Acting · Brooklyn, New York City, New York, USA · Born July 23, 1908
Karl Swenson (July 23, 1908 – October 8, 1978) was an American theatre, radio, film, and television actor. Swenson is remembered for his role as the doomsayer in the diner in Alfred Hitchcock's The Birds (1963) and as the voice of Merlin in Disney's The Sword in the Stone (1963). On television, he had numerous credits in guest roles on various shows, especially Westerns, including episodes of Bonanza, The Virginian, and Gunsmoke. He had a major recurring role as Walnut Grove founder Lars Hanson on Little House on the Prairie (1974 - 1978). Swenson also had roles in The Prize (1963), Major Dundee (1965), The Sons of Katie Elder (1965), The Cincinnati Kid (1965), Seconds (1966), Hour of the Gun (1967), ...tick...tick...tick... (1970), The Wild Country (1970), Vanishing Point (1971) and Ulzana's Raid (1972). Born in Brooklyn, New York of Swedish parentage, he originally planned to be a doctor and studied at Marietta College before pursuing acting. Swenson appeared extensively on the radio from the 1930s through the 1950s. He entered the film industry in 1943 with two wartime documentary shorts, December 7 and The Sikorsky Helicopter. Swenson was married to actress Joan Tompkins. He died of a heart attack at Charlotte Hungerford Hospital in Torrington, Connecticut on October 8, 1978, shortly after filming the Little House on the Prairie episode in which his character dies. The episode aired on October 16, 1978, eight days after Swenson's death. He was interred at Center Cemetery in New Milford, Connecticut.
MovieDisney Sing-Along Songs: Colors of the Wind
1995
as (voice) (archive footage)
MovieDisney's Sing-Along Songs: Under the Sea
1990
as Merlin (archive footage) (voice)
MovieDisney's Halloween Treat
1982
as Merlin (voice) (archive footage)
TVThe Amazing Spider-Man
1978
MovieDisney's Greatest Villains
1977
as Merlin (voice) (archive footage)
TVLittle House on the Prairie
1974
as Lars Hanson
MovieThe Gun and the Pulpit
1974
as Adams
TVHappy Days
1974
TVDoc Elliot
1973
MovieUlzana's Raid
1972
as Rukeyser
TVGhost Story
1972
as Ed Barnes
MovieThe New Healers
1972
as Mr. Fisherman
TVEmergency!
1972
as Gus
MovieA Howling in the Woods
1971
as Apperson
TVCannon
1971
MovieVanishing Point
1971
as Clerk
MovieThe Wild Country
1970
as Jensen
TVThe Odd Couple
1970
as Captain Potter
TVThe Immortal
1970
TVThe Young Rebels
1970
Movie… tick… tick… tick…
1970
as Frank Braddock Sr.
TVThe Mod Squad
1968
TVThe Outcasts
1968
TVHawaii Five-O
1968
as Abel Morgan
MovieHour of the Gun
1967
as Dr. Charles Goodfellow
MovieDo Not Go Gentle Into That Good Night
1967
as Dr. Keller
TVJudd, for the Defense
1967
TVThe Guns of Will Sonnett
1967
TVCimarron Strip
1967
TVIronside
1967
as Vet
CBS Playhouse
1966
as Dr. Keller
MovieBrighty of the Grand Canyon
1966
as Theodore Roosevelt
MovieSeconds
1966
as Dr. Morris
TVMission: Impossible
1966
as Colonel Dubov
TVThe Rat Patrol
1966
as Colonel Seidner
TVTarzan
1966
MovieThe Cincinnati Kid
1965
as Mr. Rudd
TVHogan's Heroes
1965
as Dr. Karl Svenson
TVThe Big Valley
1965
as Bert Hadley
MovieThe Sons of Katie Elder
1965
as Doc Isdell
MovieMajor Dundee
1965
as Captain Waller
Profiles in Courage
1964
as Chynoweth
TVGomer Pyle, U.S.M.C.
