A Guide to what is Swedish or of Swedish interest around Los Angeles

FILMSTARS are perhaps Los Angeles most famous product and surprisingly many of them have been of Swedish descent. One of the first Swedes on the scene was Linda Arvidson who collaborated as a writer on a film in 1907 with her movie pioneer husband David W Griffith. Next came silent screen siren Anna Q Nilsson (1888-1974) who made more than 200 films during her 20 year career. She was born in Ystad and had worked in New York as an artist's model.

Legendary Gloria Swanson was the glamour movie star of the 20s. Her dad was an army captain of Swedish parentage. The greatest star of them all was of course Greta Garbo who ended her spectacular career in 1941 but waited another ten years to become a naturalized U.S. citizen. She died in New York but while she was still acting she lived in Stockholm and Los Angeles. Her friend 78-year old Signe Hasso who starred in The House on 42nd Street (1945) still makes Los Angeles her home. Ingrid Bergman began her international film career in Hollywood in 1936 and will forever be associated with it through such classics as Casablanca (1942) and Oscar-winning Gaslight (1944). Often acclaimed as the most beautiful Swedish actress to film in Hollywood, Märta Torén appeared in several films between 1948 and 51 without a breakthrough. Viveca Lindfors did not fare much better in LA, but is still receiving recognition both in the New York theaterand in the film world. Many actresses were never really recognized as being of Swedish descent. These include Susan Hayward, Myrna Loy, Cloris Leachman and Inger Stevens and few knew the surnames of May Britt Wilkens and Ann Margret Olsson. And who could have guessed that "the most beautiful natural blonde in California" Jean Rogers' real name was Elinor Lovgren?

And yes, there were a few Swedish men among the stars. The first was probably Warner Olund (Johan Verner Olund 18791938) who became a celebrated star in the 30s in his role as Charlie Chan, the Chinese master detective. When travelling in China or Japan, he was always mobbed by adoring fans. Henry Bergman who became a friend of Charlie Chaplin's when he acted in several of the "Little Tramps" classics became Chaplin's assistant director in both City Lights (1931) and Modern Times (1936). Nils Asther managed the transformation from silent movies and turned his Swedish accent into an asset in many talkies. Richard Widmark was actually born in Minnesota but was the leading Swedish Hollywood man for many years. Right now Sweden is represented by "He man" Dolph Lundgren who has an active presence in Hollywood while actor director Bo Svensson has left LA to help British Columbia's fledgling film industry. Other still active Angelians are Maude Adams from Jämtland, Britt Ekland from Stockholm and "Murphy Brown" Candice Bergen whose father was the Swedish ventrologist Edgar Bergen. It is rumoured that Elvira "Mistress of the Dark" and Robert Englund who played Freddy Kruger in the Elm Street horror films also have Swedish roots. The list seems endless and we have not even mentioned the numerous actors and actresses who have called Los Angeles home for shorter periods.

LARS DE JOUNGE is your quintessential Swedish Californian. A tall and distinguished retiree with an ever-present tan, he lives in a charming yellow house just off the Corona del Mar beach. When girlfriend Barbara arrives in a red Porsche with her Louis Vuitton handbag - well what can I say - it just cannot get more Californian than this. But instead of living the leisurely life of the Californian retiree, Lars is pursuing two of his passions: vintage planes and Rolls Royces. He took his flying certificate in a Klemm 35 (the open type of plane where the passenger sits in front of the pilot) in 1949 when he was studying in Stockholm to become a mining engineer. He found his first Rolls Royce in India when he was setting up a factory for Sandvik. This Rolls is now a prizewinning restoration stored away as an "insurance" in his 72-year old mother's garage.
Lars found one of the five remaining Klemms in Sweden as well as a Tiger Moth and shipped these "basket-cases" to California where they were lovingly restored and painted with their original Swedish colors. The planes are based at the Corona airport ready for Lars' excursions to flying events all over the continent. In his garage, Lars is working on a new, better pair of wings for the Klemms so that he will be able to fly the same loopings and stunts with it as he does with the Tiger Moth. In the garage he also stores a Rolls Royce waiting for a major overhaul.

