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.
Movie | La Classe américaine | V12 (archive footage) (uncredited) | 1993-12-31 |
Movie | Getting Away from It All | Charlie Erickson | 1972-01-18 |
Series | The Streets of San Francisco | Unknown | 1972-09-23 |
Series | The Odd Couple | Unknown | 1970-09-24 |
Movie | Hail, Hero! | Billy Hurd | 1969-10-04 |
Movie | Firecreek | Hall | 1968-01-24 |
Movie | P.J. | Poppa | 1968-03-27 |
Series | The Girl from U.N.C.L.E. | Unknown | 1966-09-13 |
Movie | A Big Hand for the Little Lady | Jesse Buford | 1966-06-08 |
Series | Jericho | Unknown | 1966-09-15 |
Movie | Those Calloways | Ernie Evans | 1965-01-28 |
Movie | The Sons of Katie Elder | Charlie Biller | 1965-06-23 |
Movie | I'll Take Sweden | Olaf | 1965-06-18 |
Movie | A Patch of Blue | Mr. Faber | 1965-12-10 |
Series | Green Acres | Unknown | 1965-09-15 |
Movie | 7 Faces of Dr. Lao | Luther Lindquist | 1964-03-18 |
Movie | Cheyenne Autumn | Svenson (uncredited) | 1964-10-15 |
Series | No Time for Sergeants | Unknown | 1964-09-14 |
Movie | Donovan's Reef | Deckhand (uncredited) | 1963-06-12 |
Series | Burke's Law | Unknown | 1963-09-20 |
Movie | The Prize | Oscar | 1963-12-25 |
Movie | The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance | Peter Ericson | 1962-04-13 |
Series | The Virginian | Unknown | 1962-09-19 |
Series | Mister Ed | Unknown | 1961-01-05 |
Movie | Two Rode Together | Ole Knudsen | 1961-07-26 |
Series | Dr. Kildare | Unknown | 1961-09-27 |
Series | Ben Casey | Unknown | 1961-10-02 |
Movie | Hell Bent for Leather | Old Ben | 1960-02-01 |
Movie | Elmer Gantry | Sam - Storekeeper | 1960-07-07 |
Series | Thriller | Unknown | 1960-09-13 |
Movie | North to Alaska | Logger | 1960-11-07 |
Series | The Andy Griffith Show | Unknown | 1960-10-03 |
Movie | Anatomy of a Murder | Deputy Sheriff Sulo | 1959-07-01 |
Series | Tightrope | Unknown | 1959-09-08 |
Series | The Third Man | Unknown | 1959-10-02 |
Series | The Alaskans | Unknown | 1959-10-04 |
Movie | The Gun Runners | Pop | 1958-08-01 |
Series | Sea Hunt | Unknown | 1958-01-04 |
Movie | My World Dies Screaming | Jonah Snell | 1958-08-20 |
Series | Bronco | Unknown | 1958-09-23 |
Movie | Revolt in the Big House | Doc | 1958-12-21 |
Series | Yancy Derringer | Unknown | 1958-10-02 |
Series | Westinghouse Desilu Playhouse | Unknown | 1958-10-06 |
Series | The Donna Reed Show | Unknown | 1958-09-24 |
Movie | The Big Land | Sven Johnson | 1957-03-01 |
Series | Maverick | Unknown | 1957-09-22 |
Series | Sugarfoot | Unknown | 1957-09-17 |
Movie | The Searchers | Lars Jorgensen | 1956-05-16 |
Movie | Johnny Concho | Jake | 1956-07-01 |
Movie | Man On A Bus | Second Prisoner | 1955-05-01 |
Series | The Millionaire | Unknown | 1955-01-19 |
Movie | The Sea Chase | Chief Engineer Schmitt | 1955-06-04 |
Movie | Unchained | Leonard Haskins | 1955-08-25 |
Movie | At Gunpoint | Livingstone | 1955-12-25 |
Series | Alfred Hitchcock Presents | Unknown | 1955-10-02 |
Series | Cheyenne | Unknown | 1955-09-20 |
Series | Public Defender | Unknown | 1954-03-11 |
