The Silver Lamp () was an award given annually from 1954 to 1973 by the Association of Icelandic Drama Critics (Félag íslenskra leikdómenda), a professional group of writers for the Reykjavík newspapers, for the best performance of the year on the Icelandic stage.
History Tha award was instituted by the association of drama critics of the Reykjavík newspapers, which numbered half a dozen at the time, upon its foundation in March 1954. The lamp was designed by Leifur Kaldal, a goldsmith, to recall the oil lamps historically used in Icelandic homes. The award was the first acting award and possibly the first cultural award in Iceland."Silfurlampinn: 50 ára minning 1954 - 28. mars 2004", Leikminjasafn Íslands, 2004 , retrieved 14 August 2017."Hálf öld frá upphafi Silfurlampans", Morgunblaðið, 28 March 2004, p. 35 .
The recipient was chosen by a vote based on total points for the year's performances, which led to some admired actors never achieving it.Jón Viðar Jónsson, "Silfurlampinn: Fyrstu íslensku menningarverðlaunin - 1954-1973", Leikminjasafn Íslands, 2004 , retrieved 14 August 2017. Also online at "Verðlaunaveitingar, glamúr og gleði", Fréttablaðið, 28 March 2004, pp 32–33 . Three recipients won it twice: Valur Gíslason, and .Sigurður A. Magnússon, "Leikhússpjáll", Samvinnan, 1 August 1969, pp. 52–54, p. 53 . The first woman to win the award was Guðbjörg Þorbjarnardóttir, in 1961.Picture caption, 19. Júni, 19 June 1961, p. 27 .Picture caption, Nýtt kvennablað, 1 December 1961, p. 1 . In 1972, as a single exception, instead of an actor the award went to , a photographer.
The 1973 Silver Lamp was to have been awarded to for his performance in supporting roles in productions including Cabaret, but he refused it, reading a prepared statement. The chairman of the association, Þorvarður Helgason, the drama critic for Morgunblaðið, announced in response that the award would no longer be given. The 1973 lamp was subsequently sold at auction.
Award recipients 1954 - Haraldur Björnsson"Silfurlampinn", Morgunblaðið, 7 October 1954, p. 9 ."'Samvizku minnar vegna segi ég nei takk' sagði Baldvin Halldórsson og þá slokknaði á kolunni", Tíminn, 3 July 1973, pp. 6–7 . 1955 - Valur Gíslason 1956 - 1957 - 1958 - Valur Gíslason 1959 - Brynjólfur Jóhanesson"Brynjólfi Jóhannessyni veittur Silfurlampinn", Morgunblaðið, 4 October 1959, p. 24 . 1960 - no award 1961 - Guðbjörg Þorbjarnardóttir 1962 - "Í Silfurlampasamkvæmi", Vísir, 28 November 1962, p. 3 . 1963 - Gunnar EyjólfssonDavíð Kjartan Gestsson, "Gunnar Eyjólfsson látinn", RÚV, 21 November 2016 1964 - Helgi Skúlason"Leikfélag Reykjavíkur 100 ára: 11. janúar 1897–1997", Lesbók Morgunblaðsins, 11 January 1997, p. 19 . 1965 - Gísli Halldórsson"Gísli Halldórsson", Morgunblaðið, 5 August 1998, p. 27 . 1966 - Þorsteinn Ö. Stephensen 1967 - "'JEPPI' sýndur aftur", Vísir, 3 November 1967, p. 11 . 1968 - Helga Bachmann"'Leikhúsið er heimur agans og samvinnunnar' sagði Silfurlampahafinn í ár, Helga Bachman", Vísir, 11 June 1968, p. 1 . 1969 - Róbert Arnfinnsson 1970 - "Rúrik Haraldsson hlaut Silfurlampa", Þjóðviljinn, 23 June 1970, p. 2 . 1971 - Sigríður Hagalín"Hlaut silfurlampann", Tíminn, 23 June 1971, p. 16 . 1972 - "Steinþór Sigurðsson hlaut silfurlampann", Tíminn, 11 July 1972, p. 5 . 1973 - (declined)
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