Sven-Bertil Gunnar Evert Taube (24 November 1934 – 11 November 2022) was a Swedish singer and actor. Internationally, he was perhaps better known for his acting career. Taube played Henrik Vanger in the film ''

The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo ''The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo'' (original title in sv, Män som hatar kvinnor , lit=''Men Who Hate Women'') is a psychological thriller novel by Swedish author and journalist Stieg Larsson (1954–2004). It was published posthumously in 2 ...

'', and the lead role in ''

Puppet on a Chain ''Puppet on a Chain'' is a novel by Scottish author Alistair MacLean. Originally published in 1969 with a cover by Norman Weaver, it is set in the late 1960s narcotics underworld of Amsterdam and other locations in the Netherlands. Plot intro ...

''.

Biography

Born in

Stockholm Stockholm () is the Capital city, capital and List of urban areas in Sweden by population, largest city of Sweden as well as the List of urban areas in the Nordic countries, largest urban area in Scandinavia. Approximately 980,000 people liv ...

on 24 November 1934, he was the son of songwriter

Evert Taube Axel Evert Taube (; 12 March 1890 – 31 January 1976) was a Swedish author, artist, composer and singer. He is widely regarded as one of Sweden's most respected musicians and the foremost troubadour of the Swedish ballad tradition in the 20th ce ...

and sculptor

Astri Taube Astrid "Astri" Linnéa Matilda Taube, née ''Bergman'' (9 December 1898 – 23 December 1980) was a Swedish sculptor and artist known for her child portraits and sculptures in public venues. She was married to Swedish singer and songwriter Ever ...

. At age 14, Taube began playing guitar. While traveling throughout Europe, he developed an interest in folklore and folk music. He performed in concerts on Swedish radio while a student at the Royal Beskow School in Stockholm. Taube graduated in 1954 from the Cherry Lawn School in

Darien, Connecticut Darien ( ) is a coastal town in Fairfield County, Connecticut, United States. With a population of 21,499 and a land area of just under 13 square miles, it is the smallest town on Connecticut's Gold Coast. It has the youngest population of any ...

. While he was a student at the school, Folkways Records invited him to record an album of Swedish folk songs. From 1959 to 1962, he studied acting at the

Royal Dramatic Training Academy The Royal Dramatic Training Academy ( sv, Kungliga Dramatiska Teaterns Elevskola, also known as ''Dramatens elevskola''), was the acting school of Sweden's national stage, the Royal Dramatic Theatre, and for many years (1787–1964) seen as the ...

in Stockholm. In 1969, Taube moved to London where he was active in British theatre. Taube was married four times, and had four children. He was for many years residing in Fulham. He belonged to an untitled branch of the

Baltic German Baltic Germans (german: Deutsch-Balten or , later ) were ethnic German inhabitants of the eastern shores of the Baltic Sea, in what today are Estonia and Latvia. Since their coerced resettlement in 1939, Baltic Germans have markedly declined ...

noble

Taube family Taube is an ancient Baltic noble family, originally from Denmark, Jutland whose earlier roots can be traced from Westphalia, Germany. History The family historic references: Engelke Tuve (Taube) 1373 Danish vassal in Estonia. Another branch ...

, introduced at the

Swedish House of Nobility The House of Nobility ( sv, Riddarhuset) in Stockholm, Sweden, is a corporation and a building that maintains records and acts as an interest group on behalf of the Swedish nobility. Name The name is literally translated as ''House of Knights'', ...

in 1668 as noble family No. 734. He died in London on 11 November 2022, aged 87.

Musical career

Taube released his first album in 1954; it included a cover of one of his father's songs. He has since released many albums which include songs written by his father. Several of his most well-known versions of Evert Taube songs come from albums recorded in the 1970s, but he recorded more of them at later stages, including his 2007 album ''Alderville Road''. Referring to that album, reviewer Peter Dahlgren said, "Evert had the yarns and Sven-Bertil had the voice." He recorded songs from both ''

Fredman's Epistles ''Fredmans epistlar'' (English: ''Fredman's Epistles'') is List of Fredman's Epistles, a collection of 82 poems set to music by Carl Michael Bellman, a major figure in Sweden, Swedish 18th century song. Though first published in 1790, it was cre ...

