KARL SWENSON
Information From IMDb
Date of Birth
23 July 1908, Brooklyn, New York, USA
Date of Death
8 October 1978, Torrington, Connecticut, USA (heart attack)
Spouse
Virginia Hanscom Swenson (1930 - 1960) 4 children
Joan Tompkins (? - 8 October 1978) (his death)
Mini Biography
Of Swedish descent, burly, light-haired character actor Karl Swenson was born in Brooklyn and started his four-decade career on radio. Throughout the late 30s and 40s, his voice could be heard all over the airwaves, appearing in scores of daytime serials ("Lorenzo Jones") and mystery dramas ("Inner Sanctum Mysteries"). He gave visual life to one of his serial characters, Walter Manning, in "Portia Faces Life" when it went to TV in 1953. It was during his lengthy work in this medium that he met his wife, stage and radio actress Joan Tompkins. They appeared together throughout their careers on TV and in a few films. In the 1950s, he kept afloat on TV in rugged guest spots ("Dr. Kildare" (1961), "Gun Law" (1955), "Maverick" (1957), "Mission: Impossible" (1966) and "Hawaii Five-O" (1968)). He didn't appear in films until age 50+ with minor roles in Kings Go Forth (1958), North to Alaska (1960), The Birds (1963) and The Sons of Katie Elder (1965). His voice was also well utilized in such animated features as The Sword in the Stone (1963) as the voice of Merlin. Karl met actor Michael Landon on the set of "Bonanza" (1959), appearing in four separate episodes over time. Landon remembered him when he began to film "Little House on the Prairie" (1974). Cast in the recurring role of lumber mill owner Lars Hanson, he remained with the show until his death in 1978 of a heart attack. His character on the show also died.
IMDb Mini Biography By: Gary Brumburgh
Trivia
In two of his most remembered roles, although the parts were small, he is technically the most important character in each. In "Little House on the Prairie" he is the founder of Walnut Grove, the town in which the entire show is centered. And in "Vanishing Point" he is the mechanic who souped up the car for the cross country chase (as well as the owner of the garage).
Filmography
Actor
1974-1978 Little House on the Prairie (TV series)
– There's No Place Like Home: Part 2 (1978) … Lars Hanson
– I'll Be Waving as You Drive Away: Part 2 (1978) … Lars Hanson
– I'll Be Waving as You Drive Away: Part 1 (1978) … Lars Hanson
– The Inheritance (1978) … Lars Hanson
– The Fighter (1977) … Lars Hanson
In all 41 episodes »
1978 The Amazing Spider-Man (TV series)– Night of the Clones (1978) … Dr. Carl Benson
1975 Disneyland (TV series)– Wild Country: Part 2 (1975) … Jensen
1975 Cannon (TV series)– Coffin Corner (1975) … Jack Halsey
1974 Happy Days (TV series)– Richie's Car (1974) … Police Detective
1974 Apple's Way (TV series)– The Pen Pal (1974) … Dr. Knowles
1974 The Gun and the Pulpit (TV movie)...Adams
1974 Doc Elliot (TV series)– The Gold Mine (1974) … Mike Shea
1974 The Streets of San Francisco (TV series)– Blockade (1974) … Gustaveson
1974 Emergency! (TV series)– Messin' Around (1974) … Gus
1973 Barnaby Jones (TV series)– Trial Run for Death (1973) … Mr. Fowler
1973 The Odd Couple (TV series)– Sometimes a Great Ocean (1973) … Captain Potter
