Gerda Ring | |
|---|---|
 Gerda Ring in 1924 | |
| Born | (1891-05-11)11 May 1891 Kristiansand, Norway |
| Died | 12 January 1999(1999-01-12) (aged 107) Oslo, Norway |
| Resting place | Oslo Western Civil Cemetery |
| Occupation | Actress |
| Spouse | Halfdan Christensen |
| Children | Bab Christensen Pelle Christensen |
| Parent(s) | Thorvald August Kirsebom Barbra Ring |
| Awards | |
Gerda Ring (11 May 1891 – 12 January 1999) was a Norwegianstage actress and stage producer. She was the daughter of writerBarbra Ring, and married actor and theatre directorHalfdan Christensen in 1922. They were parents of the actorsBab Christensen andPelle Christensen.[1]
Ring had her stage debut atDet Nye Teater in Copenhagen in 1911, in the playKongens hjerte, written by Barbra Ring (Gerda's mother).[2] She played at theNational Theatre from 1912 to 1961.[2] Among her roles were "Hedvig" inIbsen'sThe Wild Duck, and "Eleonora" inStrindberg'sEaster. Her first stage production was an adaption ofGunnar Heiberg's playGerts have in 1930.[1]
During theSecond World War Ring played a leading role in thetheatre conflict which emerged in 1941,[3] being on the board of theNorwegian Actors' Equity Association.[4] One of the disagreements was whether the actors were obliged to participate in radio productions. After several actors, including Ring, refused to participate forRadioteatret in May 1941, the Gestapo intervened, and the group had their working permissions revoked. This was 21 May, and already the same evening a strike was effective in Oslo, and from the next day also in Bergen and Trondheim.[4][5] Several theatre leaders were eventually arrested, but the strike lasted until end of June, after long negotiations, which also included German threats of death by court-martial.[4][6]
In 1942 Ring had to flee to Sweden, where she started the theatre groupFri Norsk Scene, together with her husband Halfdan Christensen.[1]
After the war Ring staged several productions, including plays byTennessee Williams,Jean-Paul Sartre andHenrik Ibsen. She received the Critics' Prize for her adaptation of Sartre'sDirty Hands in 1950. In addition to her work at the National Theatre, she also produced forRadioteatret, forOslo Nye Teater,Riksteatret,Den Nationale Scene andRogaland Teater, and for theatres in Denmark, Iceland and China.[1]
Ring was awarded theKing's Medal of Merit in gold in 1951.[7] She was appointed Knight, First Class of theRoyal Norwegian Order of St. Olav in 1956, and was also Knight of the SwedishOrder of the Polar Star.[1]
When she died in 1999; she was 107 years old.
| International | |
|---|---|
| National | |
| Artists | |
