Wifstrand, Naima (1890–1968)

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Wifstrand, Naima (1890–1968)

Swedish actress and acting school founder. Born Sept 4, 1890, in Stockholm, Sweden; died Oct 23, 1968, in Stockholm.

Joined Anna Lundberg traveling theatrical troupe (1905); appeared in major roles in the operettas of Emmerich Kálmán and Franz Lehár; toured Sweden in Bertolt Brecht's Threepenny Opera (1937); translated his play The Rifles of Senora Carrar into Swedish and performed in the title role in Stockholm's Odeon Theater (1938); in return, Brecht wrote Mother Courage for her; founded an actors' school, engaging Brecht's wife Helene Weigel as a teacher (1940); starred in Me and My Gal with Nils Poppe at Södra Teatern (1948); worked at Malmö with Ingmar Bergman and appeared in many of his films, most notably as Mrs. Armfelt in Sommarnattens leende (Smiles of a Summer Night, 1955); made over 60 Swedish films.