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John Qualen
Actor

John Qualen

6 Dec 1899Born
12 Sep 1987Died
87Age at death
179Credits

Biography

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.

Read the full biography

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

Filmography

The 80 most recent of 179 credits.

  1. 1993La Classe américaineFilm: V12 (archive footage) (uncredited)
  2. 1973Frasier, the Sensuous LionFilm: Old Man on Porch
  3. 1972The Streets of San FranciscoSeries: Frank Casey (1 episode)
  4. 1972Getting Away from It AllFilm: Charlie Erickson
  5. 1970The Partridge FamilySeries: The Old Man (1 episode)
  6. 1970The Odd CoupleSeries: Groundskeeper, Mr. Larson, Sam (1 episode)
  7. 1969Hail, Hero!Film: Billy Hurd
  8. 1969DocFilm: Luke
  9. 1968P.J.Film: Poppa
  10. 1968FirecreekFilm: Hall
  11. 1966JerichoSeries (1 episode)
  12. 1966The Girl from U.N.C.L.E.Series: Dr. Elmer Spritzer (1 episode)
  13. 1966ShaneSeries: Old Man (1 episode)
  14. 1966A Big Hand for the Little LadyFilm: Jesse Buford
  15. 1965A Patch of BlueFilm: Mr. Faber
  16. 1965Green AcresSeries: Mr. Appleby, Willie Dunhill (1 episode)
  17. 1965The Sons of Katie ElderFilm: Charlie Biller
  18. 1965I'll Take SwedenFilm: Olaf
  19. 1964Those CallowaysFilm: Ernie Evans
  20. 1964Cheyenne AutumnFilm: Svenson (uncredited)
  21. 1964No Time for SergeantsSeries (1 episode)
  22. 19647 Faces of Dr. LaoFilm: Luther Lindquist
  23. 1963The PrizeFilm: Oscar
  24. 1963My Favorite MartianSeries: Matt (1 episode)
  25. 1963Burke's LawSeries: Richard Prince (uncredited) (2 episodes)
  26. 1963Donovan's ReefFilm: Deckhand Who Cries 'Man Overboard' (uncredited)
  27. 1962The VirginianSeries: Gosta Swenson (1 episode)
  28. 1962The Man Who Shot Liberty ValanceFilm: Peter Ericson
  29. 1961Ben CaseySeries (2 episodes)
  30. 1961HazelSeries: Mr. Johansson (1 episode)
  31. 1961Dr. KildareSeries: Mr. Callahan (1 episode)
  32. 1961Two Rode TogetherFilm: Ole Knudsen
  33. 1961Mister EdSeries: Milo Simmons (2 episodes)
  34. 1960North to AlaskaFilm: Logger
  35. 1960The Andy Griffith ShowSeries: Henry Bennett (1 episode)
  36. 1960The Barbara Stanwyck ShowSeries (1 episode)
  37. 1960ThrillerSeries: Streetcar Conductor (1 episode)
  38. 1960Elmer GantryFilm: Sam - Storekeeper
  39. 1960TateSeries: Sam (1 episode)
  40. 1960Hell Bent for LeatherFilm: Old Ben
  41. 1959The AlaskansSeries (1 episode)
  42. 1959The Third ManSeries (1 episode)
  43. 1959BonanzaSeries: Parley (1 episode)
  44. 1959TightropeSeries (1 episode)
  45. 1959Anatomy of a MurderFilm: Deputy Sheriff Sulo
  46. 1958Revolt in the Big HouseFilm: Doc
  47. 1958Westinghouse Desilu PlayhouseSeries (1 episode)
  48. 1958LawmanSeries: Doc Shea, Doc Shay (1 episode)
  49. 1958Yancy DerringerSeries: Capt. Sven Larsen (1 episode)
  50. 1958The Donna Reed ShowSeries: Zeke (1 episode)
  51. 1958BroncoSeries (1 episode)
  52. 1958My World Dies ScreamingFilm: Jonah Snell
  53. 1958The Gun RunnersFilm: Pop
  54. 1958Sea HuntSeries (1 episode)
  55. 1957The Real McCoysSeries: Frank (1 episode)
  56. 1957MaverickSeries: Leland Mills (1 episode)
  57. 1957SugarfootSeries: Jens Jensen (1 episode)
  58. 1957The Big LandFilm: Sven Johnson
  59. 1956Johnny ConchoFilm: Jake
  60. 1956The SearchersFilm: Lars Jorgensen
  61. 1955At GunpointFilm: Livingstone
  62. 1955Alfred Hitchcock PresentsSeries: Mr. Stepp, Mr. Crabtree, Elmer Shore (1 episode)
  63. 1955CheyenneSeries (1 episode)
  64. 1955UnchainedFilm: Leonard Haskins
  65. 1955The Sea ChaseFilm: Chief Engineer Schmitt
  66. 1955Man on a BusFilm: Second Prisoner
  67. 1955The MillionaireSeries: Harry Stonewall Jackson (1 episode)
  68. 1954The Other WomanFilm: Papasha
  69. 1954Climax!Series: Geist (1 episode)
  70. 1954PassionFilm: Gaspar Melo
  71. 1954December BrideSeries (2 episodes)
  72. 1954Father Knows BestSeries: Old Man (1 episode)
  73. 1954The High and the MightyFilm: Jose Locota
  74. 1954Public DefenderSeries: Ames (1 episode)
  75. 1953I, the JuryFilm: Dr. R.H. Vickers, Veterinarian
  76. 1953Ambush at Tomahawk GapFilm: Jonas P. Travis
  77. 1953General Electric TheaterSeries (1 episode)
  78. 1952Hans Christian AndersenFilm: Burgomaster
  79. 1951DragnetSeries (2 episodes)
  80. 1951Schlitz Playhouse of StarsSeries: Pop Bradshaw, Peleg Brewster (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.