John Qualen

Personal Info

Known For

Acting

Known Credits

187

Gender

Male

Birthday

1899-12-06

Day of death

1987-09-12 (87 years old)

Place of Birth

Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada

John Qualen

Biography

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.

Known For

  • The Andy Griffith Show

    The Andy Griffith Show

  • The Philco Television Playhouse

    The Philco Television Playhouse

  • The Virginian

    The Virginian

  • The Donna Reed Show

    The Donna Reed Show

  • Maverick

    Maverick

  • Maverick

    Maverick

  • Father Knows Best

    Father Knows Best

  • Cheyenne

    Cheyenne

  • Climax!

    Climax!

  • December Bride

    December Bride

  • Dr. Kildare

    Dr. Kildare

  • Dragnet

    Dragnet

  • The Real McCoys

    The Real McCoys

  • Ben Casey

    Ben Casey

  • Lawman

    Lawman

  • Burke's Law

    Burke's Law

  • The Odd Couple

    The Odd Couple

  • The Odd Couple

    The Odd Couple

  • The Odd Couple

    The Odd Couple

  • Thriller

    Thriller

  • Green Acres

    Green Acres

  • Green Acres

    Green Acres

  • Mister Ed

    Mister Ed

  • Mister Ed

    Mister Ed

  • Sugarfoot

    Sugarfoot

  • The Streets of San Francisco

    The Streets of San Francisco

  • The Millionaire

    The Millionaire

  • Alfred Hitchcock Presents

    Alfred Hitchcock Presents

  • Alfred Hitchcock Presents

    Alfred Hitchcock Presents

  • Alfred Hitchcock Presents

    Alfred Hitchcock Presents

  • Sea Hunt

    Sea Hunt

  • Bronco

    Bronco

  • The Partridge Family

    The Partridge Family

  • My Favorite Martian

    My Favorite Martian

  • The Barbara Stanwyck Show

    The Barbara Stanwyck Show

  • Racket Squad

    Racket Squad

  • Westinghouse Desilu Playhouse

    Westinghouse Desilu Playhouse

  • The Girl from U.N.C.L.E.

    The Girl from U.N.C.L.E.

  • Lux Video Theatre

    Lux Video Theatre

  • Public Defender

    Public Defender

  • The Third Man

    The Third Man

  • The Alaskans

    The Alaskans

  • The Grapes of Wrath

    The Grapes of Wrath

  • Anatomy of a Murder

    Anatomy of a Murder

  • Yancy Derringer

    Yancy Derringer

  • The Big Land

    The Big Land

  • Hell Bent for Leather

    Hell Bent for Leather

  • Casablanca

    Casablanca

  • Tightrope

    Tightrope

  • The Sons of Katie Elder

    The Sons of Katie Elder

  • The Big Steal

    The Big Steal

  • Donovan's Reef

    Donovan's Reef

  • North to Alaska

    North to Alaska

  • Nothing Sacred

    Nothing Sacred

  • Ring Around the Moon

    Ring Around the Moon

  • The Flying Missile

    The Flying Missile

  • The Gun Runners

    The Gun Runners

  • The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance

    The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance

  • His Girl Friday

    His Girl Friday

  • An American Romance

    An American Romance

  • A Patch of Blue

    A Patch of Blue

  • Mickey the Kid

    Mickey the Kid

  • High Conquest

    High Conquest

  • Million Dollar Baby

    Million Dollar Baby

  • The Impostor

    The Impostor

  • River Gang

    River Gang

  • Youth Will Be Served

    Youth Will Be Served

  • Dark Waters

    Dark Waters

  • The Mad Miss Manton

    The Mad Miss Manton

  • The Jackpot

    The Jackpot

  • Our Daily Bread

    Our Daily Bread

  • Shane

    Shane

  • Revolt in the Big House

    Revolt in the Big House

  • Swing Shift Maisie

    Swing Shift Maisie

  • Saturday's Children

    Saturday's Children

  • Let's Fall in Love

    Let's Fall in Love

  • Let's Fall in Love

    Let's Fall in Love

  • Getting Away from It All

    Getting Away from It All

  • The Searchers

    The Searchers

  • Honeymoon in Bali

    Honeymoon in Bali

  • Tortilla Flat

    Tortilla Flat

  • Whipsaw

    Whipsaw

  • Reaching from Heaven

    Reaching from Heaven

  • Johnny Concho

    Johnny Concho

  • At Gunpoint

    At Gunpoint

  • The Prize

    The Prize

  • On Their Own

    On Their Own

  • Jericho

    Jericho

  • One More Spring

    One More Spring

  • Chasing Yesterday

    Chasing Yesterday

  • The High and the Mighty

    The High and the Mighty

  • Sing and Like It

    Sing and Like It

  • The Long Voyage Home

    The Long Voyage Home

  • Two Rode Together

    Two Rode Together

  • Captain China

    Captain China

  • Woman on the Run

    Woman on the Run

  • Elmer Gantry

    Elmer Gantry

  • The Sea Chase

    The Sea Chase

  • The Shepherd of the Hills

    The Shepherd of the Hills

  • Meet Nero Wolfe

    Meet Nero Wolfe

  • Hail, Hero!

