Turid Balke
Encyclopedia
Turid Balke was a Norwegian
actress, playwright
and artist
.
, she started her professional career at Trøndelag Teater in 1949. She would spend many of her years as an actress at Folketeatret and the famous Norwegian revue-stage Chat Noir. She was also an artist and a designer, even designing "proper" toys for children, but more importantly she would become one of the pioneers in Norwegian children's theatre. She wrote and staged several plays for children and is also remembered for creating Balkeby (Balke-town), a miniature-town with puppets and their stories performed by Balke.
Her first film appearance came as a secretary in the 1953-comedy Brudebuketten. Throughout the years she would appear in classic Norwegian films such as Støv på hjernen, (1959), its sequels Sønner av Norge and Sønner av Norge kjøper bil, and other popular titles like Olsenbanden
for full musikk (1976) and Kamilla og tyven (1988). After close to 30 movies her film-career finished off on a high-note, appearing in a small but prominent role as the oracle woman in The 13th Warrior
opposite Antonio Banderas
. Balke admitted in an interview shortly after that for her, the greatest thrill was not working with Banderas but meeting his co-star, Omar Sharif
.
Balke also had numerous roles on television, even gaining new fans in the sit-com Karl & Co, where she played the title-character's nosy old neighbour from 1998 to 1999.
In 1974 she received the Norwegian Arts Council
's award for her illustrations to the children's book Det begynte en fredag i Finvik.
Known for her characteristic bulging eyes, Balke lived in Oslo
throughout most of her life and kept active until her sudden death in 2000, at the age of 78.
Her great-grandfather was famous Norwegian painter Peder Balke
.
Norway
Norway , officially the Kingdom of Norway, is a Nordic unitary constitutional monarchy whose territory comprises the western portion of the Scandinavian Peninsula, Jan Mayen, and the Arctic archipelago of Svalbard and Bouvet Island. Norway has a total area of and a population of about 4.9 million...
actress, playwright
Playwright
A playwright, also called a dramatist, is a person who writes plays.The term is not a variant spelling of "playwrite", but something quite distinct: the word wright is an archaic English term for a craftsman or builder...
and artist
Artist
An artist is a person engaged in one or more of any of a broad spectrum of activities related to creating art, practicing the arts and/or demonstrating an art. The common usage in both everyday speech and academic discourse is a practitioner in the visual arts only...
.
Biography
Born in KirkenesKirkenes
is a town in the municipality of Sør-Varanger in the county of Finnmark in the far northeast of Norway...
, she started her professional career at Trøndelag Teater in 1949. She would spend many of her years as an actress at Folketeatret and the famous Norwegian revue-stage Chat Noir. She was also an artist and a designer, even designing "proper" toys for children, but more importantly she would become one of the pioneers in Norwegian children's theatre. She wrote and staged several plays for children and is also remembered for creating Balkeby (Balke-town), a miniature-town with puppets and their stories performed by Balke.
Her first film appearance came as a secretary in the 1953-comedy Brudebuketten. Throughout the years she would appear in classic Norwegian films such as Støv på hjernen, (1959), its sequels Sønner av Norge and Sønner av Norge kjøper bil, and other popular titles like Olsenbanden
Olsen Gang
The Olsen Gang is a fictional Danish criminal gang in the movies of the same name. The gang's leader is the criminal genius and habitual offender Egon Olsen. The other members of the gang are Benny and Kjeld . The gang members are harmless and never use violence...
for full musikk (1976) and Kamilla og tyven (1988). After close to 30 movies her film-career finished off on a high-note, appearing in a small but prominent role as the oracle woman in The 13th Warrior
The 13th Warrior
The 13th Warrior is a 1999 historical fiction action film starring Antonio Banderas as Ahmad ibn Fadlan and Vladimir Kulich as Buliwyf; it is based on the novel Eaters of the Dead by Michael Crichton. It was directed by John McTiernan and an uncredited Crichton.The 13th Warrior is regarded as a...
opposite Antonio Banderas
Antonio Banderas
José Antonio Domínguez Banderas , better known as Antonio Banderas, is a Spanish film actor, film director, film producer and singer...
. Balke admitted in an interview shortly after that for her, the greatest thrill was not working with Banderas but meeting his co-star, Omar Sharif
Omar Sharif
Omar Sharif is an Egyptian actor who has starred in Hollywood films including Lawrence of Arabia, Doctor Zhivago and Funny Girl. He has been nominated for an Academy Award and has won two Golden Globe Awards.-Early life:...
.
Balke also had numerous roles on television, even gaining new fans in the sit-com Karl & Co, where she played the title-character's nosy old neighbour from 1998 to 1999.
In 1974 she received the Norwegian Arts Council
Norsk Kulturråd
The Arts Council Norway is the official arts council for Norway.Based in Oslo, it is a Norwegian state institution created in 1965 as a result of a parliamentary decision in 1964...
's award for her illustrations to the children's book Det begynte en fredag i Finvik.
Known for her characteristic bulging eyes, Balke lived in Oslo
Oslo
Oslo is a municipality, as well as the capital and most populous city in Norway. As a municipality , it was established on 1 January 1838. Founded around 1048 by King Harald III of Norway, the city was largely destroyed by fire in 1624. The city was moved under the reign of Denmark–Norway's King...
throughout most of her life and kept active until her sudden death in 2000, at the age of 78.
Her great-grandfather was famous Norwegian painter Peder Balke
Peder Balke
Peder Balke was a Norwegian painter. He was known for portraying the nature of Norway in a positive manner and influenced a dramatic and romantic view of Norwegian landscape.-Biography:...
.