Victor Borge gave his first piano recital when he was eight years old, and in 1918 was awarded a full scholarship at the Royal Danish Academy of Music, studying under Olivo Krause.
24 Facts About Victor Borge
2.
Victor Borge married the American Elsie Chilton in 1933, the same year he debuted with his revue acts.
3.
Victor Borge started touring extensively in Europe, where he began telling anti-Nazi jokes.
4.
Victor Borge traveled to America on the United States Army transport American Legion, the last neutral ship to make it out of Petsamo, Finland, and arrived 28 August 1940, with only $20, with $3 going to the customs fee.
5.
Victor Borge took the name of Victor Borge and, in 1941, he started on Rudy Vallee's radio show.
6.
Victor Borge was hired soon after by Bing Crosby for his Kraft Music Hall programme.
7.
Victor Borge quickly rose to fame, winning Best New Radio Performer of the Year in 1942.
8.
Victor Borge used physical and visual elements in his live and televised performances.
9.
Victor Borge's musical sidekick in the 1960s, Leonid Hambro, was a well-known concert pianist.
10.
Victor Borge performed a version of the routine with Rowlf the Dog on Season 4 of The Muppet Show.
11.
Victor Borge would try to sing an aria, and he would react and interrupt, with such antics as falling off the bench in "surprise" when she hit a high note.
12.
Victor Borge appeared on Toast of the Town hosted by Ed Sullivan several times during 1948.
13.
Victor Borge became a naturalized citizen of the United States the same year.
14.
Victor Borge started the Comedy in Music show at John Golden Theatre in New York City on 2 October 1953.
15.
Victor Borge continued to tour until his last days, performing up to 60 times per year when he was 90 years old.
16.
Victor Borge helped start several trust funds, including the Thanks to Scandinavia Fund, which was started in dedication to those who helped the Jews escape the German persecution during the war.
17.
In 1979 Borge founded the American Pianists Association with Julius Bloom and Anthony P Habig.
18.
Victor Borge married his first wife, Elsie Chilton, in 1933.
19.
On 23 December 2000, Victor Borge died in Greenwich, Connecticut, at the age of 91, after 75 years of entertaining.
20.
Victor Borge died peacefully in his sleep a day after returning from a concert in Denmark.
21.
Victor Borge received an honorary degree from Trinity College Connecticut in 1997.
22.
Victor Borge received numerous awards and honors during the course of his career.
23.
Victor Borge was decorated with badges of chivalric orders by the five Nordic countries, receiving the Order of the Dannebrog, Order of Vasa, in 1973 the Knight First Class of the Order of St Olav, Order of the White Rose of Finland, and the Order of the Falcon.
24.
In 2009, a statue celebrating Victor Borge's centennial was erected on the square.