Albert Adam Ranft was a Swedish theatre director and actor. Ranft debuted in the theatre company of Magda von Dolcke

Magda von Dolcke

Magda von Dolcke was a Danish stage actor and the director of a travelling theatre company, active in Sweden. She is known for her relationship with King Oscar II of Sweden....

 in 1876. He started his own travelling company in 1884 and was employed at Stora Teatern in Gothenburg

Gothenburg

Gothenburg is the second-largest city in Sweden and the fifth-largest in the Nordic countries. Situated on the west coast of Sweden, the city proper has a population of 519,399, with 549,839 in the urban area and total of 937,015 inhabitants in the metropolitan area...

 from 1886. In 1892, he took over ownership of Stora Teatern.

Albert Ranft was regarded as the "theatre emperor of Stockholm" in the early 20th century. For a while his empire comprised all the private playhouses in the city: Vasateatern

Vasateatern

Vasateatern or "Vasan" is a private theatre in Stockholm, Sweden. It is located at Vasagatan 19-21 in central Stockholm....

, the Swedish Theatre

Swedish Theatre (Stockholm)

The Swedish Theatre in Stockholm was, at the beginning of the 20th century, Sweden's largest dramatic theatre. During its years in use, from 1875 to 1925, it was often considered as Sweden's foremost national theatre...

, Södra Teatern

Södra Teatern

Södra Teatern is a theatre in Stockholm, Sweden. Located in the popular "Söder"-district , it's one of Stockholms most appreciated private theatres. Established in 1859, it's Stockholm's oldest private theatre...

, and Oscarsteatern

Oscarsteatern

Oscarsteatern or "Oscars" is one of Stockholm's finest private theatres and the most well-known musical theatre in Sweden. It's located at Kungsgatan 63 in central Stockholm....

. Simultaneously, he ran the Royal Swedish Opera

Royal Swedish Opera

Kungliga Operan is Sweden's national stage for opera and ballet.-Location and Environment:...

. The jewel in his crown was the Swedish Theatre, where several plays which have made theatre history premiered, notably A Dream Play

A Dream Play

A Dream Play was written in 1901 by the Swedish playwright August Strindberg. It was first performed in Stockholm on 17 April 1907. It remains one of Strindberg's most admired and influential dramas, seen as an important precursor to both dramatic Expressionism and Surrealism.-Plot:The primary...

by August Strindberg

August Strindberg

Johan August Strindberg was a Swedish playwright, novelist, poet, essayist and painter. A prolific writer who often drew directly on his personal experience, Strindberg's career spanned four decades, during which time he wrote over 60 plays and more than 30 works of fiction, autobiography,...

in 1907.

Ranft was the arch-enemy of the closely competing movie houses, and all his actors were prohibited by contract from taking part in films.

Ranft was married to actress Alma Helin from 1878, and to actress Lisa Gottschalk from 1893.