journalist contributing editor
His father Olaf Skavlan, was writer, literary historian and professor Skavlan was a journalist for Verdens Gang from 1907, and for Tidens Tegn from 1910. He was editor-in-chief for Dagbladet from 1915 to 1954, except for his period as director for the National Theatre from 1928 to 1930.
From 1 April 1942 to 19 October 1943 he was imprisoned in Grini concentration camp.