Karl Swenson
Known for: 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.
Filmography
Series
Perry Mason
Axel Norstaad
1957
Series
Perry Mason
Corley Ketchum
1957
Series
Perry Mason
Charles Norman
1957
Series
Perry Mason
Unk Hazekian
1957
Series
Lassie
1954
Series
Bonanza
Carl Harris
1959
Series
The Rifleman
Chris Manse
1958
Series
Ironside
Vet
1967
Series
Hogan's Heroes
Dr. Karl Svenson
1965
Series
The Andy Griffith Show
Mr. McBeevee
1960
Series
Hawaii Five-O
Abel Morgan
1968
Series
Little House on the Prairie
Lars Hanson
1974
Series
The Alfred Hitchcock Hour
George Sherston
1962
Series
Robert Montgomery Presents
1950
Series
Mission: Impossible
Colonel Dubov
1966
Series
Mission: Impossible
Dr. Ziegler
1966
Series
Have Gun, Will Travel
1957
Series
Maverick
Captain Nares
1957
Series
Maverick
Sheriff Griffin
1957
Series
Maverick
General Josiah Warren
1957
Series
The Fugitive
Axel Nielsen - Service station owner
1963
Series
The Fugitive
Morgan
1963
Series
The Virginian
Col. Theodore Roosevelt
1962
Series
The Virginian
Karl Swenson
1962
Series
The Virginian
Ben Wallace
1962
Series
Happy Days
1974
Series
Dick Powell's Zane Grey Theatre
Lee Willis
1956
Series
Dick Powell's Zane Grey Theatre
Lud Greening
1956
Series
Dick Powell's Zane Grey Theatre
Will Harmon
1956
Series
Emergency!
Gus
1972
Series
Dr. Kildare
Judge
1961
Series
Leave It to Beaver
George Haskell
1957
Series
Rawhide
1959
Series
Cannon
1971
Series
The Big Valley
Bert Hadley
1965
Series
The Big Valley
Aaron Moyers
1965
Series
The Big Valley
Steve Minter
1965
Series
Gunsmoke
Hank Luz
1955
Series
Gunsmoke
Raff
1955
Series
Gunsmoke
Hutch
1955
Series
Gunsmoke
Adam
1955
Series
Gunsmoke
Tabe
1955
Series
Gunsmoke
Ian McGovern
1955
Series
Gunsmoke
Lars Karlgren
1955
Series
Gunsmoke
McGruder
1955
Series
Gunsmoke
Mr. Hubert
1955
Series
Tarzan
1966
Series
Ben Casey
1961
Series
Bat Masterson
Jim Pate
1958
Series
Alfred Hitchcock Presents
Ed Holland
1955
Series
Alfred Hitchcock Presents
John
1955
Series
Hawaiian Eye
1959
Series
The Odd Couple
Captain Potter
1970
Series
Gomer Pyle, U.S.M.C.
