Anita Björk (25 April 1923 – 24 October 2012) was a

Swedish Swedish or ' may refer to: Anything from or related to Sweden, a country in Northern Europe. Or, specifically: * Swedish language, a North Germanic language spoken primarily in Sweden and Finland ** Swedish alphabet, the official alphabet used by ...

actress. She was born in

Tällberg Tällberg () is a small village located in Leksand Municipality, Dalarna County in Sweden. It is situated on the shore of Lake Siljan Siljan, in Dalarna in central Sweden, is Sweden's seventh largest lake. The cumulative area of Siljan and the ...

Dalarna Dalarna () is a '' landskap'' (historical province) in central Sweden. English exonyms for it are Dalecarlia () and the Dales. Dalarna adjoins Härjedalen, Hälsingland, Gästrikland, Västmanland and Värmland Värmland () also known a ...

and attended 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 ...

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

Dramaten The Royal Dramatic Theatre ( sv, Kungliga Dramatiska Teatern, 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 the ...

from 1945 onwards and played more than 100 roles over the years (which makes her one of the greatest actors of Dramaten). 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 sixty p ...

's ''

Miss Julie ''Miss Julie'' ( sv, Fröken 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 ...

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

Cannes Film Festival The Cannes Festival (; french: link=no, Festival de Cannes), until 2003 called the International Film Festival (') and known in English as the Cannes Film Festival, is an annual film festival held in Cannes, France, which previews new films o ...

. 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 his ...

and their baby,

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

, the head of

Warner Brothers Warner Bros. Entertainment Inc. (commonly known as Warner Bros. or abbreviated as WB) is an American Film studio, film and entertainment studio headquartered at the Warner Bros. Studios, Burbank, Warner Bros. Studios complex in Burbank, Califo ...

insisted that Hitchcock should find another actress. She was married to

Olof Bergström Olof Bergström (21 November 1919 – 22 November 1984) was a Swedish actor. He appeared in 50 films and television shows between 1943 and 1984. Selected filmography * 1945: ''Oss tjuvar emellan eller En burk ananas'' as Gustav, Olle's frie ...

(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 English novelists of the 20th century. Combining literary acclaim with widespread popularity, Greene acquir ...

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

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 Dr ...

(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 ''Count Only the Happy Moments'' (Swedish: ''Räkna de lyckliga stunderna blott'') is a 1944 Swedish historical film, historical drama film directed by Rune Carlsten and starring Sonja Wigert, Arnold Sjöstrand and Olof Widgren.Qvist & Von Bagh p. ...

'' – 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 ''On These Shoulders'' (Swedish: ''På dessa skuldror'') is a 1948 Swedish drama film directed by Gösta Folke and starring Ulf Palme, Anita Björk and Holger Löwenadler.Historical Dictionary of Scandinavian Cinema p.294 It was made at the Cent ...

'' – Birgit Larsson *1949: ''

Realm of Man ''Realm of Man'' (Swedish: ''Människors rike'') is a 1949 Swedish drama film directed by Gösta Folke and starring Ulf Palme, Anita Björk and Erik Hell.Qvist & Von Bagh p.12 It is based on a novel of the same name by Sven Edvin Salje. The film' ...

'' – 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 A witch is a practitioner of witchcraft. Witch, WITCH, or variations thereof may also refer to: Animals * Witch (lefteye flounder) (''Arnoglossus scapha''), a Pacific flatfish * Witch (righteye flounder) (''Glyptocephalus cynoglossus''), a Euro ...

'' *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 simply as Bernard Shaw, was an Irish playwright, critic, polemicist and political activist. His influenc ...

'' (a.k.a. ''Of Love and Lust'') – Helene *1955: ''Hamlet'' (TV Movie) – Ofelia, hans dotter *1955: '' The Cornet'' – 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'' (a.k.a. ''The Lady in Black'') – Inger von Schilden *1958: '' Körkarlen'' (a.k.a. ''The Phantom Carriage'') – Mrs. Holm *1958: '' Mannekäng i rött'' (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'' – Helen G:son Lundberg *1963: ''Misantropen'' (TV Movie) – Célimène *1964: ''

Älskande par ''Loving Couples'' ( sv, Älskande par) is a 1964 Swedish drama film directed by Mai Zetterling. It was entered into the 1965 Cannes Film Festival. Cast * Harriet Andersson as Agda Frideborg * Gunnel Lindblom as Adele Holmström - née Silfver ...

'' (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 Sw ...

'' (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 ''The Witch Hunt'' ( no, Forfølgelsen) is a 1981 Norwegian drama film written and directed by Anja Breien. The film was entered into the main competition at the 38th edition of the Venice Film Festival.Adriano Aprà, Giuseppe Ghigi, Patrizia ...

'' – Ingeborg Eriksdotter Jaatun *1986: ''Amorosa'' – Arvida *1989: ''

Flickan vid stenbänken ''Flickan vid stenbänken'' is a Swedish 1989 TV series in nine episodes directed by Marianne Ahrne starring Anna Edlund, Anna Björk and Lena T. Hansson. The series was based on Maria Gripe's books '' Skuggan över stenbänken'' (1982), '' ...

'' (TV Series) – Amalia *1992: ''Markisinnan de Sade'' (TV Movie,

Ingmar Bergman Ernst Ingmar Bergman (14 July 1918 – 30 July 2007) was a Swedish film director, screenwriter, Film producer, producer and playwright. Widely considered one of the greatest and most influential filmmakers of all time, his films are known ...

) – Madame de Montreuil *1992: ''

Den goda viljan ''The Best Intentions'' ( sv, Den goda viljan) is a 1992 Swedish drama film directed by Bille August and written by Ingmar Bergman. It is semi-autobiographical, telling the story of the complex relationship between Bergman's parents, Erik Ber ...

'' (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 ''The Image Makers'' ( sv, Bildmakarna) is a 2000 Swedish television play directed by Ingmar Bergman and written by Per Olov Enquist. The drama is set in the year 1920 at Filmstaden where the film director Victor Sjöström is shooting the film ' ...

'' (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

Partial filmography

References

Further reading

External links