John Qualen (born Johan Mandt Kvalen, December 8, 1899 – September 12, 1987) was an American

character actor A character actor is a supporting actor who plays unusual, interesting, or eccentric characters.28 April 2013, The New York Acting SchoolTen Best Character Actors of All Time Retrieved 7 August 2014, "..a breed of actor who has the ability to b ...

of Norwegian heritage who specialized in Scandinavian roles.

Early years

Qualen was born in

Vancouver Vancouver ( ) is a major city in western Canada, located in the Lower Mainland region of British Columbia. As the most populous city in the province, the 2021 Canadian census recorded 662,248 people in the city, up from 631,486 in 2016. ...

British Columbia British Columbia (commonly abbreviated as BC) is the westernmost province of Canada, situated between the Pacific Ocean and the Rocky Mountains. It has a diverse geography, with rugged landscapes that include rocky coastlines, sandy beaches, for ...

, the son of immigrants from Norway; his father was a

Lutheran Lutheranism is one of the largest branches of Protestantism, identifying primarily with the theology of Martin Luther, the 16th-century German monk and reformer whose efforts to reform the theology and practice of the Catholic Church launched ...

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 (Illinois) High School in 1920. For four years, Qualen attended the University of Toronto, but he left there to join a Toronto-based traveling troupe as an actor.

Career

In a ''Milwaukee Journal'' interview he said he needed to start working and did so with the Chautauqua Circuit. He drove stakes for the tent used for presentations until a night in Ripon, Wisconsin, when the scheduled principal lecturer did not arrive. Qualen replaced the missing man after he showed the Chautauqua manager a medal he had won for oratory as a high school student. Not long after that, he formed his own troupe, The Qualen Concert Company. At the conclusion of a tour following his marriage, Qualen and his wife, Pearle, formed the company to produce plays. The group's stops in a two-year tour included Boston, Chicago, and New Orleans. The Qualens' income was low enough that he sold cookware in New York for additional funds. Using a handcart to move the merchandise, he made more money from sales than from his acting. Grapes of Wrath, The - (Original Trailer) - 08

Grapes of Wrath, The - (Original Trailer) - 08

Eventually reaching Broadway, he gained his big break there in 1929, when he was cast as the Swedish janitor Carl Olsen in Elmer Rice's play '' Street Scene''. His movie career began when he re-created the role two years later in the film adaptation of the stage production. That screen performance was followed by his appearance in

John Ford John Martin Feeney (February 1, 1894 – August 31, 1973), known professionally as John Ford, was an American film director and naval officer. He is widely regarded as one of the most important and influential filmmakers of his generation. He ...

's '' Arrowsmith'' (1931), which began a more than 35-year membership in the director's "stock company", with supporting roles in ''

The Searchers ''The Searchers'' is a 1956 American Technicolor VistaVision epic Western film directed by John Ford and written by Frank S. Nugent, based on the 1954 novel by Alan Le May. It is set during the Texas-Native American wars, and stars John W ...

'' (1956), '' Two Rode Together'' (1961), '' The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance'' (1962) and ''

Cheyenne Autumn ''Cheyenne Autumn'' is a 1964 American epic Western film starring Richard Widmark, Carroll Baker, James Stewart, and Edward G. Robinson. It tells the story of a factual event, the Northern Cheyenne Exodus of 1878–79, told in "Hollywood style" ...

'' (1964). John Qualen-Paul Henreid in Hollow Triumph

Appearing in well over one hundred films, and acting 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 ''The Grapes of Wrath'' is an American realist novel written by John Steinbeck and published in 1939. The book won the National Book Award and Pulitzer Prize for fiction, and it was cited prominently when Steinbeck was awarded the Nobel Priz ...

'' (1940), in a performance so powerful it reportedly reduced director Ford to tears; and as the confused killer Earl Williams in

Howard Hawks Howard Winchester Hawks (May 30, 1896December 26, 1977) was an American film director, producer and screenwriter of the classic Hollywood era. Critic Leonard Maltin called him "the greatest American director who is not a household name." A ...

