RIP Nils Eklund

 

Popular actor Nils Eklund dead

Sveriges Television

By Catarina Jonsson

August 7, 2026

 

Actor Nils Eklund has died, 99 years old. His last role was in the Norén play "Andante" at the Royal Dramatic Theatre in 2019.

He was also the last person in Sweden to be convicted of blasphemy.

Nils Eklund had a long and broad acting career. He was in popular TV productions such as "Göta kanal" and in the early 1980s in "Svenska Sesam", where he played the character Pom-Pom.

Nils Eklund was engaged at a young age at the city theatres in Helsingborg and Malmö, among other places. He was a member of the Royal Dramatic Theatre's permanent ensemble until his retirement and was awarded the Litteris et Artibus for "outstanding contributions to the arts" in 2010.

"I've never been able to do any of the big roles like King Lear or Hamlet. That's why it was extremely fun," he said in an interview at the time.

Voiced child-loving Pettson

Nils Eklund was pleased when children recognized his voice and asked if he was Pettson. The voice of the early "Pettson and Findus" books was one of his many assignments as a narrator.

Nils Eklund was on stage one last time in Lars Norén's "Andante" at the Royal Dramatic Theatre as a 92-year-old. He was alert until a few weeks before he died and fell asleep with those closest to him around him.

Nils Eklund was 99 years old.

The last person in Sweden to be convicted of blasphemy

Until 1970, you could be convicted of violating the peace of faith in Sweden.

In 1963, Nils Eklund, together with Lasse O'Månsson and Carl-Uno Sjöblom, made a sketch on Swedish Radio in which they joked about merging churches with petrol stations and distributing communion to petrol station customers.

Three colleagues were convicted of blasphemy.

EKLUND, Nils (Nils Ernst Gustaf Eklund)

Born: 1/17/1927, Bromma, Stockholm, Stockholms län, Sweden

Died:  8/4/2026, Stockholm, Stockholms län, Sweden

 

Nils Eklund’s western – actor:

Wild Wild West – 1963 (Jonas)