John Qualen
Acting
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
Acting179
movieLa Classe américaine
1993
V12 (archive footage) (uncredited)
movieFrasier, the Sensuous Lion
1973
Old Man on Porch
tvThe Streets of San Francisco
1972
Frank Casey
movieGetting Away from It All
1972
Charlie Erickson
tvThe Partridge Family
1970
The Old Man
tvThe Odd Couple
1970
Groundskeeper / Mr. Larson / Sam
movieHail, Hero!
1969
Billy Hurd
movieDoc
1969
Luke
movieP.J.
1968
Poppa
tvThe Girl from U.N.C.L.E.
1966
Dr. Elmer Spritzer
tvShane
1966
Old Man
movieA Big Hand for the Little Lady
1966
Jesse Buford
movieA Patch of Blue
1965
Mr. Faber
tvGreen Acres
1965
Mr. Appleby / Willie Dunhill
movieThe Sons of Katie Elder
1965
Charlie Biller
movieThose Calloways
1964
Ernie Evans
movieCheyenne Autumn
1964
Svenson (uncredited)
movie7 Faces of Dr. Lao
1964
Luther Lindquist
movieThe Prize
1963
Oscar
tvBurke's Law
1963
Richard Prince (uncredited)
movieDonovan's Reef
1963
Deckhand Who Cries 'Man Overboard' (uncredited)
tvThe Virginian
1962
Gosta Swenson
movieThe Man Who Shot Liberty Valance
1962
Peter Ericson
tvDr. Kildare
1961
Mr. Callahan
movieTwo Rode Together
1961
Ole Knudsen
tvMister Ed
1961
Milo Simmons
movieNorth to Alaska
1960
Logger
tvThe Andy Griffith Show
1960
Henry Bennett
tvThriller
1960
Streetcar Conductor
movieElmer Gantry
1960
Sam - Storekeeper
tvTate
1960
Sam
tvBonanza
1959
Parley
movieAnatomy of a Murder
1959
Deputy Sheriff Sulo Kangas
tvLawman
1958
Doc Shea / Doc Shay
tvYancy Derringer
1958
Capt. Sven Larsen
movieMy World Dies Screaming
1958
Jonah Snell
tvMaverick
1957
Leland Mills
tvSugarfoot
1957
Jens Jensen
movieThe Big Land
1957
Sven Johnson
movieThe Searchers
1956
Lars Jorgensen
movieAt Gunpoint
1955
Livingstone
tvAlfred Hitchcock Presents
1955
Mr. Stepp / Elmer Shore / Mr. Crabtree
movieUnchained
1955
Leonard Haskins
movieThe Sea Chase
1955
Chief Engineer Schmitt
movieMan on a Bus
1955
Second Prisoner
tvThe Millionaire
1955
Harry Stonewall Jackson
movieThe Other Woman
1954
Papasha
tvClimax!
1954
Geist
moviePassion
1954
Gaspar Melo
tvFather Knows Best
1954
Old Man
movieThe High and the Mighty
1954
Jose Locota
movieI, the Jury
1953
Dr. R.H. Vickers, Veterinarian
movieAmbush at Tomahawk Gap
1953
Jonas P. Travis
movieHans Christian Andersen
1952
Burgomaster
tvSchlitz Playhouse of Stars
1951
Pop Bradshaw / Peleg Brewster
movieGoodbye, My Fancy
1951
Professor Dingley
movieBelle Le Grand
1951
Corky McGee
movieThe Flying Missile
1950
Lars Hansen
movieThe Jackpot
1950
Mr. Ferguson (uncredited)
movieBuccaneer's Girl
1950
Vegetable Seller
movieThe Big Steal
1949
Julius Seton
tvThe Philco Television Playhouse
1948
Gus Gruntle
movieHollow Triumph
1948
Swangron
movie16 Fathoms Deep
1948
Capt. Athos
movieMy Girl Tisa
1948
Svenson
movieReaching from Heaven
1948
The Stranger
movieThe Fugitive
1947
A Refugee Doctor
movieHigh Conquest
1947
Peter Oberwalder Sr.
