Knut Wigert
Encyclopedia
Knut Wigert was a Norwegian actor, known for his many Ibsen
roles and the establishment of an Ibsen museum in Oslo
.
, as the son of Major Sigvald Hansen and his wife Carmen Franciska Christina Kirsebom. He changed his last name to Wigert in 1935. Wigert was married to Eva Nordlie from 1942 to 1946. He was married to ship owner Sofie Helene Huitfeldt from 1950 until her death in 1989, and to journalist Vera Dietrichson from 1991.
in 1937, and started acting for the National Theatre
in Oslo from 1938. He played "the pilot" in an adaptation of Karel Čapek
's anti-Nazi play Matka (The Mother), which had dress rehearsal on 8 April 1940 and never premièred due to the German invasion of Norway the following day. Among his roles were "Hugo" in a 1950 adaptation of Jean Paul Sartre's Dirty Hands
, and "Brick" in a 1956 adaptation of Tennessee Williams
's Cat on a Hot Tin Roof
. He played a long series of Ibsen characters, such as "Hertug Skule" (from The Pretenders
), "Peer" (from Peer Gynt
), "Rosmer" (from Rosmersholm
), "Brack" (from Hedda Gabler
), "Helmer" (from A Doll's House
), "Rubek" (from When We Dead Awaken
), "Solness" (from The Master Builder
), "Borkman" (from John Gabriel Borkman
) and "Julian" (from Emperor and Galilean
).
He made his film début in 1940, in the film Tante Pose, acted in the 1946 film Englandsfarere, and played the role "Fridtjof Nansen" in Bare et liv from 1968.
Wigert was a member of the Norwegian Independent Company 1
, recruited by former actor and leader of the group Martin Linge
. He participated in the Operation Archery
raid at Måløy
in December 1941, and later graduated as lieutenant from the Royal Military Academy Sandhurst
in 1943. He published the book Landflyktig in 1945, describing his travel via Stockholm, Moscow, Istanbul, Cairo and South Africa to England, and later service in the army.
from 1974 to 1983. He was decorated Commander of the Royal Norwegian Order of St. Olav in 1988 for his contributions to Norwegian theatre. He received the city of Oslo
's cultural prize in 1992 for his initiative and efforts which resulted in the establishment of a Henrik Ibsen museum in Oslo. He received the Fritt Ord Honorary Award in 1996.
Henrik Ibsen
Henrik Ibsen was a major 19th-century Norwegian playwright, theatre director, and poet. He is often referred to as "the father of prose drama" and is one of the founders of Modernism in the theatre...
roles and the establishment of an Ibsen museum 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...
.
Personal life
Knut Hansen was born in SkienSkien
' is a city and municipality in Telemark county, Norway. It is part of the traditional region of Grenland. The administrative centre of the municipality is the city of Skien. Skien is also the administrative centre of Telemark county....
, as the son of Major Sigvald Hansen and his wife Carmen Franciska Christina Kirsebom. He changed his last name to Wigert in 1935. Wigert was married to Eva Nordlie from 1942 to 1946. He was married to ship owner Sofie Helene Huitfeldt from 1950 until her death in 1989, and to journalist Vera Dietrichson from 1991.
Actor
Wigert made his stage début at CentralteatretCentralteatret
Centralteatret is a theatre in Akersgata, Oslo, Norway.Centralteatret was established by the Alma Isabella Bosse Fahlstrøm and Johan Peter Broust Fahlstrøm in 1897. From 1902, Harald Otto was the theater manager and owner. His son, Reidar Otto, subsequently ran it, while his son, Harald Otto...
in 1937, and started acting 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...
in Oslo from 1938. He played "the pilot" in an adaptation of Karel Čapek
Karel Capek
Karel Čapek was Czech writer of the 20th century.-Biography:Born in 1890 in the Bohemian mountain village of Malé Svatoňovice to an overbearing, emotional mother and a distant yet adored father, Čapek was the youngest of three siblings...
's anti-Nazi play Matka (The Mother), which had dress rehearsal on 8 April 1940 and never premièred due to the German invasion of Norway the following day. Among his roles were "Hugo" in a 1950 adaptation of Jean Paul Sartre's Dirty Hands
Dirty hands
Dirty hands is a metaphor used in moral and political philosophy and everyday conversation to symbolize the sullying of one's moral standing by dealing with unsavory matters...
, and "Brick" in a 1956 adaptation of Tennessee Williams
Tennessee Williams
Thomas Lanier "Tennessee" Williams III was an American writer who worked principally as a playwright in the American theater. He also wrote short stories, novels, poetry, essays, screenplays and a volume of memoirs...
's Cat on a Hot Tin Roof
Cat on a Hot Tin Roof
Cat on a Hot Tin Roof is a play by Tennessee Williams. One of Williams's best-known works and his personal favorite, the play won the Pulitzer Prize for Drama in 1955...
