Acting · Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada · Born December 6, 1899
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia John Qualen (born Johan Mandt Kvalen, December 8, 1899 – September 12, 1987) was a Canadian-American character actor of Norwegian heritage who specialized in Scandinavian roles. Qualen was born in Vancouver, British Columbia, the son of immigrants from Norway; his father was a Lutheran minister and changed the family's original surname, "Kvalen", to "Qualen" – though some sources give Oleson, later Oleson Kvalen as Qualen's earlier surnames. His father's ministering meant many moves and John was 20 when he graduated from Elgin High School in 1920. Though he was awarded a scholarship to Northwestern University after he won an oratory contest he never attended college. In a Milwaukee Journal interview he said he needed to start working and did so with the Chattaqua Circuit. Eventually reaching Broadway, he gained his big break as the Swedish janitor in Elmer Rice's Street Scene. His movie career began when he recreated the role in the film version. This was followed by his appearance in John Ford's Arrowsmith (1931) which began a more than thirty year membership in the director's "stock company", with important supporting roles in The Searchers (1956), Two Rode Together (1961), The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance (1962) and Cheyenne Autumn (1964). Appearing in well over one hundred films, and acting extensively on television into the 1970s, Qualen performed many of his roles with various accents, usually Scandinavian, often intended for comic effect. Three of his more memorable roles showcase his versatility. Qualen assumed a Midwestern dialect as Muley, who recounts the destruction of his farm by the bank in Ford's The Grapes of Wrath (1940), and as the confused killer Earl Williams in Howard Hawks' classic comedy His Girl Friday (also 1940). As Berger, the jewelry-selling Norwegian resistance member in Michael Curtiz' Casablanca (1942), he essayed a light Scandinavian accent, but put on a thicker Mediterranean accent as the homeward-bound fisherman Locota in William Wellman's The High and the Mighty (1954) Qualen was treasurer of The Authors Club and historian of The Masquers, Hollywood's social group for actors. John Qualen was blind in his later years. He died of heart failure in 1987 in Torrance, California, and was interred in the Forest Lawn Memorial Park in Glendale. He was survived by his three daughters.
MovieLa Classe américaine
1993
as V12 (archive footage) (uncredited)
MovieFrasier, the Sensuous Lion
1973
as Old Man on Porch
TVThe Streets of San Francisco
1972
as Frank Casey
MovieGetting Away from It All
1972
as Charlie Erickson
TVThe Partridge Family
1970
as The Old Man
TVThe Odd Couple
1970
as Groundskeeper
MovieHail, Hero!
1969
as Billy Hurd
MovieDoc
1969
as Luke
MovieP.J.
1968
as Poppa
MovieFirecreek
1968
as Hall
TVJericho
1966
TVThe Girl from U.N.C.L.E.
1966
as Dr. Elmer Spritzer
TVShane
1966
as Old Man
MovieA Big Hand for the Little Lady
1966
as Jesse Buford
MovieA Patch of Blue
1965
as Mr. Faber
TVGreen Acres
1965
as Mr. Appleby
MovieThe Sons of Katie Elder
1965
as Charlie Biller
MovieI'll Take Sweden
1965
as Olaf
MovieThose Calloways
1964
as Ernie Evans
MovieCheyenne Autumn
1964
as Svenson (uncredited)
TVNo Time for Sergeants
