Vera Gebuhr is among Denmark's finest character actresses, acting in countless stage and screen productions through a career of more than sixty years. She grew up in Funen, Denmark, as the daughter of an industry owner. As a child she took ballet lessons, and in the late 1930s she travelled to Copenhagen as a protegée of John Price to study at The Royal Theatre's acting school from 1937 to 1939. Her theatre debut was on 26 December 1939, in Henrik Ibsen's "Brand" at Folketeatret, Copenhagen, where she had steady work for the following 25 years. The play "Arvingen" is often cited as her true breakthrough. In the career that followed she was never unemployed and combined theatre with television and film performances. She also co-starred in the popular Matador (1978), but remarkably, she says her very best parts came when she was between 70 and 85. At the time of writing, her latest project is Afgrunden (2003) where she stars as Asta Nielsen. Through two marriages Vera Gebuhr has led an active family life, and the she is still in excellent health for her age.