Anita Björk (25 April 1923 – 24 October 2012) was a Swedish actress. Björk was born in Tällberg,

Dalarna Dalarna (; ), also referred to by the English exonyms Dalecarlia and the Dales, is a (historical province) in central Sweden. Dalarna adjoins Härjedalen, Hälsingland, Gästrikland, Västmanland and Värmland. It is also bordered by Nor ...

and attended the

Royal Dramatic Training Academy The Royal Dramatic Training Academy (, 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 foremost theatre school and drama education ...

from 1942 to 1945. She was a leading lady of Swedish theatre for many years and worked on the national stage, the

Royal Dramatic Theatre The Royal Dramatic Theatre (, colloquially ''Dramaten'') is Sweden's national stage for "spoken drama", founded in 1788. Around one thousand shows are put on annually on the theatre's five running stages. The theatre has been at its present lo ...

from 1945 onwards and played more than 100 roles over the years (which makes her one of the greatest actors of the Royal Dramatic Theatre). Anita Björk played leading roles in film in a number of genres, including thrillers and crime mystery dramas such as ''Det kom en gäst'' (1947), ''Moln över Hellesta'' (1956), ''Damen i svart'' (1958), ''Mannekäng i rött'' (1958) and ''Tärningen är kastad'' (1960). Her most famous role was probably her title role in

Alf Sjöberg Sven Erik Alf Sjöberg (21 June 1903 – 17 April 1980) was a Sweden, Swedish theatre director, theatre and film director. He won the Palme d'Or, Grand Prix du Festival at the Cannes Film Festival twice: in 1946 for ''Torment (1944 film), Torment ...

's film adaption of

Strindberg Johan August Strindberg (; ; 22 January 184914 May 1912) was a Swedish playwright, novelist, poet, essayist, and painter.Lane (1998), 1040. A prolific writer who often drew directly on his personal experience, Strindberg wrote more than 60 play ...

's ''

Miss Julie ''Miss Julie'' () is a naturalistic play written in 1888 by August Strindberg. It is set on Midsummer's Eve and the following morning, which is Midsummer and the Feast Day of St. John the Baptist. The setting is an estate of a count in Sweden. ...

'' (1951) that was awarded the grand prize at

Cannes Film Festival The Cannes Film Festival (; ), until 2003 called the International Film Festival ('), is the most prestigious film festival in the world. Held in Cannes, France, it previews new films of all genres, including documentaries, from all around ...

. In the book-length interview ''Hitchcock/Truffaut'' (Simon and Schuster, 1967), Hitchcock said he had hired Björk as the female lead for '' I Confess'' in 1952 after seeing her in ''Miss Julie''. However, when Björk arrived in Hollywood with her lover

Stig Dagerman Stig Halvard Dagerman (5 October 1923 – 4 November 1954) was a Swedish author and journalist prominent in the aftermath of World War II. Biography Stig Dagerman was born Stig Halvard Andersson in Älvkarleby, Uppsala County. He later took h ...

and their baby,

Jack L. Warner Jack Leonard Warner (born Jacob Warner; August 2, 1892 – September 9, 1978) was a Canadian-born American film executive, who was the president and driving force behind the Warner Bros., Warner Bros. Studios in Burbank, California. Warner's ca ...

, the head of

Warner Brothers Warner Bros. Entertainment Inc. (WBEI), commonly known as Warner Bros. (WB), is an American filmed entertainment studio headquartered at the Warner Bros. Studios complex in Burbank, California and the main namesake subsidiary of Warner Bro ...

insisted that Hitchcock should find another actress. She was married to Olof Bergström (1945–1951) and to

(from 1953). After Dagerman's death in 1954, she had a relationship with author

Graham Greene Henry Graham Greene (2 October 1904 – 3 April 1991) was an English writer and journalist regarded by many as one of the leading novelists of the 20th century. Combining literary acclaim with widespread popularity, Greene acquired a re ...

. In 2009, Björk performed in A. R. Gurney's play '' Kärleksbrev (Love Letters)'' at the

opposite

Jan-Olof Strandberg Jan-Olof Strandberg (9 September 1926 – 2 May 2020) was a Swedish stage and film actor. He appeared in 45 films since 1947. On stage one of his most famous parts was as Vladimir in Samuel Beckett's ''Waiting for Godot'', at Sweden's Royal Dram ...

(Lilla scenen; March–April, 2009). Björk died on 24 October 2012 at the age of 89.

Partial filmography

*1942: '' Himlaspelet'' (a.k.a. ''The Heavenly Play'' / ''The Road to Heaven'') – Anna Jesper *1944: '' Count Only the Happy Moments'' – Lilian Lind *1946: ''100 dragspel och en flicka'' – Elsa Borell *1947: '' No Way Back'' – Evelyn *1947: '' Kvinna utan ansikte'' (a.k.a. Woman Without a Face) – Frida Grande *1947: '' Det kom en gäst'' – Siv *1948: '' On These Shoulders'' – Birgit Larsson *1949: '' Realm of Man'' – Birgit Maria Larsson *1950: '' The Quartet That Split Up'' – Maj Andersson *1951: '' Fröken Julie (a.k.a. Miss Julie)'' – Miss Julie *1952: '' Kvinnors väntan (a.k.a. Secrets of Women)'' – Rakel *1952: ''Han glömde henne aldrig'' – Karin Engström *1954: '' Night People'' – 'Hoffy' Hoffmeier *1954: '' The Witch'' *1955: ''

Getting Married ''Getting Married'' is a play by George Bernard Shaw George Bernard Shaw (26 July 1856 – 2 November 1950), known at his insistence as Bernard Shaw, was an Irish playwright, critic, polemicist and political activist. His influence on ...

