Leif G.W. Persson
- Known for
- Acting
- Born
- March 12, 1945 (age 81)
- Birthplace
- Stockholm, Stockholm County, Sweden
Biography
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
Photos
Filmography
GW:s mord – Taximordet i Hjälstaviken
Movie · as Self
GW:s mord – Juldagsmordet i Boden
Movie · as Self
GW:s mord – Styckmördaren Anders Carlsson
Movie · as Self
Leif GW om veckans fall
Movie · as Self
Mordgåtan i paradiset – svenskarna som försvann
Movie · as Self (archive footage)
GW om äppelkriget
Movie · as Self
Kvinnan i gruvhålet
Movie · as Self (archive footage)
People who can’t read
Movie · as Audiobook reader (slow)
GW:s mord - Cyanidmordet
Movie · as Self
GW:s mord - Familjetragedin i Svartöstaden
Movie · as Self
GW:s mord – Styckmordet i Karlskrona
Movie · as Self
GW:s mord - Sturebymordet
Movie · as Self
GW:s mord - Mordet på Wilma
Movie · as Self
GW:s mord - Mordet på Liselotte
Movie · as Self
GW:s mord – Skultunamordet
Movie · as Self
DNA-spåret: Dubbelmordet i Brattås
TV · as Self · 3 eps
Läckbergs
TV · as Self · 1 ep
Guldtvisten
TV · as Self (archive footage) · 6 eps
Veckan med Camilla och Leif GW
TV · as Self · 20 eps
Dokument inifrån: Det svenska styckmordet
TV · as Self · 5 eps
Leif GW: Fallet Tove
Movie · as Self
Leif GW och vargen
Movie · as Self
The Kings Inner Circle
TV · as Self · 3 eps
Leif GW och vargen
TV · as Self - Host · 2 eps
Sven Melander - Ta hand om er och glöm inte att skratta
Movie · as Self
Malou möter Leif GW Persson 2022
Movie · as Self
Palmemördaren
Movie · as Self (archive footage)
En smak på livet
TV · as Self · 1 ep
Den överlägsne journalisten
TV · as Self · 2 eps
Leif GW om: Blattarna som byggde Sverige
Movie · as Self
Mordet på Olof Palme
Movie · as Self
Leif GW about
TV · as Self · 3 eps
Ulf Lundell - friheten och ensamheten
TV · as Self · 2 eps
The Perfect Patient
Movie · as Leif G.W. Persson (voice)
GW berättar - Göring i Sverige
Movie · as Self
Silbersky
TV · as Self · 3 eps
Revolver-Harry - enligt Leif GW Persson
Movie · as Self
Leif GW - nyhetsspecial om Madsen
Movie · as Self
Ordinary Savage: The Origins of Violence and Hurt Feelings
Movie · as Self
Brottsjournalen
TV · as Self · 46 eps
Här är ditt liv
TV · as Self - Guest · 1 ep
Malou möter Leif GW Persson 2017
Movie · as Self
Helikopterrånet
TV · as Self · 6 eps
GW:s mord
TV · as Self · 24 eps
Sjöwall & Wahlöö - Berättelsen om ett brott
Movie · as Self
Veckans brott: Palmemordet och Christer Pettersson
Movie · as Self
Vänligen: Lars Lerin
TV · as Self · 1 ep
Leif GW Persson om Mordutredningen
TV · as Self · 3 eps
Sveriges bästa
TV · as Self · 1 ep
Skolattacken i Trollhättan
Movie · as Self
Renées brygga
TV · as Himself · 1 ep
Leif GW Persson - Min klassresa
TV · as Self · 2 eps
Jorden runt på 6 steg
TV · 1 ep
Astrid
TV · as Self · 3 eps
På jakt med Lotta och Leif
TV · as Self · 7 eps
Stenbeck
TV · as Self · 3 eps
Historiska brott
Movie · as Self
Engelska mord
TV · as Self · 6 eps
Sommarmord
TV · as Self · 6 eps
Plura's Kitchen
TV · as Self - Guest · 1 ep
Inspector Späck
Movie · as Leif G.W. Persson
Hellenius Hörna
TV · as Self - Guest · 3 eps
Veckans brott
TV · as Self - Criminologist · 161 eps
Ebbe - The Movie: Mannen, Myten, Affären
Movie · as Self
Dokument inifrån: Att skapa en seriemördare
Movie · as Self - Prof. Rikspolisstyrelsen
Skavlan
TV · as Self - Guest · 1 ep
Peter Bratt - En undersökare
Movie · as Self
Bordellaffären
Movie · as Self
Boston Tea Party
TV · 1 ep
Helénmannen: Ulf Olsson
Movie · as Self
Kulturplatz
TV · as Self · 1 ep
24 minuter: Leif GW Persson
Movie · as Self
Thomas Quick
Movie · as Self
Thomas Quick: Seriemördare eller mytoman?
Movie · as Self
Kvällspressen
TV · as Kriminologen · 6 eps
Efterlyst
TV · as Self - Criminologist · 15 eps
Grabbarna på Fagerhult
TV · as Self · 4 eps
Profitörerna
TV · as Police investigator · 3 eps
Dubbelsvindlarna
TV · as Eliasson · 3 eps