Vi på Saltkråkan
Encyclopedia
Vi på Saltkråkan is a Swedish
TV series in 13 25-minute episodes from 1964. The script for the series was written by Astrid Lindgren
, who later re-wrote it as a book, also titled Vi på Saltkråkan (published in English as Seacrow Island in 1964). Astrid Lindgren was closely involved in the filming and editing of the series, which took place on Norröra in the Stockholm archipelago
. The series was produced and directed by Olle Hellbom
.
, consisting of the widowed author Melker Melkersson (played by Torsten Lilliecrona
) and his four children: 19-year-old Malin (played by Louise Edlind
) who assumes the role of mother in the family, the imaginative 13-year-old Johan, 12-year-old Niklas who is calm and down-to-earth, and 7-year-old Pelle, who loves animals of all kinds. The Melkersson family spend their summer holidays as well as some winters on Saltkråkan, an idyllic place symbolising the unspoilt archipelago. The year-round inhabitants of the island are sometimes amused by the ineptness of the city dwellers, but they become fast friends with the Melkersson family: when the idyll is threatened, such as when the house the Melkerssons rent is being sold, the islanders rise to help their friends keep their summer paradise.
The Melkersson children become friends with the local kids: Tjorven
(actually Maria) Grankvist who is the same age as Pelle and who owns a huge St. Bernard
dog named Båtsman, her older sisters Teddy and Freddy who teach Johan and Niklas to row and sail, and Stina, a gap-toothed Stockholm girl who spends her summer holidays with her grandfather, and who tells endless stories to the long-suffering adults around her. (Astrid Lindgren added the character of Stina to the script when Olle Hellbom had met Kristina Jämtmark
and thought that she would make a good addition to the group of children.)
The 13 episodes of the TV series were re-made into a movie in 1968, but the original TV series is re-run almost yearly in Swedish television, and some of the actors have become very closely associated with their characters in the series. The series has been translated into German
, and was popular enough to be broadcasted over 20 times until now.
Tjorven, Båtsman och Moses (1964)
Tjorven och Skrållan (1965)
Tjorven och Mysak (1966)
Skrållan, Ruskprick och Knorrhane (1967)
- Melker Melkersson
Louise Edlind - Malin Melkersson
Stephen Lindholm - Pelle Melkersson
Björn Söderbäck - Johan Melkersson
Urban Strand - Niklas Melkersson
Bengt Eklund
- Nisse Grankvist
Eva Stiberg - Märta Grankvist
Maria Johansson - Maria "Tjorven
" Grankvist
Lillemor Österlund - Teddy Grankvist
Bitte Ulvskog - Freddy Grankvist
Sigge Fischer - Old Söderman
Kristina Jämtmark
- Stina
Tommy Johnson - Björn
Märta Arbin - Fru Sjöblom
Alf Östlund - Mr Carlberg
Vivianne Westman - Mr Carlberg's daughter
Birger Lensander - Mr Mattson
Stig Hallgren - Farmer Jansson
Eddie Axberg - Kalle
Lars Göran Carlson - Krister
Sven Almgren - Berra
Saltkråkan symbol för sommar, sol och skärgård "Seacrow Island is a symbol of the summer, sun and archipelago"
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....
TV series in 13 25-minute episodes from 1964. The script for the series was written by Astrid Lindgren
Astrid Lindgren
Astrid Anna Emilia Lindgren , 14 November 1907 – 28 January 2002) was a Swedish author and screenwriter who is the world's 25th most translated author and has sold roughly 145 million copies worldwide...
, who later re-wrote it as a book, also titled Vi på Saltkråkan (published in English as Seacrow Island in 1964). Astrid Lindgren was closely involved in the filming and editing of the series, which took place on Norröra in the Stockholm archipelago
Stockholm archipelago
The Stockholm archipelago is the largest archipelago of Sweden, and one of the largest archipelagos of the Baltic Sea.-Geography:The archipelago extends from Stockholm roughly 60 kilometers to the east...
. The series was produced and directed by Olle Hellbom
Olle Hellbom
Nils Olof "Olle" Hellbom was a Swedish film director, producer, and writer. He is most famous for directing films based on novels by Astrid Lindgren.-Director:* 1957 - Mästerdetektiven lever farligt* 1959 - Raggare!...
.
Plot
The series tells the story of a family from StockholmStockholm
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...
, consisting of the widowed author Melker Melkersson (played by Torsten Lilliecrona
Torsten Lilliecrona
Torsten Lilliecrona was a Swedish actor. He is mostly famous for his role as Melker Melkersson in the highly successful TV show Vi på Saltkråkan for which Astrid Lindgren wrote the script...
) and his four children: 19-year-old Malin (played by Louise Edlind
Louise Edlind Friberg
Sandra Louise Maud Edlind Friberg is a Swedish actress and politician.-Acting career:As an actress she became popular as Malin Melkersson, the kind, warm and beautiful older sister in the popular 1964 children's TV series Vi på Saltkråkan, which frequently enjoys re-runs on Swedish television, and...