1962-1972 Lassie (TV series)
– Vigil of the Stork (1972) … Karl Burkholm
– Hanford's Point: Part 1 (1968) … Barnaby Cornell (uncredited)
– A Time of Decision (1967) … Anson Booth
– The Homeless (1967) … Anson Booth
– In the Eyes of Lassie (1965) … Dr. Karl Hansen
In 7 episodes »
1972 Ulzana's Raid...Willy Rukeyser
1972 Ghost Story (TV series)– At the Cradle Foot (1972) … Ed Barnes
1972 The New Healers (TV movie)...Mr. Fisherman
1970-1972 The Mod Squad (TV series)
– The Cave (1972) … William Bradshaw
– Return to Darkness, Return to Light (1970) … Edwards
1972 O'Hara, U.S. Treasury (TV series)– Operation: Deathwatch (1972) … Otto Schurman
1972 Longstreet (TV series)– Let the Memories Be Happy Ones (1972) … Sven Aalborg
1971 A Howling in the Woods (TV movie)...Apperson
1971 Escape of the Birdmen (TV movie)...Gunter
1971 This Is the Life (TV series)– The Scandal (1971) … Burke
1971 Dan August (TV series)– Trackdown (1971) … Aubrey Burnett
1957-1971 Gun Law (TV series)…
– Lavery (1971) … Mr. Hubert
– The Devil's Outpost (1969) … McGruder
– The Newcomers (1966) … Lars Karlgren
– Harvest (1966) … Ian McGovern
– Blue Heaven (1964) … Tabe
In 9 episodes »
1971 Ironside (TV series)– Killing at the Track (1971) … Vet
1971 Medical Center (TV series)– Secret Heritage (1971) … Dr. Mills
1971 Vanishing Point...Sandy McKees, Argo's Attendant
1970 The Wild Country...Jensen
1970 The Immortal (TV series)– The Queen's Gambit (1970) … Dom DiLorenzo
1969-1970 Insight (TV series)
– The Dangerous Airs of Amy Clark (1970)
– A Thousand Red Flowers (1969) … Phillips
1970 Hawaii Five-O (TV series)
– Three Dead Cows at Makapuu: Part II (1970) … Abel Morgan
– Three Dead Cows at Makapuu: Part I (1970) … Abel Morgan
1970 ...tick... tick... tick...Frank Braddock Sr.
1962-1969 The Virginian (TV series)
– The Substitute (1969) … Ezra Gates
– The Heritage (1968) … Nelson
– The Crooked Path (1968) … Sheriff Roy Cheever
– Yesterday's Timepiece (1967) … Mr. Archer
– Blaze of Glory (1965) … Ben Wallace
In 7 episodes »
1968-1969 Mission: Impossible (TV series)
– The Numbers Game (1969) … Dr. Ziegler
– The Spy (1968) … Colonel Dubov
1969 Tiger, Tiger (TV movie)...Dr. Herbert
1969 The Outcasts (TV series)– Act of Faith (1969) … Tom Reed
1968 Premiere (TV series)– Walk in the Sky (1968) … Erickson
1968 The Guns of Will Sonnett (TV series)– Stopover in a Troubled Town (1968) … Walden
1967-1968 Cimarron Strip (TV series)
– Knife in the Darkness (1968) … Dr. Kihlgren
– Fool's Gold (1968) … Dr. Kihlgren
– Nobody (1967) … Doc Kihlgren
– The Beast That Walks Like a Man (1967) … Dr. Kihlgren
– The Battle of Bloody Stones (1967) … Dr. Kihlgren
Inl 6 episodes »
1968 Judd for the Defense (TV series)
– Fall of a Skylark: Part 2 - The Appeal (1968) … Judge
– Fall of a Skylark: Part 1 - The Trial (1968) … Judge
1968 Tarzan (TV series)– The Professional (1968) … General Governer
1959-1967 Bonanza (TV series)
– Showdown at Tahoe (1967) … Captain Nels Larson
– A Natural Wizard (1965) … Dr. Woods
– Day of Reckoning (1960) … Ike Daggert
– Death on Sun Mountain (1959) … Carl Harris
1967 Hour of the Gun...Dr. Charles Goodfellow
1967 Hogan's Heroes (TV series)– How to Win Friends and Influence Nazis (1967) … Dr. Karl Svenson
