Per Pavels Aabel (25 April 1902 – 22 December 1999) was a Norwegian actor, artist, dancer, choreographer and instructor.''Per Aabel er død''
(Dagbladet. December 23, 1999)

Biography

Per Aabel was the son of

Hauk Aabel Hauk Erlendssøn Aabel (21 April 1869 – 12 December 1961) was a popular Norwegian comedian and actor in Norwegian and Swedish silent film. Career Aabel made his début on stage on 11 October 1897 at the Christiania Theatre in Oslo, and was ...

, a popular Norwegian comedian and actor in Norwegian and Swedish silent film, and the actress Svanhild Johannessen. He was the brother of the actor and translator Andreas Aabel. He studied at Sergei Diaghilev's

Ballets Russes The Ballets Russes () was an itinerant ballet company begun in Paris that performed between 1909 and 1929 throughout Europe and on tours to North and South America. The company never performed in Russia, where the Revolution disrupted society. A ...

in London, after studying at the ballet teacher Enrico Cecchetti. He also attended the Academy of Fine Arts in Paris. He then embarked on training with the theatre director Max Reinhardt in Vienna before making his stage debut in 1931. Aabel spent a number of years as a principal actor and teacher with major theatre companies in Oslo during the 1930s, and was the director of the

Carl Johan Theater The Carl Johan Theater ( no, Carl Johan Teatret) was a theater in Oslo, Norway. It was initially located in the Christiania Tivoli amusement park in Oslo from 1893 to 1895, where it was led by Olaf Mørch Hansson. It staged performance of works suc ...

( no, Carl Johan Teatret between 1933 and 1938. He did not appear in film until the late 1930s. He is more renowned though for his work with the Norwegian theatre. He was employed at the Central Theatre from 1938 to 1940 and the National Theatre from 1940 to 1972. In the public mind he is probably best remembered as an esteemed raconteur. After his retirement, Per Aabel was a frequent entertainer on television as a storyteller. He appeared frequently at national events and artist anniversaries. His statue, by Norwegian sculptor Nina Emilie Sundbye, was unveiled outside the stage entrance of the National Theatre in 1999. He is buried at Oslo Western Civil Cemetery.

Awards

Aabel was given the Karl Gerhard honorary award in 1970, Årets Peer Gynt in 1972, the

St. Hallvard Medal The Medal of St. Hallvard ( no, St. Hallvardsmedaljen) is the highest award of the City of Oslo, Norway. It is awarded to people who have made a particularly noteworthy contribution to the City of Oslo. It is named after the city's patron, Saint ...

in 1976, and the Amanda Honorary Award in 1988 and 1998. He was decorated as a Commander with Star of the

Order of St. Olav The Royal Norwegian Order of Saint Olav ( no, Den Kongelige Norske Sankt Olavs Orden; or ''Sanct Olafs Orden'', the old Norwegian name) is a Norwegian order of chivalry instituted by King Oscar I on 21 August 1847. It is named after King Olav II ...

in 1978. In 1988 Aabel was decorated the Grand Cross of St. Olav (Storkors) - awarded to heads of state as a courtesy and in rare cases to individuals for merit. The Per Aabel Honorary Award (''Per Aabels ærespris'') is awarded annually on Aabel's birthday, April 25. The award was established in 1979 and the first award granted to a talented, Norwegian actor or actress in 1980. The prize includes a statuette of Per Aabel designed by Nina Sundbye. The committee that selects the prize winner is made up of Wenche Foss,

Bjarte Hjelmeland Bjarte Hjelmeland (born 24 February 1970) is a Norwegian actor and theatre director. He was born in Bergen. He made his stage debut in 1991 at Oslo Nye Teater, and also had notable roles at the National Theatre, Rogaland Teater, Torshovteatret, ...

and theater director

Eirik Stubø Eirik Aasan Stubø (born 16 June 1965 in Narvik, Norway) is a Norwegian stage producer and theatre director. He has been director of Rogaland Teater and Nationaltheatret in Norway, and Stockholms Stadsteater and the Royal Dramatic Theatre in Sw ...

.''Aabel-prisen''
(Dagbladet Nyheter. May 17, 2001)

Selected works

* '' Variety Is the Spice of Life'' (1939) * ''

En herre med bart ''En herre med bart'' ( en, A Gentleman with a Moustache}) is a 1942 Norwegian comedy film directed by Alfred Maurstad, based on a play by Finn Bø, and starring Per Aabel and Wenche Foss. Attorney Ole Grong (Aabel) and his wife Cecilie (Foss) are ...

'' (1944) * '' Et spøkelse forelsker seg'' (1946) * ''Du verden'' (1950) * ''

Brudebuketten ''Brudebuketten'' ( en, The Bridal Bouquet}) is a 1953 Norway, Norwegian comedy film directed by Bjørn Breigutu, starring Randi Kolstad, Lalla Carlsen and Per Aabel. Cast * Randi Kolstad as Siv Blom * Lalla Carlsen as Berthe * Per Aabel as H ...

'' (1953) * ''Den stundesløse Per Aabel'' (1980)

References

Other sources

* Lillo-Stenberg, Ole (ed.) ''Alene på scenen: Per Aabel og tekstene hans'' (2001) (Andresen & Butenschøn) * Hansen, Jan Erik (1993.) ''Kjære Per Aabel'' (Cappelen)

External links

*
Portrait of Per Aabel 1934

Family genealogy
{{DEFAULTSORT:Aabel, Per 1902 births 1999 deaths Norwegian male stage actors Norwegian male film actors Norwegian male comedians Spellemannprisen winners Storytellers Norwegian male dancers Norwegian dancers Norwegian choreographers 20th-century Norwegian male actors 20th-century comedians