Ulla Jacobsson(23 May 1929 –20 August 1982) was a Swedish actress who is perhaps best known for playing the only female speaking role in the film Zulu(1964).

Early and Personal Life:

edit

Ulla Jacobsson was born in Gothenburg Len Vestra Goeteland, Sweden on May 23 of 1929.[1]She was one of 48 candidates chosen to attend the famed Gothenburg Acting City Theatre School. She began acting in this theatre in 1952. Jacobsson's first husband was a Viennese engineer named, Josef Kornfeld. This marriage brought her Austrian citizenship. They also had a daughter named Ditte. During the 1950's, Jacobsson married her second husband, Dutch painter Frank Lodeizen (1931-2013), with whom she had a son named Martin[2]. In 1960 she married her final husband, a doctor and Austrian citizen, Hans Winfried Rohsmann (1918-2002) and moved to Vienna, Austria.

Professional Life:

edit

Jacobsson began her career in her native Gothenberg and appeared in classical and modern theater roles before turning to film.[3]Jacobsson's first acting role was of the Bride Nissa in the drama “The Sea in Fire” (1951); although, she may be best known for her role in Zulu (1964) where she played the only female speaking role. Since the late 1950s she stopped acting in Swedish films, and became more present in the films of filmmakers from the USA, France, Spain, Germany, and England. Ulla made her first U.S-made debut The Grand Duke and Mr. Pimm. According to "Metropolitan Life" Ulla believed she could be successful in acting and marriage. She only took two acting jobs a year in order to travel with her husband. She stated: "When a very good part comes, there is temptation to take it, but I refuse. I love success. I love make myself something. But I love more my husband and children." Jacobsson became internationally famous for her nude scenesin One Summer of Happiness(1951). This, along with her role in the American film Love Is a Ball(1963) was an attempt to make her a sex symbol. This was common among female actresses in the 1960s. One Summer of Happiness won the top prize at the Cannes Film Festival in 1951.[1]Bosley Crowther, New York Times writer, stated: "Ulla Jacobsson as the farm girls a sensitive and expressive young thing who stunningly portrays the capricesand the terrors of an innocent maid in love," in regards to her performance in One Summer of Happiness.[1]She became famous for her role in the film “She Danced One Summer” (1952, directed by Arne Matsson). Her popularity among mass audiences gained her the role of Margaretta Witt in the adventure film "Zulus" which came out in 1964. She also gained the role of Anna Petersen in the film "Heroes of the Telemark" in 1965.[1]Other notable roles include Ingmar Bergman's Smiles of a Summer Night (1955), The Heroes of Telemark (1965) and La Servante (1970). A notable award was the German Film Awardfor Supporting Actress in Alle Jahre wieder(1967). She was present in film and television shows until 1979.

Death:

edit

She passed away in Vienna, Austria from bone cancer on August 20th 1982, she was 53 years old. She was buried at the Wiener Zentralfriedhof.


  1. ^ a b c d "Ulla Jacobsson Rohsmann". New York Times. August 25, 1982.
  2. ^ "Ulla Jacobsson". IMDb. Retrieved 2018-10-16.
  3. ^ "Ulla Jacobsson, 53, Actress In 'Summer of Happiness'". New York Times. {{cite news}}: |access-date= requires |url= (help)