Erland Josephson(1923-2012)
- Actor
- Writer
- Director
Erland Josephson, the distinguished Swedish actor best known for his
appearance in Ingmar Bergman's films, was
born in Stockholm, Sweden on June 15, 1923. Josephson's relationship
with Bergman, a long-time friend, began in the late 1930s when they
first worked together in the theater.
Although he was in several motion pictures in the late 1940s and early
'50s, including a bit part in Bergman's "The Man With an Umbrella"
(1946), Josephson confined himself to the stage during the first part
of his career. After appearing in Bergman's "The Magician" (1958) in
support of Max von Sydow,
Josephson did not make another movie until the late '60s, when he was
cast in Bergman's "Hour of the Wolf" (1968). He collaborated on two
screenplays with Bergman (using the joint pseudonym of Buntel
Eriksson), Alf Kjellin's "The Pleasure Garden" (1961) and Bergman's own
"Now About These Women" (1964).
In 1966, Josepheson succeeded Bergman as creative director of the Royal
Dramatic Theatre in Stockholm, a post he held until 1975. He also
succeeded Max Von Sydow as Bergman's favorite male lead in the 1970s,
which brought him global fame. After co-starring with Von Sydow and
Liv Ullmann in "The Passion of Anna" (1969),
he had major roles in "The Touch" (1971), "Cries and Whispers" (1972),
"Scenes From a Marriage" (a television mini-series edited into a film
in 1973), and "Face to Face" (1976).
François Truffaut, in his guise as a
film critic, wrote in 1958: "Bergman's preeminent strength is the
direction he gives his actors. He entrusts the principal roles in his
films to the five or six actors he loves best, never type-casting them.
They are completely different from one film to the next, often playing
diametrically opposite roles." In Bergman's films of the 1970s, Erland
Josephson engendered the neurotic, post-war 20th century man: aloof,
introspective, and self-centered.
Josephson also appeared in Bergman's "Autumn Sonata" (1978), "Fanny and
Alexander" (1982) and "After the Rehearsal" (1984). After starring in
"Trolösa" (2000), a film directed by frequent co-star Liv Ullmann and
scripted by Bergman, it was time for him to be reunited with Ullmann as
an actress under the hand of the maestro himself with "Saraband"
(2003).
Josephson did not appear in a non-Swedish film until 1977, when he
starred as Friedrich Nietzsche in Italian director
Liliana Cavani's "Beyond Good and Evil."
He continued to work in international cinema in the 1980s and '90s,
appearing in Franco Brusati's "To Forget
Venice (1980), Dusan Makavejev's
"Montenegro" (1981), Philip Kaufman's "The Unbearable Lightness of
Being" (1988), István Szabó's
"Hanussen" (1988), and Peter Greenaway's "Prospero's Books" (1991). His
most memorable non-Bergman roles were in the films of
Andrei Tarkovsky, "Nostalghia" (1983)
and "The Sacrifice" (1986).
Behind the camera, Josephson co-directed "One and One", a 1978
full-length film, with fellow Bergman collaborators
Ingrid Thulin and
Sven Nykvist, and directed the full-length
"Marmalade Revolution" (1980). Erland Josephson also is an accomplished
writer: He has written screenplays for Swedish films, as well as
dramas, novels, and poetry.
appearance in Ingmar Bergman's films, was
born in Stockholm, Sweden on June 15, 1923. Josephson's relationship
with Bergman, a long-time friend, began in the late 1930s when they
first worked together in the theater.
Although he was in several motion pictures in the late 1940s and early
'50s, including a bit part in Bergman's "The Man With an Umbrella"
(1946), Josephson confined himself to the stage during the first part
of his career. After appearing in Bergman's "The Magician" (1958) in
support of Max von Sydow,
Josephson did not make another movie until the late '60s, when he was
cast in Bergman's "Hour of the Wolf" (1968). He collaborated on two
screenplays with Bergman (using the joint pseudonym of Buntel
Eriksson), Alf Kjellin's "The Pleasure Garden" (1961) and Bergman's own
"Now About These Women" (1964).
In 1966, Josepheson succeeded Bergman as creative director of the Royal
Dramatic Theatre in Stockholm, a post he held until 1975. He also
succeeded Max Von Sydow as Bergman's favorite male lead in the 1970s,
which brought him global fame. After co-starring with Von Sydow and
Liv Ullmann in "The Passion of Anna" (1969),
he had major roles in "The Touch" (1971), "Cries and Whispers" (1972),
"Scenes From a Marriage" (a television mini-series edited into a film
in 1973), and "Face to Face" (1976).
François Truffaut, in his guise as a
film critic, wrote in 1958: "Bergman's preeminent strength is the
direction he gives his actors. He entrusts the principal roles in his
films to the five or six actors he loves best, never type-casting them.
They are completely different from one film to the next, often playing
diametrically opposite roles." In Bergman's films of the 1970s, Erland
Josephson engendered the neurotic, post-war 20th century man: aloof,
introspective, and self-centered.
Josephson also appeared in Bergman's "Autumn Sonata" (1978), "Fanny and
Alexander" (1982) and "After the Rehearsal" (1984). After starring in
"Trolösa" (2000), a film directed by frequent co-star Liv Ullmann and
scripted by Bergman, it was time for him to be reunited with Ullmann as
an actress under the hand of the maestro himself with "Saraband"
(2003).
Josephson did not appear in a non-Swedish film until 1977, when he
starred as Friedrich Nietzsche in Italian director
Liliana Cavani's "Beyond Good and Evil."
He continued to work in international cinema in the 1980s and '90s,
appearing in Franco Brusati's "To Forget
Venice (1980), Dusan Makavejev's
"Montenegro" (1981), Philip Kaufman's "The Unbearable Lightness of
Being" (1988), István Szabó's
"Hanussen" (1988), and Peter Greenaway's "Prospero's Books" (1991). His
most memorable non-Bergman roles were in the films of
Andrei Tarkovsky, "Nostalghia" (1983)
and "The Sacrifice" (1986).
Behind the camera, Josephson co-directed "One and One", a 1978
full-length film, with fellow Bergman collaborators
Ingrid Thulin and
Sven Nykvist, and directed the full-length
"Marmalade Revolution" (1980). Erland Josephson also is an accomplished
writer: He has written screenplays for Swedish films, as well as
dramas, novels, and poetry.