Actor, Singer. He was best known for playing the character roles of professors, majors, actors, architects, film directors, friends, clerks, choir singers, lawyers, students, birthday guests, bank managers, doctors, sergeants, soldiers, fiances, priests, clerks, majors, and teachers, usually in comedy films which were directed by his close personal friend Ingmar Bergman. He will be best remembered for playing the role of 'Fredrik Egerman' in the comedy romance film, "Smiles Of A Summer Night" (1955). The film which was directed by and written for the screen by Ingmar Bergman, and which also starred Ulla Jacobsson, Eva Dahlbeck, and Harriet Andersson, tells the story of n Sweden at the turn of the century, members of the upper class and their servants find themselves in a romantic tangle that they try to work out amidst jealousy and heartbreak. He is also best remembered for playing the role of 'Svärfadern' in three episodes of the television mini-series, "Någonstans i Sverige," which originally aired from 1973 to 1974, and which also starred Janne Carlsson, Jan Nygren, and Per Waldvik, tells the story of at the end of 1939 the Soviet Union attacks Finland. In Sweden, 100.000 men are quickly drafted to guard the northeastern border. Men, who have almost no military training, are suddenly expected to behave as full-fledged soldiers. In one of the units, we find 107 Andersson, 111 Loffe, and a bunch of men with nicknames as Morsgrisen and Stora Norrland. After some months the war in Finland is over, but World War II continues and the unit moves to the western border of Sweden, where the men have to stay for many years to come. Sweden is not at war, but some of the men are frightened that the Nazis will one day attack also this country. The years pass by without much drama. There are some confrontations with German soldiers on the other side of the border, but the problems the men in the unit encounter are mainly of a more social nature. The young staff sergeant develops a liaison with a woman in a nearby village although he is already engaged with a girl back home, and in Stockholm, Sweden, Loffe's wife gets entangled in a sexual affair with a rich black-marketeer. When the war ends in May 1945 the men in the unit have been together for more than five years, but they never meet again. He was born as Knut Gunnar Johansson in Stockholm, Sweden, to Carl Oskar Johanson (1865-1943), and his wife Vera Ellen Johanna Mauleon Johansson (1884-1967), on November 13, 1909. He grew up wanting to be an actor, he found work as a baker's apprentice, as a barber's assistant, and then served in the state service, before he got his first role, a bit part in the theater Lilla Teatern in Stockholm, Sweden, while he took acting lessons. He was educated at the distinguished Royal Dramatic Theatre in Stockholm, Sweden, where he attended classes with the likes of Signe Hasso and Ingrid Bergman, and later found theatre work at Svenska Teatern (The Swedish Theatre) in Vasa, Finland. After returning to Stockholm, Sweden his acting career went idle, and for a period he had great problems with earning his living. During this time he also made the transition to films and eventually to television as well. He made his actual film debut playing the role of 'Member of the choir' in the comedy film, "The Wrong Millionaire" (1931). The film which was directed by and written for the screen by Paul Merzbach, which was also written for the screen by Oscar Rydqvist, which was based on the play, "Le jeu de l'amour du hasard," by Henri Verdun, and which also starred Fridolf Rhudin, Zarah Leander, and Ingert Bjuggren, tells the story of a young millionaire named Fridolf Johnson and his secretary who comes back to Sweden from the United States of America. The millionaire wants to have peace and quiet and change places with his secretary. The silly secretary really takes the opportunity to live the life of a rich man. Besides, playing the role of 'Member of the choir' in the comedy film, "The Wrong Millionaire" (1931), and playing the role of 'Fredrik Egerman' in the comedy romance film, "Smiles Of A Summer Night" (1955), his many other film credits include, "Mon coeur et ses millions" (1931), "Skepp ohoj!" (1931), "Hans livs