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IMDbPro

Gunnar Björnstrand(1909-1986)

  • Actor
  • Soundtrack
IMDbProStarmeterSee rank
Max von Sydow, Gunnar Björnstrand, Gunnel Lindblom, and Ingrid Thulin in Winter Light (1963)
Watch Official Trailer
Play trailer1:54
Winter Light (1963)
2 Videos
75 Photos
Being the son of an acting father, Oscar Johanson, it isn't surprising that he wanted to be an actor already as a child. However, he first worked as a baker's apprentice, in a barber shop or in the docks. After the conscription he got his first role, a bit part on the theater Lilla Teatern in Stockholm, while he took acting lessons. One of his early roles was against Gösta Ekman, one of the best Swedish actors of that day. In the autumn 1933 he became a student at the Royal Dramatic Theater's acting school, along with Ingrid Bergman, Signe Hasso and the girl who was to become his lifelong wife, Lillie Björnstrand. After graduation they found employment at the Swedish Theater in Vasa, Finland. After two years of stage acting they returned to Sweden and outmost poverty. Besides small time stage acting he was only offered bit parts in the movies. In 1943 he made his breakthrough debut with Night in the Harbor (1943). During WW2 he also made his first work with Ingmar Bergman on the theater: August Strindberg's play Spöksonaten. He mainly appeared in light comedies until the movies that made him internationally famous: Ingmar Bergman's Sawdust and Tinsel (1953), A Lesson in Love (1954) and Smiles of a Summer Night (1955). He became a close friend of Mr. Bergman. The 1960s was less successful and when his contract with Svensk Filmindustri (SF) ended, it wasn't renewed. Instead he made TV-theater, theater in Sweden and movies in Italy almost until his death. Other interesting movies with him are Kristin kommenderar (1946), Soldat Bom (1948) and Kvinnors väntan (1952).
BornNovember 13, 1909
DiedMay 24, 1986(76)
BornNovember 13, 1909
DiedMay 24, 1986(76)
IMDbProStarmeterSee rank
  • Nominated for 1 BAFTA Award
    • 1 win & 1 nomination total

Photos75

Harriet Andersson and Gunnar Björnstrand in Sawdust and Tinsel (1953)
Gunnar Björnstrand and Åke Grönberg in Sawdust and Tinsel (1953)
Gunnar Björnstrand in Sawdust and Tinsel (1953)
Eddie Axberg and Gunnar Björnstrand in Here Is Your Life (1966)
Gunnar Björnstrand and Åke Fridell in Here Is Your Life (1966)
Gunnar Björnstrand in Here Is Your Life (1966)
Gunnar Björnstrand in Here Is Your Life (1966)
Eddie Axberg and Gunnar Björnstrand in Here Is Your Life (1966)
Gunnar Björnstrand and Eva Dahlbeck in Kvinnors väntan (1952)
Gunnar Björnstrand and Eva Dahlbeck in Kvinnors väntan (1952)
Gunnar Björnstrand in Kvinnors väntan (1952)
Gunnar Björnstrand and Eva Dahlbeck in Kvinnors väntan (1952)

Known for

The Seventh Seal (1957)
The Seventh Seal
8.1
  • Jöns, squire
  • 1957
Bibi Andersson and Liv Ullmann in Persona (1966)
Persona
8.1
  • Mr. Vogler
  • 1966
Through a Glass Darkly (1961)
Through a Glass Darkly
7.9
  • David
  • father
  • 1961
Smiles of a Summer Night (1955)
Smiles of a Summer Night
7.7
  • Fredrik Egerman
  • 1955

