Espen Henrik Skjønberg (7 April 1924 – 26 August 2022) was a Norwegian actor of stage, screen, and television.

Career

Skjønberg made his first movie appearances as a child in the 1932 film ''

En glad gutt ''En glad gutt'' ( en, A Happy Boy) is a 1932 Norwegian drama film directed by John W. Brunius, starring Tore Foss, Hauk Aabel and Gøril Havrevold. The film is based on the story ''En glad Gut'' by Bjørnstjerne Bjørnson, published in 186 ...

'' and in the 1937 Norwegian classic ''Fant'', in which his mother also appeared. His stage debut came reciting poetry at the Norwegian theatre

Chat Noir Chat Noir ( French for 'black cat') is a cabaret and revue theatre in Oslo, Norway. It was established in 1912 by Bokken Lasson. The current director is Tom Sterri. Establishment Chat Noir was established as a cabaret in 1912 by singer Bokken L ...

in 1945. He joined the Norwegian National Theatre in 1946 and became one of its most prominent figures, appearing in 64 different roles in the next 60 years. As late as 2006 he co-starred with

Toralv Maurstad Toralv Maurstad (24 November 1926 – 4 November 2022) was a Norwegian stage, film, and television actor. He was the son of actor Alfred Maurstad and actress Tordis Maurstad (née Witzøe), and half-brother of actress Mari Maurstad. His screen ...

(who also appeared in ''Fant'') in an adaptation of '' Waiting for Godot''. Skjønberg's first starring role in films was in 1951's ''Vi vil skilles''. Throughout the years he has acted alongside

Tom Courtenay Sir Thomas Daniel Courtenay (; born 25 February 1937) is an English actor. After studying at the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art, Courtenay achieved prominence in the 1960s with a series of acclaimed film roles, including ''The Loneliness of t ...

Nigel Hawthorne Sir Nigel Barnard Hawthorne (5 April 1929 – 26 December 2001) was an English actor. He is most known for his stage acting and his portrayal of Sir Humphrey Appleby, the permanent secretary in the 1980s sitcom '' Yes Minister'' and the Cabi ...

Susannah York Susannah Yolande Fletcher (9 January 1939 – 15 January 2011), known professionally as Susannah York, was an English actress. Her appearances in various films of the 1960s, including '' Tom Jones'' (1963) and '' They Shoot Horses, Don't They?'' ...

Edward Woodward Edward Albert Arthur Woodward, OBE (1 June 1930 – 16 November 2009) was an English actor and singer. After graduating from the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art, he began his career on stage. Throughout his career, he appeared in productions ...

Gérard Depardieu Gérard Xavier Marcel Depardieu, CQ (, , ; born 27 December 1948) is a French actor, filmmaker, businessman and vineyard owner since 1989 who is one of the most prolific thespians in film history having completed over 250 films since 1967 alm ...

, and co-starred with Hollywood veterans

Cliff Robertson Clifford Parker Robertson III (September 9, 1923 – September 10, 2011) was an American actor whose career in film and television spanned over six decades. Robertson portrayed a young John F. Kennedy in the 1963 film '' PT 109'', and won the 196 ...

and

Robert Mitchum Robert Charles Durman Mitchum (August 6, 1917 – July 1, 1997) was an American actor. He rose to prominence with an Academy Award nomination for the Best Supporting Actor for ''The Story of G.I. Joe'' (1945), followed by his starring in ...

in the 1995 movie

Pakten ''Pakten'' ( English title: ''Waiting for Sunset'' (USA) or ''The Sunset Boys'') is a 1995 Norwegian film directed by Leidulv Risan. It made headlines in Norway as it was the first Norwegian film to star several respected Hollywood stars, namely ...

. In England, he was particularly associated with the

Royal Exchange Theatre The Royal Exchange is a grade II listed building in Manchester, England. It is located in the city centre on the land bounded by St Ann's Square, Exchange Street, Market Street, Cross Street and Old Bank Street. The complex includes the Royal ...

