Karl Swenson

Karl Swenson

Acting
Born 1908-07-23 - Died 1978-10-08Brooklyn, New York City, New York, USA

Biography

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.

Movies (40)

The Sword in the Stone
7.2

The Sword in the Stone

1963Movie7.2
The Birds
7.5

The Birds

1963Movie7.5
How the West Was Won
7.0

How the West Was Won

1962Movie7.0
Judgment at Nuremberg
8.0

Judgment at Nuremberg

1961Movie8.0
The Cincinnati Kid
7.0

The Cincinnati Kid

1965Movie7.0
Seconds
7.4

Seconds

1966Movie7.4
Vanishing Point
7.1

Vanishing Point

1971Movie7.1
Major Dundee
6.7

Major Dundee

1965Movie6.7
The Sons of Katie Elder
7.0

The Sons of Katie Elder

1965Movie7.0
Ulzana's Raid
6.9

Ulzana's Raid

1972Movie6.9
The Wild Country
6.0

The Wild Country

1970Movie6.0
The Prize
6.7

The Prize

1963Movie6.7
North to Alaska
6.5

North to Alaska

1960Movie6.5
Flaming Star
6.5

Flaming Star

1960Movie6.5
Hour of the Gun
6.5

Hour of the Gun

1967Movie6.5
… tick… tick… tick…
6.7

… tick… tick… tick…

1970Movie6.7
Lonely are the Brave
7.4

Lonely are the Brave

1962Movie7.4
Walk on the Wild Side
6.6

Walk on the Wild Side

1962Movie6.6
Disney Sing-Along Songs: Colors of the Wind
8.4

Disney Sing-Along Songs: Colors of the Wind

1995Movie8.4
The Hanging Tree
6.7

The Hanging Tree

1959Movie6.7
The Man from Galveston
5.6

The Man from Galveston

1963Movie5.6
Do Not Go Gentle Into That Good Night
10.0

Do Not Go Gentle Into That Good Night

1967Movie10.0
Kings Go Forth
6.1

Kings Go Forth

1958Movie6.1
No Name on the Bullet
6.6

No Name on the Bullet

1959Movie6.6
The Gallant Hours
6.7

The Gallant Hours

1960Movie6.7
One Foot in Hell
5.3

One Foot in Hell

1960Movie5.3
Disney's Greatest Villains

Disney's Greatest Villains

1977Movie
Ice Palace
6.3

Ice Palace

1960Movie6.3
The New Healers
10.0

The New Healers

1972Movie10.0
December 7th
5.8

December 7th

1943Movie5.8
The Spiral Road
5.5

The Spiral Road

1962Movie5.5
Four Boys and a Gun
6.6

Four Boys and a Gun

1957Movie6.6
A Howling in the Woods
5.2

A Howling in the Woods

1971Movie5.2
The Gun and the Pulpit
6.0

The Gun and the Pulpit

1974Movie6.0
Strangers All
6.8

Strangers All

1935Movie6.8
Disney's Halloween Treat
6.5

Disney's Halloween Treat

1982Movie6.5
Alice in Wonderland
5.2

Alice in Wonderland

1955Movie5.2
Gateways to the Mind
7.0

Gateways to the Mind

1958Movie7.0
Disney's Sing-Along Songs: Under the Sea
8.1

Disney's Sing-Along Songs: Under the Sea

1990Movie8.1
Brighty of the Grand Canyon
6.7

Brighty of the Grand Canyon

1966Movie6.7

TV Shows (79)

Perry Mason
7.7

Perry Mason

1957Series7.7
Lassie
6.3

Lassie

1954Series6.3
The Andy Griffith Show
7.6

The Andy Griffith Show

1960Series7.6
Bonanza
7.5

Bonanza

1959Series7.5
Ironside
6.8

Ironside

1967Series6.8
The Rifleman
7.1

The Rifleman

1958Series7.1
Hawaii Five-O
7.2

Hawaii Five-O

1968Series7.2
Hogan's Heroes
7.6

Hogan's Heroes

1965Series7.6
The Alfred Hitchcock Hour
7.9

The Alfred Hitchcock Hour

1962Series7.9
Happy Days
7.6

Happy Days

1974Series7.6
Mission: Impossible
7.6

Mission: Impossible

1966Series7.6
Little House on the Prairie
8.0

Little House on the Prairie

1974Series8.0
The Fugitive
7.3

The Fugitive

1963Series7.3
Maverick
7.0

Maverick

1957Series7.0
The Virginian
6.5

The Virginian

1962Series6.5
Dr. Kildare
5.7

Dr. Kildare

1961Series5.7
Robert Montgomery Presents
6.0

Robert Montgomery Presents

1950Series6.0
Have Gun, Will Travel
7.3

Have Gun, Will Travel

1957Series7.3
Emergency!
8.0

Emergency!