' classic comedy '' His Girl Friday'' (1940). As Berger, the jewelry-selling Norwegian resistance member in Michael Curtiz' ''

Casablanca Casablanca, also known in Arabic as Dar al-Bayda ( ar, الدَّار الْبَيْضَاء, al-Dār al-Bayḍāʾ, ; ber, ⴹⴹⴰⵕⵍⴱⵉⴹⴰ, ḍḍaṛlbiḍa, : "White House") is the largest city in Morocco and the country's econom ...

'' (1942), he used 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 also a flautist, having begun to play at age eight. He continued his musical education while at the University of Toronto and went on to play with some professional orchestras, including the Hollywood Bowl Orchestra. Qualen was treasurer of The Authors Club and historian of The Masquers, Hollywood's social group for actors.

Personal life and death

In 1924, after he became an actor, Qualen married Pearle Larson, whom he had known in high school. She joined him in the Toronto-based traveling troupe when he left university, becoming the troupe's costume mistress. The couple remained together for over 60 years, until 1987, when Qualen died at age 87 of

heart failure Heart failure (HF), also known as congestive heart failure (CHF), is a syndrome, a group of signs and symptoms caused by an impairment of the heart's blood pumping function. Symptoms typically include shortness of breath, excessive fatigue, ...

in Torrance, California.

Filmography

1930s

*'' Street Scene'' (1931) as Karl Olsen *'' Arrowsmith'' (1931) as Henry Novak (uncredited) *'' The Devil's Brother'' (1933) as Man who owned bull (unconfirmed) *'' Counsellor at Law'' (1933) as Johan Breitstein *'' Let's Fall in Love'' (1933) as Svente Bjorkman (uncredited) *'' Hi Nellie!'' (1934) as Steve (uncredited) *'' No Greater Glory'' (1934) as Nemecsek's father *'' Upper World'' (1934) as Chris *'' Sing and Like It'' (1934) as Oswald *''

Private Scandal ''Private Scandal'' is a 1934 American pre-Code comedy film directed by Ralph Murphy and written by Vera Caspary, Garrett Fort and Bruce Manning. The film stars ZaSu Pitts, Phillips Holmes, Mary Brian, Ned Sparks, Lew Cody, June Brewster and H ...

'' (1934) as Schultz (uncredited) *''

He Was Her Man ''He Was Her Man'' is a 1934 American pre-Code mob film starring James Cagney, Joan Blondell, and Victor Jory. The film was directed by Lloyd Bacon. Plot Flicker Hayes (Cagney) informs the police after he sets up two men to be caught in a phony ...

'' (1934) as Dutch *'' Our Daily Bread'' (1934) as Chris *''

Straight Is the Way ''Straight Is the Way'' is a 1934 American drama film directed by Paul Sloane, written by Bernard Schubert, and starring Franchot Tone, May Robson, Karen Morley, Gladys George, Nat Pendleton and Jack La Rue. It is based upon the stage play by D ...

'' (1934) as Mr. Chapman (uncredited) *'' Servants' Entrance'' (1934) as Detective *'' 365 Nights in Hollywood'' (1934) as Professor Herman Ellenbogen *''

Charlie Chan in Paris ''Charlie Chan in Paris'' is the seventh film produced by Fox with Warner Oland as Charlie Chan. Long thought lost, it is available on DVD as part of Twentieth Century Fox Home Video's ''Charlie Chan Collection, Vol. 1''. Hamilton MacFadden d ...

'' (1935) as Consierge *'' One More Spring'' (1935) as Auctioneer *'' The Great Hotel Murder'' (1935) as Ole *'' Black Fury'' (1935) as Mike *'' Chasing Yesterday'' (1935) as Aristide Coccoz *'' Silk Hat Kid'' (1935) as Mr. Fossbender *''

Doubting Thomas A doubting Thomas is a skeptic who refuses to believe without direct personal experience — a reference to the Gospel of John's depiction of the Apostle Thomas, who, in John's account, refused to believe the resurrected Jesus had appeared t ...

'' as Von Blitzer *''

The Farmer Takes a Wife ''The Farmer Takes a Wife'' is a 1934 play by Frank B. Elser and Marc Connelly based on the 1929 novel '' Rome Haul'' by Walter D. Edmonds. It was well-received upon its opening night on Broadway on October 30, 1934, at the 46th Street Theatre ...