PINOCCHIO and Snow White are waiting for you at Disneyland (Anaheim, 714-9994565). If you step into the Magic Kingdom Gallery you will discover a very talented Swedish artist. Gustaf Tenggren (1896-1970) was an art director for Walt Disney Studios between 1936 and 1939 in which period Snow White and the Seven (Continued from page 18) Dwarfs as well as Pinocchio were produced. His job was to develop the characters and paint concept scenes that would later be developed into the films. That is why Gepetto's workshop may remind you a bit of a Swedish cottage interior and the wood surrounding the house of the Seven Dwarfs looks very much like the dense forests of Västerg6tland where Gustaf was born. After graduating from the famous Valand School of Art in Gothenburg, Gustaf went on to illustrate the Bland Tomtar och Troll annual for a few years. Later on he emigrated to the U.S. where he worked as a commercial illustrator (Life, Harpers), at the Disney Studios before moving to a tranquil studio retreat in Dogfish Head, Maine, where he for thirty years illustrated mostly "Golden Books" for children.

THE NORWEGIAN SEAMEN'S CHURCH in San Pedro also houses a Swedish clergyman, Leif Eliasson, and his wife Ulla. With fewer sailors around, the "Seamen's Homes" caters more and more to the local Scandinavians. The forty-year old waterfront building with a beautiful church has a huge reading room with Norwegian and Swedish newspapers, a souvenir shop and a chance to get a cup of good coffee. Above all there are always people to talk to and the bulletin board can contain notes like: Hej, jag beter Eva och är en nanny i Newbury Park. Jag kom hit för en månad sedan och skulle tycka att det var skoj med lite vänner. Ring! Many Swedes combine visits to the church with shopping at the nearby Norwegian Imports & Bakery (1231 S. Pacific Ave.) where you can find all kinds of food, gifts, fresh baked goods and Oddvar Aasen's princesstårtor. The store is worth a trip just for the Norwegian murals on the walls.

THE FARMERS MARKET (6333 W Third St. at Fairfax Ave. 213-9339211) has become one of Los Angeles' land marks with 110 irresistible restaurants, fresh produce stands and unique retail stores. It all started in 1934 when the owner of the land, Roger Dahlhjelm (1881-1950) invited over 17 depression-stricken farmers to sell their produce to the public. If you walk along Fairfax a few blocks to Wilshire Boulevard you come to the five buildings that make up the largest art museum in the West (where museum director Pontus Hultén failed to produce the same spectacular results he did at Moderna Museet in Stockholm, Centre Pompidou in Paris and now in Venice). The main building at the Los Angeles County Museum of Art (5905 Wilshire Blvd., 213857-6111) is named after Howard F Ahmanson, whose generosity helped the arts, education and medical research for many decades. The Ahmanson name crops up all over Los Angeles, for example in the form of the Ahmanson Theatre (at the Music Center, 135 N Grand Ave.), the Ahmanson at the UCLA James A Doolittle Theater (1615 N Vine St., Hollywood) and the Ahmanson Center for Biological Research (at the University of Southern California). Howard Ahmanson's grandfather Johan August Ahmanson from Jönköping came to Salt Lake City in 1856. The family founded the Los Angeles-based Home Savings and Loan Association (which is the largest of its kind) and is involved in a wide variety of businesses. If you want to learn more about the local Swedish history you should join SAHAC - Swedish American Historical Association of California (c/o California Lutheran University, 60 W Olsen Rd., Thousand Oaks, Ca 91360 213-463-5394). Founded by Elna Johanson, the non-profit organization wants to establish a Heritage Center to collect and preserve artifacts and memorabilia.

CALIFORNIA VECKOBLAD is the local Swedish newspaper in Los Angeles. It was started by Alfred Haij in 1910. Haij was attacked and killed in 1947 by a "presumably insane" Polish typographer. Brothers Frans and John Jonsson ran the paper until they sold it to Arthur Hendricks, who had a typesetting and lithographic business in Hollywood. Though he did not speak Swedish, he did such a good job with the paper that he was offered to take over the much larger Svensk Amerikanaren Tribunen in Chicago in 1962. After his death, his wife Mary took over the allSwedish Tribunen and his daughter Jane runs California Veckoblad. They edit the bi-monthlies from their heritage mansion in Downey (complete with ball-room on the third floor) that they generously open for many local Swedish organizations. Both Jane and Mary are admirable for their efforts in upholding Swedish culture even though they have never lived in Sweden and do not speak Swedish.

