Sæbjørn Buttedahl

Sæbjørn Buttedahl (10 November 1876 – 10 July 1960) was a Norwegian stage and film actor who later found prominence as a sculptor.

Sæbjørn Buttedahl
Born
Nils Sæbjørn Buttedahl

(1876-11-10)10 November 1876
Lier, Buskerud, Norway
Died10 July 1960(1960-07-10) (aged 83)
San Diego, California, United States
OccupationActor, Sculptor
Years active1896–1955
Spouse(s)Clare Petrea Margrethe Benelli
ChildrenEllen Sinding
RelativesLeif Sinding (son-in-law)

Stage and film career

Nils Sæbjørn Buttedahl was born in Lier, Norway and began his career as a stage actor in 1896 at the age of twenty. From 1907 to 1924 he was engaged at the Centralteatret (Central Theater) in Oslo (then known as Kristiana).[1] He appeared in a number of stage plays by Henrik Ibsen, and appeared onstage with such eminent Norwegian actors of the era as Agnes Mowinckel and Martin Linge.[2]

Buttedahl appeared in three feature-length silent films during his career as an actor. Two of these films, 1926's Simen Mustrøens besynderlige opplevelser and 1927's Den glade enke i Trangvik were directed by Harry Ivarson. His final film role was in the 1927 romantic drama Fjeldeventyret, directed by his son-in-law Leif Sinding.[3]

Sculpture
Buttedahl ca. 1900.

During his time as an actor, Buttedahl also began a career as a sculptor, mainly as a sculptor of busts and almost exclusively sculpted notable theater personalities. He debuted his work at the Autumn Exhibition in Oslo in 1912. Notable works in the public collection include:

  • Nationaltheatret (National Theater), Oslo: busts of Jens Selmer (marble) and Ingolf Schanche (bronze, 1921.)
  • Vestre gravlund (Western Cemetery), Oslo: bust of Fredrik Wilhelm Wingar (bronze, 1923.)
  • Oslo Theatre Museum, Oslo: busts of Kaja Eide Norena, Ingolf Schanche and Halvor Urdahl.
  • Copenhagen Theater Museum, Copenhagen: bust of Peter Fjelstrup (alabaster, 1913.)
  • Oslo Bymuseum (Oslo City Museum), Oslo: busts of Jens Selmer (alabaster) and Ole Thommessen (alabaster.)
  • Drammens Faste Galleri (Drammen Fixed Gallery), Drammen: bust of Harald Otto (alabaster, 1914.)[4]

Personal life

Sæbjørn Buttedahl married Danish stage actress Clare Petrea Margrethe "Maggie" Benelli (1870–1933).[5] They had one daughter, Ellen (Buttedahl) Sinding (1899–1980), who would marry film director Leif Sinding and become a film actress and dancer.[6]

Later life

In 1926, Buttedahl emigrated to the United States and settled in San Diego, California where he died in 1960 at age 83.

References
  1. Norsk Kunstnerleksikon (in Norwegian)
  2. National Library of Norway: All About Henrik Ibsen
  3. Norsk Kunstnerleksikon (in Norwegian)
  4. Skuplterer i Drammen
  5. Arkivverket. Digitalarkiverket: 1910 census for Kristiania
  6. Fehling, Weirt W. Iraïl Gadescov, danseur célèbre: De opmerkelijke carrière van danspionier Richard Vogelesang. Eburon Academic Publishers. 2007. p. 73. ISBN 9789059721814 (in Dutch)


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