. He played a long series of Ibsen characters, such as "Hertug Skule" (from The Pretenders
The Pretenders (play)
The Pretenders is a dramatic play by Norwegian playwright Henrik Ibsen.-Play overview:The Pretenders was written in bursts during 1863, but Ibsen claims to have had sources and the idea back in 1858. A five-act play in prose set in the thirteenth-century. The play opened at the old Christiania...
), "Peer" (from Peer Gynt
Peer Gynt
Peer Gynt is a five-act play in verse by the Norwegian dramatist Henrik Ibsen, loosely based on the fairy tale Per Gynt. It is the most widely performed Norwegian play. According to Klaus Van Den Berg, the "cinematic script blends poetry with social satire and realistic scenes with surreal ones"...
), "Rosmer" (from Rosmersholm
Rosmersholm
Rosmersholm is a play written in 1886 by Norwegian playwright Henrik Ibsen. In the estimation of many critics the piece is Ibsen's masterwork, only equalled by The Wild Duck of 1884...
), "Brack" (from Hedda Gabler
Hedda Gabler
Hedda Gabler is a play first published in 1890 by Norwegian playwright Henrik Ibsen. The play premiered in 1891 in Germany to negative reviews, but has subsequently gained recognition as a classic of realism, nineteenth century theatre, and world drama...
), "Helmer" (from A Doll's House
A Doll's House
A Doll's House is a three-act play in prose by the Norwegian playwright Henrik Ibsen. It premièred at the Royal Theatre in Copenhagen, Denmark, on 21 December 1879, having been published earlier that month....
), "Rubek" (from When We Dead Awaken
When We Dead Awaken
When We Dead Awaken is the last play written by Norwegian dramatist Henrik Ibsen. Published in December 1899, Ibsen wrote the play between February and November of that year. The first performance was at the Haymarket Theatre in London, a day or two before publication.-Plot summary:The first act...
), "Solness" (from The Master Builder
The Master Builder
The Master Builder is a play by Norwegian playwright Henrik Ibsen. It was first published in December 1892 and is regarded as one of Ibsen's most significant and revealing works.-Performance:...
), "Borkman" (from John Gabriel Borkman
John Gabriel Borkman
John Gabriel Borkman is the penultimate composition of the Norwegian playwright Henrik Ibsen, written in 1896.-Plot:The Borkman family fortunes have been brought low by the imprisonment of John Gabriel who used his position as a bank manager to illegally speculate with his investors' money...
) and "Julian" (from Emperor and Galilean
Emperor and Galilean
Emperor and Galilean is a play written by Henrik Ibsen. Although it is one of the writer’s lesser known plays, on several occasions Henrik Ibsen called Emperor and Galilean his major work...
).
He made his film début in 1940, in the film Tante Pose, acted in the 1946 film Englandsfarere, and played the role "Fridtjof Nansen" in Bare et liv from 1968.
World War II
During World War IIWorld 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...
Wigert was a member of the Norwegian Independent Company 1
Norwegian Independent Company 1
Norwegian Independent Company 1 was a British SOE group formed in March 1941 originally for the purpose of performing commando raids during the Occupation of Norway by Nazi Germany. It was organized under the leadership of Captain Martin Linge...
, recruited by former actor and leader of the group Martin Linge
Martin Linge
Martin Jensen Linge was a former Norwegian actor who, in World War II, became the commander of the Norwegian Independent Company 1 , formed in March 1941 for operations on behalf of the Special Operations Executive.-Biography:Martin Linge was born in Norddal, Møre og Romsdal County, Norway...
. He participated in the Operation Archery
Operation Archery
Operation Archery, also known as the Vaagso Raid, was a British Combined Operations raid during World War II against German positions on Vaagso Island , Norway, on 27 December 1941....
raid at Måløy
Måløy
is a town and the administrative centre of the municipality of Vågsøy in Sogn og Fjordane county, Norway. Måløy is located on the southeastern side of the island of Vågsøy, about northeast of the village of Holvik and about south of Raudeberg. The Måløybrua connects the town to the village of...
in December 1941, and later graduated as lieutenant from the Royal Military Academy Sandhurst
Royal Military Academy Sandhurst
The Royal Military Academy Sandhurst , commonly known simply as Sandhurst, is a British Army officer initial training centre located in Sandhurst, Berkshire, England...
in 1943. He published the book Landflyktig in 1945, describing his travel via Stockholm, Moscow, Istanbul, Cairo and South Africa to England, and later service in the army.
Organizing career
Wigert chaired the Riksmål SocietyRiksmålsforbundet
Riksmålsforbundet is the main organisation for Riksmål, one of the written standard of the Norwegian language ....
from 1974 to 1983. He was decorated Commander of the Royal Norwegian Order of St. Olav in 1988 for his contributions to Norwegian theatre. He received the city of 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...
's cultural prize in 1992 for his initiative and efforts which resulted in the establishment of a Henrik Ibsen museum in Oslo. He received the Fritt Ord Honorary Award in 1996.