RODEO DRIVE used to have two Swedish mainstays. One was Barbro Olsson who managed the business behind Elizabeth Arden's famous red door. The other was Sweden's former boutique queen Margo Fallai who ran the show at Yves Saint Laurent. Today both stores are gone, but Barbro has come back to Tiffany's and you can always find Swedish-inspired fashions at the (deceased Margareta Ley's) Escada boutique in the Regent Beverly Wilshire Hotel (950 Wilshire Blvd. at Rodeo Drive). If you are looking for a Swedish gift Scandia House (14029 Venture Blvd., Sherman Oaks) and Kirsten of Copenhagen (18663 Ventura Blvd.) have all the pewter, crystal, porcelain and odds and ends you do not find at the IKEA stores (e. g. Burbank, 600 N San Fernando Blvd. 818-841-3500) for over a quarter century. And what you do not find furniture and accessory shopping at IEKA, you will find at three charming Swedish antique stores within walking distance of each other on Melrose Avenue. Annika Bogart Elias' Karl XII Swedish Antiques (8262 Melrose), Petra Rask's Scandinavian Antiques (8257 Melrose) and Stefan Ohlsson and Peter Hammar's brand new 0 & H Antiques Store (8441 Melrose). If you are looking for a piano go to Ulla and Bob Lundin's Organ & Piano Center (2830 W Sepulveda Ave.). Kjersti Durow's Cotton Rainbow (e.g. 156 S. Beverly Dr.) can outfit your children and for their books go to Barbro Drott Huth's Alexander's Books (4701 Grand Ave, 0 j ai). And when you are hungry for something Swedish there's always Bertil and Helene Ohlsson's Olson's Delicatessen & Gift Store (5660 W Pico Blvd. 213-938-0742).

ASHRAM
is the name of Ann-Mari Bennstr6m's famous health retreat in the Malibu mountains. This resort has been at the forefront of the fitness craze. You may have glimpsed the retreat in several Hollywood films and when you are there you are sure to recognize many of the rich and famous. For less expensive services there:s Birgitta Gall's private home fitness training (213-576-4441) and Gunilla Malmquist's Physical Therapy (818-7950011), Christina of Sweden hairdresser's (542 1/2 Palisades Dr., Pacific Palisades 310-459-4451) and Rolf Astrm's Three Crowns Catering (213-581-4164). If you need to travel to Sweden you can call Stig Stenhbg or Margit Bennett at Scandia World Travel (818-766-4241), Gunilla Thelin at The Travel Stop (818-784-0335) or Gunnel Weimer at Wide World Tours (310-474-5541). Los Angeles also has a Swedish doctor (Allan Jacobson specializing in OB/GYN/Infertility 310-393-8228), dentist (Comelia Granath 310-451-3309) and lawyer (Mikael"Koltai 310-475-7555). For the children there is Svenska Skolan in Los Angeles (Margareta Saperston 310-3985530) and in Santa Barbara (Merit Blomst 805-682-5572) for 6-19-year olds one afternoon a week.For your soul there is Margareta Sjödin Gallery (in Malibu by appointment only 213-456-1540) and Norwegian Wood (1227 Abbot Hinney Blvd., Venice 310-392-4656).

GUSTAF ANDERS (South coast Plaza village, Santa Ana 714668-1737) "is like a fine sauce... created with care from the best ingredients, then reduced to its concentrated best", according to a restaurant critic. Gustaf Anders has the reputation of being one of the finest restaurants in all of California. The Swedish & continental menu changes monthly. Homebaked breads including the Swedish limpa are on sale and partners Wilhelm Gustaf Magnusson and Ulf Anders Strandberg will see to it that your Swedish palate is satisfied. At the Swedish Corner Sm6rgåsbord (2501 Pacific Coast Highway 310-326-3792), Curt and Jill Elming from Stockholm have served up an enormous buffet for 30 years. We counted 65 different delicacies from salmon and kalvsylta via turkey and köttbullar to salads and desserts for just 7.99. The interior of the restaurant is all in blue and white or you can sit in the glass verandah that can be booked for private parties. You can also find smörgåsbord items in the IKEA Restaurants & Caf6s. Here you pay for your selection by weight or try the sandwiches. If you long for Swedish company with your meal, call Peter Bourne (310-2781046) who will tell you where the Svenska Lunchgänget will meet next time.