'' (1935) as Sol Tinker *''

Orchids to You ''Orchids to You'' is a 1935 American drama film directed by William A. Seiter and starring John Boles, Jean Muir and Charles Butterworth.Solomon p.379 The screenplay concerns a flower shop owner and a married attorney who begin a romance af ...

'' (1935) as Smith *''

Thunder in the Night ''Thunder in the Night'' is a 1935 American crime film directed by George Archainbaud and written by Frances Hyland and Eugene Solow. It is based on the 1934 play ''A Woman Lies'' by Ladislas Fodor. The film stars Edmund Lowe, Karen Morley, Pau ...

'' (1935) as Hotel porter *''

The Three Musketeers ''The Three Musketeers'' (french: Les Trois Mousquetaires, links=no, ) is a French historical adventure novel written in 1844 by French author Alexandre Dumas. It is in the swashbuckler genre, which has heroic, chivalrous swordsmen who fight f ...

'' (1935) as

Planchet A planchet is a round metal disk that is ready to be struck as a coin. An older word for planchet is flan. They are also referred to as blanks. History The preparation of the flan or planchet has varied over the years. In ancient times, the f ...

*'' Whipsaw'' (1935) as Will Dabson *''

Man of Iron ''Man of Iron'' ( pl, Człowiek z żelaza) is a 1981 film directed by Andrzej Wajda. It depicts the Solidarity labour movement and its first success in persuading the Polish government to recognize the workers' right to an independent union. Th ...

'' (1935) as Collins *'' Ring Around the Moon'' (1936) as Bill Harvey *''

Wife vs. Secretary ''Wife vs. Secretary'' (or ''Wife versus Secretary'') is a 1936 comedy drama directed and co-produced by Clarence Brown and starring Clark Gable as a successful businessman, Jean Harlow as his secretary, and Myrna Loy as his wife, supported by Ja ...

'' (1936) as Mr. Jenkins (uncredited) *'' The Country Doctor'' (1936) as Asa Wyatt *'' The Road to Glory'' (1936) as Scared soldier *'' Meet Nero Wolfe'' (1936) as Olaf *''

Girls' Dormitory ''Girls' Dormitory'' is a 1936 American romance film directed by Irving Cummings based upon the 1934 play ''Mature'' by Ladislas Fodor, and adapted for the screen by Gene Markey. Plot Set in the fictional Montreaux School for Girls in Switzerlan ...

'' (1936) as Toni *''

Reunion Reunion may refer to: * Class reunion * Family reunion Reunion, Réunion, Re-union, Reunions or The Reunion may also refer to: Places * Réunion, a French overseas department and island in the Indian Ocean * Reunion, Commerce City, Colorado, US ...

'' (1936) as Asa Wyatt *'' Seventh Heaven'' (1937) as Sewer Rat *''

Angel's Holiday ''Angel's Holiday'' is a 1937 American comedy film directed by James Tinling and written by Frank Fenton and Lynn Root. The film stars Jane Withers, Joan Davis, Sally Blane, Robert Kent, Harold Huber and Frank Jenks. The film was released on J ...

'' (1937) as Waldo Everett *'' Fifty Roads to Town'' (1937) as Sheriff Dow *'' She Had to Eat'' (1937) as Sleepy *'' Fit for a King'' (1937) as Otto *'' Nothing Sacred'' (1937) as Fireman (uncredited) *'' The Bad Man of Brimstone'' (1937) as "Loco" *''

Joy of Living ''Joy of Living'' is a 1938 American musical comedy film directed by Tay Garnett and starring Irene Dunne and Douglas Fairbanks Jr. with supporting performances from Alice Brady, Guy Kibbee, Jean Dixon, Eric Blore and Lucille Ball. It features the ...

'' (1938) as Oswego *''

The Texans ''The Texans'' is a 1938 American Western film directed by James P. Hogan and starring Joan Bennett and Randolph Scott. The screenplay was written by Bertram Millhauser, Paul Sloane and William Wister Haines and is based on the novel ''North o ...

'' (1938) as Abilene Swede (uncredited) *''

The Chaser The Chaser are an Australian satirical comedy group, best known for their television programmes and satirical news masthead. The group take their name from their satirical newspaper, a publication known to challenge conventions of taste. Th ...

