Espen Eckbo
Encyclopedia
Espen Eckbo is a Norwegian actor
, writer
and comedian
.
He was born in Oslo
, and grew up in Bestum
. He now lives in Ullevål Hageby
. Eckbo has no formal training as an actor
, but has a background as a law
student for two years at the University of Oslo
.
Internationally, he is best recognised for having helped to create the fictional boy band Boyzvoice
and the subsequent mockumentary
Get Ready to be Boyzvoiced
(2000) together with Henrik Elvestad. Eckbo first appeared on Norwegian television in 1998, when he got his own segment in the news satire
program Mandagsklubben, where he would portray a different character every week in a mock documentary style. These segments were also the launching pad for Boyzvoice. The short-lived show I kveld, with Thomas Giertsen, followed in 1999.
He later made fun of the reality TV phenomenon in the mock reality show Nissene på låven
(2001, together with Kristian Ødegård
). This show also introduced two of his most familiar characters, Asbjørn Brekke and Rhino Thue. By that time, Eckbo had established the production company Seefood together with Kristian Ødegård.
Eckbo and his characters has also featured in the game show TV2-nøttene which was presented by Ødegård and aired during Christmas and Easter, and is a parody of the Norwegian Broadcasting Corporation programs Julenøtter and Påskenøtter. His characters also featured in Henrik Elvestad's mock talk show Tonight med Timothy Dale (2003) and Eckbo's show Tett på tre (2008). He had segments in Otto Jespersen
's Rikets røst. In 2006 Eckbo created the live show Team Eckbo together with Atle Antonsen
, Harald Eia
and Bård Tufte Johansen
.
Actor
An actor is a person who acts in a dramatic production and who works in film, television, theatre, or radio in that capacity...
, writer
Writer
A writer is a person who produces literature, such as novels, short stories, plays, screenplays, poetry, or other literary art. Skilled writers are able to use language to portray ideas and images....
and comedian
Comedian
A comedian or comic is a person who seeks to entertain an audience, primarily by making them laugh. This might be through jokes or amusing situations, or acting a fool, as in slapstick, or employing prop comedy...
.
He was born 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...
, and grew up in Bestum
Bestum
Bestum is a neighbourhood in Ullern in Oslo, Norway. Before the residential area arose, Bestum was mainly an agricultural area. The name origins from the middle ages. Bestum was served by a station named "Bestun" and the tram stop Bestum, but both are now closed. The residential houses in the area...
. He now lives in Ullevål Hageby
Ullevål Hageby
Ullevål Hageby is a residential area and garden city in borough Nordre Aker of Oslo, Norway. All housing in the area is part of the housing cooperative Oslo Havebyselskap...
. Eckbo has no formal training as an actor
Actor
An actor is a person who acts in a dramatic production and who works in film, television, theatre, or radio in that capacity...
, but has a background as a law
Law
Law is a system of rules and guidelines which are enforced through social institutions to govern behavior, wherever possible. It shapes politics, economics and society in numerous ways and serves as a social mediator of relations between people. Contract law regulates everything from buying a bus...
student for two years 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...
.
Internationally, he is best recognised for having helped to create the fictional boy band Boyzvoice
Boyzvoice
Boyzvoice was a fictional Norwegian boy band, best known from the movie Get Ready to be Boyzvoiced . They consisted of three band members: brothers M*Pete , Hot Tub , and Roar Lund-Bergseter ....
and the subsequent mockumentary
Mockumentary
A mockumentary , is a type of film or television show in which fictitious events are presented in documentary format. These productions are often used to analyze or comment on current events and issues by using a fictitious setting, or to parody the documentary form itself...
Get Ready to be Boyzvoiced
Get Ready to be Boyzvoiced
Get Ready to Be Boyzvoiced is a 2000 Norwegian mockumentary about a fictional boy band called Boyzvoice. Outside Norway, it has been screened multiple times on Australian television channel SBS.-Plot:...
(2000) together with Henrik Elvestad. Eckbo first appeared on Norwegian television in 1998, when he got his own segment in the news satire
News satire
thumb|right|220px|[[The Daily Show with Jon Stewart]] is a news satire program.News satire, also called fake news , is a type of parody presented in a format typical of mainstream journalism, and called a satire because of its content...
program Mandagsklubben, where he would portray a different character every week in a mock documentary style. These segments were also the launching pad for Boyzvoice. The short-lived show I kveld, with Thomas Giertsen, followed in 1999.
He later made fun of the reality TV phenomenon in the mock reality show Nissene på låven
Nissene på Låven
Nissene på låven is a Nordic Christmas calendar that aired on TVNorge in 2001, and is a spoof of reality TV.-Plot:24 santas are gathered in a barn to compete for the title of the best santa. They are split into two teams, the grey beards and the white beards . Every day they compete in contests...
(2001, together with Kristian Ødegård
Kristian Ødegård
Kristian Ødegård is a Norwegian television personality.He contributed to the film Get Ready to be Boyzvoiced in 2000, and later cooperated with Espen Eckbo and/or Henrik Elvestad in the mock reality show Nissene på låven , the mock game show TV2-nøttene and the mock talk show Tonight med Timothy...
). This show also introduced two of his most familiar characters, Asbjørn Brekke and Rhino Thue. By that time, Eckbo had established the production company Seefood together with Kristian Ødegård.
Eckbo and his characters has also featured in the game show TV2-nøttene which was presented by Ødegård and aired during Christmas and Easter, and is a parody of the Norwegian Broadcasting Corporation programs Julenøtter and Påskenøtter. His characters also featured in Henrik Elvestad's mock talk show Tonight med Timothy Dale (2003) and Eckbo's show Tett på tre (2008). He had segments in Otto Jespersen
Otto Jespersen (comedian)
Otto Jespersen is a controversial Norwegian comedian, actor and television personality.-Biography:At the age of 19 Jespersen became a Marxist-Leninist, and was for a short period of time a member of the Communist organization Red Youth...
's Rikets røst. In 2006 Eckbo created the live show Team Eckbo together with Atle Antonsen
Atle Antonsen
Atle Antonsen is a Norwegian comedian. He has participated in and contributed to several television and radio shows for NRK including XL and XLTV , Uti vår hage , Team Antonsen , Tre brødre som ikke er brødre , Etaten and Uti vår hage 2...
, Harald Eia
Harald Eia
Harald Meldal Eia is a Norwegian comedian.-Career:Together with Bård Tufte Johansen, he has been author of, and participated in, several successful Norwegian Broadcasting Corporation comedy TV series, such as Lille Lørdag , Åpen Post , Uti vår hage , Team Antonsen , Tre brødre som ikke er brødre ,...
and Bård Tufte Johansen
Bård Tufte Johansen
Bård Tufte Johansen is a Norwegian comedian.Together with Harald Eia, he has authored and participated in several successful NRK TV series, such as Lille Lørdag , Åpen post ,Uti vår hage , Team Antonsen , Tre brødre som ikke er brødre , Ut i vår hage 2 and Storbynatt...
.