John Qualen
Known For: Acting
Gender: Male
Date of Birth: December 6, 1899
Day of Death: September 12, 1987 (88 years old)
Place of Birth: Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
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.
1993
1972
1969
1968
1966
1965
1964
1963
1962
1961
1960
1959
1958
1957
1956
1955
1954
1953
1952
1951
1950
1949
1948
1947
1945
1944
1943
1942
1941
1940
Actor Muley Graves
The Grapes of Wrath
Actor Earl Williams
His Girl Friday
Actor Clem Howie
Youth Will Be Served
Actor Ed Fuddle
Blondie on a Budget
Actor Charles Engle
Angels Over Broadway
Actor Lars Knutson Rockne
Knute Rockne All American
Actor Axel
The Long Voyage Home
Actor Gustaf
Ski Patrol
Actor Peters
On Their Own
Actor Howard Anderson
Babies for Sale
Actor First Carpenter (uncredited)
Saturday's Children
1939
1938
1937
1936
1935
Actor Concierge, Dufresne's Hotel (bit)
Charlie Chan in Paris
Actor Mike Shemanski
Black Fury
Actor Auctioneer
One More Spring
Actor Smith
Orchids to You
Actor Sol Tinker
The Farmer Takes a Wife
Actor Coccoz
Chasing Yesterday
Actor Collins
Man of Iron
Actor Hotel Porter
Thunder in the Night
Actor Planchet
The Three Musketeers
Actor Von Blitzen
Doubting Thomas
Actor Will Dabson
Whipsaw
Actor Mr. Fossbender
Silk Hat Kid
Actor Ole
The Great Hotel Murder
1934
Actor Chris (as John T. Qualen)
Our Daily Bread
Actor Dutch, Santa Avila's Cabbie
He Was Her Man
Actor Oswald (as John M. Qualen)
Sing and Like it
Actor Janitor
Upperworld
Actor Prof. Herman Ellenbogen
365 Nights in Hollywood
Actor Steve (uncredited)
Hi, Nellie!
Actor Mr. Clapman (uncredited)
Straight Is the Way
Actor Detective
Servants' Entrance
