Odd Grythe
Encyclopedia
Odd Horn Grythe was a Norwegian
radio and television personality.
as a son of a travelling salesman. He had four older siblings. From 1955 to 1958 he was married to Kirsten Sørlie. In March 1962 he married Ada Haug. With his first wife he had the daughter Hilde Grythe, who married Terje Tønnesen.
his secondary education in his hometown, and then moved to Oslo
. He worked different office jobs, and also for a short time at Centralteatret
. During the Second World War he was a part of the Norwegian resistance movement
in Lillehammer. He was arrested on 23 March 1945 and was imprisoned in Grini concentration camp from 13 April 1945 until the war's end. After the war, Grythe was a journalist and subeditor in Dagningen
from 1946 to 1950. He was also a city council member for the Labour Party
. He worked in Lillehammer og omlands tiltaksråd from 1950 to 1953, and from 1953 to 1959 as a film producing assistant and producer.
In 1959 he was hired as program secretary in Norwegian Broadcasting Corporation radio. On 20 August 1960 he hosted the first show after the official opening of Norwegian television
, Startskuddet går. He hosted the Melodi Grand Prix
in 1960 (with Erik Diesen
), 1961 (with Erik Diesen), 1962, 1963
, 1964
and 1965
. In 1961 he was officially transferred from the radio department to television, and from 1966 to 1971 he headed the information department. From October 1971 to his retirement in 1985 he hosted the show Husker du..., an entertainment show for the elderly with revue
performances, evergreens and musical numbers of the past. In 1979 he was awarded the second Se og Hør readers' TV personality of the year award. He also received the Humanist Prize from the Norwegian Humanist Association in 1989.
Part of his qualifications for the job stemmed from him touring retirement homes and sanatoria with musical acts. He continued doing so after retiring from television. In 1988 he released his memoirs, Dette husker jeg... (a play on Husker du...). He died in February 1995 in Oslo.
Norway
Norway , officially the Kingdom of Norway, is a Nordic unitary constitutional monarchy whose territory comprises the western portion of the Scandinavian Peninsula, Jan Mayen, and the Arctic archipelago of Svalbard and Bouvet Island. Norway has a total area of and a population of about 4.9 million...
radio and television personality.
Personal life
He was born in LillehammerLillehammer
is a town and municipality in Oppland county, Norway, globally known for hosting the 1994 Winter Olympics. It is part of the traditional region of Gudbrandsdal. The administrative centre of the municipality is the town of Lillehammer. As of May 2011, the population of the town of Lillehammer was...
as a son of a travelling salesman. He had four older siblings. From 1955 to 1958 he was married to Kirsten Sørlie. In March 1962 he married Ada Haug. With his first wife he had the daughter Hilde Grythe, who married Terje Tønnesen.
Career
He finishedExamen artium
Examen artium was the name of the academic certification conferred in Denmark and Norway, qualifying the student for admission to university studies. Examen artium was originally introduced as the entrance exam of the University of Copenhagen in 1630...
his secondary education in his hometown, and then moved to 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...
. He worked different office jobs, and also for a short time at Centralteatret
Centralteatret
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...
. During the Second World War he was a part of the Norwegian resistance movement
Norwegian resistance movement
The Norwegian resistance to the occupation of Norway by Nazi Germany began after Operation Weserübung in 1940 and ended in 1945. It took several forms:...
in Lillehammer. He was arrested on 23 March 1945 and was imprisoned in Grini concentration camp from 13 April 1945 until the war's end. After the war, Grythe was a journalist and subeditor in Dagningen
Dagningen
Dagningen was a Norwegian newspaper, published in Lillehammer in Oppland county.It was started in 1924 and was affiliated with the Labour Party. In 1997 it merged with Gudbrandsdølen Lillehammer Tilskuer—itself a 1990 merger between Gudbrandsdølen and Lillehammer Tilskuer—to form...
from 1946 to 1950. He was also a city council member for the Labour Party
Norwegian Labour Party
The Labour Party is a social-democratic political party in Norway. It is the senior partner in the current Norwegian government as part of the Red-Green Coalition, and its leader, Jens Stoltenberg, is the current Prime Minister of Norway....
. He worked in Lillehammer og omlands tiltaksråd from 1950 to 1953, and from 1953 to 1959 as a film producing assistant and producer.
In 1959 he was hired as program secretary in Norwegian Broadcasting Corporation radio. On 20 August 1960 he hosted the first show after the official opening of Norwegian television
Television in Norway
Television in Norway was introduced in 1954. Nowadays, 40% of the population have cable TV, and 30% have satellite TV. Another 30% have terrestrial television only.- Analogue terrestrial television :...
, Startskuddet går. He hosted the Melodi Grand Prix
Melodi Grand Prix
Melodi Grand Prix is an annual music competition organised by Norwegian public broadcaster Norsk Rikskringkasting . It determines the country's representative for the Eurovision Song Contest, and has been staged almost every year since 1960.The festival has produced three Eurovision winners and...
in 1960 (with Erik Diesen
Erik Diesen
Erik Tangevald Diesen was a Norwegian revue writer and radio- and television personality. He was associated with the Norwegian Broadcasting Corporation for more than fifty years, and is regarded the founder of television entertainment in Norway.He was awarded the Amanda Honorary Award in 1989, and...
), 1961 (with Erik Diesen), 1962, 1963
Norway in the Eurovision Song Contest 1963
Norway was represented by Anita Thallaug, with the song '"Solhverv", at the 1963 Eurovision Song Contest, which took place on 23 March in London...
, 1964
Norway in the Eurovision Song Contest 1964
Norway was represented by Arne Bendiksen, with the song '"Spiral", at the 1964 Eurovision Song Contest, which took place on 21 March in Copenhagen. "Spiral" was chosen as the Norwegian entry at the Melodi Grand Prix on 15 February.-Final:...
and 1965
Norway in the Eurovision Song Contest 1965
Norway was represented by Kirsti Sparboe, with the song '"Karusell", at the 1965 Eurovision Song Contest, which took place on 20 March in Naples, Italy. "Karusell" was chosen as the Norwegian entry at the Melodi Grand Prix on 13 February...
. In 1961 he was officially transferred from the radio department to television, and from 1966 to 1971 he headed the information department. From October 1971 to his retirement in 1985 he hosted the show Husker du..., an entertainment show for the elderly with revue
Revue
A revue is a type of multi-act popular theatrical entertainment that combines music, dance and sketches. The revue has its roots in 19th century American popular entertainment and melodrama but grew into a substantial cultural presence of its own during its golden years from 1916 to 1932...
performances, evergreens and musical numbers of the past. In 1979 he was awarded the second Se og Hør readers' TV personality of the year award. He also received the Humanist Prize from the Norwegian Humanist Association in 1989.
Part of his qualifications for the job stemmed from him touring retirement homes and sanatoria with musical acts. He continued doing so after retiring from television. In 1988 he released his memoirs, Dette husker jeg... (a play on Husker du...). He died in February 1995 in Oslo.