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John Qualen

John Qualen

Actor

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.

Born: December 6, 1899 in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada

Died: September 12, 1987 (Age 87)

Streaming Sources for all John Qualen Movies & TV Shows

John Qualen  Movies & TV Credits

Title Rating Job Role(s) Year
Movie
6.2
ActorMonge1944
Movie
8.1
ActorDeputy Sheriff Sulo1959
Movie
6.2
ActorDr. Patterson1941
Movie
6.4
ActorJose Locota1954
Movie
6.9
ActorBurgomaster1952
Movie
7.9
ActorEarl Williams1940
Movie
8.2
ActorPeter Ericson1962
Movie
5.6
ActorLars1938
Movie
5
ActorJonah Snell1958
Movie
6.8
ActorSvend Olsen1945
Movie
6.3
ActorMike Shemanski1935
Movie
5.9
ActorOle1935
Movie
7.9
ActorLars Jorgensen1956
Movie
6.7
ActorJulius Seton1949
Movie
5.5
ActorCapt. Athos1948
Movie
6.1
ActorPop1958
Movie
6.3
ActorJanitor1934
Movie
5.7
ActorJonas P. Travis1953
Movie
6.2
ActorDavy1939
Movie
6.2
ActorVon Blitzen1935
Movie
5.9
ActorLeonard Haskins1955
Movie
6.7
ActorSteve (uncredited)1934
Movie
5.6
ActorPlanchet1935
Movie
5.7
ActorJake1956
Movie
6.7
ActorHotel Porter1935
Movie
5.1
ActorOlaf1965
Movie
5.4
ActorOtto1937
Movie
5.8
ActorBjorkman1933
Movie
7.4
ActorMiser Stevens1941
Movie
5.6
ActorLars Hansen1950
Movie
6.3
ActorUncle Norbert1944
Movie
6.7
ActorAuctioneer1935
Movie
8.4
ActorBerger1943
Movie
5.6
ActorUncle Bill1945
Movie
7.3
ActorMaibus1950
Movie
6.3
ActorCharles Engle1940
Movie
6.1
ActorDoc1958
Movie
6.5
ActorAnton Dubechek1944
Movie
6.6
ActorThe Stranger1948
Movie
6.6
ActorSwangron1948
Movie
6.9
ActorChris (as John T. Qualen)1934
Movie
6.7
ActorOlaf Johnson1941
Movie
5.9
ActorModel T1945
Movie
7
ActorAxel1940
Movie
6.3
ActorPapasha1954
Movie
6
ActorHoratio Curley1943
Movie
5.8
ActorCoccoz1935
Movie
4.1
ActorGustaf1940
Movie
6.1
ActorSven Johnson1957
Movie
6
ActorSheriff Dow1937
Movie
6.7
ActorSleepy1937
Movie
8.1
ActorMr. Faber1965
Movie
6
ActorJose Maria Corcoran1942
Movie
6.1
ActorMilo1939
Movie
6.8
ActorSewer Rat1937
Movie
6.4
ActorOswald (as John M. Qualen)1934
Movie
6.2
ActorLorenzo1947
Movie
6.4
ActorBill Harvey1936
Movie
6.7
ActorMr. Fossbender1935
Movie
7.2
ActorPeter Oberwalder Sr.1947
Movie
8
ActorMuley Graves1940
Movie
6.3
ActorEd Fuddle1940
Movie
6.9
ActorConcierge, Dufresne's Hotel (bit)1935
Movie
6.1
ActorA Refugee Doctor1947
Movie
7.1
ActorSam Bachrach1942
Movie
6.4
ActorWaldo Everett1937
Movie
6
ActorToni1936
Movie
5.9
ActorNo End1948
Movie
5.4
ActorCollins1935
Movie
5.8
ActorCorky McGee1951
Movie
7
ActorLogger1960
Movie
6
ActorAladdin1942
Movie
7.5
ActorJesse Buford1966
Movie
6.9
ActorLars Knutson Rockne1940
Movie
6.6
ActorSmith1935
Movie
6.2
ActorSol Tinker1935
Movie
5.4
ActorProf. Herman Ellenbogen1934
Movie
6.6
ActorChief Engineer Schmitt1955
Movie
6
ActorDutch, Santa Avila's Cabbie1934
Movie
5.7
ActorThe Janitor1941
Movie
5.1
ActorBilly Hurd1969
Movie
6.8
ActorCoot Royal1941
Movie
5.9
ActorOlaf1936
Movie
7.4
ActorKarl Olsen (as John M. Qualen)1931
Movie
5.9
ActorGeech1950
Movie
5.8
ActorMr. Clapman (uncredited)1934
Movie
5.8
ActorProfessor Dingley1951
Movie
6.4
ActorOld Ben1960
Movie
6.3
ActorErnie Evans1965
Movie
5.2
ActorAsa Wyatt1936
Movie
5.8
ActorHoward Anderson1940
Movie
6.5
ActorWill Dabson1935
Movie
5.9
ActorVegetable Seller1950
Movie
6.1
ActorLivingstone1955
Movie
7
ActorLuther Lindquist1964
Movie
4.9
ActorAsa Wyatt1938
Movie
6.1
ActorLoco1937
Movie
6.5