Manchester Manchester () is a city in Greater Manchester, England. It had a population of 552,000 in 2021. It is bordered by the Cheshire Plain to the south, the Pennines to the north and east, and the neighbouring city of Salford to the west. The t ...

and appeared there many times. He also found popularity with new generations heading the cast of ''Familiesagaen De Syv Søstre'' (1996–2000), one of Norway's first major soap operas. In the show Skjønberg co-starred with his real-life wife, actress Mona Hofland. He was also popular as the old mountain gnome Erke in the widely successful children's series ''Jul i Blåfjell'' (1999). Skjønberg received several awards throughout his career. Most notably the Norwegian Arts Council's Honorary Award in 1989, the Norwegian film award Amanda for best actor in 1994 (for the World War II drama '' The Last Lieutenant'') and its Honorary Award in 2004. In 2008 he also won an Amanda for his supporting role in the movie ''

O' Horten ''O' Horten'' is a 2007 Norwegian language film directed by Bent Hamer. The film's title character Odd Horten is a habit-bound train driver, who is about to retire. On the day of his retirement he ends up in an unexpected situation, and is forced t ...

''. He has also received the British Theatre Association's Drama Award and was made a Knight, First Class of the

Royal Norwegian Order of St Olav The Royal Norwegian Order of Saint Olav ( no, Den Kongelige Norske Sankt Olavs Orden; or ''Sanct Olafs Orden'', the old Norwegian name) is a Norwegian order of chivalry instituted by King Oscar I on 21 August 1847. It is named after King Olav II ...

by the King of Norway.

Personal life and death

Skjønberg was born in

Oslo Oslo ( , , or ; sma, Oslove) is the capital and most populous city of Norway. It constitutes both a county and a municipality. The municipality of Oslo had a population of in 2022, while the city's greater urban area had a population of ...

on 7 April 1924, to actress

Henny Skjønberg Henny Kristin Skjønberg (6 August 1886 – 5 January 1973) was a Norwegian actress and stage director. Biography Hennika Bucher Eide was born in Stavanger, Norway. She was the daughter of Henrik Eide (1831–1907) and Ingeborg Sofie Bucher (1 ...

and actor

Eugen Skjønberg Conrad Eugen Skjønberg (March 27, 1889 – July 25, 1971) was a Norwegian actor. Eugen Skjønberg was married to the actress Henny Skjønberg. They resided at Ramstad. He was the father of Per Skjønberg, Pål Skjønberg, and Espen Skjønberg, ...

. His older brother,

Pål Skjønberg Pål Eugen Bucher Skjønberg (20 October 1919 – 3 February 2014) was a Norwegian actor. He was born in Stavanger to actors Eugen (1889–1971) and Henny Skjønberg (1886–1973). He was the older brother of actor Espen Skjønberg. They g ...

, was also a successful actor and stage instructor. He was married to actress Mona Hofland from 1959 until her death in 2010. Skjønberg died on 26 August 2022, at the age of 98.

Filmography

Film

Television

Selected theatre performances

* Ulrik Brendel in ''

Rosmersholm ''Rosmersholm'' () is a play written by Norwegian playwright Henrik Ibsen in Danish—the common written language of Denmark and Norway at the time—and originally published in 1886 in Copenhagen by the Danish publisher Gyldendal. ''Rosmersholm'' ...

'' by

Henrik Ibsen Henrik Johan Ibsen (; ; 20 March 1828 – 23 May 1906) was a Norwegian playwright and theatre director. As one of the founders of modernism in theatre, Ibsen is often referred to as "the father of realism" and one of the most influential playw ...