Series | December Bride | Unknown | 1954-10-04 |
Movie | The High and the Mighty | Jose Locota | 1954-07-03 |
Movie | Passion | Gaspar Melo | 1954-10-06 |
Series | Climax! | Unknown | 1954-10-07 |
Movie | The Other Woman | Papasha | 1954-12-02 |
Series | General Electric Theater | Unknown | 1953-02-01 |
Movie | Ambush at Tomahawk Gap | Jonas P. Travis | 1953-05-01 |
Movie | Francis Covers the Big Town | Cavendish (uncredited) | 1953-06-10 |
Movie | I, the Jury | Dr. R.H. Vickers, Veterinarian | 1953-08-14 |
Movie | Hans Christian Andersen | Burgomaster | 1952-12-19 |
Movie | Goodbye, My Fancy | Professor Dingley | 1951-05-19 |
Movie | Belle Le Grand | Corky McGee | 1951-01-27 |
Series | Racket Squad | Unknown | 1951-06-07 |
Series | Schlitz Playhouse of Stars | Unknown | 1951-10-05 |
Series | Dragnet | Unknown | 1951-12-16 |
Movie | Buccaneer's Girl | Vegetable Seller | 1950-03-01 |
Movie | Captain China | Geech | 1950-02-02 |
Series | Lux Video Theatre | Unknown | 1950-10-02 |
Movie | The Jackpot | Mr. Ferguson | 1950-11-01 |
Movie | The Flying Missile | Lars Hansen | 1950-12-24 |
Movie | Woman on the Run | Maibus | 1950-11-10 |
Movie | The Big Steal | Julius Seton | 1949-07-01 |
Movie | My Girl Tisa | Svenson | 1948-02-07 |
Movie | Reaching from Heaven | The Stranger | 1948-02-01 |
Movie | Alias a Gentleman | No End | 1948-02-03 |
Movie | 16 Fathoms Deep | Capt. Athos | 1948-07-25 |
Series | The Philco Television Playhouse | Unknown | 1948-10-03 |
Movie | Hollow Triumph | Swangron | 1948-08-18 |
Movie | Song of Scheherazade | Lorenzo | 1947-02-26 |
Movie | The Fugitive | A Refugee Doctor | 1947-11-11 |
Movie | High Conquest | Peter Oberwalder Sr. | 1947-06-21 |
Movie | Roughly Speaking | Svend Olsen | 1945-01-31 |
Movie | River Gang | Uncle Bill | 1945-09-21 |
Movie | Adventure | Model T | 1945-12-28 |
Movie | Captain Kidd | Bart Blivens | 1945-11-22 |
Movie | An American Romance | Anton Dubechek | 1944-04-16 |
Movie | The Impostor | Monge | 1944-02-10 |
Movie | Dark Waters | Uncle Norbert | 1944-11-21 |
Movie | Casablanca | Berger | 1943-01-15 |
Movie | Swing Shift Maisie | Horatio Curley | 1943-10-01 |
Movie | Larceny, Inc. | Sam Bachrach | 1942-04-24 |
Movie | Tortilla Flat | Jose Maria Corcoran | 1942-05-21 |
Movie | Jungle Book | The Barber | 1942-04-03 |
Movie | Arabian Nights | Aladdin | 1942-12-25 |
Movie | Breakdowns of 1942 | Self | 1942-12-31 |
Movie | Model Wife | The Janitor | 1941-04-17 |
Movie | Out of the Fog | Olaf Johnson | 1941-06-14 |
Movie | Million Dollar Baby | Dr. Patterson | 1941-05-31 |
Movie | The Shepherd of the Hills | Coot Royal | 1941-07-18 |
Movie | All That Money Can Buy | Miser Stevens | 1941-10-17 |
Movie | New Wine | Hasslinger's Clerk | 1941-09-10 |
Movie | The Grapes of Wrath | Muley Graves | 1940-03-15 |
Movie | Saturday's Children | First Carpenter (uncredited) | 1940-05-04 |
Movie | His Girl Friday | Earl Williams | 1940-01-18 |
Movie | Ski Patrol | Gustaf | 1940-05-09 |
Movie | Blondie on a Budget | Ed Fuddle | 1940-02-29 |