'' and '' Fredman's Songs'' by the popular Swedish 18th-century songwriter

Carl Michael Bellman Carl Michael Bellman (; 4 February 1740 – 11 February 1795) was a Swedish songwriter, composer, musician, poet and entertainer. He is a central figure in the Swedish song tradition and remains a powerful influence in Swedish music, as well ...

Paul Britten Austin Paul Britten Austin (5 April 1922 – 25 July 2005) was an English author, translator, broadcaster, administrator, and scholar of Swedish literature. He is known in particular for his translations of and books on the Swedish musician, si ...

wrote in his 1967 biography of Bellman that Sven-Bertil Taube's two Bellman albums (released in 1960 and 1963) "have sold more copies than any other disc, popular or classical, ever released in Sweden". Göran Forsling wrote that Taube helped to start "a new era in Bellman interpretation around 1960", like

Fred Åkerström Fred Åkerström (27 January 1937 – 9 August 1985) was a Swedish folk guitarist and singer particularly noted for his interpretations of Carl Michael Bellman's music, and his own work of the typically Swedish song segment named ''visa''. The ...

giving the songs "a hitherto unheard earthbound realism". Taube recorded work by the poet

Nils Ferlin Nils Ferlin (11 December 1898 - 21 October 1961) was a Swedish poet and lyricist.''A History of Swedish Literature'' by Ingemar Algulin, (Stockholm: Swedish Institute, 1989) pp. 247-248. Biography Nils Ferlin was born in Karlstad, Värmland, w ...

(1898–1961), whose poems were mostly put to music by Lille Bror Söderlundh. Taube also recorded an album with songs by the Swedish songwriter and musician Ulf Peder Olrog, one with Swedish translations of songs by French songwriter Léo Ferré, and one with Swedish translations of songs by Greek composer

Mikis Theodorakis Michail "Mikis" Theodorakis ( el, Μιχαήλ "Μίκης" Θεοδωράκης ; 29 July 1925 – 2 September 2021) was a Greek composer and lyricist credited with over 1,000 works. He scored for the films ''Zorba the Greek'' (1964), '' Z'' ...

. In 2015, Taube took part in ''

Så mycket bättre Så mycket bättre (, "So Much Better") is a Swedish reality television show that airs on TV4. The basic premise is that each artist attempts to do their own version of another artist's well-known songs, with each person getting an episode feat ...

'', a reality show broadcast on

TV4 TV4 or TV 4 may refer to: *TV4 (Poland), a private Polish television station *TV4 (Sweden), a Swedish television network **TV4 Group, owners of the Swedish television station *South African Broadcasting Corporation TV4, a channel operated by the st ...

in which musical artists attempt to make their own version of other artists' well-known songs.

Selected discography

Acting career

Taube also started an acting career that took him to

London London is the capital and largest city of England and the United Kingdom, with a population of just under 9 million. It stands on the River Thames in south-east England at the head of a estuary down to the North Sea, and has been a majo ...

, where he performed in theater and musicals, notably as Prince Albert in ''

I and Albert ''I and Albert'' is a 1972 musical by composer Charles Strouse, and lyricist Lee Adams. The plot is based on the lives of Queen Victoria and her husband Prince Albert of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha and was adapted for the stage by Jay Presson Allen. P ...

''. He won a role on the television series '' Upstairs, Downstairs''. In the 1970s, Taube tried to find work as a film actor, and had some minor roles, most notably in the 1976

World War II World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great powers—forming two opposin ...

drama '' The Eagle Has Landed'' and a starring role as a US agent in the 1971 film version of

Alistair MacLean Alistair Stuart MacLean ( gd, Alasdair MacGill-Eain; 21 April 1922 – 2 February 1987) was a 20th-century Scottish novelist who wrote popular thrillers and adventure stories. Many of his novels have been adapted to film, most notably '' The ...

's novel ''

''. During the 1980s and 1990s, Taube starred in a number of Swedish films and television series, while still active as a musician. Taube starred in the Swedish film version of Stieg Larsson's novel, ''

'', in the role of Henrik Vanger.

