11.11.2020
Sven Wollter
Introduction
Sven Justus Fredrik Wollter (11 January 1934 – 10 November 2020) was a Swedish actor, writer, and political activist. Wollter is one of the most renowned Swedish actors. He was awarded Best Swedish actor twice. In his native country, he became widely known through his role as Madame Flod’s son Gusten in Swedish Television’s adaption of The People of Hemsö by August Strindberg in 1966. Later he had several notable roles, including in 1976, when he played police inspector Lennart Kollberg in Bo Widerberg’s film The Man on the Roof. For international viewers, he is best known for his role Victor in the dramatic film The Sacrifice by Andrei Tarkovsky and for a wider television audience as the retired detective Chief Inspector Van Veeteren in the cinematic adaptations of Håkan Nesser’s police novels.
Biography
Sven Wollter was born in Gothenburg, Sweden. He was the son of editor Kjell Wollter (1884–1950) and Elsa, born Ekwall (1905–1980). After studying at Gothenburg City Theatre’s student school 1953–1957, Wollter worked at several smaller Swedish theaters such as Pionjärteatern 1954 and 1958 and Bygdeteatern 1959. He was later employed at Riksteatern 1960–1961, Norrköping City Theatre 1961–1963, Vasateatern 1964–1966, and the Swedish Television Theatre 1966–1967. He then returned to Gothenburg City Theater, where he performed 1967–1983, then at the Folkteatern i Gävleborg 1983–1986, followed by Stockholm City Theatre in 1986.
Wollter starred in many films such as Andrei Tarkovsky’s The Sacrifice (1986), Bo Widerberg’s The Man on the Roof (1976) and The Man from Majorca (1984), Colin Nutley’s House of Angels (1992), and Bille August’s Jerusalem (1996), based on the novel by Selma Lagerlöf. For his roles in The Man from Majorca and Sista leken he won the award for Best Actor at the 20th Guldbagge Awards.
He appeared in television series such as The People of Hemsö (1966), based on the 1887 novel of the same name by August Strindberg, and Raskens (1976), based on the 1927 novel of the same name by Vilhelm Moberg, which helped launch Wollter’s career. In later years he has played Van Veeteren in Håkan Nesser’s thriller series. He has also been in many plays. Wollter has starred in Hollywood productions such as John McTiernan’s The 13th Warrior (1999), in which he played a Viking chief.
Political Activism
Wollter was active in the Swedish communist movement since his youth and was a longtime member of the fringe Swedish Communist Party (formerly KPML(r)). His activities included the theatre ensemble Fria Proteatern and the successful Tältprojektet, The Tent Project, a musical theatre performance based on the history of the Swedish working class that toured the country in the summer of 1977. In 2018, he received the controversial Lenin Award of 100 000 Swedish kronor (about 10 000 euros), a cultural award named after Vladimir Lenin.
Personal Life
Wollter had five children; Ylva (1962–1992) and Stina Wollter (born 1964), together with Annie Jenhoff, Lina Wollter, together with Evabritt Strandberg, Karl Seldahl (born 1975) together with Viveka Seldahl, and the youngest child Magnus. From 2003 until his death, he was married to Lisa Wede.
Death
Wollter died in 2020 from complications caused by COVID-19, which he had been infected by during a visit to Stockholm. Before contracting the coronavirus, Wollter was diagnosed with COPD, according to his daughter Stina Wollter. He reached the age of 86.