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Björn Ulvaeus
Actor, Producer, Composer, Director, Writer, Additional CreditsBorn April 25, 1945 (80 years)
Björn Kristian Ulvaeus (born 25 April 1945) is a Swedish musician, singer, songwriter, and producer best known as a member of the musical group ABBA. He is also the co-composer of the musicals Chess, Kristina från Duvemåla, and Mamma Mia! He co-produced the films Mamma Mia! and Mamma Mia! Here We Go Again with fellow ABBA member and close friend Benny Andersson. He is the oldest member of the group.
Björn Kristian Ulvaeus was born in Gothenburg on 25 April 1945. In 1951, he moved with his family to Västervik, Kalmar County. His parents were Aina Eliza Viktoria (née Bengtsson; 1909–2005) and Erik Gunnar Ulvaeus (1912–1999). Ulvaeus has one sister, Eva Margareta (born 1948). Ulvaeus studied business and law at Lund University after undertaking his military service, alongside comedian Magnus Holmström.
Before gaining international recognition with ABBA, Ulvaeus was a member of the Swedish folk-schlager band Hootenanny Singers, known earlier as the "West Bay Singers", who had an enormous following in Scandinavia. While on the road in southern Sweden in 1966, they encountered the Hep Stars, and Ulvaeus quickly became friends with the group's keyboard player, Benny Andersson. The two musicians shared a passion for songwriting, and each found a composing partner in the other. On meeting again that summer, they composed their first song together: "Isn't It Easy To Say", a song soon to be recorded by Andersson's group. The two continued teaming up for music, helping out each other's bands in the recording studio, and adding guitar or keyboards respectively to the recordings. In 1968, they composed two songs together: "A Flower in My Garden", recorded by Hep Stars, and their first real hit "Ljuva Sextiotal", for which Stig Anderson wrote lyrics. The latter, a cabarét-style ironic song about the 1960s, was submitted for the 1969 Swedish heats for the Eurovision Song Contest, but was rejected; it was later recorded by diva Brita Borg. Another hit came in 1969 with "Speleman", also recorded by Hep Stars.
While filming a nostalgic schlager special for television in March 1969, Björn met eighteen-year-old future wife and singer-songwriter Agnetha Fältskog.
Björn Ulvaeus continued recording and touring with Hootenanny Singers to great acclaim while working as in-house producer at Polar Record Company (headed by future manager Stig Anderson), with Benny as his new partner. The twosome produced records by other artists and continued writing songs together. Polar artist Arne Lamberts Swedish version of "A Flower in My Garden" ("Fröken Blåklint") was one of Björn & Benny's first in-house productions. In December 1969, they recorded the new song "She's My Kind of Girl", which became their first single as a duo. It was released in March 1970, giving them a minor hit in Sweden and a top-ten hit in Japan two years later.
The Hootenanny Singers entered Svensktoppen, the Swedish radio charts, in 1970 with "Omkring Tiggarn Från Luossa", a cover of an old folk-schlager song. It remained on the charts for 52 consecutive weeks, a record which endured until 1990; the song was produced by Björn and Benny, and had Ulvaeus's solo vocal and Benny's piano. ...
Source: Article "Björn Ulvaeus" from Wikipedia in English, licensed under CC-BY-SA 3.0.
Björn Kristian Ulvaeus was born in Gothenburg on 25 April 1945. In 1951, he moved with his family to Västervik, Kalmar County. His parents were Aina Eliza Viktoria (née Bengtsson; 1909–2005) and Erik Gunnar Ulvaeus (1912–1999). Ulvaeus has one sister, Eva Margareta (born 1948). Ulvaeus studied business and law at Lund University after undertaking his military service, alongside comedian Magnus Holmström.
Before gaining international recognition with ABBA, Ulvaeus was a member of the Swedish folk-schlager band Hootenanny Singers, known earlier as the "West Bay Singers", who had an enormous following in Scandinavia. While on the road in southern Sweden in 1966, they encountered the Hep Stars, and Ulvaeus quickly became friends with the group's keyboard player, Benny Andersson. The two musicians shared a passion for songwriting, and each found a composing partner in the other. On meeting again that summer, they composed their first song together: "Isn't It Easy To Say", a song soon to be recorded by Andersson's group. The two continued teaming up for music, helping out each other's bands in the recording studio, and adding guitar or keyboards respectively to the recordings. In 1968, they composed two songs together: "A Flower in My Garden", recorded by Hep Stars, and their first real hit "Ljuva Sextiotal", for which Stig Anderson wrote lyrics. The latter, a cabarét-style ironic song about the 1960s, was submitted for the 1969 Swedish heats for the Eurovision Song Contest, but was rejected; it was later recorded by diva Brita Borg. Another hit came in 1969 with "Speleman", also recorded by Hep Stars.
While filming a nostalgic schlager special for television in March 1969, Björn met eighteen-year-old future wife and singer-songwriter Agnetha Fältskog.