movieAdventure
1945
Model T
movieCaptain Kidd
1945
Bart Blivens
movieRiver Gang
1945
Uncle Bill
movieRoughly Speaking
1945
Svend Olsen
movieDark Waters
1944
Uncle Norbert
movieAn American Romance
1944
Anton Dubechek
movieSwing Shift Maisie
1943
Horatio Curley
movieCasablanca
1943
Berger
movieArabian Nights
1942
Aladdin
movieTortilla Flat
1942
Jose Maria Corcoran
movieLarceny, Inc.
1942
Sam Bachrach
movieJungle Book
1942
The Barber
movieAll That Money Can Buy
1941
Miser Stevens
movieNew Wine
1941
Hasslinger's Clerk
movieThe Shepherd of the Hills
1941
Coot Royal
movieOut of the Fog
1941
Olaf Johnson
movieMillion Dollar Baby
1941
Dr. Patterson
movieModel Wife
1941
The Janitor
movieYouth Will Be Served
1940
Clem Howie
movieKnute Rockne All American
1940
Lars Knutson Rockne
movieAngels Over Broadway
1940
Charles Engle
movieBabies for Sale
1940
Howard Anderson
movieOn Their Own
1940
Peters
movieSki Patrol
1940
Gustaf
movieSaturday's Children
1940
First Carpenter (uncredited)
movieThe Grapes of Wrath
1940
Muley Graves
movieBlondie on a Budget
1940
Ed Fuddle
movieHis Girl Friday
1940
Earl Williams
movieFour Wives
1939
Frank
movieHoneymoon in Bali
1939
Meek Man (uncredited)
movieMickey the Kid
1939
Mailman
movieLet Us Live
1939
Dan (uncredited)
movieThe Mad Miss Manton
1938
Night Watchman at Subway Construction Site
movieFive of a Kind
1938
Asa Wyatt
movieJoy of Living
1938
Oswego
movieNothing Sacred
1937
Fireman (uncredited)
movieShe Had to Eat
1937
Sleepy
movieAngel's Holiday
1937
Waldo Everett
movieFifty Roads to Town
1937
Sheriff Dow
movieSeventh Heaven
1937
Sewer Rat
movieReunion
1936
Asa Wyatt
movieThe Road to Glory
1936
Duflous
movieThe Country Doctor
1936
Asa Wyatt
movieWife vs. Secretary
1936
Mr. Jenkins (uncredited)
movieRing Around the Moon
1936
Bill Harvey
movieMan of Iron
1935
Collins
movieWhipsaw
1935
Will Dabson
movieThe Three Musketeers
1935
Planchet
movieThunder in the Night
1935
Hotel Porter
movieSilk Hat Kid
1935
Mr. Fossbender
movieDoubting Thomas
1935
Von Blitzen
movieThe Farmer Takes a Wife
1935
Sol Tinker
movieBlack Fury
1935
Mike Shemanski
movieOne More Spring
1935
Auctioneer
movieCharlie Chan in Paris
1935
Concierge, Dufresne's Hotel (bit)
movie365 Nights in Hollywood
1934
Prof. Herman Ellenbogen
movieOur Daily Bread
1934
Chris (as John T. Qualen)
movieServants' Entrance
1934
Detective
movieStraight Is the Way
1934
Mr. Clapman (uncredited)
movieHe Was Her Man
1934
Dutch, Santa Avila's Cabbie
movieUpperworld
1934
Janitor
movieSing and Like It
1934
Oswald (as John M. Qualen)
movieHi, Nellie!
1934
Steve (uncredited)
movieLet's Fall in Love
1933
Bjorkman / Svente Bjorkman
movieCounsellor at Law
1933
Breitstein
movieArrowsmith
1931
Henry Novak (uncredited)
movieStreet Scene
1931
Karl Olsen (as John M. Qualen)