Acting
Karl Swenson
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
Disney Sing-Along Songs: Colors of the Wind
Film · 1995
Disney's Sing-Along Songs: Under the Sea
Film · 1990
Disney's Halloween Treat
Film · 1982
The Amazing Spider-Man
Series · 1978
Disney's Greatest Villains
Film · 1977
The Gun and the Pulpit
Film · 1974
Little House on the Prairie
Series · 1974
Happy Days
Series · 1974
Doc Elliot
Series · 1973
Ulzana's Raid
Film · 1972
The New Healers
Film · 1972
Ghost Story
Series · 1972
Emergency!
Series · 1972
Vanishing Point
Film · 1971
A Howling in the Woods
Film · 1971
Cannon
Series · 1971
… tick… tick… tick…
Film · 1970
The Wild Country
Film · 1970
The Odd Couple
Series · 1970
The Immortal
Series · 1970
The Young Rebels
Series · 1970
Hawaii Five-O
Series · 1969
The Mod Squad
Series · 1968
The Outcasts
Series · 1968
Hour of the Gun
Film · 1967
Do Not Go Gentle Into That Good Night
Film · 1967
Ironside
Series · 1967
Cimarron Strip
Series · 1967
Judd, for the Defense
Series · 1967
The Guns of Will Sonnett
Series · 1967
Cimarron Strip
Series · 1967
Seconds
Film · 1966
Brighty of the Grand Canyon
Film · 1966
Tarzan
Series · 1966
The Rat Patrol
Series · 1966
Mission: Impossible
Series · 1966
Mission: Impossible
Series · 1966
CBS Playhouse
Series · 1966
The Cincinnati Kid
Film · 1965
Major Dundee
Film · 1965
The Sons of Katie Elder
Film · 1965
The Big Valley
Series · 1965
The Big Valley
Series · 1965
The Big Valley
Series · 1965
Hogan's Heroes
Series · 1965
Gomer Pyle, U.S.M.C.
Series · 1964
Profiles in Courage
Series · 1964
The Birds
Film · 1963
The Prize
Film · 1963
The Sword in the Stone
Film · 1963
The Man from Galveston
Film · 1963
The Travels of Jaimie McPheeters
Series · 1963
The Fugitive
Series · 1963
The Fugitive
Series · 1963
The Dakotas
Series · 1963
Mr. Novak
Series · 1963
The Bill Dana Show
Series · 1963
The Lieutenant
Series · 1963
The Greatest Show on Earth
Series · 1963
Lonely are the Brave
Film · 1962
Walk on the Wild Side
Film · 1962
How the West Was Won
Film · 1962
The Spiral Road
Film · 1962
Sam Benedict
Series · 1962
The Virginian
Series · 1962
General Electric True
Series · 1962
The Virginian
Series · 1962
The Virginian
Series · 1962
The Alfred Hitchcock Hour
Series · 1962
Sam Benedict
Series · 1962
Sam Benedict
Series · 1962
Judgment at Nuremberg
Film · 1961
Ben Casey
Series · 1961
Dr. Kildare
Series · 1961
North to Alaska
Film · 1960
Ice Palace
Film · 1960
Flaming Star
Film · 1960
The Gallant Hours
Film · 1960
One Foot in Hell
Film · 1960
The Andy Griffith Show
Series · 1960
Surfside 6
Series · 1960
Klondike
Series · 1960
Outlaws
Series · 1960
The Westerner
Series · 1960
Hong Kong
Series · 1960
The Hanging Tree
Film · 1959
No Name on the Bullet
Film · 1959
Mr. Lucky
Series · 1959
Hawaiian Eye
Series · 1959
Rawhide
Series · 1959
Black Saddle
Series · 1959
Lock-Up
Series · 1959
The Rebel
Series · 1959
Riverboat
Series · 1959
Johnny Ringo
Series · 1959
Bonanza
Series · 1959
Tightrope
Series · 1959
Kings Go Forth
Film · 1958
Gateways to the Mind
Film · 1958
77 Sunset Strip
Series · 1958
Westinghouse Desilu Playhouse
Series · 1958
Bronco
Series · 1958
The Rifleman
Series · 1958
Bat Masterson
Series · 1958
The Texan
Series · 1958
Westinghouse Desilu Playhouse
Series · 1958
77 Sunset Strip
Series · 1958
Four Boys and a Gun
Film · 1957
Trackdown
Series · 1957
Perry Mason
Series · 1957
Leave It to Beaver
Series · 1957
Have Gun, Will Travel
Series · 1957
Sugarfoot
Series · 1957
The Court of Last Resort
Series · 1957
The Walter Winchell File
Series · 1957
Maverick
Series · 1957
Maverick
Series · 1957
Sugarfoot
Series · 1957
Sugarfoot
Series · 1957
Sugarfoot
Series · 1957
Perry Mason
Series · 1957
Perry Mason
Series · 1957
Perry Mason
Series · 1957
Maverick
Series · 1957
The Adventures of Jim Bowie
Series · 1956
Dick Powell's Zane Grey Theatre
Series · 1956
Dick Powell's Zane Grey Theatre
Series · 1956
Dick Powell's Zane Grey Theatre
Series · 1956
Alice in Wonderland
Film · 1955
Gunsmoke
Series · 1955
Alfred Hitchcock Presents
Series · 1955
Playwrights '56
Series · 1955
Gunsmoke
Series · 1955
Gunsmoke
Series · 1955
Gunsmoke
Series · 1955
Gunsmoke
Series · 1955
Gunsmoke
Series · 1955
Gunsmoke
Series · 1955
Gunsmoke
Series · 1955
Gunsmoke
Series · 1955
Alfred Hitchcock Presents
Series · 1955
Lassie
Series · 1954
Portia Faces Life
Series · 1954
The Wonderful World of Disney
Series · 1954
Hallmark Hall of Fame
Series · 1951
Schlitz Playhouse of Stars
Series · 1951
Robert Montgomery Presents
Series · 1950
December 7th
Film · 1943
Strangers All
Film · 1935