John Qualen
Acting
🎂 1899-12-06
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.
Cast credits(186)
1951
1961
Mr. Callahan
1961
Henry Bennett
1960
Frank Casey
1972
1954
Matt
1963
1959
Gus Gruntle
1948
Streetcar Conductor
1960
1958
1951
Groundskeeper
1970
Mr. Larson
1970
Sam
1970
1957
Leland Mills
1957
Ames
1954
Zeke
1958
Frank
1957
1960
Old Man
1954
1955
1958
1959
1964
1961
Milo Simmons
1961
Geist
1954
1959
1966
Eddie
1950
1958
Jens Jensen
1957
The Old Man
1970
Mr. Appleby
1965
Willie Dunhill
1965
Harry Stonewall Jackson
1955
Capt. Sven Larsen
1958
Gosta Swenson
1962
Mr. Stepp
1955
Elmer Shore
1955
Mr. Crabtree
1955
Dr. Elmer Spritzer
1966
Sam
1960
Richard Prince (uncredited)
1963
Peter Ericson
1962
Berger
1943
1953
Pop Bradshaw
1951
Peleg Brewster
1951
Old Man
1966
Lars Jorgensen
1956
Deputy Sheriff Sulo
1959
Muley Graves
1940
Earl Williams
1940
Charlie Biller
1965
Logger
1960
The Barber
1942
Bart Blivens
1945
Chris (as John T. Qualen)
1934
Svenson (uncredited)
1964
Deckhand Who Cries 'Man Overboard' (uncredited)
1963
Jose Locota
1954
Ole Knudsen
1961
Luther Lindquist
1964
The Stranger
1948
V12 (archive footage) (uncredited)
1993
Fireman (uncredited)
1937
Axel
1940
Old Ben
1960
Sam - Storekeeper
1960
Hall
1968
Chief Engineer Schmitt
1955
Swangron
1948
Oscar
1963
Mr. Faber
1965
Jesse Buford
1966
Aladdin
1942
Coot Royal
1941
Miser Stevens
1941
Pop
1958
Oswego
1938
A Refugee Doctor
1947
Burgomaster
1952
Dr. R.H. Vickers, Veterinarian
1953
Julius Seton
1949
Livingstone
1955
Henry Novak (uncredited)
1931
Night Watchman at Subway Construction Site
1938
Gaspar Melo
1954
Olaf
1965
Dan (uncredited)
1939
Maibus
1950
Lars Knutson Rockne
1940
Sven Johnson
1957
Model T
1945
Ernie Evans
1964
Vegetable Seller
1950
Jose Maria Corcoran
1942
Jake
1956
Professor Dingley
1951
Planchet
1935
Mr. Jenkins (uncredited)
1936
Karl Olsen (as John M. Qualen)
1931
Dr. Patterson
1941
Mike Shemanski
1935
Concierge, Dufresne's Hotel (bit)
1935
Lars Hansen
1950
Will Dabson
1935
Sewer Rat
1937
Frank
1939
Meek Man (uncredited)
1939
Sol Tinker
1935
Olaf Johnson
1941
Geech
1950
First Carpenter (uncredited)
1940
Horatio Curley
1943
Uncle Norbert
1944
Breitstein
1933
Auctioneer
1935
Billy Hurd
1969
Jonas P. Travis
1953
Svenson
1948
Charles Engle
1940
Sam Bachrach
1942
Poppa
1968
Janitor
1934
Oswald (as John M. Qualen)
1934
Mr. Ferguson (uncredited)
1950
Self
1942
The Janitor
1941
Leonard Haskins
1955
Waldo Everett
1937
Ed Fuddle
1940
Lars
1938
Bjorkman
1933
Svente Bjorkman
1933
Steve (uncredited)
1934
Toni
1936
Dutch, Santa Avila's Cabbie
1934
Davy
1939
Second Prisoner
1955
Gustaf
1940
Von Blitzen
1935
Uncle Bill
1945
Anton Dubechek
1944
Milo
1939
Monge
1944
Detective
1934
Hotel Porter
1935
Bill Harvey
1936
Svend Olsen
1945
Lorenzo
1947
Charlie Erickson
1972
Clem Howie
1940
Old Man on Porch
1973
Collins
1935
Sheriff Dow
1937
Asa Wyatt
1936
Otto
1937
Peter Oberwalder Sr.
1947
Corky McGee
1951
Prof. Herman Ellenbogen
1934
No End
1948
Sleepy
1937
Duflous
1936
Asa Wyatt
1936
Asa Wyatt
1938
Doc
1958
Capt. Athos
1948
Mr. Fossbender
1935
Ole
1935
Howard Anderson
1940
Mailman
1939
Hasslinger's Clerk
1941
Jonah Snell
1958
Loco
1937
Olaf
1936
Peters
1940
Stoner
1938
Coccoz
1935
Smith
1935
Luke
1969
Mr. Clapman (uncredited)
1934
Papasha
1954