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.
Acted in 179
1990s
- 1993
La Classe américaine
V12 (archive footage) (uncredited)
1970s
- 1973
Frasier, the Sensuous Lion
Old Man on Porch
- 1972
Getting Away from It All
Charlie Erickson
- 1970
1960s
- 1969
Hail, Hero!
Billy Hurd
- 1968
P.J.
Poppa
- 1966
Shane
Old Man · 1 episode
- 1965
- 1964
Cheyenne Autumn
Svenson (uncredited)
7 Faces of Dr. Lao
Luther Lindquist
- 1963
The Prize
Oscar
- 1962
- 1961
Two Rode Together
Ole Knudsen
- 1960
Tate
Sam · 1 episode
Hell Bent for Leather
Old Ben
1950s
- 1959
- 1958
Revolt in the Big House
Doc
My World Dies Screaming
Jonah Snell
- 1957
The Big Land
Sven Johnson
- 1956
Johnny Concho
Jake
- 1955
At Gunpoint
Livingstone
Unchained
Leonard Haskins
Man on a Bus
Second Prisoner
- 1954
The Other Woman
Papasha
- 1953
I, the Jury
Dr. R.H. Vickers, Veterinarian
General Electric Theater
TV
- 1952
- 1951
Schlitz Playhouse of Stars
Pop Bradshaw, Peleg Brewster · 1 episode
Belle Le Grand
Corky McGee
- 1950
The Flying Missile
Lars Hansen
The Jackpot
Mr. Ferguson (uncredited)
Buccaneer's Girl
Vegetable Seller
1940s
- 1949
- 1948
16 Fathoms Deep
Capt. Athos
My Girl Tisa
Svenson
Alias a Gentleman
No End
- 1947
High Conquest
Peter Oberwalder Sr.
Song of Scheherazade
Lorenzo
- 1945
Adventure
Model T
River Gang
Uncle Bill
Roughly Speaking
Svend Olsen
- 1944
An American Romance
Anton Dubechek
The Impostor
Monge
- 1943
Swing Shift Maisie
Horatio Curley
- 1942
Tortilla Flat
Jose Maria Corcoran
- 1941
All That Money Can Buy
Miser Stevens
New Wine
Hasslinger's Clerk
Million Dollar Baby
Dr. Patterson
Model Wife
The Janitor
- 1940
Youth Will Be Served
Clem Howie
Angels Over Broadway
Charles Engle
Babies for Sale
Howard Anderson
On Their Own
Peters
Ski Patrol
Gustaf
Saturday's Children
First Carpenter (uncredited)
Blondie on a Budget
Ed Fuddle
1930s
- 1939
Four Wives
Frank
Honeymoon in Bali
Meek Man (uncredited)
Thunder Afloat
Milo
Mickey the Kid
Mailman
Let Us Live
Dan (uncredited)
Stand Up and Fight
Davy
- 1938
The Strange Case of Dr. Meade
Stoner
The Mad Miss Manton
Night Watchman at Subway Construction Site
Five of a Kind
Asa Wyatt
The Chaser
Lars
Joy of Living
Oswego
- 1937
The Bad Man of Brimstone
Loco
Fit for a King
Otto
She Had to Eat
Sleepy
Angel's Holiday
Waldo Everett
Fifty Roads to Town
Sheriff Dow
- 1936
Reunion
Asa Wyatt
The Road to Glory
Duflous
Girls' Dormitory
Toni
Meet Nero Wolfe
Olaf
The Country Doctor
Asa Wyatt
Ring Around the Moon
Bill Harvey
- 1935
Man of Iron
Collins
Whipsaw
Will Dabson
The Three Musketeers
Planchet
Thunder in the Night
Hotel Porter
Orchids to You
Smith
Silk Hat Kid
Mr. Fossbender
Doubting Thomas
Von Blitzen
The Farmer Takes a Wife
Sol Tinker
Black Fury
Mike Shemanski
Chasing Yesterday
Coccoz
The Great Hotel Murder
Ole
One More Spring
Auctioneer
- 1934
365 Nights in Hollywood
Prof. Herman Ellenbogen
Our Daily Bread
Chris (as John T. Qualen)
Servants' Entrance
Detective
Straight Is the Way
Mr. Clapman (uncredited)
He Was Her Man
Dutch, Santa Avila's Cabbie
Upperworld
Janitor
Sing and Like It
Oswald (as John M. Qualen)
Hi, Nellie!
Steve (uncredited)
- 1933
Let's Fall in Love
Bjorkman, Svente Bjorkman
Counsellor at Law
Breitstein
- 1931
Arrowsmith
Henry Novak (uncredited)
Appearances1
1940s
- 1942
Breakdowns of 1942
Self