John Qualen
- Known for
- Acting
- Born
- Dec 6, 1899
- Died
- Sep 12, 1987 (aged 87)
- Place of birth
- Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
- Credits
- 180
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
Casablanca
1943Movie
Berger
The Searchers
1956Movie
Lars Jorgensen
The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance
1962Movie
Peter Ericson
Anatomy of a Murder
1959Movie
Deputy Sheriff Sulo
The Grapes of Wrath
1940Movie
Muley Graves
His Girl Friday
1940Movie
Earl Williams
Filmography
La Classe américaine
1993Movie
V12 (archive footage) (uncredited)
Frasier, the Sensuous Lion
1973Movie
Old Man on Porch
The Streets of San Francisco
1972TV
Frank Casey
Getting Away from It All
1972Movie
Charlie Erickson
The Partridge Family
1970TV
The Old Man
The Odd Couple
1970TV
Groundskeeper, Mr. Larson, Sam
Hail, Hero!
1969Movie
Billy Hurd
Doc
1969Movie
Luke
P.J.
1968Movie
Poppa
Firecreek
1968Movie
Hall
Jericho
1966TV
The Girl from U.N.C.L.E.
1966TV
Dr. Elmer Spritzer
Shane
1966TV
Old Man
A Big Hand for the Little Lady
1966Movie
Jesse Buford
A Patch of Blue
1965Movie
Mr. Faber
Green Acres
1965TV
Mr. Appleby, Willie Dunhill
The Sons of Katie Elder
1965Movie
Charlie Biller
I'll Take Sweden
1965Movie
Olaf
Those Calloways
1964Movie
Ernie Evans
Cheyenne Autumn
1964Movie
Svenson (uncredited)
No Time for Sergeants
1964TV
7 Faces of Dr. Lao
1964Movie
Luther Lindquist
The Prize
1963Movie
Oscar
My Favorite Martian
1963TV
Matt
Burke's Law
1963TV
Richard Prince (uncredited)
Donovan's Reef
1963Movie
Deckhand Who Cries 'Man Overboard' (uncredited)
The Virginian
1962TV
Gosta Swenson
The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance
1962Movie
Peter Ericson
Ben Casey
1961TV
Hazel
1961TV
Mr. Johansson
Dr. Kildare
1961TV
Mr. Callahan
Two Rode Together
1961Movie
Ole Knudsen
Mister Ed
1961TV
Milo Simmons
North to Alaska
1960Movie
Logger
The Andy Griffith Show
1960TV
Henry Bennett
The Barbara Stanwyck Show
1960TV
Thriller
1960TV
Streetcar Conductor
Elmer Gantry
1960Movie
Sam - Storekeeper
Tate
1960TV
Sam
Hell Bent for Leather
1960Movie
Old Ben
The Alaskans
1959TV
The Third Man
1959TV
Bonanza
1959TV
Parley
Tightrope
1959TV
Anatomy of a Murder
1959Movie
Deputy Sheriff Sulo
Revolt in the Big House
1958Movie
Doc
Westinghouse Desilu Playhouse
1958TV
Lawman
1958TV
Doc Shea, Doc Shay
Yancy Derringer
1958TV
Capt. Sven Larsen
The Donna Reed Show
1958TV
Zeke
Bronco
1958TV
My World Dies Screaming
1958Movie
Jonah Snell
The Gun Runners
1958Movie
Pop
Sea Hunt
1958TV
The Real McCoys
1957TV
Frank
Maverick
1957TV
Leland Mills
Sugarfoot
1957TV
Jens Jensen
The Big Land
1957Movie
Sven Johnson
Johnny Concho
1956Movie
Jake
The Searchers
1956Movie
Lars Jorgensen
At Gunpoint
1955Movie
Livingstone
Alfred Hitchcock Presents
1955TV
Mr. Stepp, Elmer Shore, Mr. Crabtree
Cheyenne
1955TV
Unchained
1955Movie
Leonard Haskins
The Sea Chase
1955Movie
Chief Engineer Schmitt
Man on a Bus
1955Movie
Second Prisoner
The Millionaire
1955TV
Harry Stonewall Jackson
The Other Woman
1954Movie
Papasha
Climax!
1954TV
Geist
Passion
1954Movie
Gaspar Melo
December Bride
1954TV
Father Knows Best
1954TV
Old Man
The High and the Mighty
1954Movie
Jose Locota
Public Defender
1954TV
Ames
I, the Jury
1953Movie
Dr. R.H. Vickers, Veterinarian
Ambush at Tomahawk Gap
1953Movie
Jonas P. Travis
General Electric Theater
1953TV
Hans Christian Andersen
1952Movie
Burgomaster
Dragnet
1951TV
Schlitz Playhouse of Stars
1951TV
Pop Bradshaw, Peleg Brewster
Racket Squad
1951TV
Goodbye, My Fancy
1951Movie
Professor Dingley
Belle Le Grand
1951Movie
Corky McGee
The Flying Missile
1950Movie
Lars Hansen
Woman on the Run
1950Movie
Maibus
The Jackpot
1950Movie
Mr. Ferguson (uncredited)
Lux Video Theatre
1950TV
Eddie
Buccaneer's Girl
1950Movie
Vegetable Seller
Captain China
1950Movie
Geech
The Big Steal
1949Movie
Julius Seton
The Philco Television Playhouse
1948TV
Gus Gruntle
Hollow Triumph
1948Movie
Dr. Swangron
16 Fathoms Deep
1948Movie
Capt. Athos
My Girl Tisa
1948Movie
Svenson
Alias a Gentleman
1948Movie
No End
Reaching from Heaven
1948Movie
The Stranger
The Fugitive
1947Movie
A Refugee Doctor
High Conquest
1947Movie
Peter Oberwalder Sr.
