Signe Hasso Swedish-American actress Date of Birth: 15.08.1915 Country: USA

Biography of Signe Hasso

Signe Eleonora Cecilia Larsson, known professionally as Signe Hasso, was born on August 15, 1915, in Stockholm, Sweden. She became one of the youngest students to be accepted into the prestigious Royal Dramatic Theater at the age of 12.

In 1933, Signe married film director and cinematographer Harry Hasso, which kickstarted her acting career. She made her screen debut in the same year and in 1940, she moved to the United States and signed a contract with RKO Studios. The American film company began promoting her as the "next Greta Garbo."

In 1941, Signe divorced Harry. She gained recognition for her first notable role in Ernst Lubitsch's fantasy film "Heaven Can Wait" in 1943. Some other memorable films of the 1940s she appeared in include the war drama "The Seventh Cross" (1944), the crime drama "Johnny Angel" (1945) alongside George Raft, and the film-noir "The House on 92nd Street" (1945) directed by Henry Hathaway. She also starred in the comedy "A Scandal in Paris" (1946) and the drama "A Double Life."

On television, Signe appeared in several series, including "Magnum, P.I.," "Fame," "Trapper John, M.D.," "Starsky and Hutch," "The Streets of San Francisco," and many others.

By the 1950s, Signe's Hollywood career began to slow down, and in 1957, her son tragically died in a car accident. From then on, she divided her time between acting in Swedish films and theater performances in New York. Finally, in the mid-1960s, she returned to Hollywood.

Later in her life, Signe gained recognition as a poet and writer, as well as for her translations of Swedish folk songs into English. She continued to act until 2001, with her final appearance in a documentary about Greta Garbo. In 1972, she was awarded The Royal Order of Vasa, Knight First Class, by the King of Sweden.

Signe Hasso passed away from pneumonia caused by lung cancer on June 7, 2002, at the age of 86, in Los Angeles. In honor of her contributions to the film industry, she has a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.