Anita Björk

Anita Björk (25 April 1923 – 24 October 2012) was a Swedish actress.

Björk was born in Tällberg, Dalarna, and attended the Royal Dramatic Training Academy from 1942 to 1945. She was a leading lady of Swedish theatre for many years and worked on the national stage, the Royal Dramatic Theatre, from 1945 onwards. She played more than 100 roles over the years and is therefore considered one of the greatest and most prolific actors of the Royal Dramatic Theatre.

Anita Björk played leading roles in film in a number of genres, including thrillers and crime mystery dramas such as Det kom en gäst (1947), Moln över Hellesta (1956), Damen i svart (1958), Mannekäng i rött (1958) and Tärningen är kastad (1960). Her most famous role was probably her title role in Alf Sjöberg's film adaption of Strindberg's Miss Julie (1951) that was awarded the grand prize at Cannes Film Festival.

In the book-length interview Hitchcock/Truffaut (Simon and Schuster, 1967), Hitchcock said he had hired Björk as the female lead for I Confess in 1952 after seeing her in Miss Julie. However, when Björk arrived in Hollywood with her lover Stig Dagerman and their baby, Jack L. Warner, the head of Warner Brothers insisted that Hitchcock should find another actress.

She was married to Olof Bergström (1945–1951) and to Stig Dagerman (from 1953). After Dagerman's death in 1954, she had a relationship with author Graham Greene.

In 2009, Björk performed in A. R. Gurney's play Kärleksbrev (Love Letters) at the Royal Dramatic Theatre opposite Jan-Olof Strandberg (Lilla scenen; March–April, 2009).

Björk died on 24 October 2012 at the age of 89.

Partial filmography

1942: Himlaspelet (a.k.a. The Heavenly Play / The Road to Heaven) – Anna Jesper 1944: Count Only the Happy Moments – Lilian Lind 1946: 100 dragspel och en flicka – Elsa Borell 1947: No Way Back – Evelyn 1947: Kvinna utan ansikte (a.k.a. Woman Without a Face) – Frida Grande 1947: Det kom en gäst – Siv 1948: On These Shoulders – Birgit Larsson 1949: Realm of Man – Birgit Maria Larsson 1950: The Quartet That Split Up – Maj Andersson 1951: Fröken Julie (a.k.a. Miss Julie) – Miss Julie 1952: Kvinnors väntan (a.k.a. Secrets of Women) – Rakel 1952: Han glömde henne aldrig – Karin Engström 1954: Night People – 'Hoffy' Hoffmeier 1954: The Witch 1955: Getting Married (a.k.a. Of Love and Lust) – Helene 1955: Hamlet (TV Movie) – Ofelia, hans dotter 1955: The Cornet – Gräfin von Zathmar 1956: Moln över Hellesta (a.k.a. Moon Over Hellesta) – Margareta Snellman 1956: The Song of the Scarlet Flower – Kyllikki Malm 1957: A Guest in His Own House – Eva Dahl 1958: Damen i svart (a.k.a. The Lady in Black) – Inger von Schilden 1958: Körkarlen (a.k.a. The Phantom Carriage) – Mrs. Holm 1958: Mannekäng i rött (a.k.a. Mannequin in Red) – Birgitta Lindell 1960: The Die Is Cast – Rebecca Striid 1960: Good Friends and Faithful Neighbours – Mrs. Yvonne Frejer 1961: Square of Violence – Sophia 1962: The Lady in White – Helen G:son Lundberg 1963: Misantropen (TV Movie) – Célimène 1964: Älskande par (a.k.a. Loving Couples) – Petra von Pahlen 1966: Utro 1967: Tofflan – Erna Alm 1968: Komedi i Hägerskog – Narcissa 1969: Ådalen 31 (a.k.a. Adalen 31 / Adalen Riots) – Hedvig, Annas mor 1978: Tribadernas natt (TV Movie) – Siri von Essen 1979: Arven – Märta Skaug 1981: The Witch Hunt – Ingeborg Eriksdotter Jaatun 1986: Amorosa – Arvida 1989: Flickan vid stenbänken (TV Series) – Amalia 1992: Markisinnan de Sade (TV Movie, Ingmar Bergman) – Madame de Montreuil 1992: Den goda viljan (a.k.a. Best Intentions) (script: Ingmar Bergman) – Drottning Victoria 1993: Snoken (TV Series) – Harriet Lindholm 1996: Enskilda samtal (a.k.a. Private Confessions / Conversations) (TV Movie; Ingmar Bergman) – Karin Åkerblom 1997: Larmar och gör sig till (a.k.a. In the Presence of a Clown) (TV Movie, Ingmar Bergman) – Anna Åkerblom 1998: Sanna ögonblick – Karin 2000: Bildmakarna (a.k.a. The Image Makers) (TV Movie, Ingmar Bergman) – Selma Lagerlöf (final film role)