Björn Andresen

Reproduction of cover page Germaine Geer's book "The Beautiful Boy"

Björn Johan Andresen was born in Stockholm, Sweden on 26 January 1955. He is most famous for playing the fourteen year old Tadzio in the Luchino Visconti screen adaptation of the Thomas Mann novella, Death in Venice. He was apparently chosen for his good looks and the fact that director Visconti believed his face to be ideal for the role of the boy with whom the character Gustav von Aschenbach is besotted.

David Bailey was the official photographer for the film's promotional stills. His 1970 picture of Andresen was used, with his consent as copyright owner, on the front cover of the book "The Beautiful Boy"The Beautiful Boy" is also titled "The Boy" depending on the edition" by Germaine Greer in 2003. Andresen was not consulted about this use (usual with pictures whose copyright is owned by others) and complained about the lack of his own consent. Despite his comments in the pressPress comments following use of Andresen's picture on the cover of "The Boy", the publishers had permission to use the photograph. In the Guardian article he states that he would have withheld consent.

After Death in Venice, Andresen visited Japan professionally, where he appeared in TV adverts and recorded two pop songs. It is said that his looks as "Tadzio" inspired many Japanese anime artists, especially Keiko Takemiya who illustrated Kaze to Ki no Uta with the pictures of Gilbert Cocteau

Rumours of Andresen's sexuality circulated in America at the time of Death in Venice's release. Andresen repeatedly denied these rumours, and later recounted that during filming of Death in Venice Luchino Visconti had taken him to gay bars in Venice (despite the fact Andresen was just 16), where he felt uncomfortable under the gaze of older men."I'm not Germaine's toy, says cover boy" - Fairfax Digital, Australia

Andresen has also appeared in several other filmsFilmography. These include Pelikaanimies (2004)Andresen may be seen as he is today at the website for Pelikaananimies in which he played a pianist, Kojan (1992) and Smugglarkungen (1985).

In 1976 Andresen was suggested to have been in the United States where it was alleged that he committed the murder of actor Sal Mineo. It was alleged that Andresen and Mineo were lovers, and murder was committed during a quarrel. Andresen denied even knowing Mineo and also denied having been in the United States. Charges were not pursued.Many odd rumours have dogged Andresen's life. The allegations of the murder of Sal Mineo are part of this, as are the many stories of his "death".

Andresen is a professional musician, and until recently performed and toured with the Sven EricsThe Sven Erics, now without Andresen and Andresen plays keyboard in his days with the Sevn Erics dance band.

Andresen currently lives with his wife and daughter in Stockholm.

Quotes

"It's very different now, but you can see why most actors would avoid homosexual roles....After I was in 'Death in Venice,' so many papers in America wrote that I was homosexual. All from one movie! I kept having to say no, no, which makes me sound desperate or prejudiced...So I think for me I'm better being far away from all that."Source of quotations

"I was just sixteen and Visconti and the team took me to a gay nightclub. Almost all the crew were gay. The waiters at the club made me feel very uncomfortable. They looked at me uncompromisingly as if I was a nice meaty dish. I knew I couldn't react. It would have been social suicide. But it was the first of many such encounters."Source of quotations

"My career is one of the few that started at the absolute top and then worked its way down. That was lonely."Source of quotations

Notes