Col. Harper
1964
Series
Sugarfoot
Andy Burke
1957
Series
Sugarfoot
Bill Manning
1957
Series
Sugarfoot
Alexi Sharlokov
1957
Series
Sugarfoot
Dennis O'Hara
1957
Series
The Rebel
Lew Bussey
1959
Series
Surfside 6
1960
Series
77 Sunset Strip
1958
Series
77 Sunset Strip
Marty Kline
1958
Series
Westinghouse Desilu Playhouse
1958
Series
Westinghouse Desilu Playhouse
Van Kemp
1958
Series
The Texan
1958
Film
The Sword in the Stone
Merlin (voice)
1963
Series
Judd, for the Defense
1967
Series
Trackdown
1957
Series
Bronco
1958
Series
The Guns of Will Sonnett
1967
Film
The Birds
Le prophète de malheur ivre au bar
1963
Series
The Mod Squad
1968
Series
The Adventures of Jim Bowie
Andre Rochambeau
1956
Series
Mr. Novak
Mr. Haskell
1963
Series
The Rat Patrol
Colonel Seidner
1966
Portia Faces Life
1954
Series
Ghost Story
Ed Barnes
1972
Series
Cimarron Strip
1967
Series
Cimarron Strip
Dr. Kihlgren
1967
Series
Sam Benedict
1962
Series
Sam Benedict
Barney Rosvalley
1962
Series
Sam Benedict
Barney Rossvalley
1962
Series
Mr. Lucky
1959
Series
Lock-Up
1959
Series
Riverboat
Ansel Torgin
1959
Series
Outlaws
1960
Film
How the West Was Won
Train Conductor (uncredited)
1962
Series
Black Saddle
Dr. Wyle
1959
Series
Johnny Ringo
Kramer
1959
Film
Judgment at Nuremberg
Heinrich Geuter
1961
Series
The Wonderful World of Disney
Laredo Marshal (uncredited)
1954
Series
The Amazing Spider-Man
1978
Series
Tightrope
Brahn
1959
The Greatest Show on Earth
Louis
1963
Series
The Lieutenant
1963
Playwrights '56
1955
Series
The Dakotas
1963
CBS Playhouse
Dr. Keller
1966
Profiles in Courage
Chynoweth
1964
Series
The Walter Winchell File
1957
Series
The Outcasts
1968
Film
Vanishing Point
Clerk
1971
Series
The Westerner
Ben Potts
1960
Film
The Sons of Katie Elder
Doc Isdell
1965
Series
Hong Kong
John Olwine
1960
Series
The Immortal
1970
Series
The Travels of Jaimie McPheeters
Coley Bishop
1963
Series
The Bill Dana Show
1963
Film
Seconds
Dr. Morris
1966
Film
The Cincinnati Kid
Mr. Rudd
1965
Film
Lonely are the Brave
Rev. Hoskins
1962
Series
General Electric True
1962
Film
North to Alaska
Lars Nordqvist
1960
Film
Ulzana's Raid
Rukeyser
1972
Film
Hour of the Gun
Dr. Charles Goodfellow
1967
Series
The Young Rebels
1970
Film
The Prize
Hilding
1963
Film
Flaming Star
Dred Pierce
1960
Film
Major Dundee
Captain Waller
1965
Series
Klondike
Judge Frank Weinstock
1960
Film
No Name on the Bullet
Stricker
1959
Series
Doc Elliot
1973
Film
Walk on the Wild Side
Schmidt
1962
The Court of Last Resort
1957
Series
Hallmark Hall of Fame
Humpty Dumpty
1951
Film
The Hanging Tree
Tom Flaunce
1959
Series
Schlitz Playhouse of Stars
Asmussen
1951
Film
The Spiral Road
Insp. Bevers
1962
Film
The Wild Country
Jensen
1970
Film
… tick… tick… tick…
Frank Braddock Sr.
1970
Film
The Gallant Hours
Bill Bailey
1960
Film
December 7th
Machine-Gunner (uncredited)
1943
Film
One Foot in Hell
Sheriff Ole Olson
1960
Film
Ice Palace
Scotty Ballantyne
1960
Film
Kings Go Forth
The Colonel
1958
Film
The Man from Galveston
Sheriff
1963
Film
Disney's Greatest Villains
Merlin (voice) (archive footage)
1977
Film
Disney's Halloween Treat
Merlin (voice) (archive footage)
1982
Film
A Howling in the Woods
Apperson
1971
Film
The New Healers
Mr. Fisherman
1972
Film
Do Not Go Gentle Into That Good Night
Dr. Keller
1967
Film
Alice in Wonderland
Humpty Dumpty
1955
Film
The Gun and the Pulpit
Adams
1974
Film
Disney's Sing-Along Songs: Under the Sea
Merlin (archive footage) (voice)
1990
Film
Disney Sing-Along Songs: Colors of the Wind
(voice) (archive footage)
1995
Film
Four Boys and a Gun
Mr. Badek
1957
Film
Brighty of the Grand Canyon
Theodore Roosevelt
1966
Film
Strangers All
Protester at Communist Meeting
1935
Film
Gateways to the Mind
Hal - the Cameraman (uncredited)
1958