Wenche Foss

Norwegian actress of stage, screen, and television often referred to as the premier diva and queen of Norwegian theatre. She had her stage debut at Søilen Teater in 1935 as Ingrid in Vilhelm Dybwad's operetta "Taterblod." Her film debut was in "Tørres Snørtevold" in 1940. She worked at several of Oslo's theatres, and was employed by Nationaltheatret (the National Theatre) from 1952 to 1967, and again from 1978. She was an accomplished vocalist (mezzo-soprano) who received classical training with M. Hviid and K. B. Børresen. She also took the occasional role as a voice actress. She was the voice of Enkefru Stengelføhn-Glad in the 1975 stop-motion animated feature film "Flåklypa Grand Prix" ('Pinchcliffe Grand Prix'), and of Mrs. Potts in Disney's "Beauty and the Beast," in 1991. In 1954 Foss gave birth to a son, Christian August Stang (called Tommeliten), with Down syndrome who later died age four from leukemia. She became involved in the cause for the disabled and is considered one of the individuals in Norway who has done the most to raise awareness of the state of the conditions and circumstances of disabled people. She survived breast cancer in 1971 and wrote a candid account of her experience. She was a strong supporter of gay rights and an outspoken critic of the Christian Democratic Party owing to its opposition to gay marriage and gay rights. Foss was decorated as a Commander of the Order of St. Olav in 1972. In 1988 she was elevated to Commander with Star. She was one of few Norwegian civilians to hold such a high rank in the King's order of chivalry. On 19 September 2007 Queen Sonja unveiled a statue of Foss outside of the National Theatre in Oslo. Foss was married twice, first in 1939 to engineer and film director Alf Scott-Hansen (22 December 1903 – 14 July 1961), and then in 1953 to landowner and industrialist Thomas Stang (27 November 1897 – 5 January 1982) with whom she had a son, Fabian Stang (19 August 1955) who in 2007 became mayor of Oslo. On 2 December 2010 Foss announced that she was seriously ill and that she did not expect to live past New Year. She died in her sleep on 28 March 2011 shortly after 12 PM at Diakonhjemmet Hospital in Oslo, surrounded by her family. The Norwegian government announced that she would be buried with government honour at state expense, the fifth woman in Norwegian history to be given this respect. The funeral was broadcast live on national television on 4 April 2011 and was, in keeping with Foss' own wishes, open to the public. It was also attended by King Harald and Queen Sonja, as well as Prime Minister Jens Stoltenberg and other prominent members of the government. Link to Wikipedia biography