The film The Film is a 2005 Indian thriller film directed by Junaid Memon also produced along with Amitabh Bhattacharya. The film stars Mahima Chaudhry, Khalid Siddiqui, Ananya Khare, Chahat Khanna, Ravi Gossain, Vaibhav Jhalani and Vivek Madan in lea ...

was awarded the

Best Film This is a list of categories of awards commonly awarded through organizations that bestow film awards, including those presented by various film, festivals, and people's awards. Best Actor/Best Actress *See Best Actor#Film awards, Best Actress#F ...

, and Taube was nominated for the Best Supporting Actor award, at the 45th Guldbagge Awards. In 2005, Taube took part in the first season of '' Stjärnorna på slottet'' on Sveriges Television, where he discussed his long career.

Awards

*1995: 30th Guldbagge Awards – " Best Actor in a Leading Role" in *2011: 47th Guldbagge Awards – "Best Actor in a Leading Role" in ''(A One-way Trip to Antibes)''

Nominations

*1997: – " Best Actor in a Supporting Role" in ''

Jerusalem Jerusalem (; he, יְרוּשָׁלַיִם ; ar, القُدس ) (combining the Biblical and common usage Arabic names); grc, Ἱερουσαλήμ/Ἰεροσόλυμα, Hierousalḗm/Hierosóluma; hy, Երուսաղեմ, Erusałēm. i ...

'' *2009: 45th Guldbagge Awards – "Best Actor in a Supporting Role" in ''

Selected filmography

* ''

Hugs and Kisses Hugs and kisses, abbreviated in North America as XO or XOXO, is an informal term used for expressing sincerity, faith, love, or good friendship at the end of a written letter, email or text message. In the United Kingdom, the phrase 'hugs and ...

'' (1967) * '' Sixtynine 69'' (1969) * ''

The Buttercup Chain ''The Buttercup Chain'' is a 1970 British drama film directed by Robert Ellis Miller and starring Hywel Bennett, Jane Asher, and Leigh Taylor-Young. It was entered into the 1970 Cannes Film Festival. The film is an adaptation of the 1967 novel ...

'' (1970) * ''

'' (1971) * '' The Eagle Has Landed'' (1976) * ''

Game for Vultures ''Game for Vultures'' is a 1979 British thriller film starring Richard Harris, Joan Collins and Richard Roundtree. It was directed by James Fargo and based on a novel by Michael Hartmann set during the Rhodesian Bush War. Plot During the late ...

'' (1979) * '' Taube håller hov'' (''The Court of Taube'', 1985) * '' August Strindberg: Ett liv'' (''August Strindberg: A life'', 1985) * ('' When the Robbers Came to Cardamom Town'', 1988) * '' Codename: Kyril'' (1988, TV) *'' Ålder okänd'' (1991) * (''In The Hands'', 1994) * '' Sånt är livet'' (''That's life'', 1996) * ''

'' (1996) * '' Slutspel'' (''Endgame'', 1997) * '' Jobbet och jag'' (''Work and I'', 1998) * ''

Art Art is a diverse range of human activity, and resulting product, that involves creative or imaginative talent expressive of technical proficiency, beauty, emotional power, or conceptual ideas. There is no generally agreed definition of wha ...

'' (1999) * ''

London Voodoo ''London Voodoo'' is a 2004 British horror film written, produced, and directed by Robert Pratten; and starring Doug Cockle, and Sara Stewart. The film centers on an analyst who has relocated his family, only for his wife to become possessed ...

'' (2004) * '' Arn: The Knight Templar'' (2007) * ''

'' (2009) * (''A One-way Trip to Antibes'', 2011)

Theatre

*1999: ''Annie'' as Oliver Warbucks – piece directed by Trond Lie

References

External links

* * * * {{DEFAULTSORT:Taube, Sven-Bertil 1934 births 2022 deaths Swedish male singers Swedish male film actors Swedish nobility Baltic nobility Swedish people of German descent Litteris et Artibus recipients Best Actor Guldbagge Award winners Male actors from Stockholm Swedish male stage actors Interpreters of Carl Michael Bellman's works Folkways Records artists EMI Records artists Sonet Records artists