Thorsten Flinck

Last updated
Thorsten Flinck
Peace and Love Thorsten Flinck 2.JPG
Flinck performing at the 2010 Peace & Love festival
Born (1961-04-17) 17 April 1961 (age 62)
Solna, Sweden
Occupations
  • Actor
  • director
  • musician
Years active1977–present

Thorsten Flinck (born 17 April 1961 in Solna, Sweden), is a Swedish actor, director, and musician. [1] He is known best for playing psychopaths and villains, and also for his outrageous personality both on stage and in real life. Between 1986 and 2002, Flinck was employed by the Royal Dramatic Theatre.

Contents

Acting / Directing

Theater

Thorsten Flinck began his involvement with theater in 1977 and graduated from the Swedish National Academy of Mime and Acting (Teaterhögskolan) in 1984. In theater, he worked at the Dramaten between 1986 and 2002 both as an actor and as a director. There he was best known for Herr Puntila in 1996, Lång dags färd in 1998 and Den goda människan i Sezuan in 1998. He also took part in Misantropen in 1995, Tant Blomma in 1993 and Romeo och Julia in 1991 and at the Uppsala City Theatre he played a lead role in Strindbergs' play Gustav III.

With Charlotta Larsson and Lena Nilsson, Flinck formed the "Grupp 98" theater group based at the Plaza Theater with Thorsten Flinck as director, artistic director and actor. There he directed Tre systrar in 1994, En handelsresandes död in 1996, Maskeraden in 1999, Fadren in 1999–2001, Flinck goes Wilde in 2002.

Flinck played Doktor Flinck, his own version of adaptation of Hjalmar Söderbergs' novel Doktor Glas where he played all the roles himself. He also played in Strindbergs' Paria. In 2009, he directed Natt med gäster.

Television

His first television role was in the TV series Peters Baby 1978 and his first directional work was Fordringsägare in 1989. In 1991 he directed the series Goltuppen, written by Leif GW Persson. With Pernilla Wahlgren, he hosted SVT's Christmas special Morgonstjärnan in 1985 with short skits and with Flinck and Peter Dalle in Spökhotellet in 1987 as well as appearing in various TV productions. He had a regular feature on TV4's show Hetluft in 2003-2004 season. He landed lead roles in August Strindberg's Den Starkare opposite Mikael Persbrandt in 2004.

Radio

In 1997, the Swedish Radio P1 featured Flinck in the presentation of a novel entitled Mannen i svart ("The Man in Black") for which he won an unofficial Italian international award for his performance.

Flinck also appears frequently on the radio P1 the radio program Dagens Dikt ("Today's Poem"). He has on occasion read short stories and acted in radio theater pieces.

Music

Thorsten Flinck grew up with his twin brother Richard in Huvudsta, Solna. The two, together with some friends formed the band Rockvindar ("Rock Winds") in 1977. Their debut album Första gången ("The First Time") was released in 1980. The band performed in night clubs with heavy rock influences.

In 2002, Flinck formed the music group Flincka Fingrar. The Swedish documentary filmmaker Peter Gaszynski shot a concert film with the band's performances. The film titled Thorsten Flinck: Ett konstnärsporträtt appeared on SVT1 in 2004. Thorsten Flinck released, with Flincka Fingrars his debut album Vildvuxna rosor ("Wild roses") in 2005 featuring covers of five songs by Björn Afzelius, a cover of Lena Philipsson's "Dansa i neon", a cover of Nationalteatern's "Rövarkungens ö", and a Swedish version of "Where the Wild Roses Grow", originally by Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds and Kylie Minogue. Totta Näslund, Ola Salo, and Monica Törnell provided guest vocals on the album. "Min vackre son" ("My Handsome Son") was released as a single. Thorsten also fronted for the blues artist and progressive rock icon Totta Näslund.

In 2008, he formed the band called "Revolutionsorkestern" ("Revolutionary Orchestra") made up of Robert Olsson, Magnus Eugenson, Ulf Wahlberg and Mikael Englund. The act became known as Thorsten Flinck & Revolutionsorkestern, releasing their self-titled album Thorsten Flinck and Revolutionsorkestern in 2011. The album contained new interpretations of works by Townes van Zandt and Nick Cave, as well as pieces from the Sweden as rock music and as ballads. "Långt bort högt upp i det blå" ("Far Away High into the Blue") was released as single.

