On Sunday 15 November, actor Ulf Pilgaard turns 80.
It was actually the plan that this year he should have ended a long career on the revue stage with a final season in the Circus Revue this summer. But then the corona came and canceled this year’s show, so Ulf Pilgaard takes one more season.
2021 will thus be the last performance on stage in Dyrehavsbakken north of Copenhagen, where he can also celebrate his 40th anniversary.
It is perhaps especially as a revue actor and comedic talent – not least in the role of Queen Margrethe – that many will know the Danish actor, who has also had a number of roles in the more serious department.
Ulf Pilgaard’s perhaps most legendary film role is for many still the police commissioner in Ole Bornedal’s “The Night Watch”, but he has also given edge to political roles in both “Kongekabale” and “Borgen”.
But it has not always been clear that it was the play that was to become Ulf Pilgaard’s way of life.
He grew up in Skive, where his father was a priest, and Ulf Pilgaard also started studying theology when he came to Copenhagen.
But comrades Preben Kaas and Henrik Stangerup soon made the young theology student leave the books in favor of the play.
As a very young man he could thus absorb from Dirch Passer and Preben Kaas, and soon Pilgaard had a permanent place in the satire at Danmarks Radio, where his comic abilities were allowed to grow in “Hovhov”, “Uha-uha” and “TV- Ansjosen “.
Since then, it has become a large number of roles on stage, in films and on television for the 196 centimeter tall actor with the characteristic sarcasm in his voice and the wide smile.
Although Ulf Pilgaard has chosen to resign from Cirkusrevyen, it is not a goodbye to his career.
– I have not retired or anything, so I hope for other offers. Not necessarily a revue, but there are many other things happening in the industry – there are movies or TV, the actor has told Billedbladet.
Most recently, he has also appeared in another feature film – “Santa’s Daughter 2”, which premieres in November 2020.
He has over time been honored with both a Bodil and a Robert for his starring role in “Dangerous Friendship” and has received several other awards.
Most recently, he was awarded an honorary award when TV 2 Charlie held Revygalla 2018.
Privately, he was married for 46 years to Gitte Pilgaard, who died in 2016.
Source: The Nordic Page
