Gösta Ekman (senior)

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Gösta Ekman, Sr.

Gösta Ekman
Birth name Frans Gösta Viktor Ekman
Born December 28, 1890
Sweden Stockholm, Sweden
Died January 12, 1938, age 47
Stockholm, Sweden

Gösta Ekman, Sr. (December 28, 1890 – January 12, 1938), born Frans Gösta Viktor Ekman, was a Swedish actor. Generally spoken of as Swedish theatre's most legendary stage actor, Gösta Ekman enjoyed a prolific stage career during his short life, becoming the first real star of Swedish theatre. His boyish good looks attracted both sexes, helping to create a massive cult following and elevating him to the status of a living legend. Combined with a beautiful voice and a powerful stage presence, Ekman was able to captivate his audiences.

Contents

[edit] Biography

[edit] Career

Known as a self-taught master of disguise with theatre make-up and costumes, Gösta Ekman was equally convincing as a farmer's son, an 18th Century middle-aged aristocrat, or an 80-year old lunatic. Furthermore, he played in comedies, tragedies, dramas, and operettas. As a result, it was believed that he was capable of being convincing in all genres and as all types of characters. At different times, he also ran and supervised several private theatres in Stockholm, including the Oscarsteatern, the Vasateatern, and the Konserthusteatern. At the Vasateatern, which he ran from 1931 to 1935, he both directed and played the lead in several plays, while also producing a large number of productions. As a result, his time at the Vasateatern is considered to be the peak of his stage career. He first entered the stage as an extra in an operetta in 1907, but made his professional stage debut in the Selander company in 1911.

Ekman started in films at the dawn of the Swedish film industry and played an important role in its development. One of his first film roles was in Victor Sjöström's experimental film Trädgårdsmästaren (1912). Later, he would play the lead in the first Swedish talkie, För hennes skull (1930). Ekman also acted in two films that would gain international recognition: F. W. Murnau's silent film classic Faust, where he played the title character, and in the original 1936 version of Intermezzo, where he played a world famous violinist opposite Ingrid Bergman in her breakout role. But they had in fact already acted opposite each other in the Swedish 1935 movie Swedenhielms Family where they share a couple of wonderful scenes alone together as their characters have a heart-to-heart conversation on life and love; among the most memorable moments in the film.

His best on-screen credit is often said to be his King Charles XV/Leonard Pettersson in film comedy Kungen kommer (1936), where Ekman masterfully plays a double-role in the film; first the king and then also the king's look-a-like; an actor who is hired by members of the Royal Court to impersonate His Majesty at a private party. Naturally the real king later arrives at the party causing a number of confusions and comic mix-ups.

[edit] Personal life

Early on, Gösta Ekman was labeled as a workaholic, sacrifying himself for his art and for his love of the theatre. Later, as his fame increased, his workload also increased. During the day, he would rehearse and direct plays. In the evening, he would play leading roles in stage plays. Later at night, he would film. This busy schedule left him with relatively little free time. Furthermore, the free time he did have was spent carrying out his duties as the administrative director of the theatres he ran.

In 1926, while filming Faust in Berlin, he was introduced to cocaine by two Scandinavians, who told him that cocaine would help him cope with his work schedule better. Sadly, this began a long-term drug addiction for the actor that slowly deteriorated his health and eventually caused his death 12 years later at the age of 48.

In the play Bödeln (The Hangman) by Pär Lagerkvist at Vasateatern, Stockholm, 1934
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In the play Bödeln (The Hangman) by Pär Lagerkvist at Vasateatern, Stockholm, 1934

In 1914, Gösta Ekman married Greta Sundström. Later, Greta gave birth to Hasse Ekman, who came to be one of Sweden's most successful film directors in the 1940s and early 1950s. Gösta Ekman's grandson, Gösta Ekman, Jr., has also become well-known through his career as an actor and is considered to be one of Sweden's very finest actors today.

[edit] Trivia

- Gösta Ekman's ghost is still said to haunt the Vasateatern. In order to keep this ghost in a good mood, the director of the theatre never permits any actor but the play's leading man from using Ekman's former dressing room, which has remained relatively untouched since his death in 1938.

- Also made a number of successful song recordings from his revue numbers, including songs "En herre i frack" (1935) and "Kvinnor och champagne" (Women and Champagne) in 1929.

- In the Swedish film comedy Kungliga patrasket (The Royal Rabble), about the grand theatre family Anker, son Hasse Ekman (director & script) based the leading character - the family's head and leading star actor - Stefan Anker loosely on his father and many of the fun anecdotes in the film, that happens in the theatre family, is true. But it's also based on famous acting families in general, such as the Redgraves (Eng) and the Barrymores (USA).

[edit] Selected filmography

[edit] Selected stage work

As HE/The Clown in play Han som får örfilarna (He Who Gets Slapped) by Leonid Andreyev at Oscarsteatern, Stockholm, 1926
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As HE/The Clown in play Han som får örfilarna (He Who Gets Slapped) by Leonid Andreyev at Oscarsteatern, Stockholm, 1926

[edit] Photographs

In the revue En herre i frack, 1930
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In the revue En herre i frack, 1930
In play Dalin och drottningen, 1920s
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In play Dalin och drottningen, 1920s
In the play Man i vitt, 1934
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In the play Man i vitt, 1934
In the play Ett revolutionsbröllop
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In the play Ett revolutionsbröllop
Photographed in private, 1930s
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Photographed in private, 1930s
With his dog, private portrait
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With his dog, private portrait

[edit] Sources

  • Från Gösta Ekman till Gösta Ekman - En bok om Hasse, far och son (From Gösta Ekman to Gösta Ekman - A Book on Hasse, Father and Son) by Bengt Forslund; Bengt Forslund och Askild & Kärnekull Förlag AB, Malmö 1982 (Sweden).
  • Det var en gång (Den tänkande August Vol. 1 & 2) by Gösta Ekman, Albert Bonnier, Stockholm, 1935 (photos).

[edit] External link

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