LEJONET & BJORNET or just say LAYONET & BEE-OR-NONE (12219 Santa Monica Blvd. or 2015 Beverly Dr., Beverly Hills) are two Swedish ice cream parlours in Los Angeles. Owner Göran Mark is an ice cream lover who fell for the original Lejonet & Björnen when he studied in Göteborg (the lion is from the crest of the City of Gothenburg but there is no explanation for the bear). When he moved to Malm6 Göran opened franchises there and in Lund but after a stint as an exchange student at UCLA he knew where his real mission was. The going's been tough, but with two parlors, 6 gold medals (out of eight possible) at the LA county Fair Dairy competition and with such fans as Joan Collins, Arsenio Hall and Bette Midler, you cannot go wrong.

HOLLYWOOD BOWL (2301 Highland Ave. 213-850-2000) was constructed by Swedish builder Alfred Olsson Brandt. He immigrated to America in his 20s from Blomskog in VVmland and moved around quite a bit before settling down in Los Angeles. Here in idyllic Hollywood he and other enthusiasts founded a Cultural Association and constructed apartments, a hotel, library, studios and a large assembly hall that they called "The Crotona Temple". On his own initiative Alfred added a small amphitheater with space for 300. This so inspired one of the wealthy ladies in the association that she asked Alfred to find a site for an auditorium that could take 20 000 to 50 000 people. Price no objection. Alfred found the site and constructed what was to become the world's most famous amphitheater.

REIDAR JÖNSSON is not your typical entrepreneur. But where would the author of My Life as a Dog settle if not in Los Angeles where he is developing other successful film properties. SwedCal Properties is a development company that has just launched phase II of a 274 000 sq feet mixed-use business park in Aliso Viejo. When completed, the Pacific Park Plaza will encompass nine buildings on 18 fully landscaped acres making it one of the largest Swedish projects ever in California. The president of the company is Kent V Berg who is also the president of the local chapter of the Swedish American Chamber of Commerce (10880 Wilshire Blvd. Ste 914, 310-475-4501, Fax 310-475-2214) which should be first on the list of any would be Swedish entrepreneur coming to the area.

SWEA'S CHRISTMAS FAIR is now a tradition around the world, but it all started here in Manhattan Beach in founder Agneta Nilsson's house. The origin was a Christmas get-together, one for Swedes and one for American friends, that got out of hand. "Friends brought little things to sell and there were soon cash-registers in every bedroom", said Agneta who then realized that what she did for fun and not for profit could become a regular fundraiser for an organization. Today, fourteen years after it's inception, SWEA - Swedish Women's Educational Association International Inc, has over 4 000 members spread over 36 local chapters all over the world. Membership (Yvonne Klintare 818-5917215) is open to Swedish-speaking women who meet regularly, fundraise, publish in formative local newsletters and above all network for fun and profit. Forty years ago the Swedish Hollywood Club (Arne Ljunggren 818-9894099) was started to uphold Swedish traditions and the Swedish language which has not proved to be that easy). The club has a dance on the third Friday of every month, arranges outings and celebrates all the Swedish festivals. There are many active Vasa lodges and several other Swedish organizations in the greater Los Angeles area. One of the oldest is the Viking Athletic Club (Gbsta Ahlen 818-794-0729) founded in 1922 that still meets each month for dinner at its Viking Hall (526 W Arbor, Inglewood).

ANNIKA OSTBERG is one Swede who would much rather be somewhere else than in Los Angeles. She has spent the last twelve years of her life in the Chino Women's Jail for murder, with no chance of parole until the year 2006. Annika did not hold the gun when her boyfriend robbed and killed a dopepeddler and later killed a policeman who just wanted to help the couple fix a flat tire. Annika's boyfriend committed suicide before the trial. The Swedish star lawyer Leif Silbersky is trying to get Annika exchanged for Vincent Bingham serving time in Sweden for an ICA shop robbery, but California governor Pete Wilson has not replied to any of Silbersky's communications. Today Annika shares a 7 square meter cell (with a toilet in the corner) and her only contact with the outside world is through her mum's annual visit, pastor Eliasson and the consulate.