In recent years, Flinck has often been accompanied by guitarist Kenny Håkansson. Songs are varied with ballads, rock and country, in addition to poems and monologues. The music is written by, among others by Björn Afzelius, Dan Hylander, Ulf Dageby, Plura Jonsson, Evert Taube, Nick Cave, Townes van Zandt, and poetry by Kent Andersson and Dan Andersson.

The album En dans på knivens egg ("Dance on the Knife's Edge") was released in 2012. The lyrics of several of the songs were written by Ted Ström. "Hjärtats slutna rum" ("The Heart's Closed Rooms") was released as single.

Thorsten Flinck & Revolutionsorkestern participated in Melodifestivalen 2012 with "Jag reser mig igen" ("I Will Get Up Again") [2] qualifying for the Final 10 of the show after reaching "second chance" stage and ousting Sean Banan. In the finale, Thorsten Flinck & Revolutionsorkestern ended up in eighth place overall.

He was to participate in Melodifestivalen 2020 but was disqualified just a few days before the semifinal in February, [3] and was replaced by Jan Johansen.

Personal life

His late father was of French-Moroccan descent. [4] He has two daughters, Felice and Happy Jankell, with TV host and reporter Annika Jankell. Thorsten was a youth leader in Solna church 197580.

Discography

Albums & EPs

with Rockvindar
Solo
YearAlbumPeak PositionCertificationsNotes
SWE
[5]
2005Vildvuxna rosor21
2012En dans på knivens egg3
2014Till flickorna på upplandsgatan 7136
as Thorsten Flinck & Revolutionsorkestern
YearAlbumPeak PositionCertificationsNotes
SWE
[5]
2011Thorsten Flinck and Revolutionsorkestern4

Singles

Solo
YearSinglePeak PositionAlbum
SWE
[5]
2005"Min vackre son" 
as Thorsten Flinck & Revolutionsorkestern
YearSinglePeak PositionAlbum
SWE
[5]
2011"Långt bort högt upp i det blå" 
2011"Hjärtats slutna rum" 
"Jag reser mig igen"38Non-album release
(in Melodifestivalen 2012)

Filmography

As actor

As director

Stage productions

YearProduction Director Actor Notes
1986GertrudYeswritten by Hjalmar Söderberg [6]
1987 Stags and Hens Yeswritten by Willy Russell
1986 En skugga Yeswritten by Hjalmar Bergman
1988Spindelkvinnans kyssYes
1990AmorinaYeswritten by Carl Jonas Love Almqvist
1991 Romeo and Juliet Yeswritten by William Shakespeare
1992 The Night Just Before the Forests Yeswritten by Bernard-Marie Koltès
1992 The Zoo Story Yeswritten by Edward Albee
1992 The Last Carneval Yeswritten by Derek Walcott
1993 Tant Blomma Yeswritten by Kristina Lugn
1993PelikanenYeswritten by August Strindberg
1993 L'Illusion Comique Yeswritten by Pierre Corneille
1993 Bodas de sangre Yeswritten by Federico García Lorca
1993Mig känner ingenYes
1995 The Misanthrope Yeswritten by Molière
1996 Mr Puntila and his Man Matti YesYeswritten by Bertolt Brecht
1996 The Good Person of Szechwan Yeswritten by Bertolt Brecht
1998 Death of a Salesman YesYeswritten by Arthur Miller
1999MaskeradenYesYes
2000FadrenYesYeswritten by August Strindberg
2001 The Dresser Yeswritten by Ronald Harwood
2002Flinck goes WildeYesYes
2013Så enkel är kärlekenYeswritten by Lars Norén

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Nationalteatern</span>

Nationalteatern is a Swedish progg rock group from the 1970s that featured leftist political lyrics. It was originally a traveling theater ensemble with many members, most notably Ulf Dageby, Anders Melander, Totta Näslund, Nikke Ström, Hans Mosesson and Pale Olofsson.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Sven Wollter</span> Swedish actor, writer, and political activist (1934–2020)

Sven Justus Fredrik Wollter 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.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Mikael Wiehe</span> Musical artist

Mikael Christian Wiehe is a Swedish singer, multi-instrumentalist and composer. As the main songwriter and driving force of Hoola Bandoola Band he was also one of the most important people in the progg movement.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Jan Malmsjö</span> Swedish singer and actor

