Håkon Karlsen (March 5, 1922 – May 6, 2007) was a Norwegian journalist.[1]
Karlsen was born in Trondheim. During the Second World War, he escaped to neutral Sweden from Hattfjelldal, where he had been set to perform conscripted labor.[2] [3] After attending Uppsala University, Karlsen worked as a teacher in Strinda.[2] He was employed by NRK at Trøndelag Broadcasting (Trøndelag Kringkaster) from 1947 to 1964, at NRK Troms from 1964 to 1976,[4] and at NRK Sørlandet from 1976 onward,[4] succeeding Julius Hougen.[2] Karlsen was centrally engaged in the NRK Children's and Youth Department (NRK Barne- og ungdomsavdelingen), where he was well known for the characters Amandus and Antonsen during Children's Hour (Barnetimen) as well as the now-familiar entertainment department. He is known for having discovered the entertainer Arthur Arntzen (a.k.a. Oluf) and he took part in many radio and television programs with him,[1] [4] [5] as well as the record releases Ja, du Oluf (Cat Music, 1973) and Mølje & sodd (Dagbladets Sommerkassett, 1980) and the films Førti år med Oluf (Forty Years with Oluf; 1979) and Oluf – No må du skjærpe dæ, gutt (Oluf—Now You Need to Shape Up, Boy; 1991).