Sven-Bertil Taube
Encyclopedia
Sven-Bertil G. E. Taube (born 24 November 1934) is a Swedish
singer and actor. Born in Stockholm
, he is the son of songwriter Evert Taube
and sculptor Astri Bergman Taube
.
Taube graduated in 1954 from the Cherry Lawn School in Darien, Connecticut
. While he was a student at the school, Folkways Records
invited him to record an album of Swedish folk songs.
Taube has been married four times, and has four children, born in 1960, 1965, 1979, and 1994.
and since then has recorded many albums including songs written by his father. Several of his most well-known versions of Evert Taube songs come from albums recorded in the 1970s, but he recorded more of them at later stages, including his 2007 album Alderville Road. Referring to that album, reviewer Peter Dahlgren said, "Evert had the yarns and Sven-Bertil had the voice."
He has also recorded songs by the popular Swedish 18th-century songwriter Carl Michael Bellman
, and the poet Nils Ferlin
(1898–1961), whose poems were mostly put to music by Lille Bror Söderlundh
. Taube also recorded an album with songs by the Swedish songwriter and musician Ulf Peder Olrog, one with Swedish translations of songs by French songwriter Léo Ferré
, and one with Swedish translations of songs by Greek composer Mikis Theodorakis
.
, where he performed in theater and musicals, notably as Prince Albert in I and Albert
.
He won a role on the television series Upstairs, Downstairs
. In the 1970s, Taube tried to find work as a film actor, and had some minor roles, most notably in the 1976 World War II
drama The Eagle Has Landed
and a starring role as a US agent in the 1971 film version of Alistair MacLean
's novel Puppet on a Chain
.
During the 1980s and 1990s, Taube starred in a number of Swedish films and television series, while keeping his music career alive.
Taube starred in the Swedish film version of Stieg Larsson
's novel,
The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo
, in the role of Henrick Vanger. The film was released in early 2010. He was nominated for a Best Supporting Actor Guldbagge Award
for his role in the film.
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....
singer and actor. Born in Stockholm
Stockholm
Stockholm is the capital and the largest city of Sweden and constitutes the most populated urban area in Scandinavia. Stockholm is the most populous city in Sweden, with a population of 851,155 in the municipality , 1.37 million in the urban area , and around 2.1 million in the metropolitan area...
, he is the son of songwriter Evert Taube
Evert Taube
Evert Axel Taube was a Swedish author, artist, composer and singer. He is best known for his folk songs, and is widely regarded as one of Sweden's most respected musicians.-Biography:...
and sculptor Astri Bergman Taube
Astri Bergman Taube
Astri Bergman Taube was a Swedish sculptor and artist known for her child portraits and sculptures in public venues.She was married to songwriter Evert Taube.-Biography:...
.
Biography
At age 14, Taube began playing guitar. While traveling throughout Europe, he developed an interest in folklore and folk music. He performed in concerts and on Swedish and Norwegian radio while a student at the Royal Beskow School in Stockholm.Taube graduated in 1954 from the Cherry Lawn School in Darien, Connecticut
Darien, Connecticut
Darien is a town in Fairfield County, Connecticut, United States. A relatively small community on Connecticut's "Gold Coast", the population was 20,732 at the 2010 census. Darien was listed at #9 at CNN Money's list of "top-earning towns" in the United States as of 2011...
. While he was a student at the school, Folkways Records
Folkways Records
Folkways Records was a record label founded by Moses Asch that documented folk, world, and children's music. It was acquired by the Smithsonian Institution in 1987, and is now part of Smithsonian Folkways.-History:...
invited him to record an album of Swedish folk songs.
Taube has been married four times, and has four children, born in 1960, 1965, 1979, and 1994.
Musical career
Taube released his first album in 1954 with covers of his father's songs,and since then has recorded many albums including songs written by his father. Several of his most well-known versions of Evert Taube songs come from albums recorded in the 1970s, but he recorded more of them at later stages, including his 2007 album Alderville Road. Referring to that album, reviewer Peter Dahlgren said, "Evert had the yarns and Sven-Bertil had the voice."
He has also recorded songs by the popular Swedish 18th-century songwriter Carl Michael Bellman
Carl Michael Bellman
was a Swedish poet and composer. Bellman is a central figure in the Swedish song tradition and remains a very important influence in Swedish music, as well as in Scandinavian literature in general, to this day....
, and the poet Nils Ferlin
Nils Ferlin
was a Swedish poet.Nils Ferlin was born in Karlstad, Värmland, where his father worked at the Nya Wermlands-Tidningen newspaper. In 1908 the family moved to Filipstad and Nils' father started his own paper...
(1898–1961), whose poems were mostly put to music by Lille Bror Söderlundh
Lille Bror Söderlundh
Bror Axel Söderlundh was a Swedish composer and singer. He composed music for many Swedish films. He also wrote classical music, including the Concertino for Oboe and Strings which has been performed by the conductor Esa-Pekka Salonen.He was born in 1912 in Kristinehamn...
. Taube also recorded an album with songs by the Swedish songwriter and musician Ulf Peder Olrog, one with Swedish translations of songs by French songwriter Léo Ferré
Léo Ferré
Léo Ferré was a Franco-Monegasque poet, composer, singer and musician.Born in Monaco, Ferré mixed love and melancholy with moral anarchy, lyricism with slang, rhyming verse with prose monologues...
, and one with Swedish translations of songs by Greek composer Mikis Theodorakis
Mikis Theodorakis
Mikis Theodorakis is one of the most renowned Greek songwriters and composers. Internationally, he is probably best known for his songs and for his scores for the films Zorba the Greek , Z , and Serpico .Politically, he identified with the left until the late 1980s; in 1989, he ran as an...