1972Series8.0
Leave It to Beaver
6.9

Leave It to Beaver

1957Series6.9
Rawhide
7.2

Rawhide

1959Series7.2
The Big Valley
6.2

The Big Valley

1965Series6.2
Gunsmoke
6.7

Gunsmoke

1955Series6.7
Cannon
6.7

Cannon

1971Series6.7
Tarzan
6.9

Tarzan

1966Series6.9
Dick Powell's Zane Grey Theatre
6.2

Dick Powell's Zane Grey Theatre

1956Series6.2
Surfside 6
6.3

Surfside 6

1960Series6.3
The Odd Couple
7.8

The Odd Couple

1970Series7.8
Ben Casey
5.9

Ben Casey

1961Series5.9
Bat Masterson
6.4

Bat Masterson

1958Series6.4
Gomer Pyle, U.S.M.C.
7.1

Gomer Pyle, U.S.M.C.

1964Series7.1
The Rebel
5.1

The Rebel

1959Series5.1
Hawaiian Eye
5.6

Hawaiian Eye

1959Series5.6
Alfred Hitchcock Presents
7.8

Alfred Hitchcock Presents

1955Series7.8
77 Sunset Strip
7.2

77 Sunset Strip

1958Series7.2
Sugarfoot
5.1

Sugarfoot

1957Series5.1
The Texan
6.0

The Texan

1958Series6.0
Bronco
6.0

Bronco

1958Series6.0
The Guns of Will Sonnett
6.5

The Guns of Will Sonnett

1967Series6.5
The Mod Squad
6.1

The Mod Squad

1968Series6.1
Outlaws
6.7

Outlaws

1960Series6.7
The Adventures of Jim Bowie
5.3

The Adventures of Jim Bowie

1956Series5.3
Trackdown
6.9

Trackdown

1957Series6.9
Mr. Lucky
6.7

Mr. Lucky

1959Series6.7
Portia Faces Life
1.0

Portia Faces Life

1954Series1.0
Riverboat
6.5

Riverboat

1959Series6.5
Judd, for the Defense
7.7

Judd, for the Defense

1967Series7.7
Westinghouse Desilu Playhouse
6.3

Westinghouse Desilu Playhouse

1958Series6.3
Mr. Novak
7.3

Mr. Novak

1963Series7.3
Sam Benedict
6.7

Sam Benedict

1962Series6.7
Lock-Up
6.4

Lock-Up

1959Series6.4
The Rat Patrol
7.2

The Rat Patrol

1966Series7.2
Cimarron Strip
5.7

Cimarron Strip

1967Series5.7
Johnny Ringo
5.9

Johnny Ringo

1959Series5.9
The Greatest Show on Earth
7.5

The Greatest Show on Earth

1963Series7.5
Black Saddle
6.2

Black Saddle

1959Series6.2
Ghost Story
7.4

Ghost Story

1972Series7.4
Tightrope
6.3

Tightrope

1959Series6.3
The Wonderful World of Disney
7.9

The Wonderful World of Disney

1954Series7.9
Playwrights '56
6.3

Playwrights '56

1955Series6.3
The Lieutenant
7.0

The Lieutenant

1963Series7.0
The Dakotas
6.5

The Dakotas

1963Series6.5
The Amazing Spider-Man
6.3

The Amazing Spider-Man

1978Series6.3
The Travels of Jaimie McPheeters
6.3

The Travels of Jaimie McPheeters

1963Series6.3
CBS Playhouse
7.0

CBS Playhouse

1966Series7.0
Profiles in Courage
7.5

Profiles in Courage

1964Series7.5
The Walter Winchell File
7.5

The Walter Winchell File

1957Series7.5
The Immortal
7.4

The Immortal

1970Series7.4
The Outcasts
6.5

The Outcasts

1968Series6.5
General Electric True

General Electric True

1962Series
The Westerner
7.0

The Westerner

1960Series7.0
Hong Kong

Hong Kong

1960Series
The Bill Dana Show
6.3

The Bill Dana Show

1963Series6.3
The Court of Last Resort
9.0

The Court of Last Resort

1957Series9.0
Doc Elliot
7.0

Doc Elliot

1973Series7.0
Schlitz Playhouse of Stars
7.2

Schlitz Playhouse of Stars

1951Series7.2
The Young Rebels
5.7

The Young Rebels

1970Series5.7
Klondike
6.6

Klondike

1960Series6.6
Hallmark Hall of Fame
8.8

Hallmark Hall of Fame

1951Series8.8