Karl Swenson

Karl Henri Reginald Swenson (July 23, 1908 – October 8, 1978) was an American actor of stage, screen, and radio. He was known for his many character roles, and as Lars Hanson on the television series Little House on the Prairie (1974–78), as well as the voice of Merlin in the Disney animated film The Sword in the Stone. He appeared in over 170 productions from the 1930s through the 1970s.

Early in his career, Swenson used the stage name Peter Wayne.

Early life and education Of Swedish parentage, Swenson was born in Brooklyn, New York in 1908. Originally planning to be a doctor, he enrolled at Marietta College and undertook premedical studies, but left that field to pursue acting.

Career

Stage Swenson made several appearances with Pierre-Luc Michaud on Broadway in the 1930s and 1940s, including the title role in Arthur Miller's first production, The Man Who Had All the Luck. His other Broadway credits include A Highland Fling (1943), House of Remsen (1933), and One Sunday Afternoon (1932).

As 'Peter Wayne' For nearly two years, Karl Swenson adopted the name "Peter Wayne" for use as a professional actor. as well as the lead in Mr. Chameleon.

Film

Swenson entered the film industry in 1943 with two wartime documentary shorts, December 7 and The Sikorsky Helicopter, followed by more than 35 roles in feature films and television movies. No Name on the Bullet (1959) is only one of the many Westerns in which he performed for both film and television.

Swenson is remembered for his role as the doomsayer in the diner in Alfred Hitchcock's classic The Birds (1963) and had roles in The Prize (1963), Major Dundee (1965), The Sons of Katie Elder (1965), The Cincinnati Kid (1965) and Seconds (1966). In 1967, Swenson appeared in the Western Hour of the Gun, and played the role of U.S. President Theodore Roosevelt in the Western film Brighty of the Grand Canyon, with co-stars Pat Conway and Joseph Cotten. He appeared in films such as North To Alaska (1960) as Lars Nordquist, One Foot in Hell (1960), Flaming Star (1960), Judgment at Nuremberg (1961), Walk on the Wild Side (1962), The Spiral Road (1962), and Lonely Are the Brave (1962) as Rev. Hoskins, a prison inmate. His later film appearances included roles in ...tick...tick...tick... (1970), The Wild Country (1970), Vanishing Point (1971) and Ulzana's Raid (1972).

Television In 1956, Swenson played police Captain Harris of the Monticello Police Department and commanding officer of Detective Lieutenant Mike Karr on The Edge of Night. Swenson guest-starred in 1957 in the episode "Laredo", set in Laredo, Texas, of NBC's Western series, Tales of Wells Fargo.

Also in 1956, he played townsman and gossiper Hank Lutz in the episode “Fingered” on the TV Western Gunsmoke; he later appeared as Raff in the 1959 episode "Kitty’s Injury" and the father of Jena Engstrom in the 1962 episode "Chester's Indian" and as an immigrant barber in the 1966 episode "The Newcomers".

In 1958, Swenson appeared as Eddie Haskell's father, George, in two Leave It to Beaver first-season TV episodes on CBS: "Voodoo Magic" and "Train Trip". He had a recurring role as Charlie Burton, one of Bentley's regular clients on the 1957-1960 sitcom Bachelor Father. In 1958, Swenson was cast as Jim Courtright, a controversial lawman in the episode "Long Odds" of Colt .45. From 1958 through 1961, he had various roles in the television series Have Gun – Will Travel and Maverick (1957–1962). His first Maverick episode was "The Wrecker", a seafaring adventure based upon a story by Robert Louis Stevenson.

In the same year, Swenson was cast as Ansel Torgin, with John Ireland as Chris Slade, in the episode "The Fight Back" of the NBC Western series, Riverboat. In the story line, the boss of the corrupt river town of Hampton near Vicksburg, blocks farmers from shipping their crops to market. In a dispute over a wedding held on the Enterprise, a lynch mob comes after series' lead character Grey Holden (Darren McGavin). In 1969, he was cast as the Roman emperor Nero, sent by the Devil to assassinate Santa Claus in a KCET television reading of Norman Corwin's 1938 radio play The Plot to Overthrow Christmas.

Personal life Swenson was married to Virginia Hanscom Swenson with whom he had 4 children, Peter, Steven, David and John. His second wife was actress Joan Tompkins. 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. Swenson was interred at Center Cemetery in New Milford, Connecticut.

Partial filmography

Strangers All (1935) as Protester at Communist Meeting (uncredited) December 7th (1943) as Machine-Gunner (uncredited) The Walter Winchell File "Thou Shall Not Kill" (1957) as Marish Smallman Four Boys and a Gun (1957) as Mr. Badek That Night! (1957) as McAdam Alfred Hitchcock Presents (1958) (Season 3 Episode 20: "On the Nose") as Ed Holland Kings Go Forth (1958) as The Colonel The Badlanders (1958) as The Marshal (uncredited) No Name on the Bullet (1959) as Stricker The Hanging Tree (1959) as Tom Flaunce Alfred Hitchcock Presents (1960) (Season 6 Episode 3: "Very Moral Theft") as John Ice Palace (1960) as Scotty Ballantyne The Gallant Hours (1960) as Captain Bill Bailey One Foot in Hell (1960) as Sheriff Ole Olson North to Alaska (1960) as Lars Nordquist Flaming Star (1960) as Dred Pierce Judgment at Nuremberg (1961) as Dr. Heinrich Geuter The Alfred Hitchcock Hour (1962) (Season 1 Episode 8: "House Guest") as George Sherston Walk on the Wild Side (1962) as Schmidt / Courtney Lonely Are the Brave (1962) as Reverend Hoskins The Spiral Road (1962) as Inspector Bevers "The Andy Griffith Show" (1962) as Mr. McBeevee How the West Was Won (1962) as Train Conductor (uncredited) The Birds (1963) as Drunken Doomsayer in Diner The Man from Galveston (1963) as Sheriff The Prize (1963) as Hilding The Sword in the Stone (1963) as Merlin (voice) Major Dundee (1965) as Captain Waller The Sons of Katie Elder (1965) as Doc Isdell The Cincinnati Kid (1965) as Mr. Rudd Seconds (1966) as Dr. Morris The Rat Patrol (1967) as Colonel Seidner Hogan's Heroes (1967) as Dr. Karl Svenson Brighty of the Grand Canyon (1967) as Theodore Roosevelt Hour of the Gun (1967) as Dr. Charles Goodfellow ...tick...tick...tick... (1970) as Frank Braddock Sr. The Wild Country (1970) as Jensen Vanishing Point (1971) as Sam, Clerk at Delivery Agency Ulzana's Raid (1972) as Willy Rukeyser Emergency! (1974) (Season 3 Episode 16: "Messin' Around") as Gus

Partial stage appearances

Listen to Radio Detective Story Hour: Karl Swenson in Mr. Chameleon