1979 in Norway

Events in the year 1979 in Norway.

Incumbents

 * Monarch – Olav V
 * Prime Minister – Odvar Nordli (Labour Party)

Events

 * Municipal and county elections are held throughout the country.
 * Bryggen and the Urnes stave church are designated by UNESCO as World Heritage Sites.
 * The death penalty is abolished for all crimes.
 * 18 September – A fire in Vålerenga Church, which was later made into a song that became the club hymn for Vålerenga.

Film

 * March – the planet Hoth scenes from the Hollywood film "The Empire Strikes Back" were filmed in the Hardangerjøkulen glacier.

Television

 * 1 December – During an episode of Jul i Skomakergata on NRK, Sandmännchen premieres on Norwegian television for the first time.

Literature

 * Åge Rønning, writer and journalist, is awarded the Riksmål Society Literature Prize.
 * Nils Johan Rud, novelist, short story writer and magazine editor, is awarded the Dobloug Prize for Swedish and Norwegian fiction.
 * Bjørg Vik, writer, playwright and journalist, is awarded the Norwegian Critics Prize for Literature for the short stories En håndfull lengsel.

January

 * 1 January – Anders Danielsen Lie, actor
 * 4 January – Audun Ellingsen, jazz musician
 * 5 January – Håvard Klemetsen, Nordic combined skier
 * 7 January – Andreas Hauger, footballer
 * 8 January – John Anders Bjørkøy, footballer
 * 11 January – Kari Mette Johansen, handball player.
 * 12 January – Åsa Elvik, politician
 * 13 January – Einar Kalsæg, footballer
 * 16 January – Espen Isaksen, footballer
 * 20 January – Marte Reenaas, ski orienteering competitor
 * 21 January – Thomas Berling, footballer
 * 22 January – Ailo Gaup, motocross rider
 * 22 January – Svein Oddvar Moen, footballer
 * 23 January – Jarl Espen Ygranes, ice hockey player
 * 24 January – Anita Auglend, singer

February

 * 2 February – Olav Råstad, footballer
 * 10 February – Johan Harstad, author
 * 11 February – Joachim Sørum, footballer
 * 13 February – Anders Behring Breivik, far-right domestic terrorist

March

 * 1 March – Torbjørn Ringdal Hansen, chess player.
 * 6 March – Aksel Magdahl, sailor
 * 11 March
 * Roger Hjelmstadstuen, snowboarder
 * Morten Tandberg, football manager
 * 13 March
 * Børge Lund, handball player.
 * Espen Olsen, footballer
 * 15 March – Ola Berger, ski mountaineer anc cross-country skier
 * 17 March – Tuva Moflag, politician.
 * 20 March – Liv Kjersti Bergman, biathlete
 * 23 March – Jostein Hasselgård, singer

April

 * 2 April – Stian Westerhus, guitarist
 * 5 April – Jørgen Tengesdal, footballer
 * 8 April – Rune Stordal, speed skater
 * 9 April – André Jørgensen, handball player
 * 10 April – Kai Risholt, footballer
 * 10 April – Roger Risholt, footballer
 * 12 April – Thomas Dybdahl, musician
 * 12 April – Lars Granaas, footballer
 * 17 April – Hanne Hukkelberg, singer-songwriter
 * 20 April – Stian Barsnes-Simonsen, actor
 * 20 April – Kenneth Kapstad, musician
 * 23 April – Saera Khan, politician.
 * 24 April – Tor Henning Hamre, footballer
 * 25 April – Nils-Torolv Simonsen, rower
 * 25 April – Martin Sjølie, pianist, songwriter and record producer

May

 * 1 May – Lars Berger, biathlete.
 * 2 May – Oddrun Brakstad Orset, ski mountaineer
 * 4 May – Morten Kolseth, footballer
 * 6 May – Jan Erik Mikalsen, composer
 * 7 May – Henrik Bjørnstad, golf player
 * 8 May
 * Marius Erlandsen, auto racing driver
 * Alf Wilhelm Lundberg, jazz musician
 * Ole Johan Singsdal, footballer
 * Ole Morten Vågan, jazz musician
 * 10 May – Isabel Blanco, handball player.
 * 14 May – Bård Nesteng, archer.
 * 16 May – Hermund Nygård, jazz musician
 * 20 May – Torgeir Micaelsen, politician.
 * 21 May – Svein-Erik Edvartsen, footballer
 * 22 May – Christer-André Cederberg, music producer
 * 23 May – Øyulf Hjertenes, journalist, newspaper editor and media executive.
 * 26 May – Joachim Hansen, mixed martial artist
 * 29 May – Ella Gjømle Berg, cross-country skier.

