Einar Sissener
Encyclopedia
Einar Sissener was a Norwegian stage actor, film actor, stage producer, film producer and theatre director.
as the son of dispensing chemist Einar Andreas Sissener and Ida Cathrine Dorthea Schnitler. He studied law at the University of Oslo
for three years without finishing, but was active in student organizations, editing the periodical Minerva, heading the student theatre Samfundsteatret, and a board member of the Norwegian Students' Society.
's play You Never Can Tell. His breakthrough came in 1923 as "Gottfried" in Ludvig Holberg
's comedy Det lykkelige Skibbrud (English, The Happy Capsize), and as the title character in Molière
s comedy Les Fourberies de Scapin
. He worked for the National Theatre
from 1924. and was best known for his comedy characters. He played the character "Harald" in Oskar Braaten
's comedy Den store barnedåpen (English: The great christening) in 1925, one of the National Theatre's greatest successes.
He made his film debut in 1926, in the film Glomdalsbruden, and acted in the first Norwegian sound film
, Den store barnedåpen from 1931 (based on Braaten's comedy), again as the character "Harald". In 1934 and 1935 he produced the two films Syndere i sommersol and Du har lovet mig en kone!
.
Sissener chaired the Norwegian Actors' Equity Association
from 1928 to 1932. He was theatre director for Søilen Teater in 1932. From 1933 to 1937 he was theatre director for Det Nye Teater
. From 1937 to 1946 he worked for the revue theatre Chat Noir
, both as an actor, stage producer and songwriter.
In 1947 he returned to the National Theatre. His last appearance was in Friedrich Dürrenmatt
's comedy Meteor in 1967. He played a total of 127 roles at the National Theatre.
Sissener was decorated Knight, First Class of the Royal Norwegian Order of St. Olav in 1960, and was a knight of the Danish Order of the Dannebrog
.
Personal life
Einar Rasmus Krag Schnitler Sissener was born in KristianiaOslo
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...
as the son of dispensing chemist Einar Andreas Sissener and Ida Cathrine Dorthea Schnitler. He studied law at the University of Oslo
University of Oslo
The University of Oslo , formerly The Royal Frederick University , is the oldest and largest university in Norway, situated in the Norwegian capital of Oslo. The university was founded in 1811 and was modelled after the recently established University of Berlin...
for three years without finishing, but was active in student organizations, editing the periodical Minerva, heading the student theatre Samfundsteatret, and a board member of the Norwegian Students' Society.
Career
Sissener made his stage debut on Centralteatret in 1919, as the character "Philip" in an adaption of George Bernard ShawGeorge Bernard Shaw
George Bernard Shaw was an Irish playwright and a co-founder of the London School of Economics. Although his first profitable writing was music and literary criticism, in which capacity he wrote many highly articulate pieces of journalism, his main talent was for drama, and he wrote more than 60...
's play You Never Can Tell. His breakthrough came in 1923 as "Gottfried" in Ludvig Holberg
Ludvig Holberg
Ludvig Holberg, Baron of Holberg was a writer, essayist, philosopher, historian and playwright born in Bergen, Norway, during the time of the Dano-Norwegian double monarchy, who spent most of his adult life in Denmark. He was influenced by Humanism, the Enlightenment and the Baroque...
's comedy Det lykkelige Skibbrud (English, The Happy Capsize), and as the title character in Molière
Molière
Jean-Baptiste Poquelin, known by his stage name Molière, was a French playwright and actor who is considered to be one of the greatest masters of comedy in Western literature...
s comedy Les Fourberies de Scapin
Les Fourberies de Scapin
Les Fourberies de Scapin is a three-act comedy by French playwright Molière. The title character Scapin is similar to the archetypical Scapino character. The play was first staged in 1671 in Paris....
. He worked for the National Theatre
Nationaltheatret
The National Theatre in Oslo is one of Norway's largest and most prominent venues for performance of dramatic arts.The theatre had its first performance on 1 September 1899 but can trace its origins to Christiania Theatre, which was founded in 1829...
from 1924. and was best known for his comedy characters. He played the character "Harald" in Oskar Braaten
Oskar Braaten
Oskar Braaten was a Norwegian novelist and playwright.-Biography:Oskar Alexander Braaten was born in Sagene, a borough of the city of Oslo. Sagene was one of Norway's oldest industrial areas dating to the mid-19th century. Oskar Braaten attended school in Sagene until he was 15 years old...
's comedy Den store barnedåpen (English: The great christening) in 1925, one of the National Theatre's greatest successes.
He made his film debut in 1926, in the film Glomdalsbruden, and acted in the first Norwegian sound film
Sound film
A sound film is a motion picture with synchronized sound, or sound technologically coupled to image, as opposed to a silent film. The first known public exhibition of projected sound films took place in Paris in 1900, but decades would pass before sound motion pictures were made commercially...
, Den store barnedåpen from 1931 (based on Braaten's comedy), again as the character "Harald". In 1934 and 1935 he produced the two films Syndere i sommersol and Du har lovet mig en kone!
Du har lovet mig en kone!
Du har lovet mig en kone! is a 1935 Norwegian comedy film written by Tancred Ibsen, and co-directed by Ibsen and Einar Sissener, starring Sissener, Randi Brænne and Kirsten Heiberg....
.
Sissener chaired the Norwegian Actors' Equity Association
Norwegian Actors' Equity Association
The Norwegian Actors' Equity Association is an association of Norwegian actors. Its main purpose is to improve actors' working conditions, and important issues during the early years were contractual conditions, pensions, and regulation of foreign ensembles...
from 1928 to 1932. He was theatre director for Søilen Teater in 1932. From 1933 to 1937 he was theatre director for Det Nye Teater
Det Nye Teater
Det Nye Teater was a theatre that opened in Oslo in 1929, and ended as an independent theatre in 1959, when it merged with Folketeatret to form Oslo Nye Teater. The theatre's original purpose was to support contemporary Norwegian drama.-History:...
. From 1937 to 1946 he worked for the revue theatre Chat Noir
Chat Noir
Chat Noir is a cabaret and revue theatre in Oslo, Norway. It was established in 1912 by Bokken Lasson. The current director is Tom Sterri.-Establishment:...
, both as an actor, stage producer and songwriter.
In 1947 he returned to the National Theatre. His last appearance was in Friedrich Dürrenmatt
Friedrich Dürrenmatt
Friedrich Dürrenmatt was a Swiss author and dramatist. He was a proponent of epic theatre whose plays reflected the recent experiences of World War II. The politically active author's work included avant-garde dramas, philosophically deep crime novels, and often macabre satire...
's comedy Meteor in 1967. He played a total of 127 roles at the National Theatre.
Sissener was decorated Knight, First Class of the Royal Norwegian Order of St. Olav in 1960, and was a knight of the Danish Order of the Dannebrog
Order of the Dannebrog
The Order of the Dannebrog is an Order of Denmark, instituted in 1671 by Christian V. It resulted from a move in 1660 to break the absolutism of the nobility. The Order was only to comprise 50 noble Knights in one class plus the Master of the Order, i.e. the Danish monarch, and his sons...
.