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Lily Bouwmeester was the daughter of violinist Ludovicus Adolphus Bouwmeester and pianist Julie Marie Arpeau. She was a member of the famous Bouwmeester family, mostly consisting of actors. She wished to become a dancer, but her father insisted that she train as a violinist like him and that she journey with him on his tours through Europe.

It soon became clear traveling all day wasn't good for her health. Bouwmeester moved in with her aunt Theo Mann-Bouwmeester, an actress. Theo put the little Lily on stage in several theater productions. Because of her small posture and short hair, Bouwmeester played both boys and girls. She loathed it, as she still desired to become a dancer.

Bouwmeester changed her mind about acting when she met actor Eduard Verkade. He gave her much advice, and inspired her to make a real career out of acting. She entered the film industry in 1916, playing a younger version of the character of actress Annie Bos in Majoor Frans (1916).

Bouwmeester played supporting roles in several silent films, but was more ambitious with theater. In 1917, she enlisted a very prestigious theater and performed at the Stadsschouwburg in Amsterdam. She remained working there till 1920, and was praised by critics.

While working on stage, Bouwmeester met actor Theo Frenkel Jr., whom she married on March 31, 1921. They acted together in several theater productions, and for a short period produced their own child-oriented plays as well. In 1923 they moved to the Hague in order to to work in theater in the nearby city of Rotterdam. There she usually played comedic roles, and established them as her specialty. The critics praised her acting skills.

In 1927, after her husband signed a contract to appear in a touring opera, she left the theater to follow him. In 1930, she returned to acting in theater in Amsterdam, but left it after two seasons to play comedic roles again in other stage productions.

The marriage of Frenkel and Bouwmeester failed to succeed. They divorced in 1933. Bouwmeester soon remarried, to Cor van der Lugt Melsert Jr., and they moved to Rotterdam. Van der Lugt wanted her to be a housewife. Bouwmeester, wishing to have some time off, didn't object; however, she did auditions for several films, including De Kribbebijter (1935).

In 1937, she was offered the lead in Pygmalion (1937). It became her first talkie and first movie in 16 years. The film became a huge success and Bouwmeester became an instant star. She even had to hire a secretary to handle her fan mail. American producers saw potential in her, and Paramount Pictures offered her a five-year contract. Her husband refused to move with her to Hollywood, so she declined.

Bouwmeester went on acting in Dutch movie productions, which all became the biggest box office hits of the 1930s, including Vadertje Langbeen (1938), Morgen gaat 't beter (1939) and Ergens in Nederland (1940). She usually played teenage girls or students, despite the fact she was approaching the age of 40.

When WWII broke out, Bouwmeester retired. Remarkably, a German movie studio offered her a contract, but she declined and never made another movie again. She was separated from her husband during WWII and took in Jewish boys. In 1945, she returned to acting on stage in Rotterdam. She played in the stage version of Pygmalion and eventually played the role over 800 times.

In 1952, Bouwmeester announced she was going to leave the theater in Rotterdam. Jan de Hartog created a spectacular play to mark her end and produced Het Hemelbed. It was a great success, being performed over 500 times. However, in 1955 she took a break from acting again to take some rest.

In 1960 she returned to theater, performing on stage in Arnhem. Meanwhile, she appeared on several television shows. In 1969, she retired from acting forever. She never acted again, but did stay on to be a public figure for several decades. After the death of her husband in 1990, she moved to Sliedrecht.

Although she was awarded a Golden Calf - being named the "Best Actress of Pre-War Movies" - in 1991, she was very lonely in her final years. She died in 1993 at the local hospital, aged 92. She was cremated in the Hague.

Named best Dutch pre-WW2 actress by the Dutch Film Museum.

Trivia

Lily Bouwmeester

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