Harald Otto

{{Short description|Norwegian actor and theater director}}

{{Infobox person

| image = Henrik Lund - Portrett av Harald Otto - 1914 - Oslo Museum - OB.00460.jpg

| caption = Painting of Harald Otto by Henrik Lund, 1914

| name = Harald Otto

| birth_date = {{Birth date|1864|01|24|mf=y}}

| birth_place = Nes, Norway

| death_date = {{Death date and age|1928|05|13|1864|01|24|mf=y}}

| death_place = Oslo, Norway

| resting_place=

| occupation = Actor, theater director

| yearsactive =

| mother = Maren Paulsen

| father = Hans Otto Hansen

| spouse = Ignatzia Otto

| children = Reidar Otto

| relatives =

}}

Harald Otto (January 24, 1865 – May 13, 1928) was a Norwegian actor and theater director.

Otto was born in Nes, Norway, the son of the stationmaster Hans Otto Hansen (1815–?) and Maren Paulsen (1832–?). He moved to the United States in 1886, and in 1890 he performed in the theater in Chicago,{{cite book |last1=Nelson |first1=Lawrence Milton |title=From Fjord to Prairie: Norwegian-Americans in the Midwest 1825–1975 |date=1976 |publisher=Norwegian American Immigration Anniversary Commission |location=Chicago |page=14}} where he also married Ignatzia Johanna Osberg (1869–1945).{{cite encyclopedia |last1=Christiansen |first1=Arne |title=Harald Otto |encyclopedia=Norsk biografisk leksikon |year=2009 |url=https://nbl.snl.no/Harald_Otto |language=Norwegian |accessdate=July 4, 2020}}{{cite news |title=Marriage Licenses |url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/54683068/harald-otto-1865-1928/ |newspaper=Chicago Tribune |date=February 18, 1890 |page=3 |via = Newspapers.com |accessdate=July 4, 2020}} {{Open access}} He soon returned to Norway, where he worked in various theater groups from 1891 to 1900.{{cite book |last1=Jensson |first1=Liv |title=Biografisk skuespillerleksikon: norske, danske og svenske skuespillere på norske scener særlig på 1800-tallet |date=1981 |publisher=Universitetsforlaget |location=Oslo |page=129}} He purchased the Central Theater in 1907 and he operated it until his death, with Torolf Voss serving as the theater's orchestra director.{{cite encyclopedia |last1=Andersen |first1=Rune J. |title=Torolf Voss |encyclopedia=Store norske leksikon |year=2013 |url=https://snl.no/Torolf_Voss |language=Norwegian |accessdate=July 4, 2020}} After Harald Otto's death, his son Reidar Otto took over the business. The theater remained in the Otto family until 1959.

Otto himself sang the song "Akerselva, du gamle, du grå" (The Old Gray Aker River) by Vilhelm Dybwad in 1906, when he staged Dybwad's play Verdens undergang (The End of the World).{{cite encyclopedia |last1=Schulerud |first1=Mentz |title=Vilhelm Dybwad |encyclopedia=Norsk biografisk leksikon |year=2009 |url=https://nbl.snl.no/Vilhelm_Dybwad |language=Norwegian |accessdate=July 4, 2020}}

References