June

 * 8 June – Jacob Norenberg, sprint canoer.
 * 13 June – Nila Håkedal, beach volleyball player.
 * 21 June – Henning Braaten, skateboarder
 * 23 June – Susanna Wallumrød, singer
 * 25 June – Haddy N'jie, singer, songwriter, writer and journalist
 * 26 June – Mathias Eick, jazz musician

July

 * 3 July – Erik Lund, rugby union footballer
 * 4 July – Lene Westgaard, political scientist
 * 17 July – Lars Rørbakken, strongman
 * 21 July – Ingrid Tørlen, beach volleyball player.
 * 24 July – Heidi Skjerve, jazz musician
 * 26 July – Bodil Ryste, ski mountaineer and cross-country skier

August

 * 3 August – Maria Haukaas Mittet, singer
 * 4 August –
 * Torgeir Ruud Ramsli, footballer
 * Mona Solheim, taekwondo practitioner.
 * Nina Solheim, taekwondo practitioner
 * 8 August – Ellinor Jåma, politician
 * 9 August – Tore Ruud Hofstad, cross-country skier
 * 10 August – Ove Alexander Billington, jazz pianist and composer
 * 11 August – Christer George, footballer
 * 22 August – Henriette Løvar, curler
 * 24 August – Katja Nyberg, handball player
 * 27 August – Erik Watndal, sport shooter.
 * 31 August – Camilla Huse, footballer

September

 * 3 September – Stian Eckhoff, biathlete.
 * 5 September – Kjersti Beck, handball goalkeeper
 * 5 September – John Carew, footballer
 * 11 September – Kenneth Høie, footballer
 * 13 September – Linda Grubben, biathlete
 * 15 September
 * Mahmoud Farahmand, politician.
 * Atle Gulbrandsen, racing driver and television announcer
 * 22 September – Alex Valencia, footballer
 * 23 September – Lisa Loven Kongsli, actress
 * 24 September – Stine Hofgaard Nilsen, alpine skier

October

 * 2 October – Kjetil Strand, handball player
 * 5 October – Lisa Wiik, snowboarder
 * 8 October – Wilhelm Brenna, ski jumper
 * 9 October – Veronika Flåt, actress
 * 10 October – Espen Søgård, footballer
 * 14 October – Marcus Paus, composer
 * 19 October
 * Ingunn Ringvold, roots singer, musician and songwriter
 * Magne Sturød, footballer
 * 24 October – Lise Birgitte Fredriksen, sailor
 * 27 October – Tom Hugo, musician

November

 * 1 November – Tommy Knarvik, footballer
 * 2 November – Nina Ellen Ødegård, actress
 * 8 November – Erling Sande, politician
 * 10 November – Ragnvald Soma, footballer
 * 30 November – Ellen Blom, ski mountaineer

December

 * 3 December – Kjersti Annesdatter Skomsvold, writer
 * 6 December – Tommy Wirkola, film director, producer and screenwriter
 * 10 December – Tora Augestad, musician
 * 14 December – Øystein Runde, comics writer and comics artist
 * 18 December
 * Tone Hatteland Lima, cyclist
 * Øyvind Storflor, footballer
 * 20 December
 * Espen Johnsen, footballer
 * Benedikte Shetelig Kruse, singer and actor
 * 27 December – Hanne Sørvaag, musician
 * 28 December – Daniel Forfang, ski jumper

Full date missing

 * Dolk (artist), graffiti artist
 * Morten Morland, cartoonist
 * Robert Post, singer-songwriter
 * Einar Selvik, musician
 * Stein Urheim, jazz musician

Notable deaths

 * 7 January – Thoralf Hagen, rower and Olympic bronze medallist (b.1887)
 * 28 January – Elling Enger, composer, organist, and choir conductor (b.1905)
 * 4 February – Hans Martin Gulbrandsen, canoeist (b.1914)
 * 15 February – Karl Henry Karlsen, politician (b.1893)
 * 7 March – Klaus Egge, composer and music critic (b.1906)
 * 3 April – Dagfinn Zwilgmeyer, psalmist (b. 1900).
 * 6 April – Finn Øen, politician (b.1902)
 * 17 April – Trygve Olsen, politician (b.1921)
 * 26 April – Trygve Stokstad, boxer (b.1902)
 * 7 May – Erik Brofoss, economist, politician and Minister (b.1908)
 * 8 June – Magnar Isaksen, international soccer player and Olympic bronze medallist (b.1910).
 * 5 July – Rolf Holmberg, soccer player and Olympic bronze medallist (b.1914)
 * 10 July – Harald Færstad, gymnast and Olympic silver medallist (b.1889)
 * 15 July – Haakon Sløgedal, politician (b.1901)
 * 28 July – Steffen Ingebriktsen Toppe, politician (b.1902)
 * 6 August – Olav Hordvik, politician (b.1901)
 * 24 August – Bernt Evensen, speed skater, Olympic gold medallist and racing cyclist (b.1905)
 * 22 September – Tore Segelcke, actress (b.1901)
 * 30 September – Johan Johannesen, track and field athlete (b.1898)
 * 16 October – Johan Borgen, author, journalist and critic (b.1902)
 * 16 October – Olav Svalastog, politician (b.1896)
 * 14 December – Otto Monsen, track and field athlete (b.1887)

Full date unknown

 * Emil Boyson, poet, author, and translator (b.1897)
 * Anders Frihagen, politician and Minister (b.1892)
 * Gunnar Emil Garfors, poet (b.1900)
 * Jørgen Holmboe, meteorologist (b.1902)
 * Rolf Østbye, businessperson (b.1898)
 * Rolf Ingvar Semmingsen, civil servant (b.1908)
 * Nils Thomas, sailor and Olympic silver medallist (b.1889)