Prøysen became an apprentice at the Norwegian School of Applied Sciences, where he was a copywriter and actor in the annual student reviews from 1942–45. He became associated with NRK, making his recording debut in 1947. Prøysen soon became a national celebrity. Through songs such as "Husmannspolka", "Tango for to", "Lillebrors vise", "Du ska få en dag i mårå", "Julekveldsvis", "Jørgen Hattemaker", "Musevisa" and "Romjulsdrøm" he became extremely popular through the 1950s and 1960s. Prøysen contributed to many artistic fields: children's radio, short stories, theater and music. Most of his stories and songs took place in an environment similar to the rural village where he grew up.