John Qualen
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.
Known For
Acting
1943
asBerger
1940
asMuley Graves
1940
asEarl Williams
1956
asLars Jorgensen
1940
asClem Howie
1948
asSvenson
1940
asEd Fuddle
1960
asLogger
1942
asThe Barber
1962
asPeter Ericson
1948
asSwangron
1941
asOlaf Johnson
1965
asMr. Faber
1935
asConcierge, Dufresne's Hotel (bit)
1938
asStoner
1950
asMaibus
1964
asLuther Lindquist
1944
asUncle Norbert
1941
asMiser Stevens
1940
asCharles Engle
1964
asErnie Evans
1942
asAladdin
1966
asJesse Buford
1941
asCoot Royal
1947
asA Refugee Doctor
1953
asDr. R.H. Vickers, Veterinarian
1940
asLars Knutson Rockne
1964
asSvenson (uncredited)
1945
asModel T
1965
asCharlie Biller
1952
asBurgomaster
1954
asJose Locota
1942
asSam Bachrach
1949
asJulius Seton
1958
asDoc
1940
asAxel
1954
asPapasha
1958
asPop
1950
asMr. Ferguson (uncredited)
1944
asMonge
1958
asJonah Snell
1935
asMike Shemanski
1937
asWaldo Everett
1941
asDr. Patterson
1943
asHoratio Curley
1942
asJose Maria Corcoran
1939
asMilo
1968
asHall
1939
asMeek Man (uncredited)
1935
asAuctioneer
1954
asGaspar Melo
1934
asChris (as John T. Qualen)
1968
asPoppa
1951
asProfessor Dingley
1939
asDavy
1945
asSvend Olsen
1944
asAnton Dubechek
1935
asSmith
1936
asToni
1931
asHenry Novak (uncredited)
1936
asOlaf
1934
asDutch, Santa Avila's Cabbie
1937
asSewer Rat
1935
asSol Tinker
1934
asOswald (as John M. Qualen)
1938
asAsa Wyatt
1945
asBart Blivens
1969
asBilly Hurd
1950
asLars Hansen
1937
asOtto
1933
asBjorkman
1935
asCoccoz
1940
asGustaf
1938
asNight Watchman at Subway Construction Site
1933
asBreitstein
1947
asLorenzo
1934
asJanitor
1934
asProf. Herman Ellenbogen
1957
asSven Johnson
1936
asAsa Wyatt
1937
asLoco
1955
asSecond Prisoner
1948
asNo End
1936
asAsa Wyatt
1931
asKarl Olsen (as John M. Qualen)
1950
asGeech
1933
asSvente Bjorkman
1934
asSteve (uncredited)
1961
asOle Knudsen
1955
asChief Engineer Schmitt
1939
asFrank
1939
asDan (uncredited)
1936
asDuflous
1956
asJake
1935
asCollins
1940
asPeters
1963
asDeckhand Who Cries 'Man Overboard' (uncredited)
1935
asHotel Porter
1959
asDeputy Sheriff Sulo
1948
asThe Stranger
1940
asHoward Anderson
1955
asLeonard Haskins
1953
asJonas P. Travis
1936
asBill Harvey
1936
asMr. Jenkins (uncredited)
1948
asCapt. Athos
1935
asPlanchet
1940
asFirst Carpenter (uncredited)
1937
asFireman (uncredited)
1960
asOld Ben
1935
asWill Dabson
1935
asVon Blitzen
1951
asCorky McGee
1965
asOlaf
1934
asMr. Clapman (uncredited)
1941
asThe Janitor
1963
asOscar
1950
asVegetable Seller
1941
asHasslinger's Clerk
1960
asSam - Storekeeper
1937
asSheriff Dow
1938
asLars
1937
asSleepy
1935
asMr. Fossbender
1945
asUncle Bill
1938
asOswego
1947
asPeter Oberwalder Sr.
1935
asOle
1993
asV12 (archive footage) (uncredited)
1955
asLivingstone
1939
asMailman
1934
asDetective
1942
asSelf
1969
asLuke
1972
asCharlie Erickson
1973
asOld Man on Porch
as
asHenry Bennett
asRichard Prince (uncredited)
as
as
asDr. Elmer Spritzer
asGroundskeeper
as
as
as
asMr. Stepp
as
asHarry Stonewall Jackson
asGosta Swenson
asStreetcar Conductor
asCapt. Sven Larsen
asPop Bradshaw
asEddie
asGeist
as
asGus Gruntle
as
asJens Jensen
as
as
as
asMr. Callahan
asOld Man
as
as
as
as
asasLeland Mills
asSam
asPeleg Brewster
asElmer Shore
asMr. Crabtree
asMilo Simmons
asFrank Casey
asAmes
asMr. Larson
asSam
asThe Old Man
asMatt
asMr. Appleby
asWillie Dunhill
asOld Man
asFrank
asZeke
asDoc Shea
Production
Crew
Directing