    Hail, Hero!

  • Hans Christian Andersen

    Hans Christian Andersen

  • Man of Iron

    Man of Iron

  • Tate

    Tate

  • Alias a Gentleman

    Alias a Gentleman

  • The Great Hotel Murder

    The Great Hotel Murder

  • 16 Fathoms Deep

    16 Fathoms Deep

  • Servants' Entrance

    Servants' Entrance

  • La Classe américaine

    La Classe américaine

  • No Time for Sergeants

    No Time for Sergeants

  • Belle Le Grand

    Belle Le Grand

  • Firecreek

    Firecreek

  • I, the Jury

    I, the Jury

  • Seventh Heaven

    Seventh Heaven

  • Angels Over Broadway

    Angels Over Broadway

  • Four Wives

    Four Wives

  • Straight Is the Way

    Straight Is the Way

  • Girls' Dormitory

    Girls' Dormitory

  • 7 Faces of Dr. Lao

    7 Faces of Dr. Lao

  • She Had to Eat

    She Had to Eat

  • Fit for a King

    Fit for a King

  • Schlitz Playhouse of Stars

    Schlitz Playhouse of Stars

  • Schlitz Playhouse of Stars

    Schlitz Playhouse of Stars

  • Song of Scheherazade

    Song of Scheherazade

  • Arrowsmith

    Arrowsmith

  • Buccaneer's Girl

    Buccaneer's Girl

  • Doc

    Doc

  • Adventure

    Adventure

  • Goodbye, My Fancy

    Goodbye, My Fancy

  • The Other Woman

    The Other Woman

  • Joy of Living

    Joy of Living

  • The Three Musketeers

    The Three Musketeers

  • Captain Kidd

    Captain Kidd

  • Silk Hat Kid

    Silk Hat Kid

  • Reunion

    Reunion

  • General Electric Theater

    General Electric Theater

  • Cheyenne Autumn

    Cheyenne Autumn

  • Unchained

    Unchained

  • Fifty Roads to Town

    Fifty Roads to Town

  • Breakdowns of 1942

    Breakdowns of 1942

  • New Wine

    New Wine

  • Doubting Thomas

    Doubting Thomas

  • Hollow Triumph

    Hollow Triumph

  • Frasier, the Sensuous Lion

    Frasier, the Sensuous Lion

  • The Fugitive

    The Fugitive

  • Out of the Fog

    Out of the Fog

  • The Bad Man of Brimstone

    The Bad Man of Brimstone

  • Black Fury

    Black Fury

  • My World Dies Screaming

    My World Dies Screaming

  • A Big Hand for the Little Lady

    A Big Hand for the Little Lady

  • Thunder Afloat

    Thunder Afloat

  • Jungle Book

    Jungle Book

  • He Was Her Man

    He Was Her Man

  • Upperworld

    Upperworld

  • All That Money Can Buy

    All That Money Can Buy

  • Thunder in the Night

    Thunder in the Night

  • Blondie on a Budget

    Blondie on a Budget

  • The Farmer Takes a Wife

    The Farmer Takes a Wife

  • The Road to Glory

    The Road to Glory

  • Street Scene

    Street Scene

  • Ambush at Tomahawk Gap

    Ambush at Tomahawk Gap

  • Charlie Chan in Paris

    Charlie Chan in Paris

  • Man on a Bus

    Man on a Bus

  • Passion

    Passion

  • Orchids to You

    Orchids to You

  • Hi, Nellie!

    Hi, Nellie!

  • Ski Patrol

    Ski Patrol

  • Wife vs. Secretary

    Wife vs. Secretary

  • Roughly Speaking

    Roughly Speaking

  • P.J.

    P.J.

  • Arabian Nights

    Arabian Nights

  • Babies for Sale

    Babies for Sale

  • Knute Rockne All American

    Knute Rockne All American

  • Model Wife

    Model Wife

  • Stand Up and Fight

    Stand Up and Fight

  • My Girl Tisa

    My Girl Tisa

  • Five of a Kind

    Five of a Kind

  • Angel's Holiday

    Angel's Holiday

  • Let Us Live

    Let Us Live

  • The Country Doctor

    The Country Doctor

  • Larceny, Inc.

    Larceny, Inc.

  • I'll Take Sweden

    I'll Take Sweden

  • 365 Nights in Hollywood

    365 Nights in Hollywood

  • Those Calloways

    Those Calloways

  • Counsellor at Law

    Counsellor at Law

  • The Chaser

    The Chaser

  • The Strange Case of Dr. Meade

    The Strange Case of Dr. Meade