Victor Borge Danish pianist and comedian Date of Birth: 03.01.1909 Country: Denmark

Biography of Victor Borge

Victor Borge, born as Borge Rosenbaum, was a Danish pianist and comedian who was talented in various aspects of his career. He was known as the "Clown Prince of Denmark." Borge was born on January 3rd in Copenhagen to Bernhard and Frederika Rosenbaum, both of whom were musicians. His father played the cello in the Royal Danish Chapel orchestra, while his mother played the piano. From a young age, Borge showed an interest in playing the piano and started playing the instrument at the age of three. By the age of eight, he gave his first solo concert and received a scholarship from the Royal Academy of Music in 1918. He learned the basics of piano playing from Olivo Krause. Borge performed his first concert in 1926 at the Odd Fellow Palace. After several years of devoted piano playing, Borge decided to incorporate his jokes into his performances. His comedic acts were well-received by the audience due to their genuine humor. In 1933, he married an American woman named Elsie Chilton, who later helped him immigrate to the United States. During this time, Borge traveled around Europe and made jokes about the emerging Nazi movement. However, after the occupation of Denmark by the Germans, Borge's ability to make jokes was hindered. He first moved to Sweden, then Finland, and eventually made his way to the United States. With only $20 in his pocket, three of which he had to pay as customs duty, Borge managed to return to Denmark. Disguised as a sailor, he snuck onto a ship to visit and bid farewell to his dying mother, before returning to America. Despite not knowing the language, Borge quickly adapted his jokes to fit the American way of life. He recalled learning English by watching movies in theaters. Borge changed his name to Victor Borge and found work on the radio with Bing Crosby. In 1942, he was named "Best New Radio Host." Borge also played a small role in the film "Higher and Higher" alongside Frank Sinatra. In 1946, Victor Borge had his own show, "The Victor Borge Show," on NBC. American viewers enjoyed Borge's style, where he often made jokes about his guests and the studio audience. He would ask anyone in the front row if they liked good music, and upon receiving a positive response, he would hand them a few sheets of music with the words "Here it is." After the audience's prolonged laughter, he would solemnly say, "That will be $1.95." Borge also frequently utilized wordplay in his humor, replacing phrases like "once upon a time" with "twice upon a time" or "tennis" with "elevennis." These techniques distorted the original text and entertained the audience. In his shows, Borge often played the piano, replacing one set of notes with another, abruptly shifting from one style to another. Near the end of the 1940s, Borge invited opera singer Marilyn Mulvey to "The Victor Borge Show," with whom he staged several new comedic situations. In 1948, Victor Borge became a US citizen. In 1953, he founded the show "Comedy in Music," which made it into the Guinness Book of World Records as the longest-running one-person television show. "Comedy in Music" ended in 1956. After divorcing Elsie Chilton, Victor married Sarabel Sanna Scraper in 1953. Despite his success, Borge did not neglect his career as a pianist. He performed with the New York Philharmonic several times, as well as in London and other major cities in Europe. In 1992, he was invited back to his native Denmark to participate in a concert with the Royal Symphony Orchestra. Towards the end of his career, Victor Borge made fewer appearances on screen, although he did participate in a few episodes of "Sesame Street" and the fourth season of "The Muppet Show." In his later years, Borge dedicated himself to charitable work. He organized the Thanks to Scandinavia Fund, which aided Jewish individuals who suffered during the Holocaust. Borge continued to tour, even at the age of 90, performing 60 concerts per year. Victor Borge passed away in Greenwich, Connecticut at the age of 91, the day after his concert in Denmark. In honor of Victor Borge, one of the halls at Scandinavia House in New York City is named after him, and in 2002, a square in Copenhagen was named after him.