Per Pavels Aabel (25 April 1902 – 22 December 1999) was a

Norwegian Norwegian, Norwayan, or Norsk may refer to: *Something of, from, or related to Norway, a country in northwestern Europe * Norwegians, both a nation and an ethnic group native to Norway * Demographics of Norway *The Norwegian language, including ...

actor, artist, dancer, choreographer and instructor.''Per Aabel er død''
(Dagbladet. December 23, 1999)

Biography

Per Aabel was the son of

Hauk Aabel Hauk Erlendssøn Aabel (21 April 1869 – 12 December 1961) was a popular Norwegian comedian and actor in Norwegian and Swedish silent film. Career Aabel made his début on stage on 11 October 1897 at the Christiania Theatre in Oslo, and w ...

, a popular Norwegian comedian and actor in Norwegian and Swedish silent film, and the actress Svanhild Johannessen. He was the brother of the actor and translator Andreas Aabel. He studied at

Sergei Diaghilev Sergei Pavlovich Diaghilev ( ; rus, Серге́й Па́влович Дя́гилев, , sʲɪˈrɡʲej ˈpavləvʲɪdʑ ˈdʲæɡʲɪlʲɪf; 19 August 1929), usually referred to outside Russia as Serge Diaghilev, was a Russian art critic, pa ...

Ballets Russes The Ballets Russes () was an itinerant ballet company begun in Paris that performed between 1909 and 1929 throughout Europe and on tours to North and South America. The company never performed in Russia, where the Revolution disrupted society. ...

London London is the capital and List of urban areas in the United Kingdom, 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 dow ...

, after studying at the ballet teacher

Enrico Cecchetti Enrico Cecchetti (; 21 June 1850 – 13 November 1928) was an Italian ballet dancer, mime, and founder of the Cecchetti method. The son of two dancers from Civitanova Marche, he was born in the costuming room of the ''Teatro Tordinona'' in ...

. He also attended the

Academy of Fine Arts The following is a list of notable art schools. Accredited non-profit art and design colleges * Adelaide Central School of Art * Alberta College of Art and Design * Art Academy of Cincinnati * Art Center College of Design * The Art Institute ...

Paris Paris () is the capital and most populous city of France, with an estimated population of 2,165,423 residents in 2019 in an area of more than 105 km² (41 sq mi), making it the 30th most densely populated city in the world in 2020. Si ...

. He then embarked on training with the theatre director

Max Reinhardt Max Reinhardt (; born Maximilian Goldmann; 9 September 1873 – 30 October 1943) was an Austrian-born theatre and film director, intendant, and theatrical producer. With his innovative stage productions, he is regarded as one of the most pr ...

Vienna en, Viennese , iso_code = AT-9 , registration_plate = W , postal_code_type = Postal code , postal_code = , timezone = CET , utc_offset = +1 , timezone_DST ...

before making his stage debut in 1931. Aabel spent a number of years as a principal actor and teacher with major theatre companies 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 ...

during the 1930s, and was the director of the Carl Johan Theater ( no, Carl Johan Teatret between 1933 and 1938. He did not appear in film until the late 1930s. He is more renowned though for his work with the Norwegian theatre. He was employed at the Central Theatre from 1938 to 1940 and the National Theatre from 1940 to 1972. In the public mind he is probably best remembered as an esteemed

raconteur A humorist (American) or humourist ( British spelling) is an intellectual who uses humor, or wit, in writing or public speaking, but is not an artist who seeks only to elicit laughs. Humorists are distinct from comedians, who are show business ...

. After his retirement, Per Aabel was a frequent entertainer on television as a storyteller. He appeared frequently at national events and artist anniversaries. His statue, by Norwegian sculptor Nina Emilie Sundbye, was unveiled outside the stage entrance of the National Theatre in 1999. He is buried at Oslo Western Civil Cemetery.

