John Qualen
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.
Known for
Maverick
Maverick
Leland Mills
The Andy Griffith Show
Henry Bennett
Dr. Kildare
Mr. Callahan
Ben Casey
Climax!
Geist
The Philco Television Playhouse
Gus Gruntle
Dragnet
Cheyenne
The Virginian
Gosta Swenson
The Donna Reed Show
Zeke
The Odd Couple
Groundskeeper
The Odd Couple
Mr. Larson
The Odd Couple
Sam
Thriller
Streetcar Conductor
Green Acres
Mr. Appleby
Green Acres
Willie Dunhill
Burke's Law
Richard Prince (uncredited)
Sea Hunt
The Real McCoys
Frank
Lawman
Doc Shea
The Streets of San Francisco
Frank Casey
My Favorite Martian
Matt
Mister Ed
Mister Ed
Milo Simmons
Public Defender
Ames
Racket Squad
The Millionaire
Harry Stonewall Jackson
Sugarfoot
Jens Jensen
December Bride
Westinghouse Desilu Playhouse
Father Knows Best
Old Man
Tightrope
The Barbara Stanwyck Show
Bronco
The Third Man
Alfred Hitchcock Presents
Mr. Stepp
Alfred Hitchcock Presents
Elmer Shore
Alfred Hitchcock Presents
Mr. Crabtree
The Alaskans
Yancy Derringer
Capt. Sven Larsen
Lux Video Theatre
Eddie
No Time for Sergeants
Jericho
Tate
Sam
Casablanca
Berger
The Girl from U.N.C.L.E.
Dr. Elmer Spritzer
The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance
Peter Ericson
Dark Waters
Uncle Norbert
The Partridge Family
The Old Man
The Long Voyage Home
Axel
Shane
Old Man
The Searchers
Lars Jorgensen
Anatomy of a Murder
Deputy Sheriff Sulo
Schlitz Playhouse of Stars
Pop Bradshaw
Schlitz Playhouse of Stars
Peleg Brewster
General Electric Theater
His Girl Friday
Earl Williams
The Grapes of Wrath
Muley Graves
Hollow Triumph
Swangron
Jungle Book
The Barber
Reaching from Heaven
The Stranger
Street Scene
Karl Olsen (as John M. Qualen)
North to Alaska
Logger
The Sons of Katie Elder
Charlie Biller
Our Daily Bread
Chris (as John T. Qualen)
Captain Kidd
Bart Blivens
The High and the Mighty
Jose Locota
Donovan's Reef
Deckhand Who Cries 'Man Overboard' (uncredited)
Elmer Gantry
Sam - Storekeeper
Cheyenne Autumn
Svenson (uncredited)
Two Rode Together
Ole Knudsen
The Prize
Oscar
Hell Bent for Leather
Old Ben
Firecreek
Hall
Arabian Nights
Aladdin
Woman on the Run
Maibus
A Patch of Blue
Mr. Faber
Doc
Luke
Hans Christian Andersen
Burgomaster
The Gun Runners
Pop
Nothing Sacred
Fireman (uncredited)
La Classe américaine
V12 (archive footage) (uncredited)
Whipsaw
Will Dabson
The Sea Chase
Chief Engineer Schmitt
The Big Steal
Julius Seton
All That Money Can Buy
Miser Stevens
The Shepherd of the Hills
Coot Royal
The Chaser
Lars
Model Wife
The Janitor
Wife vs. Secretary
Mr. Jenkins (uncredited)
A Big Hand for the Little Lady
Jesse Buford
Ambush at Tomahawk Gap
Jonas P. Travis
Honeymoon in Bali
Meek Man (uncredited)
The Jackpot
Mr. Ferguson (uncredited)
Captain China
Geech
I'll Take Sweden
Olaf
The Big Land
Sven Johnson
Million Dollar Baby
Dr. Patterson
Swing Shift Maisie
Horatio Curley
Black Fury
Mike Shemanski
Charlie Chan in Paris
Concierge, Dufresne's Hotel (bit)
I, the Jury
Dr. R.H. Vickers, Veterinarian
7 Faces of Dr. Lao
Luther Lindquist
The Three Musketeers
Planchet
Passion
Gaspar Melo
The Mad Miss Manton
Night Watchman at Subway Construction Site
Out of the Fog
Olaf Johnson
The Country Doctor
Asa Wyatt
Hi, Nellie!
Steve (uncredited)
Buccaneer's Girl
Vegetable Seller
Johnny Concho
Jake
Hail, Hero!
Billy Hurd
The Road to Glory
Duflous
Unchained
Leonard Haskins
Arrowsmith
Henry Novak (uncredited)
The Fugitive
A Refugee Doctor
The Other Woman
Papasha
Goodbye, My Fancy
Professor Dingley
Song of Scheherazade
Lorenzo
Man on a Bus
Second Prisoner
Thunder Afloat
Milo
The Flying Missile
Lars Hansen
Let Us Live
Dan (uncredited)
Angel's Holiday
Waldo Everett
Straight Is the Way
Mr. Clapman (uncredited)
Angels Over Broadway
Charles Engle
Girls' Dormitory
Toni
365 Nights in Hollywood
Prof. Herman Ellenbogen
Adventure
Model T
Larceny, Inc.
Sam Bachrach
The Impostor
Monge
Seventh Heaven
Sewer Rat
P.J.
Poppa
The Farmer Takes a Wife
Sol Tinker
At Gunpoint
Livingstone
Knute Rockne All American
Lars Knutson Rockne
Those Calloways
Ernie Evans
Counsellor at Law
Breitstein
Thunder in the Night
Hotel Porter
Reunion
Asa Wyatt
High Conquest
Peter Oberwalder Sr.
Stand Up and Fight
Davy
Blondie on a Budget
Ed Fuddle
Alias a Gentleman
No End
One More Spring
Auctioneer
Upperworld
Janitor
Tortilla Flat
Jose Maria Corcoran
Orchids to You
Smith
Breakdowns of 1942
Self
Doubting Thomas
Von Blitzen
The Bad Man of Brimstone
Loco
River Gang
Uncle Bill
Servants' Entrance
Detective
Five of a Kind
Asa Wyatt
Joy of Living
Oswego
The Great Hotel Murder
Ole
The Strange Case of Dr. Meade
Stoner
Meet Nero Wolfe
Olaf
Man of Iron
Collins
New Wine
Hasslinger's Clerk
Four Wives
Frank
Saturday's Children
First Carpenter (uncredited)
Roughly Speaking
Svend Olsen
Belle Le Grand
Corky McGee
Sing and Like It
Oswald (as John M. Qualen)
An American Romance
Anton Dubechek
Fifty Roads to Town
Sheriff Dow
Let's Fall in Love
Bjorkman
Let's Fall in Love
Svente Bjorkman
Chasing Yesterday
Coccoz
He Was Her Man
Dutch, Santa Avila's Cabbie
My Girl Tisa
Svenson
Ring Around the Moon
Bill Harvey
Silk Hat Kid
Mr. Fossbender
Frasier, the Sensuous Lion
Old Man on Porch
She Had to Eat
Sleepy
My World Dies Screaming
Jonah Snell
16 Fathoms Deep
Capt. Athos
Fit for a King
Otto
Ski Patrol
Gustaf
Getting Away from It All
Charlie Erickson
On Their Own
Peters
Mickey the Kid
Mailman
Babies for Sale
Howard Anderson
Revolt in the Big House
Doc
Youth Will Be Served
Clem Howie