Credits

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IMDbPro

Actor

  • Fanny and Alexander (1983)
    Fanny and Alexander
    • Filip Landahl
    • TV Mini Series
    • 1983
  • Karin Kavli in Farmor och vår herre (1983)
    Farmor och vår herre
    • Kommerserådet Borck
    • TV Mini Series
    • 1983
  • Pernilla Allwin and Bertil Guve in Fanny and Alexander (1982)
    Fanny and Alexander
    • Filip Landahl - Teatern
    • 1982
  • Avskedet (1982)
    Avskedet
    • Morfadern
    • 1982
  • Ingrid Janbell and Sven Wollter in Charlotte Löwensköld och Anna Svärd (1981)
    Charlotte Löwensköld och Anna Svärd
    • Prosten Forsius
    • TV Mini Series
    • 1981
  • Charlotte Löwensköld (1979)
    Charlotte Löwensköld
    • Rural Dean Forsius
    • 1979
  • Skeppsredaren (1979)
    Skeppsredaren
    • Göran Borg
    • TV Mini Series
    • 1979
  • Ingrid Bergman and Liv Ullmann in Autumn Sonata (1978)
    Autumn Sonata
    • Paul
    • 1978
  • Nationalmonumentet (1978)
    Nationalmonumentet
    • Svante Puke
    • TV Movie
    • 1978
  • Forskaren
    • Elof Jilvenius
    • TV Mini Series
    • 1978
  • I väntrummet
    • TV Movie
    • 1977
  • Isgraven
    • Häggström
    • TV Movie
    • 1977
  • Tabu (1977)
    Tabu
    • Rådmanskan
    • The councilor
    • 1977
  • Kalkonen
    • Bertil Apelqvist
    • TV Movie
    • 1977
  • Face to Face (1976)
    Face to Face
    • The Grandfather
    • TV Mini Series
    • 1976

Soundtrack

  • Birgitta Andersson, Gunnar Björnstrand, Gösta Ekman, Sven Lindberg, and Carl-Gustaf Lindstedt in Äktenskapsbrottaren (1964)
    Äktenskapsbrottaren
    • performer: "Är du svart eller vit"
    • 1964
  • The Seventh Seal (1957)
    The Seventh Seal
    • performer: "Hållas Mellan Rona", "Ödet Är en Rackare"
    • 1957
  • Anita Björk, Gunnar Björnstrand, Eva Dahlbeck, Birger Malmsten, and Maj-Britt Nilsson in Kvinnors väntan (1952)
    Kvinnors väntan
    • performer: "La Marseillaise"
    • 1952
  • Tull-Bom (1951)
    Tull-Bom
    • performer: "En sjöman älskar havets våg"
    • 1951
  • Min syster och jag (1950)
    Min syster och jag
    • performer: "Man älskar i Milano", "Med en smula kärlek"
    • 1950
  • Music in Darkness (1948)
    Music in Darkness
    • performer: "Modlitwa dziewicy/La prière d'une vierge"
    • 1948
  • Här kommer vi... (1947)
    Här kommer vi...
    • performer: "Den sköna Helén eller Flickan i Peru", "Här kommer vi", "Äran att vara vapenför", "Med dej kommer lyckan tillbaka", "Ättika, tättika, luntan, tuntan", "Trötta fötter", "Med dej kommer lyckan tillbaka (reprise)", "Här kommer vi (andra reprise)"
    • 1947
  • Kristin kommenderar (1946)
    Kristin kommenderar
    • performer: "I'm Getting Better Every Day"
    • 1946
  • Mitt folk är icke ditt (1944)
    Mitt folk är icke ditt
    • performer: "Ständchen"
    • 1944
  • Mot nya tider (1939)
    Mot nya tider
    • performer: "Arbetets söner"
    • 1939

Videos2

Official Trailer
Trailer 1:54
Official Trailer
Official Trailer
Trailer 2:16
Official Trailer

Personal details

Edit
  • Alternative names
    • herr G. Björnstrand
  • Height
    • 6′ 2″ (1.88 m)
  • Born
    • November 13, 1909
    • Stockholm, Stockholms län, Sweden
  • Died
    • May 24, 1986
    • Stockholm, Stockholms län, Sweden(undisclosed)
  • Spouse
    • Lillie BjörnstrandNovember 6, 1935 - May 26, 1986 (his death, 4 children)
  • Other works
    John in Oscar Wilde's play 'Salome' at Nya Teatern, Stockholm, Sweden.
  • Publicity listings
    • 5 Articles

Did you know

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  • Trivia
    Appeared in more Ingmar Bergman films (23) than any other actor or actress.

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