1964
Movie7 Faces of Dr. Lao
1964
as Luther Lindquist
MovieThe Prize
1963
as Oscar
TVMy Favorite Martian
1963
as Matt
TVBurke's Law
1963
as Richard Prince (uncredited)
MovieDonovan's Reef
1963
as Deckhand Who Cries 'Man Overboard' (uncredited)
TVThe Virginian
1962
as Gosta Swenson
MovieThe Man Who Shot Liberty Valance
1962
as Peter Ericson
TVBen Casey
1961
TVDr. Kildare
1961
as Mr. Callahan
MovieTwo Rode Together
1961
as Ole Knudsen
TVMister Ed
1961
MovieNorth to Alaska
1960
as Logger
TVThe Andy Griffith Show
1960
as Henry Bennett
TVThe Barbara Stanwyck Show
1960
TVThriller
1960
as Streetcar Conductor
MovieElmer Gantry
1960
as Sam - Storekeeper
TVTate
1960
as Sam
MovieHell Bent for Leather
1960
as Old Ben
TVThe Alaskans
1959
TVThe Third Man
1959
TVBonanza
1959
as Parley
TVTightrope
1959
MovieAnatomy of a Murder
1959
as Deputy Sheriff Sulo Kangas
MovieRevolt in the Big House
1958
as Doc
TVWestinghouse Desilu Playhouse
1958
TVLawman
1958
as Doc Shea
TVYancy Derringer
1958
as Capt. Sven Larsen
TVThe Donna Reed Show
1958
as Zeke
TVBronco
1958
MovieMy World Dies Screaming
1958
as Jonah Snell
MovieThe Gun Runners
1958
as Pop
TVSea Hunt
1958
TVThe Real McCoys
1957
as Frank
TVMaverick
1957
TVSugarfoot
1957
as Jens Jensen
MovieThe Big Land
1957
as Sven Johnson
MovieJohnny Concho
1956
as Jake
MovieThe Searchers
1956
as Lars Jorgensen
MovieAt Gunpoint
1955
as Livingstone
TVAlfred Hitchcock Presents
1955
as Mr. Stepp
TVCheyenne
1955
MovieUnchained
1955
as Leonard Haskins
MovieThe Sea Chase
1955
as Chief Engineer Schmitt
MovieMan on a Bus
1955
as Second Prisoner
TVThe Millionaire
1955
as Harry Stonewall Jackson
MovieThe Other Woman
1954
as Papasha
TVClimax!
1954
as Geist
MoviePassion
1954
as Gaspar Melo
TVDecember Bride
1954
TVFather Knows Best
1954
as Old Man
MovieThe High and the Mighty
1954
as Jose Locota
TVPublic Defender
1954
as Ames
MovieI, the Jury
1953
as Dr. R.H. Vickers, Veterinarian
MovieAmbush at Tomahawk Gap
1953
as Jonas P. Travis
TVGeneral Electric Theater
1953
MovieHans Christian Andersen
1952
as Burgomaster
TVDragnet
1951
TVSchlitz Playhouse of Stars
1951
as Pop Bradshaw
TVRacket Squad
1951
MovieGoodbye, My Fancy
1951
as Professor Dingley
MovieBelle Le Grand
1951
as Corky McGee
MovieThe Flying Missile
1950
as Lars Hansen
MovieWoman on the Run
1950
as Maibus
MovieThe Jackpot
1950
as Mr. Ferguson (uncredited)
Lux Video Theatre
1950
as Eddie
MovieBuccaneer's Girl
1950
as Vegetable Seller
MovieCaptain China
1950
as Geech
MovieThe Big Steal
1949
as Julius Seton
TVThe Philco Television Playhouse
1948
as Gus Gruntle
MovieHollow Triumph
1948
as Swangron
Movie16 Fathoms Deep
1948
as Capt. Athos
MovieMy Girl Tisa
1948
as Svenson
MovieAlias a Gentleman
1948
as No End
MovieReaching from Heaven
1948
as The Stranger
MovieThe Fugitive
1947
as A Refugee Doctor
MovieHigh Conquest
1947
as Peter Oberwalder Sr.
MovieSong of Scheherazade
1947
as Lorenzo
MovieAdventure
1945
as Model T
MovieCaptain Kidd
1945
as Bart Blivens
MovieRiver Gang
1945
as Uncle Bill
MovieRoughly Speaking
1945
as Svend Olsen
MovieDark Waters
1944
as Uncle Norbert
MovieAn American Romance
1944
as Anton Dubechek
MovieThe Impostor
1944
as Monge
MovieSwing Shift Maisie
1943
as Horatio Curley
MovieCasablanca
1943
as Berger
MovieBreakdowns of 1942
1942
as Self
MovieArabian Nights
1942
as Aladdin
MovieTortilla Flat
1942
as Jose Maria Corcoran
MovieLarceny, Inc.
