Lillebil Ibsen
Encyclopedia
Lillebil Ibsen (6 August 1899 – 12 August 1989) was a Norwegian dancer and actress.
, as the daughter of engineer Georg Monrad Krohn and actress Gyda Martha Kristine Andersen
(later Gyda Christensen). She married pilot
and film director Tancred Ibsen on 25 August 1919.
lessons at an early age with her mother, who was a professional choreographer and ballet instructor. She made her début as a dancer at Nationaltheatret
in 1911, in the ballet pantomime
Prinsessen på erten, an adaptation of the story "The Princess and the Pea
" by Hans Christian Andersen
. She then studied ballet with Hans Beck
in Copenhagen, and later with Russian choreographer Mikhail Fokine. She started performing in Berlin under supervision of Max Reinhardt
when she was sixteen years old, and played leading roles in Reinhardt's pantomimes Die Schäferin, Lillebils Hochzeitsreise, Prima Ballerina, Sumurun and Die grüne Flöte. She made her stage début as actress at Nationaltheatret
in Kristiania in 1915, in the children's comedy Den uskikkelige lille prinsesse. Her first film role was in Sången om den eldröda blomman from 1918. She made her début as a revue artist at Chat Noir
in 1924. She worked at Det Nye Teater
from 1929 to 1956, where she played classical comedy roles as well as a series of Ibsen
characters, such as "Nora", "Mrs Alving" and "Gina Ekdal". From 1956 to 1969 she performed at Nationaltheatret, where she played both dramatic and comic roles. She also played for the television theatre Fjernsynsteatret
.
On film she does a stand-out performance in Arne Mattsson
's cult mystery thriller Mannequin in Red
(1958); where Ibsen plays a large key part in a notable supporting role as the fashion house mogule Thyra Lennberg.
Ibsen issued the autobiography Det begynte med dansen. She was decorated Commander of the Royal Norwegian Order of St. Olav in 1969. She died in Oslo in 1989.
Personal life
She 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 daughter of engineer Georg Monrad Krohn and actress Gyda Martha Kristine Andersen
Gyda Christensen
Gyda Marthe Kristine Christensen , was a Norwegian actress, dancer, and choreographer. Later also a Managing Director of Nationaltheatret's ballet school in Oslo.-Biography:...
(later Gyda Christensen). She married pilot
Aviator
An aviator is a person who flies an aircraft. The first recorded use of the term was in 1887, as a variation of 'aviation', from the Latin avis , coined in 1863 by G. de la Landelle in Aviation Ou Navigation Aérienne...
and film director Tancred Ibsen on 25 August 1919.
Career
Lillebil Ibsen took balletBallet
Ballet is a type of performance dance, that originated in the Italian Renaissance courts of the 15th century, and which was further developed in France and Russia as a concert dance form. The early portions preceded the invention of the proscenium stage and were presented in large chambers with...
lessons at an early age with her mother, who was a professional choreographer and ballet instructor. She made her début as a dancer at Nationaltheatret
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 1911, in the ballet pantomime
Pantomime
Pantomime — not to be confused with a mime artist, a theatrical performer of mime—is a musical-comedy theatrical production traditionally found in the United Kingdom, Australia, New Zealand, Canada, Jamaica, South Africa, India, Ireland, Gibraltar and Malta, and is mostly performed during the...
Prinsessen på erten, an adaptation of the story "The Princess and the Pea
The Princess and the Pea
"The Princess and the Pea" is a literary fairy tale by Hans Christian Andersen about a young woman whose royal identity is established by a test of her physical sensitivity. The tale was first published with three others by Andersen in an inexpensive booklet on 8 May 1835 in Copenhagen by C.A...
" by Hans Christian Andersen
Hans Christian Andersen
Hans Christian Andersen was a Danish author, fairy tale writer, and poet noted for his children's stories. These include "The Steadfast Tin Soldier," "The Snow Queen," "The Little Mermaid," "Thumbelina," "The Little Match Girl," and "The Ugly Duckling."...
. She then studied ballet with Hans Beck
Hans Beck
Hans Beck was the German inventor of the toy Playmobil. He is thus often called "The Father of Playmobil."...
in Copenhagen, and later with Russian choreographer Mikhail Fokine. She started performing in Berlin under supervision of Max Reinhardt
Max Reinhardt
----Max Reinhardt was an Austrian theater and film director and actor.-Biography:...
when she was sixteen years old, and played leading roles in Reinhardt's pantomimes Die Schäferin, Lillebils Hochzeitsreise, Prima Ballerina, Sumurun and Die grüne Flöte. She made her stage début as actress at Nationaltheatret
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 Kristiania in 1915, in the children's comedy Den uskikkelige lille prinsesse. Her first film role was in Sången om den eldröda blomman from 1918. She made her début as a revue artist at 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:...
in 1924. She worked at 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 1929 to 1956, where she played classical comedy roles as well as a series of Ibsen
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...
characters, such as "Nora", "Mrs Alving" and "Gina Ekdal". From 1956 to 1969 she performed at Nationaltheatret, where she played both dramatic and comic roles. She also played for the television theatre Fjernsynsteatret
Fjernsynsteatret
Fjernsynsteatret was a department of the Norwegian Broadcasting Corporation which produced plays for television broadcasting. It opened in 1960 , and operated until 1990, when a major reorganisation of NRK took place.Its first leader was Arild Brinchmann, who headed the theatre from its start...
.
On film she does a stand-out performance in Arne Mattsson
Arne Mattsson
Arne Mattsson was a Swedish film director, born in Uppsala.His early movies were mostly comedies. His biggest success was Hon dansade en sommar , which earned him the Golden Bear at the Berlin International Film Festival and a nomination for the Grand Prize at the Cannes Film Festival in 1952...
's cult mystery thriller Mannequin in Red
Mannequin in Red
Mannequin in Red is a 1958 Swedish crime/thriller film directed by Arne Mattson and written by Folke Mellvig.Starring film couple Karl-Arne Holmsten and Annalisa Ericson as the investigating detective couple John and Kajsa Hillman; this time investigating a murder of a model connected to a famous...
(1958); where Ibsen plays a large key part in a notable supporting role as the fashion house mogule Thyra Lennberg.
Ibsen issued the autobiography Det begynte med dansen. She was decorated Commander of the Royal Norwegian Order of St. Olav in 1969. She died in Oslo in 1989.
Filmography
- Prinsessa på villovägar (1968)
- Mannekäng i röttMannequin in RedMannequin in Red is a 1958 Swedish crime/thriller film directed by Arne Mattson and written by Folke Mellvig.Starring film couple Karl-Arne Holmsten and Annalisa Ericson as the investigating detective couple John and Kajsa Hillman; this time investigating a murder of a model connected to a famous...
(Mannequin in Red) (1958)
- Arthurs forbrytelse (1955)
- Op med hodet! (1934)
- Lika inför lagen (1931)
- Pan (1922)
- Christian Wahnschaffe, 2. Teil - Die Flucht aus dem goldenen Kerker (1921)
- Weltbrand (1920)
- Sången om den eldröda blomman (1919)
- Europa postlagernd (1918)