Alf Prøysen

Alf Prøysen (23 July 1914 - 23 November 1970), was a writer and musician from Norway. He was born at Rudshøgda in Ringsaker. Prøysen was one of the most important Norwegian cultural personalities in the second half of the twentieth century, and he made significant contributions to literature, music, TV and radio.

His childhood was typical for those of the "husmann" class, the landless lower class of rural Norway. This reflects in his songs and short stories, painting realistic, satirical and harsh pictures of class relations and life in rural Norway.

Though an underdog and outsider, Prøysen made outstanding contributions in many artistic fields: children's radio, short stories, theatre, singer-songwriter. His sole novel "Trost i taklampa" was a great success both as a book and as a play, depicting the Norwegian 1950's increasing urbanization and its effect on rural life.

His work includes the stories about Mrs. Pepperpot, a delightful little lady who never knows when she is going to shrink to pepperpot size. In the Norwegian original, she is known as "Teskjekjerringa"; the teaspoon lady.

As a child, the youngest of four, Prøysen was very close to his mother, Julie. He married Else Storhaug in 1948 and together they had two children, a daughter, Elin Julie and a son, Alf Ketil. Alf Prøysen died of cancer on 23 November 1970, aged 56.