Victor Borge

Victor Borge, born Børge Rosenbaum, was a Danish-American comedian and pianist who achieved great popularity in radio and television in both North America and Europe. His blend of music and comedy earned him the nicknames "The Clown Prince of Denmark", "The Unmelancholy Dane", and "The Great Dane". Victor Borge was born on 3 January 1909 in Copenhagen, Denmark, into an Ashkenazi Jewish family. His parents, Bernhard and Frederikke (née Lichtinger) Rosenbaum, were both musicians: his father a violist in the Royal Danish Orchestra, and his mother a pianist. Borge began piano lessons at the age of two, and it was soon apparent that he was a prodigy. He gave his first piano recital when he was eight years old, and in 1918 was awarded a full scholarship at the Royal Danish Academy of Music, studying under Olivo Krause. Later on, he was taught by Victor Schiøler, Liszt's student Frederic Lamond, and Busoni's pupil Egon Petri. Borge played his first major concert in 1926 at the Danish Odd Fellow Palæet (The Odd Fellow's Lodge building) concert hall. After a few years as a classical concert pianist, he started his now famous stand-up act with the signature blend of piano music and jokes. He married the American Elsie Chilton in 1933, the same year he debuted with his revue acts. Borge started touring extensively in Europe, where he began telling anti-Nazi jokes. When the German armed forces occupied Denmark on 9 April 1940, during World War II, Borge was playing a concert in neutral Sweden and decided to go to Finland. He traveled to America on the United States Army transport American Legion, the last neutral ship to make it out of Petsamo, Finland, and arrived 28 August 1940, with only $20 (about $418 today), with $3 going to the customs fee. Disguised as a sailor, Borge returned to Denmark once during the occupation to visit his dying mother. Even though Borge did not speak a word of English upon arrival, he quickly managed to adapt his jokes to the American audience, learning English by watching movies. He took the name of Victor Borge and, in 1941, he started on Rudy Vallee's radio show. He was hired soon after by Bing Crosby for his Kraft Music Hall programme. He was hired by NBC in 1942 for his own radio show, The Victor Borge Show, which ran until 1946. He also performed on stage and in films, such as Higher and Higher (1943) and Meet the People (1944). He became a naturalized citizen of the United States in 1948. In 1953, he married Sarabel Sanna Scraper, who became his manager and personal assistant. They had five children: Ronald, Janet, Victor Jr., Frederikke, and Rikke. Borge continued to perform on radio, television, and stage, becoming one of the most popular and beloved entertainers in the world. He appeared on The Ed Sullivan Show more than any other guest, and hosted his own TV specials, such as Comedy in Music (1954) and The Victor Borge Show (1956). He also wrote several books, such as My Favorite Intermissions (1971) and My Favorite Comedies in Music (1980). He recorded many albums, such as Caught in the Act (1955) and Live(!) (1971), which won him a Grammy Award. He also created a one-man show, Comedy in Music, which ran for 849 performances on Broadway from 1953 to 1956, and later toured around the world. Borge was a visionary and a philanthropist, who supported various causes in science, culture, and sports. He funded the reconstruction of Frederiksborg Castle, which had been destroyed by fire in 1859. He also donated his art collection to the Carlsberg Foundation, which he was a member of. He received numerous honors and awards, including the Order of the Elephant, the highest Danish order of chivalry, in 1999. He also received a Kennedy Center Honor in 1999, and was inducted into the International Clown Hall of Fame in 1998. He performed until his death in 2000, at the age of 91. He died of heart failure in Greenwich, Connecticut, and was buried in Putnam Cemetery. He was regarded as one of the most influential and visionary figures in Danish and American comedy and music history.