Profile Text
Date of Birth: 13 September, 1916
Place of Birth: Cardiff, Glamorganshire, Wales
Date of Death: 23 November, 1990
Place of Death: Oxford, England, U.K.
Ethnicity: Norwegian, some Danish, as well as remote Scottish, German, Dutch, French, and Swedish
Roald Dahl was a British author, short story writer, poet, and screenwriter. He was a WWII wartime fighter pilot. He wrote the books The Gremlins , Some Time Never: A Fable for Supermen , James and the Giant Peach , Charlie and the Chocolate Factory , The Magic Finger , Fantastic Mr Fox , Charlie and the Great Glass Elevator , Danny, the Champion of the World ; The Enormous Crocodile , My Uncle Oswald , The Twits , George’s Marvellous Medicine , The BFG , The Witches , The Giraffe and the Pelly and Me , Matilda , Esio Trot , The Vicar of Nibbleswicke , and The Minpins , as well as short story collections including Over to You: Ten Stories of Flyers and Flying , Someone Like You , Kiss Kiss , Twenty-Nine Kisses from Roald Dahl , Switch Bitch , The Wonderful Story of Henry Sugar and Six More , The Best of Roald Dahl , Tales of the Unexpected , More Tales of the Unexpected Story , Two Fables , Ah, Sweet Mystery of Life: The Country Stories of Roald Dahl , and The Roald Dahl Treasury . He created the show Tales of the Unexpected , which he also wrote for and appeared on. He also wrote the films You Only Live Twice , The Night Digger , and Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory , co-wrote the film Chitty Chitty Bang Bang , wrote for the shows Alfred Hitchcock Presents , Thirty-Minute Theatre , and Jackanory , and presented the show ‘Way Out .
Roald was born in Cardiff, Glamorganshire, Wales, the son of Norwegian parents, Sofie Magdalene (Hesselberg) and Harald Dahl, who was a wealthy shipbroker. His father was from Sarpsborg, and settled in Cardiff in the 1880s, with his first wife. His mother was from a well-established family, and moved to Wales in 1911. Roald was named after Norwegian polar explorer Roald Amundsen. He spoke Norwegian at the home, and was baptized in the Norwegian Church, Cardiff, established 1868. He attended school at Weston-super-Mare, and Derbyshire.
Roald was married to set designer and film producer Felicity Dahl (born Felicity Ann D’Abreu), until his death. He had five children with his former wife, American actress Patricia Neal , including Olivia Dahl, author and actress Tessa Dahl, social justice and health care advocate Ophelia Dahl, and screenwriter Lucy Dahl. Among their grandchildren are, through Tessa, author and fashion model Sophie Dahl , and through Lucy, fashion designer, philanthropist, and activist Phoebe Dahl. He was an uncle of art dealer Nicholas Logsdail, who founded and co-owns Lisson Gallery.
Roald’s paternal grandfather was Olavus Trulsen Krosby/Dahl (the son of Truls/Trull Pedersen Bøltorp/Krosby and Kristine Olsdatter Smådal). Olavus was born in Smådal, Eidsberg, Østfold. Truls was the son of Peder Trulsen and Anne Erichsdatter.
Roald’s paternal grandmother was Elen Thorine Andersdatter Langengen (the daughter of Anders Eilertsen Langengen and Birte Olsdatter). Elen was born in Varteig, Rakkestad, Tune, Østfold. Anders was the son of Eilert Arvesen. Birte was the daughter of Ole Thostensen.
Roald’s maternal grandfather was Karl Laurits Hesselberg (the son of Hans Theodor Iversen Hesselberg and Magdalene/Magdalena Cathrine/Catharina Jenssen/Jensen). Karl was born in Nedre Stjørdal, Stjørdal, Nord-Trøndelag. Hans was the son of Sogneprest til Grue Iver Hansen Hesselberg and Alette Birgitte Preüs. Magdalene was the daughter of Anthon Petersen Jenssen/Jensen and Fredrikke Johanne Christiane Støren.
Roald’s maternal grandmother was Elen/Ellen Wallace (the daughter of George Wallace, Jr. and Sophia/Sophie Bergitha/Bergithe Marie Huun). Elen was born in Bergen, Vestland. George was the son of politician Georg Wallace, who was a member of parliament, from 1851 to 1853; and of Elen Michaelsdatter Wallem. The surname Wallace came from his ancestor George Wallace, who was born, c. 1689, in Banff, Aberdeenshire, Scotland. Sophia was the daughter of Martin Wahl/Vahl Huun and Inger Sophia Devle.
Sources: Genealogies of Roald Dahl – https://www.geni.com https://www.wikitree.com