Little Known Spaghetti Western Actors ~ Sten Ardenstam

 [These daily posts will cover little known actors or people that have appeared in more recent films and TV series. Various degrees of information that I was able to find will be given and anything that you can add would be appreciated.]

Sten Raoul Torbjörn Ardenstam was born on April 6, 1921, in Helsinki, Finland. Ardenstam was a versatile actor who portrayed countless old men on stage and cabaré, on film and TV. He tried to get into Dramaten's student school in 1939 but was unsuccessful and instead began work as a salesman. He was a salesman of light bulbs throughout the 1940s. Later he sold Hillman brand cars.

Sten made his debut at Oscarsteatern in 1953 in the musical “Saken är Oscar” (The Thing is Oscar) and was then frequently hired at various private theaters. He played with Knäppupp for four years, including “Ryck mig i snöret” (1964). He participated in 200 performances of the operetta “The Merry Widow” at the Oscars, played in comedies at Intiman, Scalateatern and Maximteatern including “Omaka par” (The Odd Couple), “En flicka på gaffeln”, “Komedi i mörker” and “Arsenic and Old Lace”.

He made his film debut in 1954 in Martin Söderhjelm's short film “Din dagliga dryck” and then appeared in more than 140 film and TV productions. He appeared in countless buskis films, including “Little Fridolf and I” (1956), “Trettio pinnar muck” (1966), “Sound of Näverlur” (1971), “47:an Löken” (1971) and “47:an Löken blåser på” (1972). He appeared in the first two Jönssonligan films, albeit in small supporting roles. He also appeared in the box office hit “Göta Canal”.

Mostly he played small supporting roles. He used to be called "the master of short lines". His mimicry and timing were considered perfect. Ardenstam was very acrobatic and knew the art of falling without hurting himself; He was therefore often hired as a stuntman in various films.

Ardenstam found great success on TV, including ‘Bråkiga blad’ (Fractional Leaves). He performed at Berns together with Eva Rydberg, Tommy Körberg and Siw Malmkvist, participated in Hagges revue at Lisebergsteatern in Gothenburg, toured the folk parks with Lill-Babs and participated in several productions at the Comedy Theatre at Gröna Lund, including Nattportieren in 1987.

In his last appearance in ‘Direkt från Berns’ on TV4 in 1992, Sten Ardenstam won the actors' drunken battle, where it was about playing mostly drunk. Once Ardenstam played a drunk in an enlightenment film for NTO, he did so well that the temperance organization never dared to show it.

He lived his last years with Harriet Elsa Maria Wahlström before dying in Stockholm, Sweden on April 13, 1993, a week after turning 72.

Sten Ardenstam appeared in two Euro-westerns: “Wild West Story” in 1963 as the bartender and in 1975 in “Dead Man’s Trail in the role of Zeke.

ARDENSTAM, Sten (aka Sture Ardenstam) (Sten Raoul Torbjörn Ardenstam) [4/6/1921, Helsinki, Finland – 4/13/1993, Vantörs parish, Stockholm, Stockholms län, Sweden] – film, TV actor.

Wild West Story – 1963 (bartender)

Dead Man’s Trail – 1975 (Zeke)