Skip to content
Join free
Karl Swenson
Actor

Karl Swenson

23 Jul 1908Born
8 Oct 1978Died
70Age at death
119Credits

Biography

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.

Read the full biography

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.

Known for

Filmography

The 80 most recent of 119 credits.

  1. 1995Disney Sing-Along Songs: Colors of the WindFilm: (voice) (archive footage)
  2. 1990Disney's Sing-Along Songs: Under the SeaFilm: Merlin (archive footage) (voice)
  3. 1982Disney's Halloween TreatFilm: Merlin (voice) (archive footage)
  4. 1978The Amazing Spider-ManSeries (1 episode)
  5. 1977Disney's Greatest VillainsFilm: Merlin (voice) (archive footage)
  6. 1974Little House on the PrairieSeries: Lars Hanson (40 episodes)
  7. 1974The Gun and the PulpitFilm: Adams
  8. 1974Happy DaysSeries (1 episode)
  9. 1973Doc ElliotSeries (1 episode)
  10. 1972Ulzana's RaidFilm: Rukeyser
  11. 1972Ghost StorySeries: Ed Barnes (1 episode)
  12. 1972The New HealersFilm: Mr. Fisherman
  13. 1972Emergency!Series: Gus (1 episode)
  14. 1971A Howling in the WoodsFilm: Apperson
  15. 1971CannonSeries (1 episode)
  16. 1971Vanishing PointFilm: Clerk
  17. 1970The Wild CountryFilm: Jensen
  18. 1970The Odd CoupleSeries: Captain Potter (1 episode)
  19. 1970The ImmortalSeries (1 episode)
  20. 1970The Young RebelsSeries (1 episode)
  21. 1970… tick… tick… tick…Film: Frank Braddock Sr.
  22. 1969Hawaii Five-OSeries: Abel Morgan (2 episodes)
  23. 1968The Mod SquadSeries (2 episodes)
  24. 1968The OutcastsSeries (1 episode)
  25. 1967Hour of the GunFilm: Dr. Charles Goodfellow
  26. 1967Do Not Go Gentle Into That Good NightFilm: Dr. Keller
  27. 1967Judd, for the DefenseSeries (2 episodes)
  28. 1967The Guns of Will SonnettSeries (1 episode)
  29. 1967Cimarron StripSeries: Dr. Kihlgren (5 episodes)
  30. 1967IronsideSeries: Vet (1 episode)
  31. 1966CBS PlayhouseSeries: Dr. Keller (1 episode)
  32. 1966Brighty of the Grand CanyonFilm: Theodore Roosevelt
  33. 1966SecondsFilm: Dr. Morris
  34. 1966Mission: ImpossibleSeries: Colonel Dubov, Dr. Ziegler (1 episode)
  35. 1966The Rat PatrolSeries: Colonel Seidner (1 episode)
  36. 1966TarzanSeries (1 episode)
  37. 1965The Cincinnati KidFilm: Mr. Rudd
  38. 1965Hogan's HeroesSeries: Dr. Karl Svenson (1 episode)
  39. 1965The Big ValleySeries: Bert Hadley, Aaron Moyers, Steve Minter (1 episode)
  40. 1965The Sons of Katie ElderFilm: Doc Isdell
  41. 1965Major DundeeFilm: Captain Waller
  42. 1964Profiles in CourageSeries: Chynoweth (1 episode)
  43. 1964Gomer Pyle, U.S.M.C.Series: Col. Harper (1 episode)
  44. 1963The PrizeFilm: Hilding
  45. 1963The Sword in the StoneFilm: Merlin (voice)
  46. 1963The Man from GalvestonFilm: Sheriff
  47. 1963The Travels of Jaimie McPheetersSeries: Coley Bishop (1 episode)
  48. 1963Mr. NovakSeries: Mr. Haskell (1 episode)
  49. 1963The Bill Dana ShowSeries (1 episode)
  50. 1963The FugitiveSeries: Axel Nielsen - Service station owner, Morgan (1 episode)
  51. 1963The Greatest Show on EarthSeries: Louis (1 episode)
  52. 1963The LieutenantSeries (1 episode)
  53. 1963The BirdsFilm: Le prophète de malheur ivre au bar
  54. 1963The DakotasSeries (1 episode)
  55. 1962How the West Was WonFilm: Train Conductor (uncredited)
  56. 1962General Electric TrueSeries (1 episode)
  57. 1962The Alfred Hitchcock HourSeries: George Sherston (1 episode)
  58. 1962The VirginianSeries: Col. Theodore Roosevelt, Karl Swenson, Ben Wallace (1 episode)
  59. 1962Sam BenedictSeries: Barney Rosvalley, Barney Rossvalley (1 episode)
  60. 1962The Spiral RoadFilm: Insp. Bevers
  61. 1962Lonely are the BraveFilm: Rev. Hoskins
  62. 1962Walk on the Wild SideFilm: Schmidt
  63. 1961Judgment at NurembergFilm: Heinrich Geuter
  64. 1961Ben CaseySeries (1 episode)
  65. 1961Dr. KildareSeries: Judge (3 episodes)
  66. 1960Flaming StarFilm: Dred Pierce
  67. 1960North to AlaskaFilm: Lars Nordqvist
  68. 1960KlondikeSeries: Judge Frank Weinstock (1 episode)
  69. 1960Surfside 6Series (1 episode)
  70. 1960The Andy Griffith ShowSeries: Mr. McBeevee (1 episode)
  71. 1960The WesternerSeries: Ben Potts (1 episode)
  72. 1960OutlawsSeries (1 episode)
  73. 1960One Foot in HellFilm: Sheriff Ole Olson
  74. 1960The Gallant HoursFilm: Bill Bailey
  75. 1960Hong KongSeries: John Olwine (1 episode)
  76. 1960Ice PalaceFilm: Scotty Ballantyne
  77. 1959Mr. LuckySeries (1 episode)
  78. 1959Hawaiian EyeSeries (1 episode)
  79. 1959The RebelSeries: Lew Bussey (1 episode)
  80. 1959Johnny RingoSeries: Kramer (1 episode)

Biography and credits from TMDB. This website uses TMDB and the TMDB APIs but is not endorsed, certified, or otherwise approved by TMDB.