Acting
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
Film · 1993
Frasier, the Sensuous Lion
Film · 1973
Getting Away from It All
Film · 1972
The Streets of San Francisco
Series · 1972
The Odd Couple
Series · 1970
The Odd Couple
Series · 1970
The Odd Couple
Series · 1970
The Partridge Family
Series · 1970
Hail, Hero!
Film · 1969
Doc
Film · 1969
Firecreek
Film · 1968
P.J.
Film · 1968
A Big Hand for the Little Lady
Film · 1966
The Girl from U.N.C.L.E.
Series · 1966
Jericho
Series · 1966
Shane
Series · 1966
A Patch of Blue
Film · 1965
The Sons of Katie Elder
Film · 1965
I'll Take Sweden
Film · 1965
Green Acres
Series · 1965
Green Acres
Series · 1965
7 Faces of Dr. Lao
Film · 1964
Those Calloways
Film · 1964
Cheyenne Autumn
Film · 1964
No Time for Sergeants
Series · 1964
Donovan's Reef
Film · 1963
The Prize
Film · 1963
Burke's Law
Series · 1963
My Favorite Martian
Series · 1963
The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance
Film · 1962
The Virginian
Series · 1962
Two Rode Together
Film · 1961
Mister Ed
Series · 1961
Ben Casey
Series · 1961
Dr. Kildare
Series · 1961
Mister Ed
Series · 1961
Hazel
Series · 1961
North to Alaska
Film · 1960
Hell Bent for Leather
Film · 1960
Elmer Gantry
Film · 1960
The Andy Griffith Show
Series · 1960
Thriller
Series · 1960
The Barbara Stanwyck Show
Series · 1960
Tate
Series · 1960
Anatomy of a Murder
Film · 1959
The Alaskans
Series · 1959
Tightrope
Series · 1959
The Third Man
Series · 1959
Bonanza
Series · 1959
Revolt in the Big House
Film · 1958
The Gun Runners
Film · 1958
My World Dies Screaming
Film · 1958
Sea Hunt
Series · 1958
Westinghouse Desilu Playhouse
Series · 1958
Yancy Derringer
Series · 1958
Bronco
Series · 1958
The Donna Reed Show
Series · 1958
Lawman
Series · 1958
Lawman
Series · 1958
The Big Land
Film · 1957
Sugarfoot
Series · 1957
Maverick
Series · 1957
Maverick
Series · 1957
The Real McCoys
Series · 1957
The Searchers
Film · 1956
Johnny Concho
Film · 1956
Man on a Bus
Film · 1955
The Sea Chase
Film · 1955
Unchained
Film · 1955
At Gunpoint
Film · 1955
Cheyenne
Series · 1955
Alfred Hitchcock Presents
Series · 1955
The Millionaire
Series · 1955
Alfred Hitchcock Presents
Series · 1955
Alfred Hitchcock Presents
Series · 1955
The High and the Mighty
Film · 1954
The Other Woman
Film · 1954
Passion
Film · 1954
December Bride
Series · 1954
Climax!
Series · 1954
Public Defender
Series · 1954
Father Knows Best
Series · 1954
I, the Jury
Film · 1953
Ambush at Tomahawk Gap
Film · 1953
General Electric Theater
Series · 1953
Hans Christian Andersen
Film · 1952
Goodbye, My Fancy
Film · 1951
Belle Le Grand
Film · 1951
Dragnet
Series · 1951
Schlitz Playhouse of Stars
Series · 1951
Racket Squad
Series · 1951
Schlitz Playhouse of Stars
Series · 1951
Woman on the Run
Film · 1950
The Jackpot
Film · 1950
The Flying Missile
Film · 1950
Captain China
Film · 1950
Buccaneer's Girl
Film · 1950
Lux Video Theatre
Series · 1950
The Big Steal
Film · 1949
My Girl Tisa
Film · 1948
Hollow Triumph
Film · 1948
Alias a Gentleman
Film · 1948
Reaching from Heaven
Film · 1948
16 Fathoms Deep
Film · 1948
The Philco Television Playhouse
Series · 1948
The Fugitive
Film · 1947
Song of Scheherazade
Film · 1947
High Conquest
Film · 1947
Adventure
Film · 1945
Roughly Speaking
Film · 1945
Captain Kidd
Film · 1945
River Gang
Film · 1945
Dark Waters
Film · 1944
The Impostor
Film · 1944
An American Romance
Film · 1944
Casablanca
Film · 1943
Swing Shift Maisie
Film · 1943
Jungle Book
Film · 1942
Arabian Nights
Film · 1942
Larceny, Inc.
Film · 1942
Tortilla Flat
Film · 1942
Breakdowns of 1942
Film · 1942
Out of the Fog
Film · 1941
All That Money Can Buy
Film · 1941
The Shepherd of the Hills
Film · 1941
Million Dollar Baby
Film · 1941
Model Wife
Film · 1941
New Wine
Film · 1941
The Grapes of Wrath
Film · 1940
His Girl Friday
Film · 1940
Youth Will Be Served
Film · 1940
Blondie on a Budget
Film · 1940
Angels Over Broadway
Film · 1940
Knute Rockne All American
Film · 1940
The Long Voyage Home
Film · 1940
Ski Patrol
Film · 1940
On Their Own
Film · 1940
Babies for Sale
Film · 1940
Saturday's Children
Film · 1940
Thunder Afloat
Film · 1939
Honeymoon in Bali
Film · 1939
Stand Up and Fight
Film · 1939
Four Wives
Film · 1939
Let Us Live
Film · 1939
Mickey the Kid
Film · 1939
The Strange Case of Dr. Meade
Film · 1938
Five of a Kind
Film · 1938
The Mad Miss Manton
Film · 1938
The Chaser
Film · 1938
Joy of Living
Film · 1938
Angel's Holiday
Film · 1937
Seventh Heaven
Film · 1937
Fit for a King
Film · 1937
The Bad Man of Brimstone
Film · 1937
Nothing Sacred
Film · 1937
Fifty Roads to Town
Film · 1937
She Had to Eat
Film · 1937
Girls' Dormitory
Film · 1936
Meet Nero Wolfe
Film · 1936
The Country Doctor
Film · 1936
Reunion
Film · 1936
The Road to Glory
Film · 1936
Ring Around the Moon
Film · 1936
Wife vs. Secretary
Film · 1936
Charlie Chan in Paris
Film · 1935
Black Fury
Film · 1935
One More Spring
Film · 1935
Orchids to You
Film · 1935
The Farmer Takes a Wife
Film · 1935
Chasing Yesterday
Film · 1935
Man of Iron
Film · 1935
Thunder in the Night
Film · 1935
The Three Musketeers
Film · 1935
Doubting Thomas
Film · 1935
Whipsaw
Film · 1935
Silk Hat Kid
Film · 1935
The Great Hotel Murder
Film · 1935
Our Daily Bread
Film · 1934
He Was Her Man
Film · 1934
Sing and Like It
Film · 1934
Upperworld
Film · 1934
365 Nights in Hollywood
Film · 1934
Hi, Nellie!
Film · 1934
Straight Is the Way
Film · 1934
Servants' Entrance
Film · 1934
Let's Fall in Love
Film · 1933
Counsellor at Law
Film · 1933
Let's Fall in Love
Film · 1933
Arrowsmith
Film · 1931
Street Scene
Film · 1931