The Story of Horace Cohen

THE SOUL OF STYLE - EPISODE V

The fifth episode of a series of personal blogs in which quirky and self-confident men together with author Onno Aerden go in search of the soul of style.

We proudly present actor and comedian Horace Cohen; a hardworking artist of life, Burgundian centipede, bon vivant, but above all a true soul and loyal friend.

"When I was five months old, my parents moved from New York to the Jordaan in Amsterdam. Here I grew up in with my mother; my father moved back to New York. When I was twenty, he asked me to come and live with him; well at least in that city. I did it, took acting lessons, earned well in the hospitality industry - but after two years I got homesick for my friends back in Amsterdam and I got lonely in New York. I did regret for a while that I couldn't hold out any longer, who knows what would have happened. But my life now is wonderful - with my beautiful sweet wife and daughters."

"Before my time in New York, when I was fifteen, my role as Henkie in the well-known Dutch movie Flodder, brought me some fame. When I moved back here from New York I took up acting in movies and TV series; together with my best friend Ruben van der Meer also improvisation - with the Lamas in the theatre. A few years ago I stopped to focus on other things, but now I am back in front of the cameras and I teach children how to act on behalf of a casting agency, explain to them how humour works - as far as I understand it myself."

"In addition to acting, I am also a hospitality man. Bar Paul on Reguliersdwarsstraat: for two years, day and night, I was the owner. Worked both in front of and behind the bar - a wildly attractive world, but also: dangerous, exhausting. After a panic attack in 2012, including the hyperventilation, I stopped immediately. I have a lot of respect for the catering tigers who can handle that life; not for me anymore. Although I love being the host of the popular Bacchus Winefestival each summer. "

"As an actor, you enter a beautiful world, over and over again. Always in an eclectic setting; stunning girls from the production next to the punks and pirates taking care of technology and catering. Every time it is a great, family-like setting - but also opportunistic; when the last take is over, you do not speak to anyone until you are hugging each other again at a new production: you here?".

"Humour: essential. For me, the daily medicine that gets you through the day in this rather difficult world. A smile has a liberating effect. With Ruben, I always get the cheers, often about the most senseless things. It is both Larry David's humour about social discomfort and the generous laughter of André van Duin and Frans van Dusschoten. And word jokes! Someone said the other day: every word joke is an insult to the word 'joke'. That’s a strong one." 

"My sense and style of fashion developed as I grow older. From a fashionable hipster from the Jordaan - fake Kappa-shirts and skinny jeans - to the hoodies and baggy pants from the hip-hop scene where I was at home for a while, to bespoke suits and dress shirts on and off the set. Stylistically, I am a follower. Luckily, when your face is on television regularly, there are a lot of people who offer help: with make-up, hair, accessories. Lovely, although it also makes me uncertain: in this work, you often must be beautiful. Red-carpet-perfect."

"My father was successful in the clothing business in New York. Now he is 'semi-retired' as he calls it. One day, I would love to live like him: beautiful tailor-made suits from fabrics with Paisley motifs, magnificent scarves, the coolest sunglasses and a straw hat. POSSEN made me a two cut-to-the-bone tuxedo’s - one from an off white soft flannel fabric and the other from a chocolate brown tropical wool-mohair fabric - for the wedding party of Puck and I. After our own wedding we travelled on to Italy for another wedding. An off-white POSSEN tuxedo in the suitcase - all in style."

The style of Horace

Restaurant:

“Café Caron in Amsterdam. The family restaurant of Alain Caron and his sons Tom and David. Classical French countryside cuisine. I am host there. A warm bath.”

Country:

“Cruising the Amalfi coast in a Riva. Trying to do as the Italians do: both laid back as well as stylish to the details.”

Feeling:

“Half-past midnight. A terrace with long camping tables and some cheese straws in a cup. One more Viognier - or a fat Chardonnay. It is still 21 degrees outside. Coming from the canals, where we were on a boat all evening with the same crowd now sipping here some good wines.

Location:

“Brooklyn Bowl. A crazy wonderful combination of beautiful bowling lanes with a kind of Paradiso concert hall. While rolling your balls, you rock and roll with the band playing off the roof right next to you.”

Location (2):

“Gobi desert, which we had to pass through for a tv-show on our way from The Hague to Peking. The complete, perfect noting. Gazing at the galaxy at night. It made me humble.”

Photo By Reinier RVDA