Lissi Alandh was an eminent actress in the mid-twentieth century who mainly worked with variety shows and cabaret. She also acted in about 60 films, recorded albums and performed on the radio and on TV.
Lissi Sofia Holmquist (later Alandh) was born in 1930 in Skön in Medelpad. Her mother was the seamstress Vilma Österback (remarried as Emhult) and her father was Rudolf Holmqvist, a master tinsmith. Lissi was married to Hardy Alandh between 1950 and 1954 and to Göran Söderqvist from 1955 to 1960.
Lissia Alandh developed her interest in theatre at an early age. She moved to Stockholm to pursue theatre studies in the 1940s. Having taken lessons from Manja Benkow and Willy Koblanck, she was accepted to Dramatens elevskola (the Royal Dramatic Theatre’s school for acting) in 1949. She graduated in 1952 and was hired for variety shows and cabaret at venues such as Scala and Folkan. Variety shows and cabaret became her main sphere of work. She acted in Povel Ramels’ popular revue series “Knäppupprevyer”, including Denna sida upp, 1954, and På avigan, 1966, and was frequently hired by Hans Alfredson and Tage Danielsson. Lissi Alandh appeared in Svenska Ord’s first variety shows Gröna Hund, 1962, Hålligång, 1963, and Gula Hund, 1964, and in the film Svenska Bilder, 1964. For many years she played Doris Lundin in the radio and TV series Mosebacke Monarki. Lissi Alandh also appeared in Beppe Woger’s cabarets at Hamburger Börs, namely Farfars barnbarn, 1963, and Farfars gladbarn, 1965, along with Monica Zetterlund and Sonya Hedenbratt, amongst others.
On stage Lissi Alandh portrayed seductive characters, and this became her trademark alongside comical roles. Her comedic talents lay in snappy retorts and perfect timing. Both Ramel and Hasse & Tage made use of this in acts like “Den strömlinjeformade Rödluvan”, “Mondänpladdran”, “Den sexiga adjunkten”, “En ung flicka talar ut” and “Karl Ansgar”.
Lissi Alandh was foremost a stage actress, but also acted in films. She debuted on film in the 1940s but her first serious role was as Countess Berta in Alf Sjöberg’s Fröken Julie, 1951. Subsequently she acted in several films including Ingmar Bergman’s Tystnaden, 1963, and Mai Zetterling’s Nattlek, 1966.
Lissi Alandh was also an accomplished singer. In the 1960s she recorded albums, including one with Åke Sundström. From the 1970s onwards Lissi Alandh appeared less frequently on stage and in films. She played some minor roles in Picassos Äventyr, 1978, and P&B, 1983, as well as in children’s and youth productions, such as the TV movie Laras långa resa, 1989. One of her last TV roles was as the retiring variety show star Veronica Valtonen in the third part of the TV series Rederiet, 1992.
Lissi Alandh died in 2008 in Stockholm.
