| 28th | Top Norwegian actors |
| Wenche Foss | |
|---|---|
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| Born | 5 December 1917
Kristiania |
| Other name(s) | Eva Wenche Steenfeldt Foss Stang |
| Occupation | Actress |
| Years active | 1935 - present |
| Spouse(s) | Alf Scott-Hansen, Thomas Stang |
Wenche Foss (Eva Wenche Steenfeldt-Foss Stang), born in Christiania, current Oslo, 5 December 1917, is a leading Norwegian actress of stage, screen and television[1].[2]
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Wenche Foss was born to engineer Christian August Steenfeldt Foss and Alfhild Røren. She made her stage debut as Ingrid in Vilhelm Dybwad's operetta Taterblod at Søilen teater. She was subsequently engaged on the ensemble at Carl Johan Teater from 1936 to 1939, and then became a central figure in Centralteatret. She received public and critical acclaim in a number of leading roles. Her breakthrough part is considered her appearance in Carl Erik Soya's To tråder (To traade in Danish, "Two threads" in English)[1].
Foss is also an accomplished vocalist (mezzo-soprano) who received classical training with M. Hviid and K. B. Børresen. Her performances in Emmerich Kálmán's operetta Die Bajadere, Eduard Künneke's Der Vetter aus Dingsda, Franz Lehár's operettas Der Graf von Luxemburg and The Merry Widow, where she played the title role and is credited, along with Poul Reichardt and then Knut Wigert as Count Danilo Danilovitsch for [1].
She also pioneered newer parts, among them leading musical roles in Kiss Me Kate, Cabaret, and Hello, Dolly[1].
Starting in the 1940s, Foss played leading dramatic roles in the ensembles of Nationaltheatret and Oslo Nye Teater. Though her first performance as Rebekka West in Ibsen's Rosmersholm was judged melodramatic, subsequent performances in leading roles in Hedda Gabler, John Gabriel Borkman, Peer Gynt, and others[1].
Foss was made a Commander of the Royal Norwegian Order of St. Olav in 1972. In 1988 she was also made Commander with Star in the same order. She is one of few Norwegian civilians to hold such a high rank in the King's order of chivalry.
In 2007 Queen Sonja of Norway unveiled Per Ung's statue of Foss outside Norway's National Theater.
In 1953 Foss gave birth to a child with Down's Syndrome who later died at a young age. She is credited with raising public awareness about disabled individuals, founding, among other things the vacation resort Solgården (Hacienda del Sol) in Alicante, Spain[1].
Foss survived breast cancer in 1971 and wrote a candid account of her experience[1].
She is also known as a strong supporter of gay rights[1] and has been an outspoken critic of the Christian Democratic Party because of its opposition to gay marriage and gay rights. She has also said that the party itself should never have existed to begin with, since "religion and politics should not be mixed."
She has received a number of awards, among them the Hedda Award, an honorary Amanda prize, and Toleranseprisen[1].
Her son Fabian Stang is the current mayor of Oslo.
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