Philip Dorn

Personal Info

Birthday

September 30, 1901

Day of Death

1975-05-09

(73 years old)

Place of Birth

Scheveningen, 's-Gravenhage, Zuid-Holland, Netherlands

Also Known As

Philip Dorn

Fritts van Dongen

Hein van der Niet

Frits van Dongen

Philip Dorn

Biography

Frits van Dongen (1901–1975), born Hein van der Niet and sometimes billed as Philip Dorn, was a Dutch actor who had a career in Hollywood. As a teenager he moved out of his parental home to perform in an amateur theatre group; his stage name Frits van Dongen already dates from that period.

In the early 1920s, Van Dongen ended up in the professional stage, but it was not until 1934 that he starred in his first film: 'Op Hoop van Zegen'. This film marked his breakthrough as a film star in the Netherlands: in 1935 he played in 'De Big van het Regiment', 'De Kribbebijter' and 'Op Stap' and in 1936 in 'Rubber'. Van Dongen then left for Berlin to work with the likes of Veit Harlan and star in a number of successful German films.