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Linnéa Edgren

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Linnéa Edgren
Linnéa Edgren in Värmlänningarna (1932)
Born
Syster Linnéa Spångberg

(1904-03-11)March 11, 1904
Ludvika, Dalarna County Sweden
DiedMay 23, 1981(1981-05-23) (aged 77)
Bromma, Stockholm County, Sweden
Resting placeNya kyrkogården, Karlstad, Värmland County, Sweden (Grave no. NKE 113–114)
59°18′18″N 14°04′52″E / 59.3050°N 14.0811°E / 59.3050; 14.0811
OccupationActress
Years active1927–1959
Spouse
​
​
(m. 1927; died 1954)​
Children3
Parents
  • Anders Gustaf Olsson (father)
  • Anna Lovisa Spångberg (mother)
Relatives

Linnéa Edgren (née Spångberg; 11 March 1904 – 23 May 1981) was a Swedish actress who appeared in both silent and sound films during the early to mid-20th century. Known for her authentic portrayals of domestic and rural characters, she worked with many of Sweden's most distinguished actors and appeared in films that gained international recognition.

Biography

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Early life

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Syster Linnéa Spångberg was born in 1904 in Ludvika, Dalarna County, Sweden, to Anna Lovisa Spångberg (1870–1916) and Anders Gustaf Olsson.[1][2] She had an older brother Sten Sixten Spångberg (1900–1970) and an older half-brother August Konrad Ferdinand Spångberg (1893–1987).[1]

Linnéa's childhood was marked by frequent relocations. She, her mother, and her two brothers moved between various settlements in Värmland and Örebro counties, including Granbergsdal in Karlskoga, Örebro,[3] the steel mill at Öfalla in Nora, Örebro,[4] Hofvilsrud in Eda, Värmland,[5] and eventually Charlottenberg in Eda.[6][1]

Following their mother's death in 1916, 12-year-old Linnéa and 16-year-old Sten were placed in separate foster homes. Linnéa continued her studies, while Sten found work at a sawmill. Eventually, August secured a small apartment with a single room and a kitchen, allowing the siblings to reunite. Despite her young age, Linnéa skillfully managed their modest home, earning August's admiration for her diligence and care.[7]

Linnéa developed talents as a performer/teacher with the Barngillet (Children's Guild) pre-school program, where she was noted as a gifted reciter, skillfully performing poetry and literary works at meetings and events.[8]

Family

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When Linnéa was 23, she married movie director Gustaf Edgren, a widower and a major figure in Swedish cinema.[9] Britt-Lis,[10] Bengt,[11] and Björn,[12] their three children, were child actors.

Her brother, Sten, a stonemason, would marry and settle in Charlottenberg, while August married a peace activist he met while working at the Barngillet and would become a member of the Swedish parliament.[13][14]

Career

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Värmlänningarna (1932) Poster. Top Left: Gösta Kjellertz with Annalisa Ericson; Middle: Georg Blomstedt, Annalisa Ericson, Linnéa Edgren; Bottom: Nils Lundell with Annalisa Ericson; Mathias Taube with Ivan Hedqvist.

Linnéa Edgren began her acting career during the silent film era, making her screen debut in 1927. Over the course of her career, which spanned from the late 1920s through the 1950s, she appeared in both silent and sound films.

Edgren often portrayed characters rooted in domestic and supportive roles, reflecting the social ideals and cinematic archetypes prevalent in early Swedish cinema. Though she appeared in a relatively small number of productions, her performances were praised for their understated realism, warmth, and authenticity. She worked alongside many of Sweden's most distinguished actors, including Ingrid Bergman,[15] Victor Sjöström,[15] Gösta Ekman,[16] Thor Modéen,[17] Fridolf Rhudin,[18][19] and Annalisa Ericson.[16]

Her most significant role came in 1932 with Värmlänningarna (The Värmlanders), where she played Brita, the daughter of Rik-Ola and rival to the protagonist Anna. The film, based on Fredrik August Dahlgren's popular play, opened at New York's Fifth Avenue Playhouse and was reviewed positively by The New York Times. The review noted that "the acting is convincing" and specifically described Edgren's character as "the rather spiteful Brita."[20]

Death

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Linnéa Edgren died in Bromma, Stockholm, in 1981 at the age of 77. She is interred at Nya kyrkogården, Karlstad, Värmland County with family members.[21]