'' (1938) as Lars *'' The Mad Miss Manton'' (1938) as Subway worker *'' Five of a Kind'' (1938) as Asa Wyatt *'' The Strange Case of Dr. Meade'' (1938) as Stoner *'' Stand Up and Fight'' (1939) as Davy *'' Let Us Live'' (1939) as Dan (uncredited) *'' Mickey the Kid'' (1939) as Mailman *''

Career The career is an individual's metaphorical "journey" through learning, work and other aspects of life. There are a number of ways to define career and the term is used in a variety of ways. Definitions The ''Oxford English Dictionary'' defi ...

'' (1939) as Jeff Trotter (uncredited) *''

Honeymoon in Bali ''Honeymoon in Bali'' is a 1939 American romantic comedy film. It is also known by the alternative titles ''Husbands or Lovers'' and ''My Love for Yours''. Virginia Van Upp's screenplay was based on the short stories "Our Miss Keane" by Grace Sa ...

'' (1939) as Meek man *'' Thunder Afloat'' (1939) as Milo *'' Four Wives'' (1939) as Frank

1940s

*'' His Girl Friday'' (1940) as Earl Williams *''

'' (1940) as Muley Graves *''

Blondie on a Budget ''Blondie on a Budget'' is a 1940 American comedy film directed by Frank R. Strayer and starring Penny Singleton, Arthur Lake and Rita Hayworth. It is the fifth entry into the long-running Blondie series of films, which ran between 1938 and 19 ...

'' (1940) as Mr. Ed Fuddle *'' Saturday's Children'' (1940) as First carpenter (uncredited) *'' Ski Patrol'' (1940) as Gustaf *''

On Their Own ''On Their Own'' is a 1940 American comedy film directed by Otto Brower and written by Harold Buchman and Val Burton. This last of 17 Jones Family films stars Spring Byington, Kenneth Howell, George Ernest, June Carlson, Florence Roberts, and Bi ...

'' (1940) as Peters *''

Babies for Sale ''Babies for Sale'' is a 1940 American film noir crime drama film directed by Charles Barton and starring Rochelle Hudson, Glenn Ford and Miles Mander. Plot A newsman exposes a doctor running an adoption ring from a home for expectant mothers. ...

'' (1940) as Howard Anderson *''

Angels Over Broadway ''Angels Over Broadway'' (also called ''Before I Die'') is a 1940 American film noir drama film starring Douglas Fairbanks Jr., Rita Hayworth, Thomas Mitchell and John Qualen. Ben Hecht, who co-directed (with cinematographer Lee Garmes), co-pro ...

'' (1940) as Charles Engle *'' Knute Rockne, All American'' (1940) Lars Knuteson Rockne *'' The Long Voyage Home'' (1940) as Axel *''

Youth Will Be Served ''Youth Will Be Served'' is a 1940 American musical film directed by Otto Brower and starring Jane Withers and Jane Darwell. Plot A southern girl (Withers) goes to a National Youth Association camp after her father goes to jail for bootlegging. Wh ...

'' (1940) as Clem Howie *'' Model Wife'' (1941) as Janitor *'' Million Dollar Baby'' (1941) as Dr. Patterson *'' Out of the Fog'' (1941) as Olaf Johnson *'' The Shepherd of the Hills'' (1941) as Coot Royal *''

The Great Awakening ''The Great Awakening'' is the fourth studio album from the Christian rock band Leeland, released on September 20, 2011. ''The Great Awakening'' received a nomination to the 54th Grammy Awards The 54th Annual Grammy Awards were held on Februar ...

'' (1941) as Hasslinger's Clerk *''

The Devil and Daniel Webster "The Devil and Daniel Webster" (1936) is a short story by American writer Stephen Vincent Benét. He tells of a New Hampshire farmer who sells his soul to the devil and is later defended by Daniel Webster, a fictional version of the noted 19th-c ...

'' (1941) as Miser Stevens *'' Jungle Book'' (1942) as The Barber *'' Larceny, Inc.'' (1942) as Sam Bachrach *''

Tortilla Flat ''Tortilla Flat'' (1935) is an early John Steinbeck novel set in Monterey, California. The novel was the author's first clear critical and commercial success. The book portrays a group of 'paisanos'—literally, countrymen—a small band of er ...

