Nils Poppe facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Nils Poppe
Poppe in 1942
Born	Nils Einar Jönsson (1908-05-31)31 May 1908 Malmö, Sweden
Died	28 June 2000(2000-06-28) (aged 92) Helsingborg, Sweden
Occupation	Actor, comedian, theatre manager
Spouse(s)	Inga Landgré ​ ​ (m. 1949; div. 1959)​ Gunilla Sundberg [sv] ​ (m. 1965)​
Children	Anja Landgré [sv] Dan Landgré Thomas Poppe [sv] Mia Poppe [sv]

Nils Poppe (born May 31, 1908 – died June 28, 2000) was a very famous Swedish actor, comedian, director, writer, and theatre manager. Around the world, he is best known for his role in Ingmar Bergman's movie The Seventh Seal. In Sweden, he was a beloved star who appeared in over 50 films and TV shows.

Nils Poppe's Life Story

Early Years

Nils Poppe was born in Malmö, Sweden. His mother was not married, so he was adopted by Anders and Amanda Jönsson. They became his foster parents and raised him. From a young age, Nils loved acting and showing off his funny side at school.

In 1926, Nils joined the navy. He trained to be a torpedoman. However, he had to leave the navy early in 1928, possibly because of a heart problem. After that, he went to a folk high school in Svalöv from 1929 to 1930.

Starting His Acting Career

Nils Poppe began his acting journey in 1930 at the Hippodrome Theatre in Malmö. At first, he wanted to be a serious actor. But he soon realized he was much better at comedy, singing, and dancing. He had a natural talent for dance and acrobatics, which he used throughout his career.

For four years, he performed in many shows, including The Green Pastures and The Flower of Hawaii. While on tour in 1934, he got an offer to perform in Stockholm. He moved there and quickly became a popular star. He was known for his amazing acrobatic skills in funny skits. It was in Stockholm that he first performed his famous Charlie Chaplin parody. People often compared Nils Poppe to Charlie Chaplin, but Nils developed his own unique style.

In the 1940s, Nils Poppe's career really took off. He joined forces with theatre director Gustaf Wally, who created big, modern musical shows. Nils became a huge star in the operetta Boys in Blue in 1942. This also started his long partnership with actress Annalisa Ericson. They became a very popular dance duo, often compared to Ginger Rogers and Fred Astaire.

Together, they starred in the musical Me and My Girl in 1947. Nils played the role of Bill Snibson, a photographer. This role was very important for him. He performed it an amazing 1,040 times in Sweden, Finland, and Denmark! A film version of the show was made in 1949.

Film Star

Picture of Nils Poppe at Filmstaden, Stockholm.

Nils Poppe's first movie role was a small part as a bear in 1937. After that, he appeared in many funny films.

By the 1940s, Nils Poppe was Sweden's top film comedian. He made funny dance movies with Annalisa Ericson, like Don't Give Up. He also tried more serious roles in films like Money (1946), which were praised by critics but not as popular with audiences.

In 1948, he created one of his most famous characters: Fabian Bom. Fabian Bom was a very neat and fussy character with a mustache. The first Fabian Bom film, Soldat Bom [sv], was a huge success. It played in Stockholm cinemas for 48 weeks! Nils Poppe made seven Bom films in total, including Customs Officer Bom (1951). These films were also popular in other countries, especially Germany.

Another well-known character Nils Poppe played was Sten Stensson Stéen. He was a student from Scania who knew all the laws by heart. Nils Poppe starred in four comedy films as this character.

Many people were surprised when famous director Ingmar Bergman chose Nils Poppe for his 1957 film The Seventh Seal. Nils played the funny and kind joker, Jof. This role showed that he could also play serious and warm characters. He later appeared in another Bergman film, The Devil's Eye (1960).

Fredriksdalsteatern

Nils Poppe (detail), by Jonas Högström [sv], in Fredriksdalsparken in Helsingborg.

In the early 1960s, Nils Poppe's career slowed down a bit. But it got a big boost when he took over the open-air theatre Fredriksdalsteatern [sv] in Helsingborg in 1966. He returned to the stage and started a long tradition of popular summer shows.

With funny plays and operettas like Charley's Aunt and The White Horse Inn, he made the open-air theatre famous across Sweden. People traveled from all over to see him perform, no matter the weather. When the plays started being shown on Swedish television, even more people watched them. Nils Poppe also performed in other theatres, and his role as Tevye in the musical Fiddler on the Roof in 1979 was especially memorable.

Nils Poppe was a private person. But for his 80th birthday in 1988, he agreed to do a TV interview series. Many people were amazed by how energetic and mobile he still was. Even at 80, he could still do small dance numbers on stage! He retired at 85, giving his last performance in 1993. Actress Eva Rydberg later took over Fredriksdalteatern and continued his legacy.

In 1959, the Royal National Theatre in London held a film comedy festival called 100 Clowns. Many great comedians were featured, like Charlie Chaplin, Buster Keaton, and Laurel and Hardy. Nils Poppe was among them, described as "Sweden's greatest clown and comedian... which has affinities both with Chaplin and with Kaye." This showed how famous he was internationally.

Later Life and Family

Nils Poppe passed away in Helsingborg in 2000. He is buried in Allerum cemetery. His gravestone has a special message: "Say hello and tell them I'm in Allerum cemetery," which he often said when he was tired in his old age.

Nils Poppe was married twice. First, to actress Inga Landgré (from 1949 to 1959). Then, to actress Gunilla Poppe [sv] (from 1965 until his death). He had two children with each wife. Three of his children became actors, just like their parents.

Awards and Recognition

From 1984 to 2001, a newspaper called Svenska Dagbladet gave out the Poppe Prize. This award was named after Nils Poppe and honored actors in comedy shows and musicals.

• 1974 – Årets skåning [sv] (Person of the Year in Scania)
• 1975 – Helsingborg medal [sv] (Helsingborg Medal)
• 1976 – Swedish Theatre Critics Association Theatre Prize
• 1979 – Kvällsposten's EDVARD Prize
• 1982 – Karl Gerhards hederspris [sv] (Karl Gerhard's Honorary Prize)
• 1984 – Svenska Dagbladets Poppe Prize [sv]
• 1987 – H. M. The King's Medal, 8th size
• 1987 – Litteris et Artibus (a royal medal for arts and sciences)
• 1987 – Lisebergsapplåden [sv] (Liseberg Applause Award)
• 1988 – Illis quorum, 8th size (for outstanding acting work)
• 1989 – Swedish Academy's theatre prize
• 1989 – Swedish Union for Performing Arts and Film's gold medal
• 1990 – City of Malmö Culture Prize [sv]

Selected Films

See also

In Spanish: Nils Poppe para niños