The manifest of the S/S Normandie recorded Aase Madsen Iversen as a twenty-three-year-old Danish actress arriving at the Port of New York on 23 December 1937. Born in Copenhagen in 1914, she transitioned from a career as a newspaper photographer into a multifaceted performer who navigated the rigorous American studio system for over two decades.
Early Career and Hollywood Arrival
Before establishing herself in the United States, she gained professional experience through work as a photojournalist and stage actor. She secured her first film role in 1935's Kidnapped. Following her 1937 arrival in New York, she relocated to Hollywood to pursue film acting. Her integration into American life was formalized in 1941 when she became a naturalized citizen of the United States.
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Her filmography spans various genres and technical roles, including credits as a film editor. A significant performance occurred in the 1941 film A Woman's Face, where she portrayed the unfaithful spouse of Melvyn Douglas embroiled in a plot involving Joan Crawford. She maintained a screen presence throughout the 1940s, appearing in the 1946 film Deadline at Dawn. In 1950, she starred alongside Lloyd Bridges in Rocketship X-M, a production recognized as the first space-themed adventure released after World War II.
Television and Later Work
As the industry shifted toward television, she adapted her career to include numerous guest roles. She appeared in three separate episodes of the legal drama Perry Mason between 1958 and 1962. Her specific contributions to the series included the roles of Lisa Bannister in 1958, Sarah Werner in 1959, and finally Lisa Pedersen in 1962. This engagement marked her last recorded television credit.
Personal Life and Death
Her personal history included three marriages, one of which was to Allan Hersholt, the son of actor Jean Hersholt, on 15 December 1938. She died on 2 January 2006 in Santa Monica, California, following surgery. She was 91 years old, only 11 days shy of her 92nd birthday. She is buried at the Westwood Village Memorial Park Cemetery, where her grave marker identifies her as Osa Massen Vogel.
Fast facts
- Born: 1914, Copenhagen
- Died: 2 January 2006, Santa Monica
- Nationality: Kingdom of Denmark
- Naturalized: 1941, United States
- First Film: Kidnapped (1935)
- Burial Site: Westwood Village Memorial Park Cemetery
Questions readers ask
What was Osa Massen's career before acting?
She began her professional life working as a newspaper photographer.
What was her final television performance?
Her last television role was in 1962 as Lisa Pedersen in the Perry Mason episode titled The Case of the Tarnished Trademark.
Achievements
- Worked as film actor, television actor and film editor
