John Qualen
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.
Filmography
La Classe américaine
as V12 (archive footage) (uncredited)
La Classe américaine
as V12 (archive footage) (uncredited)
Frasier, the Sensuous Lion
as Old Man on Porch
Frasier, the Sensuous Lion
as Old Man on Porch
Getting Away from It All
as Charlie Erickson
Getting Away from It All
as Charlie Erickson
Doc
as Luke
Doc
as Luke
P.J.
as Poppa
P.J.
as Poppa
I'll Take Sweden
as Olaf
I'll Take Sweden
as Olaf
Cheyenne Autumn
as Svenson (uncredited)
Cheyenne Autumn
as Svenson (uncredited)
The Prize
as Oscar
The Prize
as Oscar
North to Alaska
as Logger
North to Alaska
as Logger
Elmer Gantry
as Sam - Storekeeper
Elmer Gantry
as Sam - Storekeeper
Hell Bent for Leather
as Old Ben
Hell Bent for Leather
as Old Ben
Anatomy of a Murder
as Deputy Sheriff Sulo Kangas
Anatomy of a Murder
as Deputy Sheriff Sulo Kangas
Revolt in the Big House
as Doc
Revolt in the Big House
as Doc
My World Dies Screaming
as Jonah Snell
My World Dies Screaming
as Jonah Snell
The Gun Runners
as Pop
The Gun Runners
as Pop
The Big Land
as Sven Johnson
The Big Land
as Sven Johnson
Johnny Concho
as Jake
Johnny Concho
as Jake
The Searchers
as Lars Jorgensen
The Searchers
as Lars Jorgensen
The Sea Chase
as Chief Engineer Schmitt
The Sea Chase
as Chief Engineer Schmitt
Man on a Bus
as Second Prisoner
Man on a Bus
as Second Prisoner
Passion
as Gaspar Melo
Passion
as Gaspar Melo
The High and the Mighty
as Jose Locota
The High and the Mighty
as Jose Locota
I, the Jury
as Dr. R.H. Vickers, Veterinarian
I, the Jury
as Dr. R.H. Vickers, Veterinarian
Ambush at Tomahawk Gap
as Jonas P. Travis
Ambush at Tomahawk Gap
as Jonas P. Travis
Hans Christian Andersen
as Burgomaster
Hans Christian Andersen
as Burgomaster
Goodbye, My Fancy
as Professor Dingley
Goodbye, My Fancy
as Professor Dingley
Belle Le Grand
as Corky McGee
Belle Le Grand
as Corky McGee
The Flying Missile
as Lars Hansen
The Flying Missile
as Lars Hansen
Woman on the Run
as Maibus
Woman on the Run
as Maibus
The Jackpot
as Mr. Ferguson (uncredited)
The Jackpot
as Mr. Ferguson (uncredited)
The Big Steal
as Julius Seton
The Big Steal
as Julius Seton
Hollow Triumph
as Dr. Swangron
Hollow Triumph
as Dr. Swangron
16 Fathoms Deep
as Capt. Athos
16 Fathoms Deep
as Capt. Athos
Reaching from Heaven
as The Stranger
Reaching from Heaven
as The Stranger
The Fugitive
as A Refugee Doctor
The Fugitive
as A Refugee Doctor
High Conquest
as Peter Oberwalder Sr.
High Conquest
as Peter Oberwalder Sr.
Adventure
as Model T
Adventure
as Model T
Roughly Speaking
as Svend Olsen
Roughly Speaking
as Svend Olsen
Dark Waters
as Uncle Norbert
Dark Waters
as Uncle Norbert
An American Romance
as Anton Dubechek
An American Romance
as Anton Dubechek
Swing Shift Maisie
as Horatio Curley
Swing Shift Maisie
as Horatio Curley
Casablanca
as Berger
Casablanca
as Berger
Tortilla Flat
as Jose Maria Corcoran
Tortilla Flat
as Jose Maria Corcoran
Jungle Book
as The Barber
Jungle Book
as The Barber
All That Money Can Buy
as Miser Stevens
All That Money Can Buy
as Miser Stevens
New Wine
as Hasslinger's Clerk
New Wine
as Hasslinger's Clerk
The Shepherd of the Hills
as Coot Royal
The Shepherd of the Hills
as Coot Royal
Out of the Fog
as Olaf Johnson
Out of the Fog
as Olaf Johnson
Million Dollar Baby
as Dr. Patterson
Million Dollar Baby
as Dr. Patterson
Model Wife
as The Janitor
Model Wife
as The Janitor
Youth Will Be Served
as Clem Howie
Youth Will Be Served
as Clem Howie
The Long Voyage Home
as Axel
The Long Voyage Home
as Axel
Knute Rockne All American
as Lars Knutson Rockne
Knute Rockne All American
as Lars Knutson Rockne
Babies for Sale
as Howard Anderson
Babies for Sale
as Howard Anderson
On Their Own
as Peters
On Their Own
as Peters
The Grapes of Wrath
as Muley Graves
The Grapes of Wrath
as Muley Graves
His Girl Friday
as Earl Williams
His Girl Friday
as Earl Williams
Honeymoon in Bali
as Meek Man (uncredited)
Honeymoon in Bali
as Meek Man (uncredited)
Mickey the Kid
as Mailman
Mickey the Kid
as Mailman
Let Us Live
as Dan (uncredited)
Let Us Live
as Dan (uncredited)
Stand Up and Fight
as Davy
Stand Up and Fight
as Davy
The Chaser
as Lars
The Chaser
as Lars
Joy of Living
as Oswego
Joy of Living
as Oswego
The Bad Man of Brimstone
as Loco
The Bad Man of Brimstone
as Loco
She Had to Eat
as Sleepy
She Had to Eat
as Sleepy
Fifty Roads to Town
as Sheriff Dow
Fifty Roads to Town
as Sheriff Dow
Seventh Heaven
as Sewer Rat
Seventh Heaven
as Sewer Rat
The Country Doctor
as Asa Wyatt
The Country Doctor
as Asa Wyatt
Wife vs. Secretary
as Mr. Jenkins (uncredited)
Wife vs. Secretary
as Mr. Jenkins (uncredited)
Man of Iron
as Collins
Man of Iron
as Collins
The Three Musketeers
as Planchet
The Three Musketeers
as Planchet
Thunder in the Night
as Hotel Porter
Thunder in the Night
as Hotel Porter
Doubting Thomas
as Von Blitzen
Doubting Thomas
as Von Blitzen
The Farmer Takes a Wife
as Sol Tinker
The Farmer Takes a Wife
as Sol Tinker
The Great Hotel Murder
as Ole
The Great Hotel Murder
as Ole
He Was Her Man
as Dutch, Santa Avila's Cabbie
He Was Her Man
as Dutch, Santa Avila's Cabbie
Upperworld
as Janitor
Upperworld
as Janitor
Sing and Like It
as Oswald (as John M. Qualen)
Sing and Like It
as Oswald (as John M. Qualen)
Hi, Nellie!
as Steve (uncredited)
Hi, Nellie!
as Steve (uncredited)
Let's Fall in Love
as Svente Bjorkman
Let's Fall in Love
as Svente Bjorkman
Let's Fall in Love
as Svente Bjorkman
Let's Fall in Love
as Svente Bjorkman
Counsellor at Law
as Breitstein
Counsellor at Law
as Breitstein
Street Scene
as Karl Olsen (as John M. Qualen)
Street Scene
as Karl Olsen (as John M. Qualen)