. Directed by

Casper Wrede Baron Casper Gustaf Kenneth Wrede af Elimä, known as Caspar Wrede (8 February 1929 in Viipuri, Finland – 25 September 1998 in Helsinki, Finland), was a Finnish theatre and film director. He was long active in the English theatre, co-founding t ...

at the

Royal Exchange, Manchester The Royal Exchange is a grade II listed building in Manchester, England. It is located in the city centre on the land bounded by St Ann's Square, Exchange Street, Market Street, Cross Street and Old Bank Street. The complex includes the Royal ...

. (1981) * Odysseus in ''

Philoctetes Philoctetes ( grc, Φιλοκτήτης ''Philoktētēs''; English pronunciation: , stress (linguistics), stressed on the third syllable, ''-tet-''), or Philocthetes, according to Greek mythology, was the son of Poeas, king of Meliboea (Magnes ...

'' by

Sophocles Sophocles (; grc, Σοφοκλῆς, , Sophoklễs; 497/6 – winter 406/5 BC)Sommerstein (2002), p. 41. is one of three ancient Greek tragedians, at least one of whose plays has survived in full. His first plays were written later than, or co ...

. Directed by Michael Elliott at the

. (1982) * Old Ekdal in ''

The Wild Duck ''The Wild Duck'' (original Norwegian title: ''Vildanden'') is an 1884 play by the Norwegian playwright Henrik Ibsen. It is considered the first modern masterpiece in the genre of tragicomedy. ''The Wild Duck'' and ''Rosmersholm'' are "often t ...

'' by

. Directed by

at the

. (1983) * Dr Chebutykin in '' Three Sisters'' by

Anton Chekhov Anton Pavlovich Chekhov (; 29 January 1860 Old Style date 17 January. – 15 July 1904 Old Style date 2 July.) was a Russian playwright and short-story writer who is considered to be one of the greatest writers of all time. His career ...

. Directed by

at the

. (1985) * Shylock in ''

The Merchant of Venice ''The Merchant of Venice'' is a play by William Shakespeare, believed to have been written between 1596 and 1598. A merchant in Venice named Antonio defaults on a large loan provided by a Jewish moneylender, Shylock. Although classified as ...

''. Directed by

Braham Murray Braham Sydney Murray, OBE (12 February 1943 – 25 July 2018) was an English theatre director. In 1976, he was one of five founding Artistic Directors of the Royal Exchange Theatre in Manchester, and the longest-serving (he retired in 2012). Ear ...

at the

. (1987) * Theseus in ''

Oedipus Oedipus (, ; grc-gre, Οἰδίπους "swollen foot") was a mythical Greek king of Thebes. A tragic hero in Greek mythology, Oedipus accidentally fulfilled a prophecy that he would end up killing his father and marrying his mother, thereby ...

'' by

. Directed by

at the

. (1987) * Button Moulder in ''

Peer Gynt ''Peer Gynt'' (, ) is a five- act play in verse by the Norwegian dramatist Henrik Ibsen published in 1876. Written in Norwegian, it is one of the most widely performed Norwegian plays. Ibsen believed ''Per Gynt'', the Norwegian fairy tale on wh ...

'' by

. Directed by

at the

. (1999) * Firs in ''

The Cherry Orchard ''The Cherry Orchard'' (russian: Вишнёвый сад, translit=Vishnyovyi sad) is the last play by Russian playwright Anton Chekhov. Written in 1903, it was first published by ''Znaniye'' (Book Two, 1904), and came out as a separate edition ...

'' by

. Staged at the

Nationaltheatret The National Theatre in Oslo ( no, Nationaltheatret) is one of Norway's largest and most prominent venues for performance of dramatic arts. History The theatre had its first performance on 1 September 1899 but can trace its origins to Christiani ...

, Oslo. (2017)

References

External links

* * {{DEFAULTSORT:Skjonberg, Espen 1924 births 2022 deaths 20th-century Norwegian male actors 21st-century Norwegian male actors Norwegian male stage actors Norwegian male film actors Norwegian male soap opera actors Male actors from Oslo Norwegian male child actors Recipients of the St. Olav's Medal