1967 CBS Playhouse (TV series)– Do Not Go Gentle Into That Good Night (1967) … Dr. Keller
1967 Brighty of the Grand Canyon...Theodore Roosevelt
1967 The Rat Patrol (TV series)– Two for One Raid (1967) … Col. Seidner
1965-1967 The Big Valley (TV series)
– Wagonload of Dreams (1967) … Steve Minter
– Last Train to the Fair (1966) … Aaron Moyers
– Winner Lose All (1965) … Bert Hadley
1966 12 O'Clock High (TV series)– To Seek and Destroy (1966) … Karisen
1966 Seconds...Dr. Morris
1966 A Man Called Shenandoah (TV series)– End of a Legend (1966) … Sheriff Ben Garrett
1965 Convoy (TV series)– The Man with the Saltwater Socks (1965) … Lars Hanson
1965 Dr. Kildare (TV series)
– Hour of Decision (1965) … Judge
– Wives and Losers (1965) … Judge
– The Life Machine (1965) … Judge
1962-1965 Perry Mason (TV series)…
– The Case of the 12th Wildcat (1965) … Unk Hazekian
– The Case of the Sleepy Slayer (1964) … Charles Norman
– The Case of the Bigamous Spouse (1963) … Corley Ketchum
– The Case of the Tarnished Trademark (1962) … Axel Norstaad
1965 The Cincinnati Kid...Mr. Rudd
1965 The Sons of Katie Elder...Doc Isdell
1965 Major Dundee...Captain Waller
1964-1965 The Fugitive (TV series)
– Brass Ring (1965) … Morgan
– Tug of War (1964) … Service station owner
1965 Diamond Jim: Skulduggery in Samantha (TV movie)...Vanderhof
1964 Death Valley Days (TV series)– A Bargain Is for Keeping (1964) … Rev. Hughes
1964 Mr. Novak (TV series)– Love Amongst the Grown-Ups (1964) … Mr. Haskell
1964 Profiles in Courage (TV series)– Richard T. Ely (1964) … Chynoweth
1964 Gomer Pyle, U.S.M.C. (TV series)– A Date for the Colonel's Daughter (1964) … Colonel Harper
1964 Kraft Suspense Theatre (TV series)– Once Upon a Savage Night (1964) … Erickson
1964 The Bill Dana Show (TV series)
– Jose, the Matchmaker (1964) … Fred Wilkins
1963-1964 The Travels of Jaimie McPheeters (TV series)
– The Day of the Search (1964) … Bigger
– The Day of the First Suitor (1963) … Coley Bishop
1961-1964 Wagon Train (TV series)
– The Jed Whitmore Story (1964) … Harry Whitmore
– The Jim Bridger Story (1961) … Jim Bridger
1963 The Sword in the Stone...Merlin (voice)
1963 The Prize...Hilding (Welcome Basket)
1963 The Man from Galveston...Sheriff
1963 Temple Houston (TV series)...
– Seventy Times Seven (1963) … Sam Wade
1963 The Greatest Show on Earth (TV series)– The Wrecker (1963) … Louis
1963 The Lieutenant (TV series)– Fall from a White Horse (1963) … Morley
1958-1963 77 Sunset Strip (TV series)
– By His Own Verdict (1963) … Marty Kline
– Twice Dead (1962) … Tom Lansing
– The Man in the Mirror (1961) … Joseph Vanner/Joe Vianelli
– Two and Two Makes Six (1958) … Baldwin
1959-1963 Laramie (TV series)
– The Stranger (1963) … Emil Viktor
– Trial by Fire (1962) … Lars Carlson
– A Grave for Cully Brown (1962) … Bryan James
– Night of the Quiet Men (1959)
1963 The Birds...Drunken Doomsayer in Diner
1963 G.E. True (TV series)– Security Risk (1963) … Jim Kowalski
1963 The Eleventh Hour (TV series)– Beauty Playing a Mandolin Underneath a Willow Tree (1963) … Nelson
1962-1963 Sam Benedict (TV series)
– Some Fires Die Slowly (1963) … Barney Rossvalley
– Not Even the Gulls Shall Weep (1963) … Barney Rossvalley
