Robert Gustafsson

Carl Robert Olof Gustafsson (born 20 December 1964) is a Swedish comedian, actor, and member of Killinggänget.[1] He has sometimes been called "the funniest man in Sweden".[2]

Robert Gustafsson
Gustafsson in 2015
Born
Carl Robert Olof Gustafsson

(1964-12-20) December 20, 1964
Katrineholm, Sweden
NationalitySwedish
OccupationActor, comedian
Spouse(s)Lotta Gustafsson
​
​
(m. after 1988)​
Children2

Style of comedy

While Killinggänget is mostly known for its use of irony and pop-culture references, Gustafsson usually employs a more traditional and physical style of comedy, such as slapstick and playing characters with highly exaggerated personalities. He is well known for his range of voices and accents, and his tendency to play people who end up hurting themselves. This style is a lot more pronounced when he is working solo or with other people outside Killinggänget.

Some of the roles that Robert has portrayed include:

  • Greger: An obviously homosexual fireman dressed in a plaid kilt.
  • Various old people: Gustafsson is known for portraying old and often rather senile individuals.
  • Bertil: An accident-prone gardener who has his own TV show Lost in my own garden. This role was inspired by a 1980s Swedish gardening show where the host accidentally cut his thumb with a knife, but kept going as if nothing had happened. (The Julia Child spoof by Dan Aykroyd might have been an inspiration as well.) This role led to some of Gustafsson's more gory comedy.

In addition, Gustafsson is a skilled imitator[1] and his many famous imitations include Ingmar Bergman, Sven Wollter, Ernst-Hugo Järegård, Tony Rickardsson, Robert Aschberg and Magnus Härenstam as well as former Prime Ministers Göran Persson and Carl Bildt.

Fame

Gustafsson is one of Sweden's most famous and beloved comedians, having appeared in many TV shows and films. He has also appeared on Norwegian television, in the show Åpen Post. Besides his iconic work with Killinggänget he has been a cornerstone of Swedish entertainment for many years. He has played in sitcoms such as Rena rama Rolf, and been a regular guest on comedy shows such as Gäster med gester and Parlamentet, a popular panel show similar to BBC's If I Ruled the World.

Selected filmography

In 2004 his performance in Four Shades of Brown earned him a Guldbagge Award for Best Actor in a Leading Role.

Racism controversy

In February 2014, the satirical programme SNN News showed a sketch where Gustavsson played a "Representative of the Sámi", an indigenous people of Sweden. The sketch was widely accused of racism against Sámi people, both in Swedish media and abroad in Norway, where most of the Sámi people live.[3] More than fifty individual viewers have filed complaints about the sketch to the Swedish Broadcasting Commission.[4]

References
  1. Robert Gustafsson entry in Nationalencyklopedin, retrieved 12 April 2011 (in Swedish)
  2. Folktoppen TV-show, SVT, 2006
  3. Altaposten 27.02.14: Jeg blir kvalm
  4. Sveriges radio 27.02.14: Femtiotal anmäldningar
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