Sven Wollter

Sven Justus Fredrik Wollter (11 January 1934 – 10 November 2020) was a Swedish actor, writer, and political activist. Wollter is one of the most renowned Swedish actors, he was awarded Best Swedish actor twice. In his native country, he became widely known through his role as Madame Flod's son Gusten in Swedish Television's adaption of The People of Hemsö by August Strindberg in 1966. Later he had several notable roles, including in 1976 when he played Detective Sergeant Lennart Kollberg in Bo Widerberg's film The Man on the Roof. For international viewers, he is best known for his role Victor in the dramatic film The Sacrifice by Andrei Tarkovsky, and for a wider television audience as the retired Detective Chief Inspector Van Veeteren in the cinematic adaptations of Håkan Nesser's police novels.

Biography Sven Wollter was born in Gothenburg, Sweden. He was the son of editor Kjell Wollter (1884–1950) and Elsa, née Ekwall (1905–1980). After studying at Gothenburg City Theatre's student school 1953–1957, Wollter worked at a number of smaller Swedish theaters such as the Pionjärteatern 1954-1958 and the Bygdeteatern 1959. He was later employed at the National Swedish Touring Theatre 1960–1961, The Norrköping City Theatre 1961–1963, The Vasateatern 1964–1966 and The Swedish Television Theatre 1966–1967. He then returned to The Gothenburg City Theater where he performed 1967–1983, then at the Folkteatern i Gävleborg 1983–1986 followed by The Stockholm City Theatre as of 1986.

Wollter starred in many films such as Andrei Tarkovsky's The Sacrifice (1986), Bo Widerberg's The Man on the Roof (1976) and The Man from Majorca (1984), Colin Nutley's House of Angels (1992), and Bille August's Jerusalem (1996), based on the novel by Selma Lagerlöf. For his roles in The Man from Majorca and Sista leken he won the award for Best Actor at the 20th Guldbagge Awards.

He appeared in television series such as Hemsöborna (1966), based on the 1887 novel of the same name by August Strindberg, and Raskens (1976), based on the 1927 novel of the same name by Vilhelm Moberg, which helped launch Wollter's career. Wollter has starred in Hollywood productions such as John McTiernan's The 13th Warrior (1999), in which he played a Viking chief. His activities included the theatre ensemble Fria Proteatern and the successful Tältprojektet, The Tent Project, a musical theatre performance based on the history of the Swedish working class that toured the country the summer of 1977. In 2018, he received the controversial Lenin Award of 100,000 Swedish krona (about 10,000 euro), a cultural award named after Vladimir Lenin.

Personal life Wollter had five children; Ylva (1962–1992) and Stina Wollter (born 1964) together with Annie Jenhoff, Lina Wollter together with Evabritt Strandberg, Karl Seldahl (born 1975) together with Viveka Seldahl and the youngest child Magnus together with Maria Lindgren. From 2003 until his death he was married to Lisa Wede.

Death Wollter died on 10 November 2020, in Luleå, Sweden, from complications caused by COVID-19 which he had been infected by during a visit to Stockholm. Prior to contracting the coronavirus, Wollter was diagnosed with COPD according to his daughter Stina Wollter. He was 86 years old.

Filmography

1959: Rider in Blue as Press Photographer (uncredited) 1966: Hemsöborna (TV Mini Series) as Gusten 1967: I Am Curious (Yellow) as Captain (uncredited) 1968: Jag älskar, du älskar as Sten 1969: Nej (Short) 1973: Ett köpmanshus i skärgården (TV Series) as Janne 1974: Rymmare (TV Movie) as Klas 1975: Gyllene år (TV Series) as Björn Bjurhoff 1975: The White Wall as Kjell Larsson 1976: Raskens (TV Series) as Gustav 'Raskens' Rask 1976: The Man on the Roof as Lennart Kollberg 1978: Strandfyndet (TV Series) as Direktör Sallberg 1979: Linus eller Tegelhusets hemlighet as Daniel 1979: Charlotte Löwensköld as Foundry Proprietor Schagerström 1981: Sista budet as Police Inspector 1981: Kallocain (TV Mini Series) as Leo Kall 1983: Jacob Smitaren as Doctor 1983: Profitörerna (TV Series) as Jarnebring 1984: Sista leken as Viktor 1984: The Man from Majorca as Inspector Jarnebring 1985: Havlandet as Matti 1986: The Sacrifice as Victor 1986: I lagens namn as Jarnebring 1987: En film om kärlek as Peter 1987: Friends as Zeb 1988: Ein Treffen mit Rimbaud as Hinrich 1988: Enkel resa as Johannes 1988: Sweetwater as Doc 1989: Husbonden – piraten på Sandön (TV Movie) as Peter 1989-1991: Tre kärlekar (TV Series) as Eskil Enekrona 1990: Smykketyven as Jan Ström 1991: Menekse Koyu as Kerem 1992: House of Angels as Axel Flogfält 1993: Dockpojken as Fadern 1994: House of Angels – The Second Summer as Axel Flogfält 1995: Alfred as Alfred Nobel 1996: Jerusalem as Stor-Ingmar 1997: Oliver & Company as Sykes (voice in Swedish redub) 1998: The Tattooed Widow (TV Movie) as Erik Sandström 1998: Ögat as Poliskommissarien 1998: Ivar Kreuger (TV Series) as Häradshövding Wallenberg 1999: The 13th Warrior as King Hrothgar 1999: Sally (TV Series) as Rolf 'Roffe' Santesson 2000: Det grovmaskiga nätet (TV Series) as Van Veeteren 2000: A Song for Martin as Martin 2001: Kaspar i Nudådalen (TV Series) as Perols Erik 2001: Återkomsten as Van Veeteren 2001: Kvinna med födelsemärke (TV Series) as Van Veeteren 2001: Kira's Reason: A Love Story as Kira's Father 2002: Suxxess as Sigvard 2002: Dieselråttor & sjömansmöss as Mäster Estragon 2002: Treasure Planet as John Silver (voice in Swedish dub) 2005: Molly i världen as The narrator 2005: Van Veeteren – Carambole as Van Veeteren 2005: Störst av allt as Aron P Johansson 2005: Van Veeteren – Münsters fall as Van Veeteren 2005: Van Veeteren – Borkmanns punkt as Van Veeteren 2006: Van Veeteren – Moreno och tystnaden as Van Veeteren 2006: Sigillet as Vete von Vanders 2006: Van Veeteren – Svalan, Katten, Rosen, Döden as Van Veeteren 2006: Van Veeteren – Fallet G as Van Veeteren 2007: Elias: The Little Rescue Boat as The Royal Yacht (Swedish version, voice) 2009: Gnomes and Trolls: The Secret Chamber (Swedish dub) as Fassa (voice) 2010: House of Angels – Third Time Lucky as Axel Flogfält 2012: Flimmer as Barnard 2012: Samlaren (Short) as Lennart 2015: Våga älska as Piloten 2017: Solsidan as Maurtiz Schiller 2018: Videomannen as Grannen - The Neighbor 2022: The House as Odd Couple Husband (released posthumously; final film role)