ActorDan (uncredited)1939
Movie
5.9
ActorDr. R.H. Vickers, Veterinarian1953
Movie
7.3
ActorBreitstein1933
Movie
6.3
ActorAsa Wyatt1936
Movie
6.2
ActorFrank1939
Movie
7.3
ActorCharlie Biller1965
Movie
6.1
ActorHenry Novak (uncredited)1931
Movie
6.5
ActorOle Knudsen1961
Movie
6.1
ActorOswego1938
Movie
6.9
ActorOscar1963
Movie
6.9
ActorDeckhand Who Cries 'Man Overboard' (uncredited)1963
Movie
6.6
ActorHasslinger's Clerk1941
Movie
7.8
ActorSam - Storekeeper1960
Movie
6.6
ActorNight Watchman at Subway Construction Site1938
Movie
6.2
ActorFirst Carpenter (uncredited)1940
Movie
6.9
ActorMr. Jenkins (uncredited)1936
Movie
6.7
ActorFireman (uncredited)1937
Movie
6.3
ActorMailman1939
Movie
7.2
ActorDetective1934
Movie
6.7
ActorClem Howie1940
Movie
6.4
ActorSvenson1948
Movie
5.1
ActorStoner1938
Movie
6.4
ActorMr. Ferguson (uncredited)1950
Movie
6.7
ActorHall1968
Movie
6.3
ActorPoppa1968
Movie
6.3
ActorPeters1940
Movie
5.9
ActorGaspar Melo1954
Movie
6.8
ActorThe Barber1942
Movie
6.1
ActorMeek Man (uncredited)1939
Movie
6.5
ActorSvenson (uncredited)1964
Movie
6.1
ActorBart Blivens1945
Movie
6.7
ActorDuflous1936
TV Show
7.4
ActorPeleg Brewster
1 Episode
1951-1959
TV Show
7.3
ActorEddie
1 Episode
1950-1959
TV Show
7
Actor1 Episode1958-1960
TV Show
7.2
Actor2 Episodes1965-1971
TV Show
7.1
ActorRichard Prince
2 Episodes
1963-1966
TV Show
7.8
Actor2 Episodes1954-1959
TV Show
7.7
ActorSam
1 Episode
1970-1975
TV Show
7.3
Actor2 Episodes1951-1959
TV Show
7.5
ActorGus Gruntle
1 Episode
1948-1956
TV Show
7
Actor1 Episode1958-1962
TV Show
8.5
Actor1 Episode1959-1960
TV Show
6.9
Actor2 Episodes1961-1966
TV Show
7.6
Actor1 Episode1966-1967
TV Show
7.2
Actor1 Episode1964-1965
TV Show
8.2
ActorHenry Bennett
1 Episode
1960-1968
TV Show
6.7
ActorMilo Simmons
1 Episode
1961-1966
TV Show
6.4
ActorDr. Elmer Spritzer
1 Episode
1966-1967
TV Show
7.2
ActorFrank Casey
1 Episode
1972-1977
TV Show
6.6
Actor1 Episode1953-1962
TV Show
7.5
Actor1 Episode1958-1961
TV Show
8.4
ActorMr. Crabtree
1 Episode
1955-1962
TV Show
7.4
ActorGosta Swenson
1 Episode
1962-1971
TV Show
7.2
Actor1 Episode1958-1966
TV Show
7.6
ActorCapt. Sven Larsen
1 Episode
1958-1959
TV Show
7.6
ActorHarry Stonewall Jackson
1 Episode
1955-1960
TV Show
8
ActorStreetcar Conductor
1 Episode
1960-1962
TV Show
6.4
ActorGeist
1 Episode
1954-1958
TV Show
7.2
ActorJens Jensen
1 Episode
1957-1961
TV Show
7.4
Actor1 Episode1950-1953
TV Show
7.2
Actor1 Episode1959-1960
TV Show
6.8
ActorMr. Callahan
1 Episode
1961-1966
TV Show
7.3
ActorAmes
1 Episode
1954-1955
TV Show
7.5
Actor1 Episode1959-1965
TV Show
7.8
ActorLeland Mills
1 Episode
1957-1962
TV Show
6.9
ActorOld Man
1 Episode
1966-1966
TV Show
7.2
Actor1 Episode1960-1961
TV Show
7
ActorSam
1 Episode
1960-1960
TV Show
8.4
ActorMr. Stepp
1 Episode
1955-1962
TV Show
8.4
ActorElmer Shore
1 Episode
1955-1962
TV Show
7.4
ActorPop Bradshaw
1 Episode
1951-1959
TV Show
7.7
ActorGroundskeeper
1 Episode
1970-1975
TV Show
7.7
ActorMr. Larson
1 Episode
1970-1975
TV Show
7.8
Actor1 Episode1955-1963
TV Show
7.8
Actor1 Episode1957-1962
TV Show
6.7
ActorThe Old Man
1 Episode
1970-1974
TV Show
6.7
Actor2 Episodes1961-1966
TV Show
7
ActorMatt
1 Episode
1963-1966
Short Film
6.9
ActorSelf1942
Short Film
5.1
ActorSecond Prisoner1955
Movie
8
ActorV12 (archive footage) (uncredited)1993
Movie
6
ActorCharlie Erickson1972
Movie
5.8
ActorLuke1969
Title Rating Job Role(s) Year
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