.
Selected discography
Acting career
Taube also started an acting career that took him to LondonLondon
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
, where he performed in theater and musicals, notably as Prince Albert in I and Albert
I and Albert
I and Albert is a 1972 musical by composer Charles Strouse, and lyricist Lee Adams. The plot is based on the lives of Queen Victoria and her husband Prince Albert of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha and was adapted for the stage by Jay Presson Allen.-Production:...
.
He won a role on the television series Upstairs, Downstairs
Upstairs, Downstairs
Upstairs, Downstairs is a British drama television series originally produced by London Weekend Television and revived by the BBC. It ran on ITV in 68 episodes divided into five series from 1971 to 1975, and a sixth series shown on the BBC on three consecutive nights, 26–28 December 2010.Set in a...
. In the 1970s, Taube tried to find work as a film actor, and had some minor roles, most notably in the 1976 World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
drama The Eagle Has Landed
The Eagle Has Landed (film)
The Eagle Has Landed is a 1976 film version of the novel The Eagle Has Landed by Jack Higgins. It was directed by John Sturges and starred Michael Caine, Donald Sutherland and Robert Duvall...
and a starring role as a US agent in the 1971 film version of Alistair MacLean
Alistair MacLean
Alistair Stuart MacLean was a Scottish novelist who wrote popular thrillers or adventure stories, the best known of which are perhaps The Guns of Navarone, Ice Station Zebra and Where Eagles Dare, all three having been made into successful films...
's novel Puppet on a Chain
Puppet on a Chain
Puppet on a Chain is a novel by Scottish author Alistair MacLean. Originally published in 1969, it is set in the late 1960's narcotics underworld of Amsterdam and other locations in the Netherlands.-Plot introduction:...
.
During the 1980s and 1990s, Taube starred in a number of Swedish films and television series, while keeping his music career alive.
Taube starred in the Swedish film version of Stieg Larsson
Stieg Larsson
Karl Stig-Erland Larsson , who wrote professionally as Stieg Larsson, was a Swedish journalist and writer, born in Skelleftehamn outside Skellefteå. He is best known for writing the "Millennium series" of crime novels, which were published posthumously...
's novel,
The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo
The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo
The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo is an award-winning crime novel by Swedish author and journalist Stieg Larsson. It is the first book in the trilogy known as the "Millennium series"....
, in the role of Henrick Vanger. The film was released in early 2010. He was nominated for a Best Supporting Actor Guldbagge Award
Guldbagge Award
The Guldbagge Award is an official Swedish film award awarded annually since 1964 by the Swedish Film Institute.-Etymology:Guldbagge is the Swedish name for Cetonia aurata, a beetle also known as rose chafer. The name of the award could also be interpreted as a play on the Swedish word skalbagge,...
for his role in the film.
Guldbagge Awards
Selected filmography
- The Buttercup ChainThe Buttercup ChainThe Buttercup Chain is a 1970 British drama film directed by Robert Ellis Miller. It was entered into the 1970 Cannes Film Festival.-Cast:* Hywel Bennett - France* Leigh Taylor-Young - Manny* Jane Asher - Margaret* Sven-Bertil Taube - Fred...
(1970) - Puppet on a ChainPuppet on a Chain (film)Puppet on a Chain is a 1971 British thriller film directed by Geoffrey Reeve and starring Sven-Bertil Taube, Barbara Parkins and Alexander Knox. It is based on the novel Puppet on a Chain by Alastair MacLean. An American agent goes to Amsterdam to break up gangs smuggling drugs out of the...
(1971) - The Eagle Has LandedThe Eagle Has Landed (film)The Eagle Has Landed is a 1976 film version of the novel The Eagle Has Landed by Jack Higgins. It was directed by John Sturges and starred Michael Caine, Donald Sutherland and Robert Duvall...
(1976) - A Game for VulturesA Game for VulturesA Game for Vultures is a 1979 British thriller film starring Richard Harris, Joan Collins and Richard Roundtree. It was directed by James Fargo and based on a novel by Michael Hartmann.-Plot:...
(1979) - Codename: KyrilCodename: KyrilCodename: Kyril is a 208-minute British serial, first broadcast in 1988. It is a Cold War espionage drama, starring Ian Charleson, Edward Woodward, Denholm Elliott, Joss Ackland, and Richard E. Grant...
(1988) - Händerna (In The Hands, 1994)
- JerusalemJerusalem (film)Jerusalem is the title of a Swedish international feature-film from 1996, based upon two novels, Jerusalem I + II by Swedish autor and Nobel laureate Selma Lagerlöf...
(1997) - Atlantis: The Lost EmpireAtlantis: The Lost EmpireAtlantis: The Lost Empire is a 2001 American animated film produced by Walt Disney Feature Animation. Written by Tab Murphy, directed by Gary Trousdale and Kirk Wise, and produced by Don Hahn, it is the first science fiction film in the Disney animated features canon and the 41st overall. The film...
(2001) - London VoodooLondon VoodooLondon Voodoo is a 2004 film directed and written by Robert Pratten.-Plot:When ambitious analyst Lincoln Mathers relocates his family from New York to London, his wife Sarah discovers a new disturbing power and becomes hostage to an ancient spirit...
(2004) - Arn – The Knight TemplarArn – The Knight TemplarArn – The Knight Templar is a 2007 epic film based on Jan Guillou's trilogy about the fictional Swedish Knight Templar Arn Magnusson. The film was released in December 2007 and the sequel, Arn – The Kingdom at Road's End , was released August 22, 2008...
(2007) - The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo (2009)