jönsson Gang & Dynamite Harry
Screenplay
Poeten og Lillemor i forårshumør
Director, Writer
The Olsen Gang's Big Score
Director, Author
The Olsen Gang Runs Amok
Director, Writer
The Olsen Gang Long Gone
Director, Writer
The Olsen Gang Jumps the Fence
Director, Author
Our Home Is Our Castle
Director, Writer
Qivitoq
Director
The Poet and Lillemor and Lotte
Director, Writer
Den kære familie
Director
Adam and Eve
Director, Writer
Jeg er sgu min egen
Director
Revolution My A..
Director, Writer
The Girl Gogo
Director
Kispus
Director, Writer, Producer
Kassen stemmer
Writer
Det var en lørdag aften
Director, Writer
One of Those Things
Director, Writer, Producer
Faith, Hope and Witchcraft
Director, Writer
Landmandsliv
Director, Writer
Vi som går køkkenvejen
Director
Halløj i himmelsengen
Director
Summer in Tyrol
Director, Writer
På tro og love
Writer, Producer
Cirkus Buster
Director, Writer
Death Comes at High Noon
Director, Writer
The Poet and the Little Mother
Director, Writer
Hvis lille pige er du?
Director, Writer
Kongeligt besøg
Director
The Moelleby affair
Writer
Murder in Paradise
Writer
The Olsen Gang and Dynamite-Harry
Writer
The Olsen Gang Takes the Gold
Writer
The Olsen Gang and Dynamite-Harry Goes Wild
Writer
The Olsen Gang meets The King and the Jackal
Writer
The Last Exploits of the Olsen Gang
Writer
The Olsen Gang For Full Music
Writer
The Olsen Gang and Dynamite-Harry On The Trail
Writer
The Olsen Gang and Data-Harry Blows Up The World Bank
Writer
6-Day Race
Producer, Screenplay
The Olsen Gang
Screenplay
The Olsen Gang's Last Trick
Characters, Associate Producer, Script Consultant
For freedom and justice
Assistant Director
Forelsket i København
Producer
Beware of the Jönsson Gang
Characters
Us Petty Sinners
Director
The Jönsson Gang Gets Gold Fever
Original Story
Superfos Glasuld – et isoleret tilfælde
Director, Writer