Gertrud Fridh
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Gertrud Fridh (November 26, 1921 – October 11, 1984) was a Swedish stage and film actress.
Born in Gothenburg, Fridh later studied acting at Gothenburg City Theatre's acting school 1941-44. She worked in the 1940s and 50s at the city theatres in Gothenburg and Malmö; at the latter she came in contact with director Ingmar Bergman who directed her on stage and later would cast her in strong parts in some of his most memorable films, including Wild Strawberries (1957), The Magician / The Face (1958), The Devil's Eye (1960), All These Women (1964) and Hour of the Wolf (1967).
From 1956-1978 Gertrud Fridh was part of the ensemble at Sweden's national stage, the Royal Dramatic Theatre (aka Dramaten) in Stockholm. Here she performed a number of celebrated parts, from Titania in A Midsummer Night's Dream (1956) to Phaedra in Euripides' Hippolytus (1965) and The Mummy in Strindberg's The Ghost Sonata (1973). One of her most praised parts ever was her Hedda Gabler, in the legendary 1964 Dramaten production of the Ibsen play, directed by Bergman. The success production gave 89 performances and later guest performed in Helsinki, Berlin and London. Despite the fact that many grand Swedish actresses have taken on the role of Hedda Gabler over the years; in Sweden, Gertrud Fridh is still being regarded as the definitive Hedda of all time.
[edit] Awards
- Thaliapriset (1953)
- Eugene O'Neill Award (1966)