Björn Ulvaeus continued recording and touring with Hootenanny Singers to great acclaim while working as in-house producer at Polar Record Company (headed by future manager Stig Anderson), with Benny as his new partner. The twosome produced records by other artists and continued writing songs together. Polar artist Arne Lamberts Swedish version of "A Flower in My Garden" ("Fröken Blåklint") was one of Björn & Benny's first in-house productions. In December 1969, they recorded the new song "She's My Kind of Girl", which became their first single as a duo. It was released in March 1970, giving them a minor hit in Sweden and a top-ten hit in Japan two years later.
The Hootenanny Singers entered Svensktoppen, the Swedish radio charts, in 1970 with "Omkring Tiggarn Från Luossa", a cover of an old folk-schlager song. It remained on the charts for 52 consecutive weeks, a record which endured until 1990; the song was produced by Björn and Benny, and had Ulvaeus's solo vocal and Benny's piano. ...
Source: Article "Björn Ulvaeus" from Wikipedia in English, licensed under CC-BY-SA 3.0.
Björn Ulvaeus Filmography
| 2018 | Mamma Mia! Here We Go Again · as University Professor (uncredited) |
| 2014 | The CNBC Conversation (TV Series) · as Featuring Guest |
| 2008 | Mamma Mia! · as Greek God (uncredited) |
| 2006 | ABBA: In Performance · as Cast |
| 2004 | The Eurovision Song Contest Semi Final · as Man In Abba-Clip |
| 1972 | ABBA - Definitive Collector´s Edition (TV Series) · as Sänger/gitarre |
| 1966 | |
| 1964 | Älskling på vift · as Hootenanny Singers - Vocals And Guitar |
| 2018 | Mamma Mia! Here We Go Again · as Executive Producer |
| 2008 | Mamma Mia! · as Executive Producer |
| 2025 | Tidstjuven (TV Series) · as Björn Ulvaeus |
| 2024 | ABBA: 50 Years of Pop · as Self |
| 2024 | ABBA: Against the Odds · as Self (archive Footage) |
| 2024 | When ABBA Came to Britain · as Self - Abba |
| 2024 | Abba: 50 Years Since Eurovision · as Self |
| 2024 | Stikkan · as Self (archive Footage) |
| 2024 | Astrid Lindgrens älskade filmer (TV Series) · as Self |
| 2023 | ABBA Silver, ABBA Gold · as Himself |
| 2023 | Tom Hanks: The Nomad · as Self |
| 2023 | Take a Chance · as Self |
| 2022 | Kalle Sändare, busringningens mästare · as Self |
| 2022 | BIANCA (TV Series) · as Self - Guest |
| 2022 | Abba: The Missing 40 Years · as Self |
| 2022 | Eurovision: Secrets and Scandals · as Self |
| 2020 | ABBA: In Their Own Words · as Self |
| 2019 | ABBA: Secrets of their Greatest Hits · as Self |
| 2019 | ABBA Forever: The Winner Takes It All · as Self |
| 2019 | Josefin Nilsson: Love Me for Who I Am · as Self |
| 2019 | ABBA: Super Troupe · as Self |
| 2019 | |
| 2018 | 27: Gone Too Soon · as Self |
| 2016 | Ted Gärdestad - För kärlekens skull · as Self |
| 2016 | Better Late Than Never (TV Series) · as Self |
| 2015 | Michael McIntyre's Big Show (TV Series) · as Self - Guest |
| 2015 | ABBA - ABBA (DVD from Deluxe Edition) · as Self - Singer, Composer |
| 2014 | ABBA: Gracias por la música · as Self |
| 2014 | Good Morning Britain (TV Series) · as Self |
| 2014 | Welcome to Sweden (2014) (TV Series) · as Self |
| 2013 | The Joy of ABBA · as Self |
| 2013 | Abba at the BBC · as Self |
| 2013 | Agnetha: Abba & After · as Self |
| 2012 | Palme · as Self (archive Footage) |
| 2012 | Urgant Show (TV Series) · as Self - Guest |
| 2012 | The Story of Musicals (TV Series) · as Self |
| 2010 | Hellenius' Hangout (TV Series) · as Self - Guest |
| 2010 | Putous (TV Series) · as Self |
| 2009 | Skavlan (TV Series) · as Self - Guest |
| 2009 | O Melhor do Flash Back - 92 Clipes Para Recordar · as Self (archive Footage) |
| 2008 | Waar is de Mol (TV Series) · as Self |
| 2007 | Abba: Rock Case Studies · as Self |
| 2006 | The ONE Show (TV Series) · as Self |
| 2006 | ABBA: 16 Hits · as Self |
| 2006 | Boom Bang-a-Bang! 50 Years of Eurovision · as Self |
| 2006 | CBeebies Bedtime Stories (TV Series) · as Self - Storyteller |
