- Brother of actor Aage Fønss.
- When the silent movie began to take the world in storm in the 10's, Denmark was a world power in the international film business. Many great stars like Asta Nielsen or Pat & Patachon influenced the film scene. In this time came many Danish actors to Germany and gave a fresh impetus. One of them was Olaf Fönss who shot movies since 1912 and already belonged to the famous actors before he took part in German productions.
- With his appearance in "Atlantis" (1913) for the Danish Nordisk company he could achieve his biggest triumph till then which made him famous in whole Europe.
- He was president of the Danish Actor's Union from 1933-1947 and was a censor for the National Film Censor of Denmark for 14 years.
- In the 1930s, Fønss became politically active by directing two films for Denmark's Socialdemokratiske Parti (Social Democracy Party), Den Store Dag (1930) and Under Den Gamle Fane (1932).
- He had his stage debut in 1903 at the Dagmarteatretin Cogenhagen.
- At 17, Olaf Fönss ran away from home and moved to Copenhagen become an actor.
- With the talkies was his zenith exceeded and he only appeared sporadically in movies, later on he ended his film career.
- He was the father of author Pallet Fønss (1915 - 1962) and actress Tove Fønss (1920 - 1941).
- He was married twice, to actress Thilda Elisabeth Lilja Johnsen and to Else Dorthea Bast.
- In 1915 he went to Berlin where he looked for new challenges. His first movie in Germany was "Homunculus" (1916), a production which got an enormous success. But his intention to gain a foothold in Germany didn't come off.
- He was the son of school administrator and organist William Lars Clement Fønss and wife Henriette Volffine Mathea Fønss-Zimmermann, and he was the older brother of actors Johannes and Aage Fønss.
- The great actor Valdemar Psilander committed suicide in Denmark and Olaf Fönss was engaged as the new art director of the Psilander-Film company. Fönss accepted the offer and returned to Denmark.
- His leading role in the Nordisk production Atlantis (1913, August Blom) made his face recognizable to international film fans. The story, influenced by the Titanic tale, was filmed off the coast of New Zealand, and with its 1 hour and 53 minute running time it was one of the first full-length films ever made.
- He wrote 7 books about his film-experience.
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