Karl Swenson
Acting
149
Acting Credits
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 ...
Known For
Filmography
Disney Sing-Along Songs: Colors of the Wind
1995
as (voice) (archive footage)
Disney's Sing-Along Songs: Under the Sea
1990
as Merlin (archive footage) (voice)
Disney's Halloween Treat
1982
as Merlin (voice) (archive footage)
The Amazing Spider-Man
1978
Disney's Greatest Villains
1977
as Merlin (voice) (archive footage)
The Gun and the Pulpit
1974
as Adams
Little House on the Prairie
1974
as Lars Hanson
Happy Days
1974
Doc Elliot
1973
Ulzana's Raid
1972
as Rukeyser
The New Healers
1972
as Mr. Fisherman
Ghost Story
1972
as Ed Barnes
Emergency!
1972
as Gus
Vanishing Point
1971
as Clerk
A Howling in the Woods
1971
as Apperson
Cannon
1971
… tick… tick… tick…
1970
as Frank Braddock Sr.
The Wild Country
1970
as Jensen
The Odd Couple
1970
as Captain Potter
The Immortal
1970
The Young Rebels
1970
Hawaii Five-O
1969
as Abel Morgan
The Mod Squad
1968
The Outcasts
1968
Hour of the Gun
1967
as Dr. Charles Goodfellow
Do Not Go Gentle Into That Good Night
1967
as Dr. Keller
Ironside
1967
as Vet
Cimarron Strip
1967
Judd, for the Defense
1967
The Guns of Will Sonnett
1967
Cimarron Strip
1967
as Dr. Kihlgren
Seconds
1966
as Dr. Morris
Brighty of the Grand Canyon
1966
as Theodore Roosevelt
Tarzan
1966
The Rat Patrol
1966
as Colonel Seidner
Mission: Impossible
1966
as Colonel Dubov
Mission: Impossible
1966
as Dr. Ziegler
CBS Playhouse
1966
as Dr. Keller
The Cincinnati Kid
1965
as Mr. Rudd
Major Dundee
1965
as Captain Waller
The Sons of Katie Elder
1965
as Doc Isdell
The Big Valley
1965
as Bert Hadley
The Big Valley
1965
as Aaron Moyers
The Big Valley
1965
as Steve Minter
Hogan's Heroes
1965
as Dr. Karl Svenson
Gomer Pyle, U.S.M.C.
1964
as Col. Harper
Profiles in Courage
1964
as Chynoweth
The Birds
1963
as Le prophète de malheur ivre au bar
The Prize
1963
as Hilding
The Sword in the Stone
1963
as Merlin (voice)
The Man from Galveston
1963
as Sheriff
The Travels of Jaimie McPheeters
1963
as Coley Bishop
The Fugitive
1963
as Axel Nielsen - Service station owner
The Fugitive
1963
as Morgan
The Dakotas
1963
Mr. Novak
1963
as Mr. Haskell
The Bill Dana Show
1963
The Lieutenant
1963
The Greatest Show on Earth
1963
as Louis
Lonely are the Brave
1962
as Rev. Hoskins
Walk on the Wild Side
1962
as Schmidt
How the West Was Won
1962
as Train Conductor (uncredited)
The Spiral Road
1962
as Insp. Bevers
Sam Benedict
1962
The Virginian
1962
as Col. Theodore Roosevelt
General Electric True
1962
The Virginian
1962
as Karl Swenson
The Virginian
1962
as Ben Wallace
The Alfred Hitchcock Hour
1962
as George Sherston
Sam Benedict
1962
as Barney Rosvalley
Sam Benedict
1962
as Barney Rossvalley
Judgment at Nuremberg
1961
as Heinrich Geuter
Ben Casey
1961
Dr. Kildare
1961
as Judge
North to Alaska
1960
as Lars Nordqvist
Ice Palace
1960
as Scotty Ballantyne
Flaming Star
1960
as Dred Pierce
The Gallant Hours
1960
as Bill Bailey
One Foot in Hell
1960
as Sheriff Ole Olson
The Andy Griffith Show
1960
as Mr. McBeevee
Surfside 6
1960
Klondike
1960
as Judge Frank Weinstock
Outlaws
1960
The Westerner
1960
as Ben Potts
Hong Kong
1960
as John Olwine
The Hanging Tree
1959
as Tom Flaunce
No Name on the Bullet
1959
as Stricker
Mr. Lucky
1959
Hawaiian Eye
1959
Rawhide
1959
Black Saddle
1959
as Dr. Wyle
Lock-Up
1959
The Rebel
1959
as Lew Bussey
Riverboat
1959
as Ansel Torgin
Johnny Ringo
1959
as Kramer
Bonanza
1959
as Carl Harris
Tightrope
1959
as Brahn
Kings Go Forth
1958
as The Colonel
Gateways to the Mind
1958
as Hal - the Cameraman (uncredited)
77 Sunset Strip
1958
Westinghouse Desilu Playhouse
1958
Bronco
1958
The Rifleman
1958
as Chris Manse
Bat Masterson
1958
as Jim Pate
The Texan
1958
Westinghouse Desilu Playhouse
1958
as Van Kemp
77 Sunset Strip
1958
as Marty Kline
Four Boys and a Gun
1957
as Mr. Badek
Trackdown
1957
Perry Mason
1957
as Axel Norstaad
Leave It to Beaver
1957
as George Haskell
Have Gun, Will Travel
1957
Sugarfoot
1957
as Andy Burke
The Court of Last Resort
1957
The Walter Winchell File
1957
Maverick
1957
as Captain Nares
Maverick
1957
as Sheriff Griffin
Sugarfoot
1957
as Bill Manning
Sugarfoot
1957
as Alexi Sharlokov
Sugarfoot
1957
as Dennis O'Hara
Perry Mason
1957
as Corley Ketchum
Perry Mason
1957
as Charles Norman
Perry Mason
1957
as Unk Hazekian
Maverick
1957
as General Josiah Warren
The Adventures of Jim Bowie
1956
as Andre Rochambeau
Dick Powell's Zane Grey Theatre
1956
as Lee Willis
Dick Powell's Zane Grey Theatre
1956
as Lud Greening
Dick Powell's Zane Grey Theatre
1956
as Will Harmon
Alice in Wonderland
1955
as Humpty Dumpty
Gunsmoke
1955
as Hank Luz
Alfred Hitchcock Presents
1955
as Ed Holland
Playwrights '56
1955
Gunsmoke
1955
as Raff
Gunsmoke
1955
as Hutch
Gunsmoke
1955
as Adam
Gunsmoke
1955
as Tabe
Gunsmoke
1955
as Ian McGovern
Gunsmoke
1955
as Lars Karlgren
Gunsmoke
1955
as McGruder
Gunsmoke
1955
as Mr. Hubert
Alfred Hitchcock Presents
1955
as John
Lassie
1954
Portia Faces Life
1954
The Wonderful World of Disney
1954
as Laredo Marshal (uncredited)
Hallmark Hall of Fame
1951
as Humpty Dumpty
Schlitz Playhouse of Stars
1951
as Asmussen
Robert Montgomery Presents
1950
December 7th
1943
as Machine-Gunner (uncredited)
Strangers All
1935
as Protester at Communist Meeting