Filmography

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  • 1927 — Spökbaronen (The Ghost Baron); Role: Anna, the maid; Director: Gustaf Edgren.[19]
  • 1928 — Svarte Rudolf (Black Rudolf); Role: Inga Österman; Director: Gustaf Edgren.[18]
  • 1932 — Värmlänningarna (The Värmlanders); Role: Brita, Rik-Ola's daughter (Anna's rival); Director: Gustaf Edgren.[22]
  • 1935 — Valborgsmässoafton (Walpurgis Night); Role: A daughter-in-law of Fredrik Bergström; Director: Gustaf Edgren.[15]
  • 1936 — Johan Ulfstjerna; Role: The Countess; Director: Gustaf Edgren.[16]
  • 1959 — För katten (For Heaven's Sake [lit. "For the cat"]); Role: "tant Skvaller" (lit. "Gossipy Lady"); Director: Gunnar Skoglund.[17]

References

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  1. ^ a b c Spångberg 1966, pp. 2–3.
  2. ^ Gravar.se 2025.
  3. ^ FamilySearch 2025a.
  4. ^ Riksarkivet 2025.
  5. ^ FamilySearch 2025b.
  6. ^ FamilySearch 2025c.
  7. ^ Spångberg 1966, p. 34.
  8. ^ Spångberg 1966, p. 67.
  9. ^ Svenska Filminstitutet 2025a.
  10. ^ Svenska Filminstitutet 2025b.
  11. ^ Svenska Filminstitutet 2025c.
  12. ^ Svenska Filminstitutet 2025d.
  13. ^ Riksarkivet 2025b.
  14. ^ Spångberg 1966, pp. 34, 67.
  15. ^ a b c Svenska Filminstitutet 2025e.
  16. ^ a b c Svenska Filminstitutet 2025f.
  17. ^ a b Svenska Filminstitutet 2025g.
  18. ^ a b Svenska Filminstitutet 2025h.
  19. ^ a b Svenska Filminstitutet 2025i.
  20. ^ The New York Times 1932.
  21. ^ SvenskaGravar.se 2025.
  22. ^ Svenska Filminstitutet 2025j.

Bibliography

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  • FamilySearch (2025a). "Karlskoga, Örebro, Sweden records". Landsarkivet i Uppsala, page 151 of 315. Image Group Number: 104119897.
  • FamilySearch (2025b). "Eda, Värmland, Sweden records". Sverige. Värmlandsarkiv (Karlstad), page 302 of 407. Image Group Number: 104124435.
  • FamilySearch (2025c). "Eda, Värmland, Sweden records". Sverige. Värmlandsarkiv (Karlstad), page 72 of 224. Image Group Number: 104124439.
  • Gravar.se (2025). "Anna Lovisa Spångberg".
  • Riksarkivet (2025). "Censuses (Sweden's population) 1910".
  • Riksarkivet (2025b). "Ingeborg Censuses (Sweden's population) 1930".
  • Spångberg, August (1966). I tidens ström (PDF). Stockholm: Bok o. bild.
  • Svenska Filminstitutet (2025a). "Linnéa Edgren". Svensk Filmdatabas.
  • Svenska Filminstitutet (2025b). "Britt-Lis Edgren". Svensk Filmdatabas.
  • Svenska Filminstitutet (2025c). "Bengt Edgren". Svensk Filmdatabas.
  • Svenska Filminstitutet (2025d). "Björn Edgren". Svensk Filmdatabas.
  • Svenska Filminstitutet (2025e). "Valborgsmässoafton (1935)". Svensk Filmdatabas.
  • Svenska Filminstitutet (2025f). "Johan Ulfstjerna (1936)". Svensk Filmdatabas.
  • Svenska Filminstitutet (2025g). "För katten (1959)". Svensk Filmdatabas.
  • Svenska Filminstitutet (2025h). "Svarte Rudolf (1928)". Svensk Filmdatabas.
  • Svenska Filminstitutet (2025i). "Spökbaronen (1927)". Svensk Filmdatabas.
  • Svenska Filminstitutet (2025j). "Värmlänningarna (1932)". Svensk Filmdatabas.
  • SvenskaGravar.se (2025). "Linnéa Edgren".
  • "A Swedish Film". The New York Times. 18 November 1932.
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