Lily Bouwmeester

Date of birth
28-09-1901
Date deceased
12-07-1993

Biography

The stage and film actress Lily Bouwmeester was the biggest star of the pre-war Dutch sound film. From about the age of twelve, she lived with her great-aunt, the successful actress Theo Mann - Bouwmeester. Her parents, both musicians, were frequently on the road. Mann - Bouwmeester introduced her niece to the world of theatre, and within a few years, Lily Bouwmeester was acting in the company of Herman Heijermans.

Bouwmeester had her first film role in Maurits Binger’s Majoor Frans, appearing alongside the former star actress Annie Bos. In the years that followed, she was mainly active on stage, although she continued to play supporting roles in silent films. Until 1935, Bouwmeester was still affiliated with various companies, including the Nederlandsch Toneel (led by Eduard Verkade), the Vereenigd Rotterdamsch-Hofstad Toneel, and the Nederlandsch Indisch Tooneel. She usually appeared onstage alongside her husband Theo Frenkel Jr.

After a divorce and a second marriage to Cor van der Lugt Melsert Jr. (1935), she stopped acting for a time.

In 1937, she was asked to act in Pygmalion, the film adaptation of George Bernard Shaw's play. Due to the resounding success of this film, Bouwmeester became a much sought-after actress for similarly light, comic female roles, for example in films like Vadertje Langbeen and Morgen gaat het beter. She performed her last film role in the mobilization movie Ergens in Nederland. She declined offers for films made by the German film company UFA.

After the liberation, she continued her stage career and definitively stopped acting in 1969.

photos

filmography

  1. 1916
    Actor
    Francis as a child
  2. 1917
    Actor
    Lily Vogel
  3. 1917
    Actor
    Anna as a child
  4. 1918
    Actor
    Sick sister of Thérèse
  5. 1918
    Actor
  6. 1918
    Actor
    Honourable Ms. De Grancé
  7. 1919
    Actor
    Jeanne
  8. 1920
    Actor
    Zwart's daughter
  9. 1920
    Actor
    Louise
  10. 1921
    Actor
  11. 1921
    Actor
    Marion Delisle
  12. 1937
    Actor
  13. 1937
    Actor
    Elisa Doeluttel
  14. 1938
    Actor
    Judy Aalders
  15. 1938
    Actor
    Annetje
  16. 1939
    Actor
    Willy Verhulst
  17. 1940
    Actor
    Nellie van Loon

more information

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