Olle Björklund
Encyclopedia
Sven Olof Björklund better known as Olle Björklund, was a Swedish
actor and television
host
. Björklund was the first Swedish television news presenter, hosting the national news show Aktuellt
as of 1958. In that capacity, he quickly earned his popular nickname Mr. Aktuellt. However, in 1961, Björklund's career came to an end as he was fired from his position in the Swedish Television in the midst of a controversy including a tobacco advertisement.
High School of Latin in 1933. He went on to study at the Lorensbergsteatern Theater Acting School (1933–1934), The Reima School (1934–1935), and later the Dramatens elevskola
(Swedish Royal Academy of Dramatic Art) in 1936. In 1937, Björklund was engaged at the Svensk Filmindustri motion picture studios, and in the following year at the Vasateatern
Theater in Stockholm. He was employed at the Swedish Television in the late 1950s, hosting the very first national news program Aktuellt
in 1958, where he soon became a national celebrity. The national news show Aktuellt was first aired on 2 September 1958. This particular transmission has become historic as almost everything went wrong. However, Björklund is doing his best – with forced patience – trying to act as a stable news anchor.
At the top of his career in 1961, during his summer leave, Björklund toured local scenes in public parks at the Swedish West Coast. His appearance was in part sponsored by a local beer and tobacco wholesaler. Although Björklund had been promised that his name would not appear in any advertising, the deal was not honored by the sponsor. The national TV executive Nils Erik Bæhrendtz
, who had publicly criticized Björklund for his park tour, personally ordered Björklund's swift resignation from Swedish Television. After his forced resignation, and although many viewers demanded his immediate return in the evening news show, Björklund virtually disappeared from the public scene. Four years later, on 20 October 1964, Björklund briefly returned to television, when he appeared as a guest in a TV show, reading a short poem by Swedish author Harry Martinson
.
Björklund was married to Ylva Dahlström. They were divorced in 1969. Björklund died in Örkelljunga
in 1981.
Sweden
Sweden , officially the Kingdom of Sweden , is a Nordic country on the Scandinavian Peninsula in Northern Europe. Sweden borders with Norway and Finland and is connected to Denmark by a bridge-tunnel across the Öresund....
actor and television
Television
Television is a telecommunication medium for transmitting and receiving moving images that can be monochrome or colored, with accompanying sound...
host
Presenter
A presenter, or host , is a person or organization responsible for running an event. A museum or university, for example, may be the presenter or host of an exhibit. Likewise, a master of ceremonies is a person that hosts or presents a show...
. Björklund was the first Swedish television news presenter, hosting the national news show Aktuellt
Aktuellt
Aktuellt is a once-daily news programme produced by Sveriges Television and broadcast on its second channel, SVT2 in Sweden....
as of 1958. In that capacity, he quickly earned his popular nickname Mr. Aktuellt. However, in 1961, Björklund's career came to an end as he was fired from his position in the Swedish Television in the midst of a controversy including a tobacco advertisement.
Biography
Björklund graduated from the GothenburgGothenburg
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...
High School of Latin in 1933. He went on to study at the Lorensbergsteatern Theater Acting School (1933–1934), The Reima School (1934–1935), and later the Dramatens elevskola
Dramatens elevskola
Dramatens elevskola, i.e. Kungliga Dramatiska Teaterns Elevskola, or in Eng: The Royal Dramatic Theatre's acting school, was the acting school of Sweden's national stage, The Royal Dramatic Theatre, and for many years seen as the foremost theatre school and drama education for Swedish stage actors...
(Swedish Royal Academy of Dramatic Art) in 1936. In 1937, Björklund was engaged at the Svensk Filmindustri motion picture studios, and in the following year at the Vasateatern
Vasateatern
Vasateatern or "Vasan" is a private theatre in Stockholm, Sweden. It is located at Vasagatan 19-21 in central Stockholm....
Theater in Stockholm. He was employed at the Swedish Television in the late 1950s, hosting the very first national news program Aktuellt
Aktuellt
Aktuellt is a once-daily news programme produced by Sveriges Television and broadcast on its second channel, SVT2 in Sweden....
in 1958, where he soon became a national celebrity. The national news show Aktuellt was first aired on 2 September 1958. This particular transmission has become historic as almost everything went wrong. However, Björklund is doing his best – with forced patience – trying to act as a stable news anchor.
At the top of his career in 1961, during his summer leave, Björklund toured local scenes in public parks at the Swedish West Coast. His appearance was in part sponsored by a local beer and tobacco wholesaler. Although Björklund had been promised that his name would not appear in any advertising, the deal was not honored by the sponsor. The national TV executive Nils Erik Bæhrendtz
Nils Erik Bæhrendtz
Nils Erik Bæhrendtz was a Swedish literary historian, and radio and television personality. Bæhrendtz played an important role in creating Sweden's first television news show Aktuellt, and in bringing new television show formats to Sweden. He was head of Swedish Radio and Swedish Television during...
, who had publicly criticized Björklund for his park tour, personally ordered Björklund's swift resignation from Swedish Television. After his forced resignation, and although many viewers demanded his immediate return in the evening news show, Björklund virtually disappeared from the public scene. Four years later, on 20 October 1964, Björklund briefly returned to television, when he appeared as a guest in a TV show, reading a short poem by Swedish author Harry Martinson
Harry Martinson
Harry Martinson was a Swedish sailor, author and poet. In 1949 he was elected into the Swedish Academy. He was awarded a joint Nobel Prize in Literature in 1974 together with fellow Swede Eyvind Johnson. The choice for Eyvind Johnson and Harry Martinson was very controversial as both were on the...
.
Björklund was married to Ylva Dahlström. They were divorced in 1969. Björklund died in Örkelljunga
Örkelljunga
Örkelljunga is a locality and the seat of Örkelljunga Municipality, Skåne County, Sweden with 4,574 inhabitants in 2005.- References :...
in 1981.
External links
- Olle Björklund in Aktuellt, the first Aktuellt, September 2, 1958.