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Karl Swenson
Actor
Born July 23, 1908Died October 8, 1978 (70 years)
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.
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.
Movies & Shows on Plex
Karl Swenson Filmography
| 2000 | All About 'the Birds' · as Doomsayer In Diner In Clips From The Movie 'the Birds' |
| 1995 | Disney Sing-Along Songs: Colors of the Wind · as (voice) (archive Footage) |
| 1990 | Disney Sing-Along Songs: Under the Sea · as Merlin (archive Footage) (voice) |
| 1984 | Disney's Halloween Treat · as Merlin (voice) (archive Footage) |
| 1979 | Little House Years · as Lars Hanson |
| 1979 | The Horror Show · as Cast |
| 1977 | The Amazing Spider-Man (TV Series) |
| 1974 | The Gun and the Pulpit · as Adams |
| 1974 | Little House on the Prairie (TV Series) · as Lars Hanson |
| 1974 | Apple's Way (TV Series) · as Dr. Knowles |
| 1974 | Happy Days (TV Series) |
| 1973 | Barnaby Jones (TV Series) · as Mr. Fowler |
| 1972 | Ulzana's Raid · as Rukeyser |
| 1972 | The Streets of San Francisco (TV Series) · as Gustaveson |
| 1972 | Ghost Story (TV Series) · as Ed Barnes |
| 1972 | Emergency! (TV Series) · as Gus |
| 1971 | A Howling in the Woods · as Apperson |
| 1971 | The Birdmen · as Gunter |
| 1971 | Cannon (TV Series) |
| 1971 | O'Hara, U.S. Treasury (TV Series) · as Otto Schurman |
| 1971 | Vanishing Point · as Clerk |
| 1971 | Longstreet (TV Series) · as Sven Aalborg |
| 1970 | The Wild Country · as Jensen |
| 1970 | The Odd Couple (TV Series) · as Captain Potter |
| 1970 | Dan August (TV Series) · as Aubrey Burnett |
| 1970 | The Young Rebels (TV Series) |
| 1970 | Tick, Tick, Tick · as Frank Braddock Sr. |
| 1969 | The Immortal (TV Series) |
| 1969 | Medical Center (TV Series) · as Dr. Mills |
| 1968 | The Mod Squad (TV Series) |
| 1968 | The Outcasts (TV Series) |
| 1968 | Hawaii Five-O (TV Series) · as Abel Morgan |
| 1968 | Premiere (TV Series) · as Erickson |
| 1967 | Hour of the Gun · as Dr. Charles Goodfellow |
| 1967 | Ironside (TV Series) · as Vet |
| 1967 | Judd for the Defense (TV Series) |
| 1967 | The Guns of Will Sonnett (TV Series) |
| 1967 | Cimarron Strip (TV Series) · as Dr. Kihlgren |
| 1967 | CBS Playhouse (TV Series) |
| 1966 | Brighty of the Grand Canyon · as Theodore Roosevelt |
| 1966 | Seconds · as Dr. Morris |
| 1966 | Mission: Impossible (TV Series) · as Dr. Ziegler |
| 1966 | The Rat Patrol (TV Series) · as Colonel Seidner |
| 1966 | Tarzan (1966) (TV Series) |
| 1966 | Daktari (TV Series) · as Terry Coopersmith |
| 1965 | The Cincinnati Kid · as Mr. Rudd |
| 1965 | Hogan's Heroes (TV Series) · as Dr. Karl Svenson |
| 1965 | Convoy (TV Series) · as Lars Hanson |
| 1965 | The Big Valley (TV Series) · as Aaron Moyers |
| 1965 | A Man Called Shenandoah (TV Series) · as Sheriff Ben Garrett |
| 1965 | The Sons of Katie Elder · as Doc Isdell |
| 1965 | Major Dundee · as Captain Waller |
| 1964 | Profiles in Courage (TV Series) · as Chynoweth |
| 1964 | Gomer Pyle, U.S.M.C. (TV Series) · as Col. Harper |
| 1964 | 12 O'Clock High (TV Series) · as Gunnar Karlsen |
| 1963 | The Prize · as Hilding |
| 1963 | The Sword in the Stone · as Merlin (voice) |
| 1963 | The Man from Galveston · as Sheriff |
| 1963 | Mr. Novak (TV Series) · as Mr. Haskell |
| 1963 | The Bill Dana Show (TV Series) |
| 1963 | The Farmer's Daughter (TV Series) · as Max |
| 1963 | Temple Houston (TV Series) · as Sam Wade |
| 1963 | The Greatest Show on Earth (TV Series) |
| 1963 | The Fugitive (TV Series) · as Morgan |
| 1963 | The Travels of Jaimie McPheeters (TV Series) · as Coley Bishop |
| 1963 | The Lieutenant (TV Series) |
| 1963 | The Birds · as Drunken Doomsayer In Diner |
| 1962 | How the West Was Won · as Train Conductor (uncredited) |
| 1962 | The Spiral Road · as Insp. Bevers |
| 1962 | The Eleventh Hour (TV Series) · as Nelson |
| 1962 | The Alfred Hitchcock Hour (TV Series) · as George Sherston |
| 1962 | It's a Man's World (TV Series) · as Mr. Dewitt |
| 1962 | Sam Benedict (TV Series) · as Barney Rosvalley |
| 1962 | Lonely Are the Brave · as Rev. Hoskins |
| 1962 | The Dakotas (TV Series) |
| 1962 | Walk on the Wild Side · as Schmidt |
| 1961 | Judgment at Nuremberg · as Heinrich Geuter |
| 1961 | Window on Main Street (TV Series) · as George Pritchard |
