Quick Facts
Biography
Albert Adam Ranft (23 November 1858 – 5 October 1938) was a Swedish theatre director and actor. Ranft debuted in the theatre company of Magda von Dolcke in 1876. He started his own travelling company in 1884 and was employed at Stora Teatern in Gothenburg from 1886. In 1892, he took over ownership of Stora Teatern.
Albert Ranft was regarded as the "theatre emperor of Stockholm" in the early 20th century. For a while his empire comprised all the private playhouses in the city: Vasateatern, the Swedish Theatre, Södra Teatern, and Oscarsteatern. Simultaneously, he ran the Royal Swedish Opera. The jewel in his crown was the Swedish Theatre, where several plays which have made theatre history premiered, notably A Dream Play by August Strindberg in 1907.
Ranft was the arch-enemy of the closely competing movie houses, and all his actors were prohibited by contract from taking part in films.
Ranft was married to actress Alma Helin from 1878, and to actress Lisa Gottschalk from 1893.
Father of operetta singer Kajsa Ranft and actor Nils Ranft.
Selected filmography
- A Perfect Gentleman (1927)