'' (1942) as Jose Maria Corcoran *''

'' (1942) as Berger *''

Arabian Nights ''One Thousand and One Nights'' ( ar, أَلْفُ لَيْلَةٍ وَلَيْلَةٌ, italic=yes, ) is a collection of Middle Eastern folk tales compiled in Arabic during the Islamic Golden Age. It is often known in English as the ''Arabian ...

'' (1942) as Alladin *''

Swing Shift Maisie ''Swing Shift Maisie'' (also known as ''Swing It, Maisie'') is a 1943 romantic comedy film directed by Norman Z. McLeod. It is the seventh in a series of 10 films starring Ann Sothern as Maisie, preceded by '' Maisie Gets Her Man'' (1942) and fo ...

'' (1943) as Horatio Curly *'' The Impostor'' (1944) as Monge *''

An American Romance ''An American Romance'' is a 1944 American epic drama film directed and produced by King Vidor, who also wrote the screen story. Shot in Technicolor, the film stars Brian Donlevy and Ann Richards and is narrated by Horace McNally. The film is ...

'' (1944) as Anton Dubechek *'' Dark Waters'' (1944) as Uncle Norbert *''

Roughly Speaking ''Roughly Speaking'' is the sixteenth studio album by the Canadian rock band April Wine, released in November 2006. The album was recorded without computerized modern digital recording techniques. Instead, the group employed the same type of a ...

'' (1945) as Svend Olsen *''

River Gang ''River Gang'' is a 1945 American crime film directed by Charles David and written by Leslie Charteris and Dwight V. Babcock. The film stars Gloria Jean, John Qualen, Bill Goodwin, Keefe Brasselle, Sheldon Leonard, Gus Schilling and Vince Ba ...

'' (1945) as Uncle Bill *'' Captain Kidd'' (1945) as Bart Blivens *'' Adventure'' (1945) as Model T *'' Song of Scheherazade'' (1947) as Lorenzo *'' High Conquest'' (1947) as Peter Oberwalder Sr. *'' The Fugitive'' (1947) as Refugee doctor *''

Reaching from Heaven ''Reaching from Heaven'' is a 1948 American drama film directed by Frank Strayer, which stars Hugh Beaumont, Cheryl Walker, and John Qualen. The screenplay was written by Charles Palmer, from an original story by Henry Rische and H. W. Gockel. ...

'' (1948) as The Stranger *'' On Our Merry Way'' (1948) (deleted sequence, uncredited) *''

Alias a Gentleman ''Alias a Gentleman'' is a 1948 American romantic comedy film directed by Harry Beaumont and starring Wallace Beery. The supporting cast includes Dorothy Patrick, Tom Drake, Gladys George and Sheldon Leonard. Plot Jim Breedin has been in pris ...

'' (1948) as No End *''

My Girl Tisa ''My Girl Tisa'' is a 1948 film directed by Elliott Nugent and starring Lilli Palmer and Sam Wanamaker. It is based on the play ''Ever the Beginning'' by Lucille S. Prumbs and Sara B. Smith (copyrighted 14 May 1946). Plot In 1905, Tisa Kepes is a ...

'' (1948) as Svenson *''

16 Fathoms Deep ''Sixteen Fathoms Deep'' (also written as ''16 Fathoms Deep'') is a 1948 American adventure film directed by Irving Allen and starring Lloyd Bridges, Lon Chaney Jr. and Arthur Lake. It was a remake of the 1934 film of the same title in which Cha ...

'' (1948) as Capt. Athos *''

Hollow Triumph ''Hollow Triumph'' (working title ''The Man Who Murdered Himself'', reissued in the United States as ''The Scar'') is a 1948 American film noir crime film directed by Steve Sekely starring Paul Henreid, Joan Bennett and Leslie Brooks. It was rele ...

'' (1948) as Swangon *'' The Big Steal'' (1949) as Julius Seton

1950s

*''

Captain China ''Captain China'' is a 1950 American adventure film directed by Lewis R. Foster and written by Lewis R. Foster and Gwen Bagni. The film stars John Payne, Gail Russell, Jeffrey Lynn, Lon Chaney Jr., Edgar Bergen, Michael O'Shea and Ellen Corby. ...

