John Qualen
Age: 87 | From: Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
Person Details
Birthday: 1899-12-08 23:18:24
Death: 1987-09-12 23:18:24
Aliases: John M. Qualen , John T. Qualen
Gender: Male
Place of birth: Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
Homepage:
Movie Involvements: 93
TV Involvements: 15
Most Famous Work
Biography
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.
Most Famous Work
Dr. Kildare
(1961) Mr. Callahan
The Virginian
(1962) Gosta Swenson
The Philco Television Playhouse
(1948) Gus Gruntle
The Millionaire
(1955) Harry Stonewall Jackson
Climax!
(1954) Geist
Lux Video Theatre
(1950) Eddie
Sugarfoot
(1957) Jens Jensen
Burke's Law
(1963) Richard PrinceActing
| Year | Character | Movie/Tv |
|---|---|---|
| 1993 | V12 (archive footage) (uncredited) | |
| 1972 | N/A | |
| Charlie Erickson | ||
| 1970 | Sam | |
| Groundskeeper | ||
| Mr. Larson | ||
| 1969 | Billy Hurd | |
| Luke | ||
| 1968 | Poppa | |
| Hall | ||
| 1966 | N/A | |
| N/A | ||
| Old Man | ||
| Jesse Buford | ||
| 1965 | Mr. Faber | |
| N/A | ||
| Charlie Biller | ||
| Olaf | ||
| Ernie Evans | ||
| 1964 | Svenson (uncredited) | |
| N/A | ||
| Luther Lindquist | ||
| 1963 | Oscar | |
| Richard Prince | ||
| Deckhand (uncredited) | ||
| 1962 | Gosta Swenson | |
| Peter Ericson | ||
| 1961 | N/A | |
| Mr. Callahan | ||
| Ole Knudsen | ||
| N/A | ||
| 1960 | Logger | |
| Henry Bennett | ||
| N/A | ||
| Streetcar Conductor | ||
| Sam - Storekeeper | ||
| Sam | ||
| Old Ben | ||
| 1959 | N/A | |
| N/A | ||
| N/A | ||
| Deputy Sheriff Sulo | ||
| 1958 | Doc | |
| N/A | ||
| Capt. Sven Larsen | ||
| N/A | ||
| N/A | ||
| Jonah Snell | ||
| Pop | ||
| N/A | ||
| 1957 | Leland Mills | |
| N/A | ||
| Jens Jensen | ||
| Sven Johnson | ||
| 1956 | Jake | |
| Lars Jorgensen | ||
| 1955 | Livingstone | |
| Mr. Stepp | ||
| Elmer Shore | ||
| Mr. Crabtree | ||
| N/A | ||
| Leonard Haskins | ||
| Chief Engineer Schmitt | ||
| Second Prisoner | ||
| Harry Stonewall Jackson | ||
| 1954 | Papasha | |
| Geist | ||
| Gaspar Melo | ||
| N/A | ||
| Jose Locota | ||
| N/A | ||
| 1953 | Dr. R.H. Vickers, Veterinarian | |
| Jonas P. Travis | ||
| N/A | ||
| 1952 | Burgomaster | |
| 1951 | N/A | |
| Peleg Brewster | ||
| Pop Bradshaw | ||
| N/A | ||
| Professor Dingley | ||
| Corky McGee | ||
| 1950 | Lars Hansen | |
| Maibus | ||
| Mr. Ferguson | ||
| Eddie | ||
| Vegetable Seller | ||
| Geech | ||
| 1949 | Julius Seton | |
| 1948 | Gus Gruntle | |
| Swangron | ||
| Capt. Athos | ||
| Svenson | ||
| No End | ||
| The Stranger | ||
| 1947 | A Refugee Doctor | |
| Peter Oberwalder Sr. | ||
| Lorenzo | ||
| 1945 | Model T | |
| Bart Blivens | ||
| Uncle Bill | ||
| Svend Olsen | ||
| 1944 | Uncle Norbert | |
| Anton Dubechek | ||
| Monge | ||
| 1943 | Horatio Curley | |
| Berger | ||
| 1942 | Self | |
| Aladdin | ||
| Jose Maria Corcoran | ||
| Sam Bachrach | ||
| The Barber | ||
| 1941 | Miser Stevens | |
| Hasslinger's Clerk | ||
| Coot Royal | ||
| Olaf Johnson | ||
| Dr. Patterson | ||
| The Janitor | ||
| 1940 | Clem Howie | |
| Axel | ||
| Lars Knutson Rockne | ||
| Charles Engle | ||
| Howard Anderson | ||
| Peters | ||
| Gustaf | ||
| First Carpenter (uncredited) | ||
| Muley Graves | ||
| Ed Fuddle | ||
| Earl Williams | ||
| 1939 | Frank | |
| Meek Man (uncredited) | ||
| Milo | ||
| Mailman | ||
| Dan (uncredited) | ||
| Davy | ||
| 1938 | Stoner | |
| Night Watchman at Subway Construction Site | ||
| Asa Wyatt | ||
| Lars | ||
| Oswego | ||
| 1937 | Loco | |
| Fireman (uncredited) | ||
| Otto | ||
| Sleepy | ||
| Waldo Everett | ||
| Sheriff Dow | ||
| Sewer Rat | ||
| 1936 | Asa Wyatt | |
| Toni | ||
| Olaf | ||
| Asa Wyatt | ||
| Mr. Jenkins (uncredited) | ||
| Bill Harvey | ||
| 1935 | Collins | |
| Will Dabson | ||
| Planchet | ||
| Hotel Porter | ||
| Smith | ||
| Mr. Fossbender | ||
| Von Blitzen | ||
| Sol Tinker | ||
| Mike Shemanski | ||
| Coccoz | ||
| Ole | ||
| Auctioneer | ||
| Concierge, Dufresne's Hotel (bit) | ||
| 1934 | Prof. Herman Ellenbogen | |
| Chris (as John T. Qualen) | ||
| Detective | ||
| Mr. Clapman (uncredited) | ||
| Dutch, Santa Avila's Cabbie | ||
| Oswald (as John M. Qualen) | ||
| Chris the Janitor | ||
| Steve (uncredited) | ||
| 1933 | Bjorkman | |
| Svente Bjorkman | ||
| Breitstein | ||
| 1931 | Henry Novak (uncredited) | |
| Karl Olsen (as John M. Qualen) | ||
| Year | Character | Movie/Tv |