1942
as Sam Bachrach
MovieJungle Book
1942
as The Barber
MovieAll That Money Can Buy
1941
as Miser Stevens
MovieNew Wine
1941
as Hasslinger's Clerk
MovieThe Shepherd of the Hills
1941
as Coot Royal
MovieOut of the Fog
1941
as Olaf Johnson
MovieMillion Dollar Baby
1941
as Dr. Patterson
MovieModel Wife
1941
as The Janitor
MovieYouth Will Be Served
1940
as Clem Howie
MovieThe Long Voyage Home
1940
as Axel
MovieKnute Rockne All American
1940
as Lars Knutson Rockne
MovieAngels Over Broadway
1940
as Charles Engle
MovieBabies for Sale
1940
as Howard Anderson
MovieOn Their Own
1940
as Peters
MovieSki Patrol
1940
as Gustaf
MovieSaturday's Children
1940
as First Carpenter (uncredited)
MovieThe Grapes of Wrath
1940
as Muley Graves
MovieBlondie on a Budget
1940
as Ed Fuddle
MovieHis Girl Friday
1940
as Earl Williams
MovieFour Wives
1939
as Frank
MovieHoneymoon in Bali
1939
as Meek Man (uncredited)
MovieThunder Afloat
1939
as Milo
MovieMickey the Kid
1939
as Mailman
MovieLet Us Live
1939
as Dan (uncredited)
MovieStand Up and Fight
1939
as Davy
MovieThe Strange Case of Dr. Meade
1938
as Stoner
MovieThe Mad Miss Manton
1938
as Night Watchman at Subway Construction Site
MovieFive of a Kind
1938
as Asa Wyatt
MovieThe Chaser
1938
as Lars
MovieJoy of Living
1938
as Oswego
MovieThe Bad Man of Brimstone
1937
as Loco
MovieNothing Sacred
1937
as Fireman (uncredited)
MovieFit for a King
1937
as Otto
MovieShe Had to Eat
1937
as Sleepy
MovieAngel's Holiday
1937
as Waldo Everett
MovieFifty Roads to Town
1937
as Sheriff Dow
MovieSeventh Heaven
1937
as Sewer Rat
MovieReunion
1936
as Asa Wyatt
MovieThe Road to Glory
1936
as Duflous
MovieGirls' Dormitory
1936
as Toni
MovieMeet Nero Wolfe
1936
as Olaf
MovieThe Country Doctor
1936
as Asa Wyatt
MovieWife vs. Secretary
1936
as Mr. Jenkins (uncredited)
MovieRing Around the Moon
1936
as Bill Harvey
MovieMan of Iron
1935
as Collins
MovieWhipsaw
1935
as Will Dabson
MovieThe Three Musketeers
1935
as Planchet
MovieThunder in the Night
1935
as Hotel Porter
MovieOrchids to You
1935
as Smith
MovieSilk Hat Kid
1935
as Mr. Fossbender
MovieDoubting Thomas
1935
as Von Blitzen
MovieThe Farmer Takes a Wife
1935
as Sol Tinker
MovieBlack Fury
1935
as Mike Shemanski
MovieChasing Yesterday
1935
as Coccoz
MovieThe Great Hotel Murder
1935
as Ole
MovieOne More Spring
1935
as Auctioneer
MovieCharlie Chan in Paris
1935
as Concierge, Dufresne's Hotel (bit)
Movie365 Nights in Hollywood
1934
as Prof. Herman Ellenbogen
MovieOur Daily Bread
1934
as Chris (as John T. Qualen)
MovieServants' Entrance
1934
as Detective
MovieStraight Is the Way
1934
as Mr. Clapman (uncredited)
MovieHe Was Her Man
1934
as Dutch, Santa Avila's Cabbie
MovieUpperworld
1934
as Janitor
MovieSing and Like It
1934
as Oswald (as John M. Qualen)
MovieHi, Nellie!
1934
as Steve (uncredited)
MovieLet's Fall in Love
1933
as Bjorkman
MovieCounsellor at Law
1933
as Breitstein
MovieArrowsmith
1931
as Henry Novak (uncredited)
MovieStreet Scene
1931
as Karl Olsen (as John M. Qualen)