match" (1932), "Landskamp" (1932), "Uppsagd" (1934), "Bergslagsfolk" (1937), "We From The Theatre" (1938), "Panik" (1939), "Vi två" (1939), "Mot nya tider" (1939, He played the role of 'August Palm's Associate' and sang the song, "Arbetets söner," in the film), "Hjältar i gult och blått" (1940), "June Night" (1940), "Man Of The Forest" (1940), "Her Melody" (1940), "Everything At His Station" (1940), "Spökreportern" (1941), "Scanian Guerilla" (1941), "Adventurer" (1942), "General von Döbeln" (1942), "Trygghet och trivsel" (1942), "Night In The Harbor" (1943), "Jag dräpte" (1943), "Appassionata" (1944), "Live Dangerously" (1944), "My People Are Not Yours" (1944, He played the role of 'Major Rolf von Ritter' and sang the song, ""Ständchen," in the film), "Torment" (1944), "New Order At Sjogarda" (1944), "Vad vet ni om Sussie" (1945), "You Who Are About To Enter" (1945), "The Sacrifice" (1946), "Peggy On A Spree" (1946), "Kristin Commands" (1946, He played the role of Dr. Westman Senior/Vilhelm Westman in the film and sand sang the song, "I'm Getting Better Every Day," in the film), "Incorrigible" (1946), "It Rains On Our Love" (1946), "While The Door Was Closed" (1946), "The Bride Came Through The Ceiling" (1947), "Daddy Wanted" (1947), "Soldier's Reminder" (1947), "One Swallow Does Not Make A Summer" (1947), "Here We Are Coming" (1947, He played the role of 'Actor Bob Hill, aka Robert Ber' in the film and sang the songs, "Den sköna Helén eller Flickan i Peru," "Här kommer vi," "Äran att vara vapenför," "Med dej kommer lyckan tillbaka," "Ättika, tättika, luntan, tuntan," "Trötta fötter," "Med dej kommer lyckan tillbaka (reprise)," and "Här kommer vi (andra reprise)," in the film), "Två kvinnor" (1947), "Music In Darkness" (1948, He played the role of 'Klasson' in the film and also sang the song, "Modlitwa dziewicy/La prière d'une vierge," in the film ), "Each To His Own Way" (1948), "A Swedish Tiger" (1948), "Little Martin Returns" (1948), "Private Bom" (1948), "Playing Truant" (1949), "The Girl From The Third Row" (1949), "Father Bom" (1949), "My Sister And I" (1950, He played the role of 'Architect Gunnar Stenwall' in the film and also sang the song, ""Man älskar i Milano", "Med en smula kärlek," in the film), "Fiancée For Hire' (1950), "Kiss On The Cruise" (1950), "The White Cat" (1950), "Kvartetten som sprängdes" (1950), "Customs Officer Bom" (1951, He played the role of 'Frans Melin, aka Hamn-Casanova' in the film and also sang the song, "En sjöman älskar havets våg," in the film), "Livat på luckan" (1951), "Dårskapens hus" (1951), "Klackarna i taket" (1952), "Säg det med blommor" (1952), "Möte med livet" (1952), "One Fiancé At A Time" (1952), "Waiting Women" (1952, He played the role of 'Fredrik Lobelius' in the film and also sang the song, ""La Marseillaise," in the film ), "Bom The Flyer" (1952), "Oppåt med gröna hissen" (1952), "Dansa, min docka..." (1953), "Vi tre debutera" (1953), "Sawdust And Tinsel" (1953), "Glasberget" (1953), "Happy Lads Of The Fleet" (1954), "Seger i mörker" (1954), "A Lesson In Love" (1954), "Gabrielle" (1954), "Stampen" (1955), "Dreams" (1955), "It Is Never Too Late" (1956), "Seventh Heaven" (1956), "Skorpan" (1956), "The Seventh Seal" (1957, He played the role of 'Jöns, squire' in the film and also sang the songs, "Hållas Mellan Rona", "Ödet Är en Rackare," in the film), "Night Light" (1957), "Summer Place Wanted" (1957), "Wild Strawberries" (1957), "You Are My Adventure" (1958), "Miss April" (1958), "The Magician" (1958), "Trappa utan slut" (1958), "Swinging At The Castle" (1959), "Brott i paradiset" (1959), "Himmel och pannkaka" (1959), "Pirates On The Malonen" (1959), "Låna mig en miljon" (1959), "The Devil's Eye" (1960), "Through A Glass Darkly" (1961), "The Pleasure Garden" (1961), "Handen på hjärtat" (1962), "Winter Light" (1963), "Mamsell Josabeth" (1963), "Dream Of Happiness" (1963), "Ingmar Bergman Makes A Movie' (1963), "My Love Is Like A Rose" (1963), "Hittebarnet" (1963), "The Dress" (1964), "Äktenskapsbrottaren" (1964, He played the role of 'Herr Fotograf Fäger' in the film and sang the song, "Är du svart eller vit," in the film), "Loving Couples" (1964), "Kristianstad - Filmstaden" (1964), "Dansen kring Guldbaggen" (1964), "Sissan" (1965), "Hans nåds testamente" (1965), "My Sister My