About

Known credits:
65
Birthday:
1945-03-12
Place of birth:
Stockholm, Stockholm County, Sweden
Website:
Click here

Leif G.W. Persson

Overview

Leif G.W. Persson, born on March 12, 1945, in Stockholm, is a Swedish criminologist and author, best known for his crime novels and media appearances.

He grew up in Gärdet, Stockholm, and later moved to Valhallavägen. After graduating from Norra Real, he studied at Stockholm University from 1965 and earned his Ph.D. in sociology in 1980, focusing on statistical measurement problems in criminology. In 1982, he became an associate professor and, in 1991, a professor of criminology specializing in police methods.

Between 1967 and 1977, he worked as an expert for the National Police Board. He was involved in revealing that National Police Commissioner Carl Persson had sent a memo to Prime Minister Olof Palme about Justice Minister Lennart Geijer’s involvement with prostitutes, which became the "Geijeraffären." As a result, Persson lost his job at the National Police Board. His experiences inspired his debut novel, Grisfesten.

He taught at Stockholm University and was a full professor in criminology from 1991 to 2012. He also served as an expert for the Ministry of Justice, focusing on smuggling crimes. He supported journalist Per Lindeberg in research that led to the 1999 book Döden är en man, about the 1984 styckmordet i Solna. Persson also created an offender profile for the case.

In 2007, he was criticized for not publishing academic research or supervising doctoral students, though he argued that his work had been presented in reports and investigations. In 2008, he announced his resignation from the National Police Board, criticizing the appointment of Bengt Svenson as Rikspolischef. Despite initial resistance, he was later asked to stay on.

Persson co-created the TV show Grabbarna på Fagerhult with Jan Guillou and published related cookbooks like Grabbarnas Kokbok. From 1998 to 2010, he appeared as a criminology expert on Efterlyst. He briefly left the show in 2006 but returned the following season. In 2010, he left Efterlyst to co-host Veckans brott on SVT with Camilla Kvartoft.

His crime novels, often referred to as En roman om ett brott, feature characters like Evert Bäckström, Bo Jarnebring, and Lars Martin Johansson. In 2012, 20th Century Fox acquired the rights to his books about Evert Bäckström, including Linda – som i Lindamordet and Den som dödar draken. After CBS rejected the pilot, Fox produced Backstrom in 2015, starring Rainn Wilson as a Portland, Oregon, detective.

Persson was married to Birgitta Liedstrand (1968–1980), Margareta Jönsson (1987–2002), and since 2003 to Kim Olsson. He lives in Solna and rents a hunting estate near Gnesta. He had his first son at 20, followed by three daughters, including author Malin Persson Giolito.

Known for

Acting
2024 Documents from the Inside: The Swedish Dismemberment Murder Actor Self (archive footage) N/A
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2024 Veckan med Camilla och Leif GW Actor Self 69
Fair
2023 Leif GW och vargen Actor Self N/A
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2023 The Kings Inner Circle Actor Self N/A
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2023 Leif GW: Fallet Tove Actor Self N/A
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2022 Malou möter Leif GW Persson Actor Self N/A
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2022 Sven Melander - Ta hand om er och glöm inte att skratta Actor Self N/A
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2021 Den överlägsne journalisten Actor Self N/A
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2021 Palmemördaren Actor Self (archive footage) 58
Average
2020 Ulf Lundell - friheten och ensamheten Actor Self 67
Fair
2020 Mordet på Olof Palme Actor Self N/A
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2020 Leif GW about Actor Self N/A
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2020 Leif GW om: Blattarna som byggde Sverige Actor Self N/A
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2019 The Perfect Patient Actor Leif G.W. Persson (voice) 59
Average
2019 Silbersky Actor Self 70
Good
2019 GW berättar - Göring i Sverige Actor Self N/A
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2018 Brottsjournalen Actor Self N/A
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2018 Leif GW - nyhetsspecial om Madsen Actor Self N/A
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2018 Revolver-Harry - enligt Leif GW Persson Actor Self N/A
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2017 The Helicopter Robbery Actor Self N/A
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2017 GW:s mord Actor Self 69
Fair
2016 Leif GW Persson om Mordutredningen Actor Self N/A
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2016 Sjöwall & Wahlöö - Berättelsen om ett brott Actor Self 58
Average
2015 Leif GW Persson - Min klassresa Actor Self 70
Good
2014 Astrid Actor Self 58
Average
2014 Astrid Actor Self 70
Good
2014 På jakt med Lotta och Leif Actor Self 69
Fair
2013 Stenbeck Actor Self N/A
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2012 Engelska mord Actor Self N/A
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2012 Historiska brott Actor Self N/A
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2011 Sommarmord Actor Self N/A
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2010 Veckans brott Actor Himself 70
Good
2010 Inspector Späck Actor Leif G.W. Persson 58
Average
2009 Ebbe - The Movie: Mannen, Myten, Affären Actor Self 59
Average
2007 Bordellaffären från Makten och sanningen Actor Self 58
Average
2007 Bordellaffären Actor Self N/A
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2005 Helénmannen: Ulf Olsson Actor Self N/A
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2002 Thomas Quick Actor Self N/A
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1995 Thomas Quick: Seriemördare eller mytoman? Actor Self N/A
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1992 Kvällspressen Actor Kriminologen 69
Fair
1990 Grabbarna på Fagerhult Actor Self N/A
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1983 Profitörerna Actor Police investigator N/A
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1983 Profitörerna Actor Police investigator 58
Average
1982 Dubbelsvindlarna Actor Eliasson N/A
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Writing
2020 Bäckström Writing Novel 67
Fair
2020 Leif GW om: Blattarna som byggde Sverige Writing Idea N/A
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2018 The Truth Will Out Writing Characters 70
Good
2018 The Dying Detective Writing Novel 70
Good
2017 GW:s mord Writing Writer 69
Fair
2015 Backstrom Writing Novel 68
Fair
2014 The Fourth Man Writing Novel 69
Fair
2013 Death of a Pilgrim Writing Novel 69
Fair
2012 Historiska brott Writing Writer N/A
N/A
1994 Anna Holt - Den vite riddaren Writing Writer 69
Fair
1992 Kvällspressen Writing Writer 69
Fair
1991 Goltuppen Writing Writer N/A
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1990 Grabbarna på Fagerhult Writing Writer N/A
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1986 In the Name of the Law Writing Writer 58
Average
1986 In the Name of the Law Writing Novel 58
Average
1984 The Man from Majorca Writing Novel 59
Average
1983 Profitörerna Writing Novel N/A
N/A
1983 Profitörerna Writing Novel 58
Average

Production
2020 Bäckström Production Executive Producer 67
Fair
2018 The Truth Will Out Production Executive Producer 70
Good

Crew
2023 30 sekunder: Skotten på Sveavägen Crew Thanks N/A
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