'' (1950) as Geech *''

Buccaneer's Girl ''Buccaneer's Girl'' is a 1950 American Technicolor romantic adventure film directed by Frederick de Cordova starring Yvonne De Carlo and Philip Friend. Plot Deborah McCoy, a New Orleans singer, is on a ship that is captured by the forces of th ...

'' (1950) as Vegetable man *'' Woman on the Run'' (1950) as Maibus *'' The Jackpot'' (1950) as Mr. Ferguson (uncredited) *''

The Flying Missile ''The Flying Missile'' is a 1950 black-and-white Cold War era Columbia Pictures film starring Glenn Ford and Viveca Lindfors. Made with the cooperation of the US Navy,Ford 2011, p. 111. it tells a fictionalized story of the then recently reve ...

'' (1950) as Lars Hansen *''

Belle Le Grand ''Belle Le Grand'' is a 1951 American Western film directed by Allan Dwan and written by D.D. Beauchamp. The film stars Vera Ralston, John Carroll, William Ching, Hope Emerson, Grant Withers, Stephen Chase, John Qualen and Harry Morgan. The fi ...

'' (1951) as Corky McGee *''

Goodbye, My Fancy ''Goodbye, My Fancy'' is a 1948 play by Fay Kanin. A comedy in 3 Acts and 4 scenes, the work premiered at the Grand Theatre in London, Ontario on October 21, 1948 for tryout performances before the production moved to Broadway in New York City. ...

'' (1951) as Professor Dingley *'' Hans Christian Andersen'' (1952) as Burgomaster *''

Ambush at Tomahawk Gap ''Ambush at Tomahawk Gap'' is a 1953 American Western film directed by Fred F. Sears and produced by Wallace MacDonald. It stars John Hodiak, John Derek, David Brian, and María Elena Marqués. Plot Four outlaws have just been released from Y ...

'' (1953) as Jonas P. Travis *'' Francis Covers the Big Town'' (1953) as Defense Attorney Cavendish (uncredited) *'' I, the Jury'' (1953) as Dr. R. H. Vickers *'' The High and the Mighty'' (1954) as Jose Locota *'' The Student Prince'' (1954) as Willie Klauber *'' Passion'' (1954) as Gasper Melo *'' The Other Woman'' (1954) as Papasha *'' Unchained'' (1955) as Leonard Haskins *''

The Sea Chase ''The Sea Chase'' is a 1955 World War II drama film starring John Wayne and Lana Turner, and featuring David Farrar, Lyle Bettger, and Tab Hunter. It was directed by John Farrow from a screenplay by James Warner Bellah and John Twist based on ...

'' (1955) as Chief Engineer Schmitt *''

At Gunpoint ''At Gunpoint'' is a 1955 American CinemaScope Western film directed by Alfred L. Werker and starring Fred MacMurray, Dorothy Malone and Walter Brennan. Plot Plainview is a peaceful town, all the better for bad men Alvin Dennis, his brother Bo ...

'' (1955) as Livingstone *''

'' (1956) as Lars Jorgensen *''

Johnny Concho ''Johnny Concho'' is a 1956 American Western film directed by Don McGuire starring Frank Sinatra, Keenan Wynn, William Conrad and Phyllis Kirk. This was Sinatra's first serious Western and the role allowed him to play against type in his portra ...

'' (1956) as Jake *''

The Big Land ''The Big Land'' is a 1957 American Western film in Warnercolor directed by Gordon Douglas and starring Alan Ladd, Virginia Mayo and Edmond O'Brien Plot Back home in Texas following the Civil War, former Confederate officer Chad Morgan (Alan ...

'' (1957) as Sven Johnson *''

My World Dies Screaming ''Terror in the Haunted House'' (originally titled ''My World Dies Screaming'') is a 1958 American horror film produced by William S. Edwards and directed by Harold Daniels. The movie stars Gerald Mohr, Cathy O'Donnell, William Ching, and John Qu ...

