Karl Swenson

Karl Swenson

Actor Jul 23 (died age 70) Brooklyn, New York City, New York, USA 1935–1995 (60 year career)
6.4 avg rating

Biography

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 …

Known For

Filmography

Acting (119)

·

Movies (41)

Disney Sing-Along Songs: Colors of the Wind

Disney Sing-Along Songs: Colors of the Wind

1995

as (voice) (archive footage)

8.3
Disney's Sing-Along Songs: Under the Sea

Disney's Sing-Along Songs: Under the Sea

1990

as Merlin (archive footage) (voice)

8.3
Disney's Halloween Treat

Disney's Halloween Treat

1982

as Merlin (voice) (archive footage)

5.9
Disney's Greatest Villains

Disney's Greatest Villains

1977

as Merlin (voice) (archive footage)

The Gun and the Pulpit

The Gun and the Pulpit

1974

as Adams

5.9
The New Healers

The New Healers

1972

as Mr. Fisherman

Ulzana's Raid

Ulzana's Raid

1972

as Rukeyser

6.9
A Howling in the Woods

A Howling in the Woods

1971

as Apperson

4.9
Vanishing Point

Vanishing Point

1971

as Clerk

7.1
… tick… tick… tick…

… tick… tick… tick…

1970

as Frank Braddock Sr.

6.5
The Wild Country

The Wild Country

1970

as Jensen

6.0
Hour of the Gun

Hour of the Gun

1967

as Dr. Charles Goodfellow

6.5
Do Not Go Gentle Into That Good Night

Do Not Go Gentle Into That Good Night

1967

as Dr. Keller

Seconds

Seconds

1966

as Dr. Morris

7.3
Brighty of the Grand Canyon

Brighty of the Grand Canyon

1966

as Theodore Roosevelt

5.5
The Sons of Katie Elder

The Sons of Katie Elder

1965

as Doc Isdell

7.0
The Cincinnati Kid

The Cincinnati Kid

1965

as Mr. Rudd

7.0
Major Dundee

Major Dundee

1965

as Captain Waller

6.6
The Birds

The Birds

1963

as Le prophète de malheur ivre au bar

7.5
The Sword in the Stone

The Sword in the Stone

1963

as Merlin (voice)

7.2
The Prize

The Prize

1963

as Hilding

6.7
The Man from Galveston

The Man from Galveston

1963

as Sheriff

5.2
How the West Was Won

How the West Was Won

1962

as Train Conductor (uncredited)

7.0
Walk on the Wild Side

Walk on the Wild Side

1962

as Schmidt

6.5
Lonely are the Brave

Lonely are the Brave

1962

as Rev. Hoskins

7.4
The Spiral Road

The Spiral Road

1962

as Insp. Bevers

5.2
Judgment at Nuremberg

Judgment at Nuremberg

1961

as Heinrich Geuter

8.0
One Foot in Hell

One Foot in Hell

1960

as Sheriff Ole Olson

5.1
Flaming Star

Flaming Star

1960

as Dred Pierce

6.5
The Gallant Hours

The Gallant Hours

1960

as Bill Bailey

6.7
North to Alaska

North to Alaska

1960

as Lars Nordqvist

6.5
Ice Palace

Ice Palace

1960

as Scotty Ballantyne

5.8
The Hanging Tree

The Hanging Tree

1959

as Tom Flaunce

6.7
No Name on the Bullet

No Name on the Bullet

1959

as Stricker

6.6
The Sunrise Gun

The Sunrise Gun

1959

as Lud Greening

Gateways to the Mind

Gateways to the Mind

1958

as Hal - the Cameraman (uncredited)

Kings Go Forth

Kings Go Forth

1958

as The Colonel

6.0
Four Boys and a Gun

Four Boys and a Gun

1957

as Mr. Badek

6.3
Alice in Wonderland

Alice in Wonderland

1955

as Humpty Dumpty

4.5
December 7th

December 7th

1943

as Machine-Gunner (uncredited)

5.8
Strangers All

Strangers All

1935

as Protester at Communist Meeting

5.5

Television (78)

The Amazing Spider-Man

The Amazing Spider-Man

1978
6.2
Little House on the Prairie

Little House on the Prairie

1974

as Lars Hanson

7.9
Happy Days

Happy Days

1974
7.6
Doc Elliot

Doc Elliot

1973
Emergency!

Emergency!