Jan Wilhelm Malmsjö is a Swedish stage and film actor, musical star and singer. He is married to Marie Göranzon and father to Jonas Malmsjö.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Gunn Wållgren</span> Swedish actress

Gunn Wållgren (born Gunnel Margaret Haraldsdotter Wållgren; [vɔlɡreːn]; was a Swedish stage and film actress. She is known for her role as the grandmother in Ingmar Bergman's Fanny and Alexander.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Alexandra Pascalidou</span>

Alexandra Pascalidou is a Greek-Swedish journalist, television and radio presenter and author. She is also a frequent lecturer and human rights activist.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Örjan Ramberg</span> Swedish actor

Ralf Örjan Valter Ramberg is a Swedish actor born in Örgryte, Gothenburg.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Monica Törnell</span> Swedish singer-songwriter (born 1954)

Monica Kristina Ingeborg Törnell is a Swedish singer and songwriter. After being discovered by Cornelis Vreeswijk 1971, she was a prominent singer in several genres, mainly folk and rock music, for over two decades. Together with Lasse Holm, she represented Sweden in the Eurovision Song Contest 1986 in Bergen, Norway. She is the mother of Tobias and Mattias Törnell.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Leif G. W. Persson</span> Swedish criminologist and novelist

Leif Gustav Willy Persson is a Swedish criminologist and novelist. Persson has four children, one of whom, Malin Persson Giolito, is also a crime writer.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ingvar Hirdwall</span> Swedish actor (1934–2023)

Lars Ingvar Hirdwall was a Swedish actor. In Sweden he is best known for his role in the Martin Beck film series; internationally he was perhaps best known for his role as the lawyer Dirch Frode in the Millennium films.

This is a list of August Strindberg's written works.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Jenny Silver</span> Musical artist

Jenny Maria Öhlund, better known as Jenny Silver, is a Swedish singer.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Jacob Ericksson</span> Swedish actor

Jacob Ericksson is a Swedish actor, educated at Gothenburg Theatre Academy.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Jan Mybrand</span> Swedish actor (born 1959)

Jan Torsten Mybrand is a Swedish actor.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Happy Jankell</span> Swedish actress

Happy Betty Nicóle Hildegard Jankell is a Swedish actress.

Ernst Peter Jurgen Schildt is a Swedish actor, screenwriter, film director, theatre director, etc. Schildt began acting at Vår teater, a children's theatre in Stockholm, as a child. He participated in theatre and in TV and radio throughout his schooling.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Allan Svensson</span> Swedish actor

Dan Allan Waldemar Svensson is a Swedish actor perhaps mostly known for his role as Gustav Svensson in the hit comedy series Svensson, Svensson. Besides acting in films, television and on stage, Svensson owns and runs the film production company Ridåfall AB.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Olof Thunberg</span> Swedish actor (1925–2020)

Fritz-Olof Thunberg was a Swedish actor and director, perhaps best known as the voice of the cartoon character Bamse.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Martina Montelius</span> Swedish author, director and playwright (born 1975)

Martina Montelius is a Swedish author, director and playwright. She has written several plays, had three novels published, and also worked as an artistic director.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Sharon Dyall</span> Swedish actress and singer

Sharon Birgitta Dyall is a Swedish singer, actress and voice actress. She became famous in the late 1980s when she acted in the SVT TV series Varuhuset. She has since become known as a singer of soul and jazz music and as a musical performer. She has appeared in many theatre productions including West Side Story, A Chorus Line, Nine and Chicago . Aside from being active on stage and within the field of dubbing, Dyall also holds a degree in Logonomy, Aesthetic Voice and Speech Pedagogy teaching in Voice and Artistic Performance Development.

References

  1. The Swedish Film Database: Thorsten Flinck, accessed on April 21, 2010
  2. SVT Archived 2012-02-07 at the Wayback Machine
  3. "Swedish Eurovision hopeful disqualified as he faces criminal charge". Metro. 3 February 2020. Retrieved 5 February 2020.
  4. Expressen: Jag har burit ett självhat hela livet
  5. 1 2 3 4 SwedishCharts.com: Thorsten Flinck page
  6. Dramaten: Thorsten Flinck, accessed on November 22, 2014