'' (1958) as Jonah Snell *'' The Gun Runners'' (1958) as Pop *'' Revolt in the Big House'' (1958) as Doc *'' Anatomy of a Murder'' (1959) as Deputy Sheriff Sulo

1960s

*'' Hell Bent for Leather'' (1960) as Old Ben *''

Elmer Gantry ''Elmer Gantry'' is a satirical novel written by Sinclair Lewis in 1926 that presents aspects of the religious activity of America in fundamentalist and evangelistic circles and the attitudes of the 1920s public toward it. The novel's protagonis ...

'' (1960) as Sam, a storekeeper (uncredited) *'' North to Alaska'' (1960) as Logger Judge *'' Two Rode Together'' (1961) as Ole Knudsen *'' The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance'' (1962) as Peter Erickson *''

Donovan's Reef ''Donovan's Reef'' is a 1963 American adventure comedy film starring John Wayne and Lee Marvin. It was directed by John Ford and filmed in Kauai, Hawaii, but is set in French Polynesia. The supporting cast features Elizabeth Allen, Jack Warde ...

'' (1963) as Deckhand (uncredited) *'' The Prize'' (1963) as Oscar *'' 7 Faces of Dr. Lao'' (1964) as Luther Lindquist *''

'' (1964) as Svenson (uncredited) *''

Those Calloways ''Those Calloways'' is a 1964 American family drama film, adapted from the 1950 children's novel ''Swiftwater'' by Paul Annixter. The film was produced by Walt Disney and directed by Norman Tokar. It was the last credit for veteran film composer ...

'' (1965) as Ernie Evans *''

I'll Take Sweden ''I'll Take Sweden'' is a 1965 American comedy film directed by Frederick de Cordova, and starring Bob Hope, Frankie Avalon, and Tuesday Weld. Plot Single father Bob Holcomb, a widower, is unhappy with the guitar-playing boy Kenny his daughte ...

'' (1965) as Olaf *'' The Sons of Katie Elder'' (1965) as Charlie Biller *''

A Patch of Blue ''A Patch of Blue'' is a 1965 American drama film directed by Guy Green about the friendship between an educated black man (played by Sidney Poitier) and an illiterate, blind, white 18-year-old girl (played by Elizabeth Hartman), and the problem ...

'' (1965) as Mr. Faber *'' A Big Hand for the Little Lady'' (1966) as Jesse Buford *'' The Adventures of Bullwhip Griffin'' (1967) as Barber (uncredited) *''

Firecreek ''Firecreek'' is a 1968 American Western film directed by Vincent McEveety and starring James Stewart and Henry Fonda in his second role as an antagonist that year alongside Sergio Leone's ''Once Upon a Time in the West''. The film is similar ...

'' (1968) as Hall *'' P.J.'' (1968) as Poppa Gonowski *''Doc'' (1969, TV Movie) as Luke *'' Hail, Hero!'' (1969) as Billy Hurd

1970s

*''

Getting Away from It All ''Getting Away from It All'' is a 1972 American made-for-television comedy film directed by Lee Philips and starring Larry Hagman, Barbara Feldon, Gary Collins, Jim Backus, Vivian Vance, and Burgess Meredith. It was aired on January 18, 1972 ...

'' (1972, TV Movie) as Charlie Erickson *''Wednesday Night Out'' (1972, TV Movie) *''Frasier, the Sensuous Lion'' (1973) as Old man on porch

Television

*''

Alfred Hitchcock Presents ''Alfred Hitchcock Presents'' is an American television anthology series created, hosted and produced by Alfred Hitchcock, aired on CBS and NBC between 1955 and 1965. It features dramas, thrillers and mysteries. Between 1962 and 1965 it was r ...

'', episode "A Bullet for Baldwin" – Benjamin Steep (1956) *''

'', episode "Help Wanted" – Mr. Crabtree (1956) *''

'', episode "Shopping for Death" – Elmer Shore (1956) *'' Father Knows Best'', episode "The Bus to Nowhere" - Old Man (1956) *''

Cheyenne The Cheyenne ( ) are an Indigenous people of the Great Plains. Their Cheyenne language belongs to the Algonquian language family. Today, the Cheyenne people are split into two federally recognized nations: the Southern Cheyenne, who are enr ...