'' (a.k.a. ''Of Love and Lust'') – Helene *1955: ''Hamlet'' (TV Movie) – Ofelia, hans dotter *1955: ''

The Cornet The Cornet is a peak on the south side of Pardo Ridge between Muckle Bluff and The Stadium. Located on Elephant Island in the South Shetland Islands of Antarctica, it was named descriptively for its conical shape by the Joint Services Expedition ...

'' – Gräfin von Zathmar *1956: '' Moln över Hellesta'' (a.k.a. ''Moon Over Hellesta'') – Margareta Snellman *1956: '' The Song of the Scarlet Flower'' – Kyllikki Malm *1957: '' A Guest in His Own House'' – Eva Dahl *1958: ''

Damen i svart ''The Lady in Black'' (Swedish: ''Damen i svart'') is a 1958 Swedish mystery thriller film directed by Arne Mattsson.Qvist & Von Bagh p.54 It was shot at the Centrumateljéerna Studios in Stockholm with sets designed by the art director Bibi Li ...

'' (a.k.a. ''The Lady in Black'') – Inger von Schilden *1958: '' Körkarlen'' (a.k.a. ''The Phantom Carriage'') – Mrs. Holm *1958: ''

Mannekäng i rött ''Mannequin in Red'' () is a 1958 Sweden, Swedish crime/thriller (genre), thriller film directed by Arne Mattson and written by Folke Mellvig. Starring film couple Karl-Arne Holmsten and Annalisa Ericson as the investigating detective couple John ...

'' (a.k.a. ''Mannequin in Red'') – Birgitta Lindell *1960: '' The Die Is Cast'' – Rebecca Striid *1960: '' Good Friends and Faithful Neighbours'' – Mrs. Yvonne Frejer *1961: '' Square of Violence'' – Sophia *1962: ''

The Lady in White ''The Lady in White'' (Italian: ''La dama bianca'') is a 1938 Italian " white-telephones" comedy film directed by Mario Mattoli and starring Elsa Merlini, Nino Besozzi and Enrico Viarisio.Clarke & Doel p.37 The film's sets were designed by the ...

'' – Helen G:son Lundberg *1963: ''Misantropen'' (TV Movie) – Célimène *1964: '' Älskande par'' (a.k.a. ''Loving Couples'') – Petra von Pahlen *1966: ''Utro'' *1967: ''Tofflan'' – Erna Alm *1968: ''Komedi i Hägerskog'' – Narcissa *1969: ''

Ådalen 31 ''Ådalen 31'' (; released in the United States as ''Adalen Riots'') is a 1969 Swedish drama film directed by Bo Widerberg. It depicts the 1931 Ådalen shootings, in which Swedish military forces opened fire against labour demonstrators in the ...

'' (a.k.a. ''Adalen 31'' / ''Adalen Riots'') – Hedvig, Annas mor *1978: ''Tribadernas natt'' (TV Movie) – Siri von Essen *1979: '' Arven'' – Märta Skaug *1981: '' The Witch Hunt'' – Ingeborg Eriksdotter Jaatun *1986: ''Amorosa'' – Arvida *1989: '' Flickan vid stenbänken'' (TV Series) – Amalia *1992: ''Markisinnan de Sade'' (TV Movie,

Ingmar Bergman Ernst Ingmar Bergman (14 July 1918 – 30 July 2007) was a Swedish film and theatre director and screenwriter. Widely considered one of the greatest and most influential film directors of all time, his films have been described as "profoun ...

) – Madame de Montreuil *1992: '' Den goda viljan'' (a.k.a. ''Best Intentions'') (script:

) – Drottning Victoria *1993: ''Snoken'' (TV Series) – Harriet Lindholm *1996: '' Enskilda samtal'' (a.k.a. ''Private Confessions'' / ''Conversations'') (TV Movie;

) – Karin Åkerblom *1997: ''Larmar och gör sig till'' (a.k.a. ''In the Presence of a Clown'') (TV Movie,

) – Anna Åkerblom *1998: ''Sanna ögonblick'' – Karin *2000: '' Bildmakarna'' (a.k.a. ''The Image Makers'') (TV Movie,

) – Selma Lagerlöf (final film role)

References

External links

* {{DEFAULTSORT:Bjork, Anita 1923 births 2012 deaths People from Leksand Municipality Swedish stage actresses Swedish film actresses Eugene O'Neill Award winners Actresses from Dalarna County

Partial filmography

References

Further reading

External links