Movie | Knute Rockne All American | Lars Knutson Rockne | 1940-10-05 |
Movie | Youth Will Be Served | Clem Howie | 1940-11-22 |
Movie | On Their Own | Peters | 1940-05-17 |
Movie | The Long Voyage Home | Axel | 1940-11-16 |
Movie | Angels Over Broadway | Charles Engle | 1940-10-02 |
Movie | Babies for Sale | Howard Anderson | 1940-06-14 |
Movie | Let Us Live | Dan (uncredited) | 1939-03-29 |
Movie | Mickey the Kid | Mailman | 1939-07-03 |
Movie | Stand Up and Fight | Davy | 1939-01-06 |
Movie | Thunder Afloat | Milo | 1939-09-15 |
Movie | Four Wives | Frank | 1939-12-22 |
Movie | Honeymoon in Bali | Meek Man (uncredited) | 1939-09-29 |
Movie | Joy of Living | Oswego | 1938-05-06 |
Movie | The Chaser | Lars | 1938-07-29 |
Movie | Five of a Kind | Asa Wyatt | 1938-10-14 |
Movie | The Mad Miss Manton | Night Watchman at Subway Construction Site | 1938-10-21 |
Movie | Angel's Holiday | Waldo Everett | 1937-06-07 |
Movie | Fifty Roads to Town | Sheriff Dow | 1937-06-03 |
Movie | She Had to Eat | Sleepy | 1937-07-02 |
Movie | Seventh Heaven | Sewer Rat | 1937-03-25 |
Movie | Fit for a King | Otto | 1937-09-01 |
Movie | The Bad Man of Brimstone | Loco | 1937-12-31 |
Movie | Nothing Sacred | Fireman (uncredited) | 1937-11-25 |
Movie | Wife vs. Secretary | Mr. Jenkins (uncredited) | 1936-02-28 |
Movie | Ring Around the Moon | Bill Harvey | 1936-02-15 |
Movie | Meet Nero Wolfe | Olaf | 1936-07-16 |
Movie | The Country Doctor | Asa Wyatt | 1936-03-12 |
Movie | Girls Dormitory | Toni | 1936-08-08 |
Movie | Reunion | Asa Wyatt | 1936-11-20 |
Movie | The Road to Glory | Duflous | 1936-09-04 |
Movie | Chasing Yesterday | Coccoz | 1935-05-03 |
Movie | Black Fury | Mike Shemanski | 1935-05-18 |
Movie | The Great Hotel Murder | Ole | 1935-02-27 |
Movie | The Farmer Takes a Wife | Sol Tinker | 1935-07-05 |
Movie | Charlie Chan in Paris | Concierge, Dufresne's Hotel (bit) | 1935-01-21 |
Movie | One More Spring | Auctioneer | 1935-02-15 |
Movie | Whipsaw | Will Dabson | 1935-12-18 |
Movie | Man of Iron | Collins | 1935-12-21 |
Movie | Doubting Thomas | Von Blitzen | 1935-07-10 |
Movie | Thunder in the Night | Hotel Porter | 1935-09-16 |
Movie | The Three Musketeers | Planchet | 1935-11-01 |
Movie | Silk Hat Kid | Mr. Fossbender | 1935-07-19 |
Movie | Orchids to You | Smith | 1935-08-09 |
Movie | Sing and Like it | Oswald (as John M. Qualen) | 1934-04-20 |
Movie | Hi, Nellie! | Steve (uncredited) | 1934-01-20 |
Movie | He Was Her Man | Dutch, Santa Avila's Cabbie | 1934-06-16 |
Movie | Upperworld | Chris the Janitor | 1934-04-19 |
Movie | Servants' Entrance | Detective | 1934-09-25 |
Movie | Straight Is the Way | Mr. Clapman (uncredited) | 1934-08-10 |
Movie | 365 Nights in Hollywood | Prof. Herman Ellenbogen | 1934-12-11 |
Movie | Our Daily Bread | Chris (as John T. Qualen) | 1934-10-02 |
Movie | Counsellor at Law | Breitstein | 1933-12-25 |
Movie | Let's Fall in Love | Svente Bjorkman | 1933-12-26 |
Movie | Street Scene | Karl Olsen (as John M. Qualen) | 1931-09-05 |
Movie | Arrowsmith | Henry Novak (uncredited) | 1931-12-07 |