1972

as Gus

7.9
Ghost Story

Ghost Story

1972

as Ed Barnes

7.1
Cannon

Cannon

1971
6.6
The Odd Couple

The Odd Couple

1970

as Captain Potter

7.8
The Immortal

The Immortal

1970
7.4
The Young Rebels

The Young Rebels

1970
4.5
Hawaii Five-O

Hawaii Five-O

1968

as Abel Morgan

7.1
The Mod Squad

The Mod Squad

1968
6.2
The Outcasts

The Outcasts

1968
5.3
Ironside

Ironside

1967

as Vet

6.8
The Guns of Will Sonnett

The Guns of Will Sonnett

1967
6.2
Judd for the Defense

Judd for the Defense

1967
7.5
Cimarron Strip

Cimarron Strip

1967
5.5
Mission: Impossible

Mission: Impossible

1966

as Colonel Dubov

7.6
The Rat Patrol

The Rat Patrol

1966

as Colonel Seidner

7.2
CBS Playhouse

CBS Playhouse

1966
7.0
Tarzan

Tarzan

1966
6.7
Hogan's Heroes

Hogan's Heroes

1965

as Dr. Karl Svenson

7.5
The Big Valley

The Big Valley

1965

as Bert Hadley

6.1
Gomer Pyle, U.S.M.C.

Gomer Pyle, U.S.M.C.

1964

as Col. Harper

7.0
Profiles in Courage

Profiles in Courage

1964

as Chynoweth

5.0
The Fugitive

The Fugitive

1963

as Axel Nielsen - Service station owner

7.2
The Dakotas

The Dakotas

1963
5.7
The Greatest Show on Earth

The Greatest Show on Earth

1963
5.0
Mr. Novak

Mr. Novak

1963

as Mr. Haskell

6.5
The Travels of Jaimie McPheeters

The Travels of Jaimie McPheeters

1963

as Coley Bishop

5.3
The Lieutenant

The Lieutenant

1963
6.0
The Bill Dana Show

The Bill Dana Show

1963
6.0
The Alfred Hitchcock Hour

The Alfred Hitchcock Hour

1962

as George Sherston

7.9
The Virginian

The Virginian

1962

as Col. Theodore Roosevelt

6.4
General Electric True

General Electric True

1962
Sam Benedict

Sam Benedict

1962

as Barney Rosvalley

6.0
Dr. Kildare

Dr. Kildare

1961

as Judge

5.5
Ben Casey

Ben Casey

1961
5.6
The Andy Griffith Show

The Andy Griffith Show

1960

as Mr. McBeevee

7.6
The Westerner

The Westerner

1960

as Ben Potts

6.8
Outlaws

Outlaws

1960
6.2
Surfside 6

Surfside 6

1960
5.0
Hong Kong

Hong Kong

1960

as John Olwine

Klondike

Klondike

1960

as Judge Frank Weinstock

6.2
Bonanza

Bonanza

1959

as Carl Harris

7.5
The Rebel

The Rebel

1959

as Lew Bussey

4.8
Hawaiian Eye

Hawaiian Eye

1959
5.2
Mr. Lucky

Mr. Lucky

1959
6.4
Lock-Up

Lock-Up

1959
6.2
Johnny Ringo

Johnny Ringo

1959

as Kramer

5.7
Riverboat

Riverboat

1959

as Ansel Torgin

6.2
Black Saddle

Black Saddle

1959

as Dr. Wyle

6.0
Tightrope

Tightrope

1959
5.5
The Rifleman

The Rifleman

1958

as Chris Manse

7.1
Bat Masterson

Bat Masterson

1958

as Jim Pate

6.1
77 Sunset Strip

77 Sunset Strip

1958
6.7
Bronco

Bronco

1958
5.9
The Texan

The Texan

1958
5.5
Westinghouse Desilu Playhouse

Westinghouse Desilu Playhouse

1958
5.8
Perry Mason

Perry Mason

1957

as Axel Norstaad

7.7
Maverick

Maverick

1957

as Captain Nares

6.9
Have Gun, Will Travel

Have Gun, Will Travel

1957
7.3
Leave It to Beaver

Leave It to Beaver

1957

as George Haskell

6.9
Trackdown

Trackdown

1957
6.4
Sugarfoot

Sugarfoot

1957

as Andy Burke

4.8
The Walter Winchell File

The Walter Winchell File

1957
5.0
The Court of Last Resort

The Court of Last Resort

1957
Dick Powell's Zane Grey Theatre

Dick Powell's Zane Grey Theatre

1956

as Lee Willis

6.0
The Adventures of Jim Bowie

The Adventures of Jim Bowie

1956

as Andre Rochambeau

5.0
Alfred Hitchcock Presents

Alfred Hitchcock Presents

1955

as Ed Holland

7.8
Gunsmoke

Gunsmoke

1955

as Hank Luz

6.6
Playwrights '56

Playwrights '56

1955
6.0
Lassie

Lassie

1954
6.1
The Wonderful World of Disney

The Wonderful World of Disney

1954

as Laredo Marshal (uncredited)

7.8
Portia Faces Life

Portia Faces Life

1954
1.0
Hallmark Hall of Fame

Hallmark Hall of Fame

1951

as Humpty Dumpty

8.6
Schlitz Playhouse of Stars

Schlitz Playhouse of Stars

1951

as Asmussen

7.2
Robert Montgomery Presents

Robert Montgomery Presents

1950
5.6