– Nothing Equals Nothing (1962) … Barney Rossvalley
1963 The Dakotas (TV series)– Thunder in Pleasant Valley (1963) … Harry McNeill
1962 The Alfred Hitchcock Hour (TV series)– House Guest (1962) … George Sherston
1962 How the West Was Won...Train Conductor (uncredited)
1962 The Andy Griffith Show (TV series)– Mr. McBeevee (1962) … Mr. McBeevee
1962 The Comedy Spot (TV series)– Time Out for Ginger (1962) … Howard Carol
1962 Kraft Mystery Theater (TV series)– Change of Heart (1962)
1962 The Spiral Road...Insp. Bevers
1961-1962 The Untouchables (TV series)
– Arsenal (1962) … Stanley Zolinsky
– Mr. Moon (1961) … Hans Dreiser
1962 Lonely Are the Brave...Rev. Hoskins (prison inmate)
1962 The Dick Powell Show (TV series)
– Pericles on 31st Street (1962)
– Safari (1962) … Lang
1962 Walk on the Wild Side...Schmidt
1962 Surfside 6 (TV series)– Who Is Sylvia? (1962) … Charlie Haynes
1962 Ripcord (TV series)– Day of the Hunter (1962) … Will Gorman
1962 Ben Casey (TV series)– And If I Die (1962) … Dr. Barthold
1961 Judgement at Nuremberg...Dr. Heinrich Geuter - Feldenstein's Lawyer
1961 Window on Main Street (TV series)– Doctor to Town (1961)
1961 Outlaws (TV series)– Return to New March (1961) … Dowzy Williams
1958-1961 Have Gun - Will Travel (TV series)
– Brother's Keeper (1961) … Sheriff
– El Paso Stage (1961) … Sam DeWitt
– Fandango (1961) … Lloyd Petty
– Alaska (1959) … Boris Tosheff
– A Sense of Justice (1958) … Sheriff Neal Grayson
In 6 episodes »
1961 The Case of the Dangerous Robin (TV series)– The Genuine Fake (1961) … The Ex-con
1960-1961 The Best of the Post (TV series)
– Frontier Correspondent (1961) … Skipper
– Suicide Flight (1960) … Turner
1960-1961 Klondike (TV series)
– Swing Your Partner (1961) … Dr. Edwards
– Klondike Fever (1960) … Judge Frank Weinstock
1957-1961 Maverick (TV series)
– Family Pride (1961) … General Josiah Warren
– Shady Deal at Sunny Acres (1958) … Sheriff Griffen
– The Wrecker (1957) … Captain Nares
1961 The Aquanauts (TV series)– Secret at Half Moon Key (1961) … Rainbow
1960 Flaming Star...Dred Pierce
1960 Hong Kong (TV series)– The Dragon Cup (1960) … John Olwine
1960 The Westerner (TV series)– Line Camp (1960) … Ben Potts
1960 North to Alaska...Lars Nordquist
1960 Hawaiian Eye (TV series)– The Blue Goddess (1960) … Martin Dunlap
1958-1960 Alfred Hitchcock Presents (TV series)
– A Very Moral Theft (1960) … John, the Brother
– On the Nose (1958) … Ed Holland
1960 One Foot in Hell...Sheriff Ole Olson
1960 Johnny Ringo (TV series)– Lobo Lawman (1960) … Marshal Kramer
1960 The Gallant Hours...Capt. Bill Bailey
1960 The Man and the Challenge (TV series)– Breakoff (1960) … Dr. Lindstrom
1960 Mr. Lucky (TV series)– Odyssey of Hate (1960) … Frederick St. John
1960 The Rifleman (TV series)
– The Jailbird (1960) … Chris Manse (as Karl Swensen)
– The Vision (1960) … Nils Swenson
1960 Hotel de Paree (TV series)– Sundance and the Marshal of Water's End (1960) … Jed Holmes
1958-1960 Bachelor Father (TV series)
– Bentley and the Majorette (1960) … Mr. Frank Weston
– Decisions, Decisions (1959) … Charlie Burton
– Parent's Night (1958) … Charley Burton
– Bentley's Clubhouse (1958) … Charley Burton
1960 Ice Palace...Scotty Ballantyne