) who assumes the role of mother in the family, the imaginative 13-year-old Johan, 12-year-old Niklas who is calm and down-to-earth, and 7-year-old Pelle, who loves animals of all kinds. The Melkersson family spend their summer holidays as well as some winters on Saltkråkan, an idyllic place symbolising the unspoilt archipelago. The year-round inhabitants of the island are sometimes amused by the ineptness of the city dwellers, but they become fast friends with the Melkersson family: when the idyll is threatened, such as when the house the Melkerssons rent is being sold, the islanders rise to help their friends keep their summer paradise.
The Melkersson children become friends with the local kids: Tjorven
Tjorven
The name "Tjorven" comes from a popular Swedish family-show on television in the early 1960s. Based on a book by the Swedish author Astrid Lindgren, the story is about a number of characters living in the archipelago outside Stockholm...
(actually Maria) Grankvist who is the same age as Pelle and who owns a huge St. Bernard
St. Bernard (dog)
The St. Bernard is a breed of very large working dog from the Italian and Swiss Alps, originally bred for rescue. The breed has become famous through tales of alpine rescues, as well as for its large size.-Appearance:The St. Bernard is a large dog...
dog named Båtsman, her older sisters Teddy and Freddy who teach Johan and Niklas to row and sail, and Stina, a gap-toothed Stockholm girl who spends her summer holidays with her grandfather, and who tells endless stories to the long-suffering adults around her. (Astrid Lindgren added the character of Stina to the script when Olle Hellbom had met Kristina Jämtmark
Kristina Jämtmark
Kristina Jämtmark is a Swedish former child actress. She played the part of Stina, a little girl with a gap-toothed smile, in the 1964 TV series Vi på Saltkråkan, which is still being re-run regularly in Swedish television, as well as in the subsequent Saltkråkan movies.-External links:...
and thought that she would make a good addition to the group of children.)
The 13 episodes of the TV series were re-made into a movie in 1968, but the original TV series is re-run almost yearly in Swedish television, and some of the actors have become very closely associated with their characters in the series. The series has been translated into German
German language
German is a West Germanic language, related to and classified alongside English and Dutch. With an estimated 90 – 98 million native speakers, German is one of the world's major languages and is the most widely-spoken first language in the European Union....
, and was popular enough to be broadcasted over 20 times until now.
Movie spin-offs
The popularity of the series led to the production of four full-length movies:Tjorven, Båtsman och Moses (1964)
Tjorven och Skrållan (1965)
Tjorven och Mysak (1966)
Skrållan, Ruskprick och Knorrhane (1967)
Cast
Torsten LilliecronaTorsten Lilliecrona
Torsten Lilliecrona was a Swedish actor. He is mostly famous for his role as Melker Melkersson in the highly successful TV show Vi på Saltkråkan for which Astrid Lindgren wrote the script...
- Melker Melkersson
Louise Edlind - Malin Melkersson
Stephen Lindholm - Pelle Melkersson
Björn Söderbäck - Johan Melkersson
Urban Strand - Niklas Melkersson
Bengt Eklund
Bengt Eklund
Bengt Gunnar Eklund was a Swedish actor.Eklund worked for many years at the Royal Dramatic Theatre in Stockholm, but also made a large number of roles in movies and television, including Ingmar Bergman's Summer with Monika and Shame , and Gustaf Molander's film Sir Arne's Treasure .He was married...
- Nisse Grankvist
Eva Stiberg - Märta Grankvist
Maria Johansson - Maria "Tjorven
Tjorven
The name "Tjorven" comes from a popular Swedish family-show on television in the early 1960s. Based on a book by the Swedish author Astrid Lindgren, the story is about a number of characters living in the archipelago outside Stockholm...
" Grankvist
Lillemor Österlund - Teddy Grankvist
Bitte Ulvskog - Freddy Grankvist
Sigge Fischer - Old Söderman
Kristina Jämtmark
Kristina Jämtmark
Kristina Jämtmark is a Swedish former child actress. She played the part of Stina, a little girl with a gap-toothed smile, in the 1964 TV series Vi på Saltkråkan, which is still being re-run regularly in Swedish television, as well as in the subsequent Saltkråkan movies.-External links:...
- Stina
Tommy Johnson - Björn
Märta Arbin - Fru Sjöblom
Alf Östlund - Mr Carlberg
Vivianne Westman - Mr Carlberg's daughter
Birger Lensander - Mr Mattson
Stig Hallgren - Farmer Jansson
Eddie Axberg - Kalle
Lars Göran Carlson - Krister
Sven Almgren - Berra
External links
Life on Seacrow IslandSaltkråkan symbol för sommar, sol och skärgård "Seacrow Island is a symbol of the summer, sun and archipelago"