Love" (1966), "Sadist" (1966), "Persona" (1966), "Pälsen" (1966), "Here Is Your Life" (1966), "The Red Mantle" (1967), "Candida" (1967), "Stimulantia" (1967), "Tofflan" (1967), "Nina" (1968), "Pygmalion" (1968), "The Girls" (1968), "Shame" (1968), "Daddy, Why Are You Angry" (1968), "Tunneln" (1969), "Hissen som gick ner i helvete" (1969), "The Rite" (1969), "Blow Hot, Blow Cold" (1969), "Lockfågeln" (1971), "Spöksonaten" (1972), "Näsan" (1973), "Pistol" (1973), "ITT's hemliga dokument" (1973), "Gustav III" (1974), "Face To Face" (1976), "Kalkonen" (1977), "Taboo" (1977), "Isgraven" (1977), "I väntrummet" (1977), "Nationalmonumentet" (1978), "Autumn Sonata" (1978), "The Making Of Autumn Sonata" (1978), "Charlotte Löwensköld" (1979), "The Farewell" (1982), "Fanny And Alexander" (1982), and "The Making of Fanny And Alexander" (1984). Besides, playing the role of 'Svärfadern' in three episodes of the television mini-series, "Någonstans i Sverige," which originally aired from 1973 to 1974, and which also starred Janne Carlsson, Jan Nygren, and Per Waldvik, tells the story of in the end of 1939 the Soviet Union attacks Finland. In Sweden, 100.000 men are quickly drafted to guard the northeastern border. Men, who have almost no military training, are suddenly expected to behave as full-fledged soldiers. In one of the units, we find 107 Andersson, 111 Loffe, and a bunch of men with nicknames as Morsgrisen and Stora Norrland. After some months the war in Finland is over, but World War II continues and the unit moves to the western border of Sweden, where the men have to stay for many years to come. Sweden is not at war, but some of the men are frightened that the Nazis will one day attack also this country. The years pass by without much drama. There are some confrontations with German soldiers on the other side of the border, but the problems the men in the unit encounter are mainly of a more social nature. The young staff sergeant develops a liaison with a woman in a nearby village although he is already engaged with a girl back home, and in Stockholm, Sweden, Loffe's wife gets entangled in a sexual affair with a rich black-marketeer. When the war ends in May 1945 the men in the unit have been together for more than five years, but they never meet again, his many other television credits include, "Engeln," "Estrad," "Hylands hörna," "På Parkett," "Gäst hos Hagge," "Forskaren," "Skeppsredaren," "Charlotte Löwensköld och Anna Svärd," and "Farmor och vår herre." His last television role was playing 'Filip Landahl' in the television mini-series, "Fanny And Alexander," which originally aired in 1983, and which also starred Ewa Fröling, Jarl Kulle, Börje Ahlstedt, and Gunn Wållgren, tells the story of two young Swedish children to experience the many comedies and tragedies of their family, the Ekdahls. A longtime member of the Svensk Filmindustri (or SF), he also appeared in several made-for-television stage plays in Sweden and Italy. He also appeared on stage at the Hippodrome-Theatre in Malmö, Sweden, and on stage at the Stockholm Stadsteater in Stockholm, Sweden. He was also the nominee for a Bafta Film Award for Best Foreign Actor for his performance in the comedy romance film, "Smiles Of A Summer Night" (1955), and the winner of the Ingmar Bergman Award in 1983. He continued to be involved in films, on television, on radio, and in theater, which spanned for over fifty years until his death, although he was plagued by a stroke and memory loss in his later years he never slowed down. During his acting career, he also used the name herr G. Björnstrand and Gunnar. On an interesting note, he was a Roman Catholic, and was politically active, and participated in protests against the Vietnam War. He passed away in Djursholm, Sweden, on May 26, 1986, at the age of 76, and he was buried in Katolska Kyrkogården in Stockholm, Sweden. He was married to the actress Lillie Margareta Sjölin Björnstrand (1913-1998), who he had met while they were students at the Royal Dramatic Theater in Stockholm, Sweden. They married on November 6, 1935, and were together until his death on May 26, 1986. The couple had four children together, Stefan Björnstrand, Kristina Björnstrand, Gabrielle Björnstrand, and the actress Veronica Björnstrand.