'', episode "Deadline" – Charley Dolan (1957) *''

Maverick Maverick, Maveric or Maverik may refer to: History * Maverick (animal), an unbranded range animal, derived from U.S. cattleman Samuel Maverick Aviation * AEA Maverick, an Australian single-seat sportsplane design * General Aviation Design Bure ...

'', episode "The Lonesome Reunion" – Leland Mills (1958) *'' The Californians'' episode "J. Jimmerson Jones, Inc."—J. Jimmerson Jones (1958) *'' Sea Hunt'' (1960) Season 3, Episode 31 *'' Mister Ed'', episode "Ed's New Shoes" – Axel (the Handyman) (1961) *'' Bonanza'', episode "Springtime" – Parley (1961) *''

'', episode "The Golden Fleecing" – Henry Albright (1961) *'' The Andy Griffith Show'', episode "The Jinx" – Henry Bennett (1962) *'' Laramie'', episode "Shadow of the Past" – Mr. Elbee (1962) *''

The Real McCoys ''The Real McCoys'' is an American situation comedy starring Walter Brennan, Richard Crenna, and Kathleen Nolan. Co-produced by Danny Thomas's Marterto Productions in association with Walter Brennan and Irving Pincus's Westgate Compan ...

'', episode "Cupid Wore a Tail" – Frank (1963) *''The Real McCoys'', episode "The Other Side of the Fence" – Frank (1963) *'' Make Room for Daddy'', episodes "Sense of Humor" and "Call Off the Hounds" – Swenson, the Janitor (1964) *'' The Virginian'', episode "A Bride for Lars" – Gosta Swenson (1964) *''

The Girl from U.N.C.L.E. ''The Girl from U.N.C.L.E.'' is an American spy fiction TV series starring Stefanie Powers that aired on NBC for one season from September 16, 1966, to April 11, 1967. The series was a spin-off from '' The Man from U.N.C.L.E.'' and used the sam ...

'', episode "The Jewels of Topango Affair" – Dr. Elmer Spritzer (1966) *'' Hazel'', episode "A Question of Ethics" – Mr. Johansson (1966) *''

Shane Shane may refer to: People * Shane (actress) (born 1969), American pornographic actress * Shane (New Zealand singer) (born 1946) * iamnotshane (born 1995), formerly known as Shane, American singer * Shane (name), a masculine given name and a su ...

'', episode "The Hant" - Old Man (1966) *''

I Spy I spy is a guessing game where one player (the ''spy'' or ''it'') chooses an object within sight and announces to the other players that "I spy with my little eye something beginning with...", naming the first letter of the object. Other players a ...

'', episode "Red Sash of Courage" – Hannos (1967) *'' Green Acres'', episode "Eb's Romance" - Mr. Appleby (1968) *'' Green Acres'', episode "The Ex-Con" - Willy Dunhill (1970) *'' The Odd Couple'', episode “The Taste Of Money” - Sam (1971) *''

Make Room for Granddaddy ''The Danny Thomas Show'' (titled ''Make Room for Daddy'' for its first three seasons) is an American sitcom that ran from 1953 to 1957 on ABC and from 1957 to 1964 on CBS. Starring Danny Thomas as a successful night club entertainer, the show fo ...

'', episode "The Arm Wrestle" Folsom (1971) *'' The Partridge Family'' episode "My Heart Belongs to a Two Car Garage" – The Old Man (1972) *''

The F.B.I. The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) is the domestic intelligence and security service of the United States and its principal federal law enforcement agency. Operating under the jurisdiction of the United States Department of Justice, t ...

'', episode "The Detonator" (1973) *'' Movin' On'', episode "Life Line" – Liggett (1974) (final appearance)

References

External links

* * * * * *
Photos of John Qualen from ''The Long Voyage Home''
by Ned Scott {{DEFAULTSORT:Qualen, John 1899 births 1987 deaths 20th-century American male actors American male film actors American male television actors American people of Norwegian descent Burials at Forest Lawn Memorial Park (Glendale) Canadian emigrants to the United States Canadian people of Norwegian descent Male actors from Vancouver Male Western (genre) film actors Northwestern University alumni People from Elgin, Illinois