IDLE HEART'S IDOLS: Stars Of Yesterday

Idle Heart's Idols

Bjorn Andresen

Date Of Birth: January 26, 1955

Images:

Bjorn Andresen - Colour shot of Bjorn (simalar to above image) from the cult classic Death In Venice.
Bjorn Andersen - Close up of Bjorn wearing the straw hat and swimsuit in a WB promo photo from the film.
Bjorn Andresen - Another Warner Brothers promo photo of Bjorn, side profile.
Bjorn Andresen - Another WB promo shot from the film showing "Tadzio" reclining in the hotel lobby.
Bjorn Andresen with Dirk Bogarde - Close-up of an uncomfotable looking Dirk in the lobby of the hotel lobby from the film with Bjorn in the background.
Bjorn Andresen with Dirk Bogarde - Bjorn passes Dirk in a scene from the film.
Bjorn Andresen - Looking through a window at "Tadzio."
Bjorn Andresen - A bored looking "Tadzio" in a white sailor suit.
Bjorn Andresen - Long shot of Bjorn looking back over his shoulder in his dark sailor suit.
Bjorn Andresen - The wind in his hair, the sun in his eyes the sea behind him...Wearing his striped bathing suit from the turn of the early part of this century.
Bjorn Andresen - Long shot of Bjorn leaning on railing in Venice.
Bjorn Andresen - Close-up of Bjorn in black outfit.
Bjorn Andresen - Autographed pic of Bjorn as Tadzio in the white sailor suit.
Bjorn Andresen - Bjorn Andresen all grown up and still gorgeous!

Filmography:

A Love Story - 1970
Death In Venice - 1971
Bluff Stop - 1977 (not distributed outside of Scandinavia)
The Simple-Minded Murderer - 1982
Grass Widowers - 1982
The King Of Smugglers - 1985
Peas And Wiskers - 1986

Television:

Swedish Crime - 1983-1984
Splendid Landing - 1983-1984 (made for TV thriller)

Biographical Information
Bjorn andresen, born in Stockholm, Sweden on January 26, 1955, was only 15 years olde when he played the androgenous youth in Death In Venice. This was a controversial film (by Luchino Visconti) regarding the forbidden subject of pederasty. "Tadzio," Andresen's Polish character in the film, was represented solely as a sex object which was intensified by his androgenous appearance, filming and directing as well. Andresen's character did not speak a single word of dialogue in the entire film. Scenes and shots of the boy were highly and intentionally romanticized. Andresen's likeness was extremely popular throughout the advertizing of the film and for sometime thereafter. His photo even appears on the cover of the soundtrack which was by Gustav Mahler. Dirk Bogarde played a composer visiting Venice who for reasons beyond his comprehension and control feels desirous of young Tadzio, another guest at the hotel. The entire film centres around Bogarde's struggle with his obsession fed onward by the innocent youth. It is a tragic story of forbidden obsession and aa man's fight against these cumpulsions. Andresen remembers Bogarde fondly and credits him for helping him through the difficult filming of Death In Venice. Bogarde recalls Bjorn favourablly in his autobiography in which he describes him as a Beatles fan who chewed black bubble gum and desired a motorcycle and an electric guitar. The film was well received, but especially so in Japan where Andresen did a string of commercials. At the London premiere of the Film, Bjorn met Queen Elizabeth II. While the film brought him instant fame and notoriety his career still did not excel as expected by many. In fact the majority of his work has not been distributed outside of his homeland and it's surrounding areas. Despite Andresen's lack of immense success several rumours have circulated about him for years. One of the darkest and most widely ciculated rumours is about his death. Presumeablly he has died of a drug overdose, car accident as well as a plane crash. Despite his multiple deaths he continues to work and reside in his hometown with his wife (married in 1983) and their daughter Robin. The Andresens had another child, a boy (their first child), who died of infant death syndrome in 1986 which caused a temporary separation. Rumours of his death are reportedly due to actor Helmut Berger. It is believed that Berger was originally promized the role of Tadzio and holds a grudge against Andresen. Other popular rumours are based more in fact then jealousy and anger. In 1976, Andresen was questioned concerning the brutal murder of actor Sal Mineo who he was supposedly having an affair with. "A top executive in the motion picture industry" told Canadian journalist Brian Lineman that indeed Mineo and Andresen were not only lovers but that they had been together only hours before the stabbing. Formal charges against Andresen were never pressed. The actor, then twenty-one, claimed not to know Mineo or even who he was and claims never to have been in the United States in his life.