1958-1959 The Texan (TV series)
– Cowards Don't Die (1959) … Sam Maitland
– Law of the Gun (1958) … Sheriff
1959 Black Saddle (TV series)– Four from Stillwater (1959) … Doc Wile
1958-1959 Zane Grey Theater (TV series)
– King of the Valley (1959) … Will Harmon
– The Sunrise Gun (1959) … Luis Greening
– This Man Must Die (1958) … Lee Willis
1959 The Rebel (TV series)– Panic (1959) … Lew Bussey
1959 Rawhide (TV series)– Incident at the Buffalo Smokehouse (1959) … Sergeant
1959 The Man from Blackhawk (TV series)– The New Semaria Story (1959)
1959 Riverboat (TV series)– The Fight Back (1959) … Ansel Torgin
1959 Lock Up (TV series)– The Failure (1959) … Ed Reed
1959 Men Into Space (TV series)– Moon Landing (1959) … Sen. Jim Sloane
1959 Tightrope (TV series)– Stand on Velvet (1959) … William B. Kane
1959 Bronco (TV series)
– Red Water North (1959) … Captain Taylor
– The Silent Witness (1959) … Casey
1959 The Jack Benny Program (TV series)– The Bergen Show (1959) … Pierre the Butler
1959 Steve Canyon (TV series)
– Iron Curtain (1959) … Stefan Karolyi
– The Prisoner (1959) … Col. Vanderhoek
1959 No Name on the Bullet...Stricker
1958-1959 Tenderfoot (TV series)
– The Mysterious Stranger (1959) … Dennis O'Hara
– The Extra Hand (1959) … Alexi Sharlokov
– Price on His Head (1958) … Bill
– Small War at Custer Junction (1958) … Andy Burke
1959 The Hanging Tree...Tom Flaunce
1959 Trackdown (TV series)– Terror (1959) … Tom Monroe
1959 Westinghouse Desilu Playhouse (TV series)
– Trial at Devil's Canyon (1959) … Snipes
1959 The Grand Jury (TV series)– Crime Crusader … Matthews
1958 Bat Masterson (TV series)– Cheyenne Club (1958) … Jim Pate
1958 The Badlanders...The Marshal (uncredited)
1958 Jefferson Drum (TV series)- The Lawless (1958) … Kiley
1958 Kings Go Forth...The Colonel
1958 Cheyenne (TV series)– Dead to Rights (1958) … Bruce Coll
1958 Colt .45 (TV series)– Long Odds (1958) … Jim Courtwright
1958 Leave It to Beaver (TV series)
– Train Trip (1958) … George Haskell
– Voodoo Magic (1958) … George Haskell
1958 Jane Wyman Presents The Fireside Theatre (TV series)– Tunnel Eight (1958) … Pat Casey
1958 The Adventures of Jim Bowie (TV series)– Curfew Cannon (1958) … Andre Rochambeau
1957 Tales of Wells Fargo (TV series)– Laredo (1957) … Ed Flavin
1957 The Court of Last Resort (TV series)– The John Smith Case (1957) … Carl Halsted
1957 Schlitz Playhouse of Stars (TV series)– The Lonely Wizard (1957) … Asmussen
1957 Circus Boy (TV series)– The Magic Lantern (1957) … Lars Larsen
1957 The Walter Winchell File (TV series)– Thou Shalt Not Kill (1957) … Rev. Martin Marisch
1957 That Night!...McAdam
1957 Robert Montgomery Presents (TV series)– One Minute to Ditch (1957)
1957 The United States Steel Hour (TV series)– To Die Alone (1957) … Abner Carson
1957 Four Boys and a Gun...Mr. Badek
1956 Playwrights '56 (TV series)– The Day the Trains Stopped Running (1956) … Sy Crandell
1955 Hallmark Hall of Fame (TV series)– Alice in Wonderland (1955) … Humpty Dumpty
1955 Mr. Citizen (TV series)– The Friendly Stranger (1955)
1954 Kraft Television Theatre (TV series)– Guest in the House (1954)
1954 Portia Faces Life (TV series)...Walter Manning #2
1943 December 7th
