Inger Stensland Stevens (1934 - 1970)
DID YOU KNOW THAT...
Per Gustaf Stensland was born in Lidingö, Stockholm (1913-1998). He was the son of Josef Gottfrid Jonsson (1882-1956), who was studying medicine and was born in Klara, Stockholm, and Matilda Elisabet Samuelsson (1880-1960), who was born in Hällefors, Örebro, Sweden.
Per Gustaf obtained a Bachelor of Philosophy degree and became a folk high school teacher. On May 17, 1934, he married Lisbeth Potthof (1914-1990), who was born near Katrineholm in Stora Malm. The couple had three children: Inger, born in 1934 in Kungsholmen, as well as Ola and Peter. In the late 1930s, the mother left the family and took the youngest son, Peter, with her. Per Gustaf was left alone with the children Inger and Ola.
The United States had long attracted Per Gustaf, and the situation in Europe was uncertain. Amidst the ongoing war, he traveled there and arrived in the USA on June 12, 1941, with the intention of scouting out the situation to bring the rest of the family over. During this time, the family's housekeeper took care of Inger and Ola, and later the children went to live with an aunt on Lidingö.
In 1944, Inger and Ola moved to the USA and lived with their father and his new wife in New York City, where their father completed his doctoral degree in education at Columbia University. At the age of 13, Inger moved with her family to Manhattan, Kansas, where her father taught at Kansas State University. Inger completed her education at Manhattan High School in Kansas.
Inger was full of adventure—a truly beautiful, lively, and charming girl. When she was 15 years old, she ran away to Kansas City and worked in burlesque shows. At the age of 18, she returned to New York City and worked as a chorus girl in various bands while taking courses at the Actors Studio.
Inger found work in TV series, commercials, and plays until she had her breakthrough in the film "Man on Fire" starring Bing Crosby. She also played a leading role with Harry Belafonte in "The World."
Her biggest success came from the TV series "The Farmer's Daughter" (1963-1966) with William Windom. She also appeared in episodes of "Bonanza," "Route 66," "The Alfred Hitchcock Hour," "The Eleventh Hour," "Sam Benedict," "The Aquanauts," and "The Twilight Zone."
After "The Farmer's Daughter" was canceled in 1966, Inger appeared in several films, including "A Guide for the Married Man" (1967), "Hang 'Em High," "5 Card Stud," and "Madigan."
On the morning of April 30, 1970, Inger's lifeless body was found on the kitchen floor in Hollywood Hills. Inger is said to have opened her eyes and tried to lift her head to say something but couldn't make a sound. Shortly thereafter, Inger passed away from an overdose of sleeping pills, at only 35 years old.
We honor and do not forget Inger Stensland—a life and career that ended tragically and far too soon. The girl who was born on Kungsholmen and grew up for a part of her life in Lidingö, Stockholm.