Awards

Aabel was given the Karl Gerhard honorary award in 1970, Årets Peer Gynt in 1972, the

St. Hallvard Medal The Medal of St. Hallvard ( no, St. Hallvardsmedaljen) is the highest award of the City of Oslo, Norway. It is awarded to people who have made a particularly noteworthy contribution to the City of Oslo. It is named after the city's patron, Hallvar ...

in 1976, and the Amanda Honorary Award in 1988 and 1998. He was decorated as a Commander with Star of the

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 ...

in 1978. In 1988 Aabel was decorated the Grand Cross of St. Olav (Storkors) - awarded to heads of state as a courtesy and in rare cases to individuals for merit. The Per Aabel Honorary Award (''Per Aabels ærespris'') is awarded annually on Aabel's birthday, April 25. The award was established in 1979 and the first award granted to a talented, Norwegian actor or actress in 1980. The prize includes a statuette of Per Aabel designed by Nina Sundbye. The committee that selects the prize winner is made up of

Wenche Foss Eva Wenche Steenfeldt Stang (5 December 1917 – 28 March 2011), better known as Wenche Foss (), was a leading Norwegian actress of stage, screen and television. Personal life Wenche Foss was born to engineer Christian August Steenfeldt-Foss ( ...

Bjarte Hjelmeland Bjarte Hjelmeland (born 24 February 1970) is a Norwegian actor and theatre director. He was born in Bergen. He made his stage debut in 1991 at Oslo Nye Teater, and also had notable roles at the National Theatre, Rogaland Teater, Torshovteatre ...

and theater director

Eirik Stubø Eirik Aasan Stubø (born 16 June 1965 in Narvik, Norway) is a Norwegian stage producer and theatre director. He has been director of Rogaland Teater and Nationaltheatret in Norway, and Stockholms Stadsteater and the Royal Dramatic Theatre in Sw ...

.''Aabel-prisen''
(Dagbladet Nyheter. May 17, 2001)

Selected works

* ''

Variety Is the Spice of Life ''Variety Is the Spice of Life'' (Swedish: ''Ombyte förnöjer'') is a 1939 Swedish comedy film directed by Gustaf Molander and starring Tutta Rolf, Per Aabel and Elsa Burnett.Larsson & Marklund p.115 The film's sets were designed by Arne Åker ...

'' (1939) * ''

En herre med bart ''En herre med bart'' ( en, A Gentleman with a Moustache}) is a 1942 Norwegian comedy film directed by Alfred Maurstad, based on a play by Finn Bø, and starring Per Aabel and Wenche Foss. Attorney Ole Grong (Aabel) and his wife Cecilie (Foss) ...

'' (1944) * ''

Et spøkelse forelsker seg ''Et spøkelse forelsker seg'' (A Ghost Falls in Love) is a Norwegian adventure film and spoof comedy from 1946. The film was directed by Tancred Ibsen, who also wrote the screenplay.> Plot At the Krogeby estate, which is owned by the Vinkelkrog ...

'' (1946) * ''Du verden'' (1950) * ''

Brudebuketten ''Brudebuketten'' ( en, The Bridal Bouquet}) is a 1953 Norwegian comedy film directed by Bjørn Breigutu, starring Randi Kolstad, Lalla Carlsen and Per Aabel. Cast * Randi Kolstad as Siv Blom * Lalla Carlsen as Berthe * Per Aabel as Høy ...

'' (1953) * ''Den stundesløse Per Aabel'' (1980)

References

Other sources

* Lillo-Stenberg, Ole (ed.) ''Alene på scenen: Per Aabel og tekstene hans'' (2001) (Andresen & Butenschøn) * Hansen, Jan Erik (1993.) ''Kjære Per Aabel'' (Cappelen)

External links

*
Portrait of Per Aabel 1934

Family genealogy
{{DEFAULTSORT:Aabel, Per 1902 births 1999 deaths Norwegian male stage actors Norwegian male film actors Norwegian male comedians Spellemannprisen winners Storytellers Norwegian male dancers Norwegian dancers Norwegian choreographers 20th-century Norwegian male actors 20th-century comedians