Mary Dresselhuys
Encyclopedia
Mary Dresselhuys was a Dutch
stage actress, although she appeared in a few movies as well. She was born in Tiel
, the Netherlands
and died in Amsterdam
.
Mary Dresselhuys played more than 150 roles during her long career. She played a wide range of roles, but got most known as the Queen of Comedy. She performed till high age. After she turned 80, she asked Paul Haenen
to write a play (Een bijzonder prettig vergezicht) in which she and her daughter Petra played. At the age of 85 she played a part in the movie Eline Vere, and at 90, she was on stage again, where she, together with Paul Haenen
, looked back at her career.
student. She spend her vacations with her grandmother in The Hague
, where she grabbed every opportunity to go to the theatre
- getting a front row seat if possible. In her teen years, she managed to see about 200 plays - keeping notes about the plays and actors she saw in a notebook, which she kept throughout her life. After high school, she spend half a year in an English
boarding school
after which she took an entering exam for the Toneelschool (acting school) in Amsterdam
, without her parents knowledge. She passed the exam. After her graduation in 1929, Mary played her first part, in the play Men trouwt geen meisjes zonder geld (One doesn't marry girls without money). From 1931 till 1945 she played with the company Centraal Tooneel.
Among the films in which she appeared are
Netherlands
The Netherlands is a constituent country of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, located mainly in North-West Europe and with several islands in the Caribbean. Mainland Netherlands borders the North Sea to the north and west, Belgium to the south, and Germany to the east, and shares maritime borders...
stage actress, although she appeared in a few movies as well. She was born in Tiel
Tiel
' is a municipality and a town in the middle of the Netherlands.The town is enclosed by the Waal river and the Linge river on the south and the north side, and the Amsterdam-Rhine Canal on the east side. The city was founded in the 5th century AD....
, the Netherlands
Netherlands
The Netherlands is a constituent country of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, located mainly in North-West Europe and with several islands in the Caribbean. Mainland Netherlands borders the North Sea to the north and west, Belgium to the south, and Germany to the east, and shares maritime borders...
and died in Amsterdam
Amsterdam
Amsterdam is the largest city and the capital of the Netherlands. The current position of Amsterdam as capital city of the Kingdom of the Netherlands is governed by the constitution of August 24, 1815 and its successors. Amsterdam has a population of 783,364 within city limits, an urban population...
.
Mary Dresselhuys played more than 150 roles during her long career. She played a wide range of roles, but got most known as the Queen of Comedy. She performed till high age. After she turned 80, she asked Paul Haenen
Paul Haenen
Paul Haenen is a Dutch comedian and voice actor.Paul Haenen is a well-known comedian in the Netherlands and also provides the voices of Bert, Grover and other minor characters on Sesamstraat, the Dutch co-production of Sesame Street, since Sesamstraat's first season in 1976. Wim T...
to write a play (Een bijzonder prettig vergezicht) in which she and her daughter Petra played. At the age of 85 she played a part in the movie Eline Vere, and at 90, she was on stage again, where she, together with Paul Haenen
Paul Haenen
Paul Haenen is a Dutch comedian and voice actor.Paul Haenen is a well-known comedian in the Netherlands and also provides the voices of Bert, Grover and other minor characters on Sesamstraat, the Dutch co-production of Sesame Street, since Sesamstraat's first season in 1976. Wim T...
, looked back at her career.
Early years
Mary played her first parts while she was still a gymnasiumGymnasium (school)
A gymnasium is a type of school providing secondary education in some parts of Europe, comparable to English grammar schools or sixth form colleges and U.S. college preparatory high schools. The word γυμνάσιον was used in Ancient Greece, meaning a locality for both physical and intellectual...
student. She spend her vacations with her grandmother in The Hague
The Hague
The Hague is the capital city of the province of South Holland in the Netherlands. With a population of 500,000 inhabitants , it is the third largest city of the Netherlands, after Amsterdam and Rotterdam...
, where she grabbed every opportunity to go to the theatre
Theatre
Theatre is a collaborative form of fine art that uses live performers to present the experience of a real or imagined event before a live audience in a specific place. The performers may communicate this experience to the audience through combinations of gesture, speech, song, music or dance...
- getting a front row seat if possible. In her teen years, she managed to see about 200 plays - keeping notes about the plays and actors she saw in a notebook, which she kept throughout her life. After high school, she spend half a year in an English
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
boarding school
Boarding school
A boarding school is a school where some or all pupils study and live during the school year with their fellow students and possibly teachers and/or administrators. The word 'boarding' is used in the sense of "bed and board," i.e., lodging and meals...
after which she took an entering exam for the Toneelschool (acting school) in Amsterdam
Amsterdam
Amsterdam is the largest city and the capital of the Netherlands. The current position of Amsterdam as capital city of the Kingdom of the Netherlands is governed by the constitution of August 24, 1815 and its successors. Amsterdam has a population of 783,364 within city limits, an urban population...
, without her parents knowledge. She passed the exam. After her graduation in 1929, Mary played her first part, in the play Men trouwt geen meisjes zonder geld (One doesn't marry girls without money). From 1931 till 1945 she played with the company Centraal Tooneel.
Among the films in which she appeared are
- Eline Vere (1992) .... Mevrouw van Raat
- Vroeger kon je lachen (1983)
- Dorp aan de rivierThe Village on the RiverThe Village on the River is a 1958 Dutch film directed by Fons Rademakers. The film was nominated for the Best Foreign Language Film at the 32nd Academy Awards.-Cast:*Max Croiset ... Dr. Van Taeke*Mary Dresselhuys ... Mrs. Van Taeke...
(1958) .... Mrs. Van Taeke - De Kribbebijter (1935) .... Mary