| 2006 | Efter tio (TV Series) · as Self - Guest |
| 2005 | |
| 2004 | The Story of Bohemian Rhapsody · as Self |
| 2004 | Super Troupers: Thirty Years of ABBA · as Self |
| 2004 | The Xtra Factor (TV Series) · as Self |
| 2004 | The X Factor (TV Series) · as Self - Special Guest |
| 2004 | The Eurovision Song Contest · as Self - Abba |
| 2003 | Hagström: Everything in Music · as Self |
| 2002 | ABBA: The Definitive Collection · as Self |
| 2002 | The 56th Annual Tony Awards · as Self - Nominee |
| 2001 | Walk on By: The Story of Popular Song (TV Series) · as Self - Interviewee |
| 2000 | BBC Breakfast (TV Series) · as Self - Composer |
| 2000 | I Love the '70s (UK) (TV Series) · as Self |
| 1999 | Loose Women (TV Series) · as Self |
| 1999 | ABBA: The Winner Takes It All · as Self |
| 1999 | Beckmann (TV Series) · as Self |
| 1999 | Musikladen Live: The Very Best of ABBA · as Self |
| 1998 | Fuck You, Fuck You Very Much · as Self |
| 1998 | Dokument inifrån (TV Series) · as Self |
| 1998 | The Panel (TV Series) · as Self |
| 1997 | Leute heute (TV Series) · as Self |
| 1997 | Eurovision Song Contest Dublin 1997 · as Self |
| 1996 | The Daily Show (TV Series) · as Self |
| 1996 | Sen Kväll Med Luuk (TV Series) · as Self |
| 1996 | TFI Friday (TV Series) · as Self |
| 1994 | TOTP2 (TV Series) · as Self |
| 1993 | GMTV (TV Series) · as Self |
| 1993 | More Abba Gold - More Abba Hits · as Self |
| 1992 | Gomorron (TV Series) · as Self |
| 1992 | ABBA Gold: Greatest Hits · as Self |
| 1989 | BingoLotto (TV Series) · as Self |
| 1988 | This Morning (TV Series) · as Self |
| 1983 | The Story of ABBA · as Self |
| 1982 | Wogan (TV Series) · as Self |
| 1982 | Na sowas! (TV Series) · as Self |
| 1982 | Champs-Elysees (TV Series) · as Self - Abba |
| 1981 | Entertainment Tonight (TV Series) · as Self |
| 1981 | Wetten, dass..? (TV Series) · as Self |
| 1980 | ABBA in Concert · as Self |
| 1980 | Newsnight (TV Series) · as Self |
| 1980 | Here Is Your Life (TV Series) · as Self |
| 1979 | ABBA in Switzerland · as Self - Abba |
| 1979 | CBS Sunday Morning With Jane Pauley (TV Series) · as Self |
| 1979 | The Music for UNICEF Concert: A Gift of Song · as Self - Performer |
| 1978 | Olivia · as Self |
| 1977 | ABBA: The Movie · as Björn Ulvaeus |
| 1976 | ABBA Dabba Dooo · as Self |
| 1975 | Saturday Night Live (TV Series) · as Self - Musical Guest |
| 1975 | Système 2 (TV Series) · as Self - Abba |
| 1975 | Sunday meetings (TV Series) · as Self - Abba |
| 1975 | Midi-Première (TV Series) · as Self - Abba |
| 1974 | Am laufenden Band (TV Series) · as Self - Guest |
| 1974 | Eurovision Song Contest Brighton 1974 · as Self - Abba |
| 1974 | Melodifestivalen 1974 · as Self |
| 1973 | Fantástico (TV Series) · as Self |
| 1973 | Melodifestivalen 1973 · as Self |
| 1972 | Ein Kessel Buntes (TV Series) · as Self - Musician |
| 1967 | News at Ten (TV Series) · as Self - Abba |
| 1964 | Die Drehscheibe (TV Series) · as Self |
| 1964 | Top of the Pops (TV Series) · as Self |
| 1959 | Melodifestivalen (TV Series) · as Self |
| 1958 | Etter Dagsrevyen (TV Series) · as Self - Interviewee (segment "mamma Mia! Here We Go Again") |
| 1956 | Eurovision Song Contest (TV Series) · as Self |
| 1952 | American Bandstand (TV Series) · as Self |
| 2009 | |
| 2003 | Chess · as Original Music Composer |
| 1987 | Mio in the Land of Faraway · as Original Music Composer |
| 1980 | ABBA in Concert · as Original Music Composer |
| 1977 | ABBA: The Movie · as Original Music Composer |
| 1975 | A Guy and a Gal · as Composer |
| 1971 | The Seduction of Inga · as Original Music Composer |
| 1971 | Great Performances (TV Series) · as Composer |
| 2018 | Mamma Mia! Here We Go Again · as Songs |
| 2018 | Mamma Mia! Here We Go Again · as Lyricist |
| 2009 | Chess in Concert · as Lyricist |
| 2008 | Mamma Mia! · as Songs |
| 2008 | Mamma Mia! · as Lyricist |
| 2004 | Swedish Idol (TV Series) · as Songs |
| 2003 | Chess · as Lyricist |
| 1959 | Melodifestivalen (TV Series) · as Songs |