1964
as Col. Harper
MovieThe Prize
1963
as Hilding
MovieThe Sword in the Stone
1963
as Merlin (voice)
MovieThe Man from Galveston
1963
as Sheriff
TVThe Travels of Jaimie McPheeters
1963
as Coley Bishop
TVMr. Novak
1963
as Mr. Haskell
TVThe Bill Dana Show
1963
TVThe Fugitive
1963
as Axel Nielsen - Service station owner
The Greatest Show on Earth
1963
TVThe Lieutenant
1963
MovieThe Birds
1963
as Le prophète de malheur ivre au bar
TVThe Dakotas
1963
MovieHow the West Was Won
1962
as Train Conductor (uncredited)
TVGeneral Electric True
1962
TVThe Alfred Hitchcock Hour
1962
as George Sherston
TVThe Virginian
1962
as Col. Theodore Roosevelt
TVSam Benedict
1962
MovieThe Spiral Road
1962
as Insp. Bevers
MovieLonely are the Brave
1962
as Rev. Hoskins
MovieWalk on the Wild Side
1962
as Schmidt
MovieJudgment at Nuremberg
1961
as Heinrich Geuter
TVBen Casey
1961
TVDr. Kildare
1961
as Judge
MovieFlaming Star
1960
as Dred Pierce
MovieNorth to Alaska
1960
as Lars Nordqvist
TVKlondike
1960
as Judge Frank Weinstock
TVSurfside 6
1960
TVThe Andy Griffith Show
1960
as Mr. McBeevee
TVThe Westerner
1960
as Ben Potts
TVOutlaws
1960
MovieOne Foot in Hell
1960
as Sheriff Ole Olson
MovieThe Gallant Hours
1960
as Bill Bailey
TVHong Kong
1960
as John Olwine
MovieIce Palace
1960
as Scotty Ballantyne
TVMr. Lucky
1959
TVHawaiian Eye
1959
TVThe Rebel
1959
as Lew Bussey
TVJohnny Ringo
1959
as Kramer
TVLock-Up
1959
TVRiverboat
1959
as Ansel Torgin
TVBonanza
1959
as Carl Harris
TVTightrope
1959
MovieThe Hanging Tree
1959
as Tom Flaunce
MovieNo Name on the Bullet
1959
as Stricker
TVBlack Saddle
1959
as Dr. Wyle
TVRawhide
1959
MovieGateways to the Mind
1958
as Hal - the Cameraman (uncredited)
TV77 Sunset Strip
1958
TVBat Masterson
1958
as Jim Pate
TVWestinghouse Desilu Playhouse
1958
TVThe Rifleman
1958
as Chris Manse
TVThe Texan
1958
TVBronco
1958
MovieKings Go Forth
1958
as The Colonel
TVTrackdown
1957
TVLeave It to Beaver
1957
as George Haskell
The Court of Last Resort
1957
TVThe Walter Winchell File
1957
TVMaverick
1957
as Captain Nares
TVPerry Mason
1957
as Axel Norstaad
TVSugarfoot
1957
as Andy Burke
TVHave Gun, Will Travel
1957
MovieFour Boys and a Gun
1957
as Mr. Badek
TVDick Powell's Zane Grey Theatre
1956
as Lee Willis
TVThe Adventures of Jim Bowie
1956
as Andre Rochambeau
MovieAlice in Wonderland
1955
as Humpty Dumpty
Playwrights '56
1955
TVAlfred Hitchcock Presents
1955
as Ed Holland
TVGunsmoke
1955
as Hank Luz
TVThe Wonderful World of Disney
1954
as Laredo Marshal (uncredited)
TVLassie
1954
Portia Faces Life
1954
TVHallmark Hall of Fame
1951
as Humpty Dumpty
TVSchlitz Playhouse of Stars
1951
as Asmussen
TVRobert Montgomery Presents
1950
MovieDecember 7th
1943
as Machine-Gunner (uncredited)
MovieStrangers All
1935
as Protester at Communist Meeting