| 1961 | Ben Casey (TV Series) |
| 1961 | Dr. Kildare (TV Series) · as Judge |
| 1961 | Ripcord (TV Series) · as Will Gorman |
| 1961 | The Dick Powell Show (TV Series) · as Lang |
| 1961 | Kraft Mystery Theatre (TV Series) · as Lawson |
| 1960 | Flaming Star · as Dred Pierce |
| 1960 | North to Alaska · as Lars Nordqvist |
| 1960 | The Case of the Dangerous Robin (TV Series) · as The Ex-Con |
| 1960 | Klondike (TV Series) · as Judge Frank Weinstock |
| 1960 | The Andy Griffith Show (TV Series) · as Mr. Mcbeevee |
| 1960 | SurfSide 6 (TV Series) |
| 1960 | Insight (TV Series) · as Dr. Bradley |
| 1960 | The Westerner (TV Series) · as Ben Potts |
| 1960 | Outlaws (TV Series) |
| 1960 | The Aquanauts (TV Series) · as Rainbow |
| 1960 | One Foot in Hell · as Sheriff Ole Olson |
| 1960 | The Gallant Hours · as Bill Bailey |
| 1960 | Hong Kong (TV Series) · as John Olwine |
| 1960 | Ice Palace · as Scotty Ballantyne |
| 1959 | Mr. Lucky (TV Series) |
| 1959 | Hawaiian Eye (TV Series) |
| 1959 | |
| 1959 | Hotel de Paree (TV Series) · as Jed Holmes |
| 1959 | Johnny Ringo (TV Series) · as Kramer |
| 1959 | Men into Space (TV Series) · as Sen. Jim Sloane |
| 1959 | Lock-Up (TV Series) |
| 1959 | Laramie (TV Series) · as Becker |
| 1959 | Riverboat (TV Series) · as Ansel Torgin |
| 1959 | The Man and the Challenge (TV Series) · as Dr. Lindstrom |
| 1959 | |
| 1959 | Tightrope (TV Series) |
| 1959 | No Name on the Bullet · as Stricker |
| 1959 | The Hanging Tree · as Tom Flaunce |
| 1959 | The Untouchables (TV Series) · as Hans Dreiser |
| 1959 | Black Saddle (TV Series) · as Dr. Wyle |
| 1959 | Rawhide (TV Series) · as Merle |
| 1959 | Bold Venture (TV Series) · as Kenny |
| 1958 | The Badlanders · as The Marshal |
| 1958 | 77 Sunset Strip (TV Series) |
| 1958 | Bat Masterson (TV Series) · as Jim Pate |
| 1958 | Westinghouse Desilu Playhouse (TV Series) · as Van Kemp |
| 1958 | Mackenzie's Raiders (TV Series) · as Secretary Of War James Cameron |
| 1958 | The Rifleman (TV Series) · as Chris Manse |
| 1958 | The Texan (TV Series) |
| 1958 | Bronco (TV Series) |
| 1958 | Steve Canyon (TV Series) · as Col. Vanderhoek |
| 1958 | Kings Go Forth · as The Colonel |
| 1957 | Colt .45 (TV Series) · as Jim Courtwright |
| 1957 | The Court of Last Resort (TV Series) |
| 1957 | Trackdown (TV Series) |
| 1957 | Maverick (TV Series) · as Captain Nares |
| 1957 | Perry Mason (TV Series) · as Corley Ketchum |
| 1957 | Wagon Train (TV Series) · as Harry Whitmore |
| 1957 | Sugarfoot (TV Series) · as Andy Burke |
| 1957 | Bachelor Father (TV Series) · as Charley Burton |
| 1957 | Have Gun, Will Travel (TV Series) |
| 1957 | That Night! · as Mcadam |
| 1957 | Meet McGraw (TV Series) · as Cast |
| 1957 | Leave It to Beaver (TV Series) · as George Haskell |
| 1957 | Tales of Wells Fargo (TV Series) · as Ed Flavin |
| 1957 | Four Boys and a Gun · as Mr. Badek |
| 1956 | Zane Grey Theatre (TV Series) · as Lee Willis |
| 1956 | Circus Boy (TV Series) · as Lars Larsen |
| 1956 | The Adventures of Jim Bowie (TV Series) · as Andre Rochambeau |
| 1955 | Alice in Wonderland · as Humpty Dumpty |
| 1955 | Playwrights '56 (TV Series) |
| 1955 | Alfred Hitchcock Presents (TV Series) · as John |
| 1955 | I Spy (TV Series) · as Cast |
| 1955 | The Joseph Cotten Show: On Trial (TV Series) · as Asmussen |
| 1955 | |
| 1955 | Gunsmoke (TV Series) · as Mcgruder |
| 1955 | The Jane Wyman Show (TV Series) · as Pat Casey |
| 1954 | Disneyland (TV Series) · as Laredo Marshal (uncredited) |
| 1954 | Lassie (TV Series) |
| 1953 | The United States Steel Hour (TV Series) · as Abner Carson |
| 1953 | Ponds Theater (TV Series) · as Douglas |
| 1952 | This Is The Life (TV Series) · as Burke |
| 1952 | Death Valley Days (TV Series) · as Abe Hughes |
| 1951 | Hallmark Hall Of Fame (TV Series) · as Humpty Dumpty |
| 1951 | Goodyear Television Playhouse (TV Series) · as Cast |
| 1951 | Schlitz Playhouse of Stars (TV Series) · as Asmussen |
| 1950 | The Jack Benny Program (TV Series) · as Pierre The Butler |
| 1950 | |
| 1949 | The Big Story (TV Series) · as Finch |
| 1947 | Kraft Television Theatre (TV Series) · as First Mate |
| 1943 | December 7th · as Machine-Gunner (uncredited) |
| 1935 | Strangers All · as Protester At Communist Meeting |
| 1962 | The Virginian (TV Series) · as Karl Swenson |