Karl Swenson
Acting
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. 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
Acting119
movieDisney Sing-Along Songs: Colors of the Wind
1995
(voice) (archive footage)
movieDisney's Sing-Along Songs: Under the Sea
1990
Merlin (archive footage) (voice)
movieDisney's Halloween Treat
1982
Merlin (voice) (archive footage)
movieDisney's Greatest Villains
1977
Merlin (voice) (archive footage)
tvLittle House on the Prairie
1974
Lars Hanson
movieUlzana's Raid
1972
Rukeyser
tvGhost Story
1972
Ed Barnes
movieThe New Healers
1972
Mr. Fisherman
movieA Howling in the Woods
1971
Apperson
tvThe Odd Couple
1970
Captain Potter
movie… tick… tick… tick…
1970
Frank Braddock Sr.
tvHawaii Five-O
1968
Abel Morgan
movieHour of the Gun
1967
Dr. Charles Goodfellow
tvCimarron Strip
1967
Dr. Kihlgren
CBS Playhouse
1966
Dr. Keller
movieBrighty of the Grand Canyon
1966
Theodore Roosevelt
movieSeconds
1966
Dr. Morris
tvMission: Impossible
1966
Colonel Dubov / Dr. Ziegler
tvThe Rat Patrol
1966
Colonel Seidner
movieThe Cincinnati Kid
1965
Mr. Rudd
tvHogan's Heroes
1965
Dr. Karl Svenson
tvThe Big Valley
1965
Bert Hadley / Aaron Moyers / Steve Minter
movieThe Sons of Katie Elder
1965
Doc Isdell
movieMajor Dundee
1965
Captain Waller
tvGomer Pyle, U.S.M.C.
1964
Col. Harper
movieThe Prize
1963
Hilding
movieThe Sword in the Stone
1963
Merlin (voice)
tvThe Travels of Jaimie McPheeters
1963
Coley Bishop
tvMr. Novak
1963
Mr. Haskell
tvThe Fugitive
1963
Axel Nielsen - Service station owner / Morgan
movieThe Birds
1963
Le prophète de malheur ivre au bar
movieHow the West Was Won
1962
Train Conductor (uncredited)
tvThe Alfred Hitchcock Hour
1962
George Sherston
tvThe Virginian
1962
Col. Theodore Roosevelt / Karl Swenson / Ben Wallace
tvSam Benedict
1962
Barney Rosvalley / Barney Rossvalley
movieThe Spiral Road
1962
Insp. Bevers
movieLonely are the Brave
1962
Rev. Hoskins
movieJudgment at Nuremberg
1961
Heinrich Geuter
tvDr. Kildare
1961
Judge
movieFlaming Star
1960
Dred Pierce
movieNorth to Alaska
1960
Lars Nordqvist
tvKlondike
1960
Judge Frank Weinstock
tvThe Andy Griffith Show
1960
Mr. McBeevee
tvThe Westerner
1960
Ben Potts
movieOne Foot in Hell
1960
Sheriff Ole Olson
movieThe Gallant Hours
1960
Bill Bailey
tvHong Kong
1960
John Olwine
movieIce Palace
1960
Scotty Ballantyne
tvThe Rebel
1959
Lew Bussey
tvJohnny Ringo
1959
Kramer
tvRiverboat
1959
Ansel Torgin
tvBonanza
1959
Carl Harris
movieThe Hanging Tree
1959
Tom Flaunce
movieNo Name on the Bullet
1959
Stricker
tvBlack Saddle
1959
Dr. Wyle
movieGateways to the Mind
1958
Hal - the Cameraman (uncredited)
tv77 Sunset Strip
1958
Marty Kline
tvBat Masterson
1958
Jim Pate
tvThe Rifleman
1958
Chris Manse
movieKings Go Forth
1958
The Colonel
tvLeave It to Beaver
1957
George Haskell
tvMaverick
1957
Captain Nares / Sheriff Griffin / General Josiah Warren
tvPerry Mason
1957
Axel Norstaad / Corley Ketchum / Charles Norman / Unk Hazekian
tvSugarfoot
1957
Andy Burke / Bill Manning / Alexi Sharlokov / Dennis O'Hara
movieFour Boys and a Gun
1957
Mr. Badek
tvDick Powell's Zane Grey Theatre
1956
Lee Willis / Lud Greening / Will Harmon
tvThe Adventures of Jim Bowie
1956
Andre Rochambeau
movieAlice in Wonderland
1955
Humpty Dumpty
tvAlfred Hitchcock Presents
1955
Ed Holland / John
tvGunsmoke
1955
Hank Luz / Raff / Hutch / Adam / Tabe / Ian McGovern / Lars Karlgren / McGruder / Mr. Hubert
tvThe Wonderful World of Disney
1954
Laredo Marshal (uncredited)
tvHallmark Hall of Fame
1951
Humpty Dumpty
tvSchlitz Playhouse of Stars
1951
Asmussen
movieDecember 7th
1943
Machine-Gunner (uncredited)
movieStrangers All
1935
Protester at Communist Meeting