Song of Scheherazade
1947Movie
Lorenzo
Adventure
1945Movie
Model T
Captain Kidd
1945Movie
Bart Blivens
River Gang
1945Movie
Uncle Bill
Roughly Speaking
1945Movie
Svend Olsen
Dark Waters
1944Movie
Uncle Norbert
An American Romance
1944Movie
Anton Dubechek
The Impostor
1944Movie
Monge
Swing Shift Maisie
1943Movie
Horatio Curley
Casablanca
1943Movie
Berger
Breakdowns of 1942
1942Movie
Self
Arabian Nights
1942Movie
Aladdin
Tortilla Flat
1942Movie
Jose Maria Corcoran
Larceny, Inc.
1942Movie
Sam Bachrach
Jungle Book
1942Movie
The Barber
All That Money Can Buy
1941Movie
Miser Stevens
New Wine
1941Movie
Hasslinger's Clerk
The Shepherd of the Hills
1941Movie
Coot Royal
Out of the Fog
1941Movie
Olaf Johnson
Million Dollar Baby
1941Movie
Dr. Patterson
Model Wife
1941Movie
The Janitor
Youth Will Be Served
1940Movie
Clem Howie
The Long Voyage Home
1940Movie
Axel
Knute Rockne All American
1940Movie
Lars Knutson Rockne
Angels Over Broadway
1940Movie
Charles Engle
Babies for Sale
1940Movie
Howard Anderson
On Their Own
1940Movie
Peters
Ski Patrol
1940Movie
Gustaf
Saturday's Children
1940Movie
First Carpenter (uncredited)
The Grapes of Wrath
1940Movie
Muley Graves
Blondie on a Budget
1940Movie
Ed Fuddle
His Girl Friday
1940Movie
Earl Williams
Four Wives
1939Movie
Frank
Honeymoon in Bali
1939Movie
Meek Man (uncredited)
Thunder Afloat
1939Movie
Milo
Mickey the Kid
1939Movie
Mailman
Let Us Live
1939Movie
Dan (uncredited)
Stand Up and Fight
1939Movie
Davy
The Strange Case of Dr. Meade
1938Movie
Stoner
The Mad Miss Manton
1938Movie
Night Watchman at Subway Construction Site
Five of a Kind
1938Movie
Asa Wyatt
The Chaser
1938Movie
Lars
Joy of Living
1938Movie
Oswego
The Bad Man of Brimstone
1937Movie
Loco
Nothing Sacred
1937Movie
Fireman (uncredited)
Fit for a King
1937Movie
Otto
She Had to Eat
1937Movie
Sleepy
Angel's Holiday
1937Movie
Waldo Everett
Fifty Roads to Town
1937Movie
Sheriff Dow
Seventh Heaven
1937Movie
Sewer Rat
Reunion
1936Movie
Asa Wyatt
The Road to Glory
1936Movie
Duflous
Girls' Dormitory
1936Movie
Toni
Meet Nero Wolfe
1936Movie
Olaf
The Country Doctor
1936Movie
Asa Wyatt
Wife vs. Secretary
1936Movie
Mr. Jenkins (uncredited)
Ring Around the Moon
1936Movie
Bill Harvey
Man of Iron
1935Movie
Collins
Whipsaw
1935Movie
Will Dabson
The Three Musketeers
1935Movie
Planchet
Thunder in the Night
1935Movie
Hotel Porter
Orchids to You
1935Movie
Smith
Silk Hat Kid
1935Movie
Mr. Fossbender
Doubting Thomas
1935Movie
Von Blitzen
The Farmer Takes a Wife
1935Movie
Sol Tinker
Black Fury
1935Movie
Mike Shemanski
Chasing Yesterday
1935Movie
Coccoz
The Great Hotel Murder
1935Movie
Ole
One More Spring
1935Movie
Auctioneer
Charlie Chan in Paris
1935Movie
Concierge, Dufresne's Hotel (bit)
365 Nights in Hollywood
1934Movie
Prof. Herman Ellenbogen
Our Daily Bread
1934Movie
Chris (as John T. Qualen)
Servants' Entrance
1934Movie
Detective
Straight Is the Way
1934Movie
Mr. Clapman (uncredited)
He Was Her Man
1934Movie
Dutch, Santa Avila's Cabbie
Upperworld
1934Movie
Janitor
Sing and Like It
1934Movie
Oswald (as John M. Qualen)
Hi, Nellie!
1934Movie
Steve (uncredited)
Let's Fall in Love
1933Movie
Bjorkman, Svente Bjorkman
Counsellor at Law
1933Movie
Breitstein
Arrowsmith
1931Movie
Henry Novak (uncredited)
Street Scene
1931Movie
Karl Olsen (as John M. Qualen)