Karl Swenson

actor • soundtrack

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 h...

Born: July 23, 1908 in Brooklyn, New York City, New York, USA

Died: October 8, 1978 (age 70)

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Known For

8.2

Vanishing Point

Movies & TV Credits

147 total credits across film and television

Title	Rating	Job	Role(s)	Year
Disney Sing-Along Songs: Colors of the Wind Movie	6.6	Actor	(voice) (archive footage)	1995
Disney's Sing-Along Songs: Under the Sea Movie	7.6	Actor	Merlin (archive footage) (voice)	1990
Disney's Halloween Treat Movie	8.2	Actor	Merlin (voice) (archive footage)	1982
Disney's Greatest Villains Movie	9.0	Actor	Merlin (voice) (archive footage)	1977
The Amazing Spider-Man TV Show	5.9	Actor	—(1 Episode)	1977
Little House on the Prairie TV Show	7.6	Actor	Lars Hanson(40 Episodes)	1974
Happy Days TV Show	7.5	Actor	—(1 Episode)	1974
The Gun and the Pulpit Movie	5.5	Actor	Adams	1974
Doc Elliot TV Show	6.7	Actor	—(1 Episode)	1973
Ulzana's Raid Movie	7.1	Actor	Rukeyser	1972
Circle of Fear TV Show	7.4	Actor	Ed Barnes(1 Episode)	1972
Emergency! TV Show	7.8	Actor	Gus(1 Episode)	1972
The New Healers Movie	5.5	Actor	Mr. Fisherman	1972
Vanishing Point Movie	7.4	Actor	Clerk	1971
Cannon TV Show	6.6	Actor	—(1 Episode)	1971
A Howling in the Woods Movie	5.9	Actor	Apperson	1971
Tick... Tick... Tick... Movie	6.9	Actor	Frank Braddock Sr.	1970
The Wild Country Movie	6.0	Actor	Jensen	1970
The Odd Couple TV Show	7.7	Actor	Captain Potter(1 Episode)	1970
The Young Rebels TV Show	7.3	Actor	—(1 Episode)	1970
The Immortal TV Show	7.3	Actor	—(1 Episode)	1969
Hawaii Five-O TV Show	7.2	Actor	Abel Morgan(2 Episodes)	1968
Mod Squad TV Show	7.1	Actor	—(2 Episodes)	1968
The Outcasts TV Show	7.2	Actor	—(1 Episode)	1968
Hour of the Gun Movie	6.4	Actor	Dr. Charles Goodfellow	1967
Do Not Go Gentle Into That Good Night Movie	7.6	Actor	Dr. Keller	1967
CBS Playhouse TV Show	7.1	Actor	—(1 Episode)	1967
Judd for the Defense TV Show	7.5	Actor	—(2 Episodes)	1967
Cimarron Strip TV Show	6.9	Actor	Dr. Kihlgren(1 Episode)	1967
Ironside TV Show	6.8	Actor	Vet(1 Episode)	1967
The Guns of Will Sonnett TV Show	7.4	Actor	—(1 Episode)	1967
Cimarron Strip TV Show	6.9	Actor	—(5 Episodes)	1967
Seconds Movie	7.7	Actor	Dr. Morris	1966
Brighty of the Grand Canyon Movie	5.8	Actor	Theodore Roosevelt	1966
Tarzan TV Show	6.8	Actor	—(1 Episode)	1966
The Rat Patrol TV Show	7.2	Actor	Colonel Seidner(1 Episode)	1966
Mission: Impossible TV Show	7.7	Actor	Dr. Ziegler(1 Episode)	1966
Mission: Impossible TV Show	7.7	Actor	Colonel Dubov(1 Episode)	1966
The Cincinnati Kid Movie	7.3	Actor	Mr. Rudd	1965
Major Dundee Movie	6.8	Actor	Captain Waller	1965
The Sons of Katie Elder Movie	7.3	Actor	Doc Isdell	1965
Hogan's Heroes TV Show	8.0	Actor	Dr. Karl Svenson(1 Episode)	1965
The Big Valley TV Show	7.4	Actor	Steve Minter(1 Episode)	1965
The Big Valley TV Show	7.4	Actor	Aaron Moyers(1 Episode)	1965
The Big Valley TV Show	7.4	Actor	Bert Hadley(1 Episode)	1965
Profiles in Courage TV Show	8.3	Actor	Chynoweth(1 Episode)	1964
Gomer Pyle: USMC TV Show	6.9	Actor	Col. Harper(1 Episode)	1964
The Birds Movie	7.7	Actor	Drunken Doomsayer in Diner	1963
The Sword in the Stone Movie	7.2	Actor	Merlin (voice)	1963
The Man from Galveston Movie	5.7	Actor	Sheriff	1963
The Prize Movie	6.9	Actor	Hilding	1963
The Travels of Jaimie McPheeters TV Show	7.2	Actor	Coley Bishop(1 Episode)	1963
The Fugitive TV Show	7.9	Actor	Morgan(1 Episode)	1963
The Greatest Show on Earth TV Show	7.5	Actor	—(1 Episode)	1963
Mr. Novak TV Show	7.2	Actor	Mr. Haskell(1 Episode)	1963
The Lieutenant TV Show	8.0	Actor	—(1 Episode)	1963
The Bill Dana Show TV Show	7.3	Actor	—(1 Episode)	1963
The Fugitive TV Show	7.9	Actor	Axel Nielsen - Service station owner(1 Episode)	1963
How the West Was Won Movie	7.2	Actor	Train Conductor (uncredited)	1962
Walk on the Wild Side Movie	6.6	Actor	Schmidt	1962
Lonely are the Brave Movie	7.7	Actor	Rev. Hoskins	1962
The Spiral Road Movie	5.9	Actor	Insp. Bevers	1962
Sam Benedict TV Show	7.5	Actor	—(1 Episode)	1962
The Virginian TV Show	7.4	Actor	Ben Wallace(1 Episode)	1962
The Dakotas TV Show	7.2	Actor	—(1 Episode)	1962
The Alfred Hitchcock Hour TV Show	8.3	Actor	George Sherston(1 Episode)	1962
The Virginian TV Show	7.4	Actor	Karl Swenson(1 Episode)	1962
The Virginian TV Show	7.4	Actor	Col. Theodore Roosevelt(1 Episode)	1962
General Electric True TV Show	—	Actor	—(1 Episode)	1962
Sam Benedict TV Show	7.5	Actor	Barney Rosvalley(1 Episode)	1962
Sam Benedict TV Show	7.5	Actor	Barney Rossvalley(1 Episode)	1962
Judgment at Nuremberg Movie	8.2	Actor	Heinrich Geuter	1961
Ben Casey TV Show	6.9	Actor	—(1 Episode)	1961
Dr. Kildare TV Show	6.8	Actor	Judge(3 Episodes)	1961
Ice Palace Movie	5.9	Actor	Scotty Ballantyne	1960
Flaming Star Movie	6.6	Actor	Dred Pierce	1960
North to Alaska Movie	7.0	Actor	Lars Nordqvist	1960
One Foot in Hell Movie	6.0	Actor	Sheriff Ole Olson	1960
The Gallant Hours Movie	6.9	Actor	Bill Bailey	1960
The Andy Griffith Show TV Show	8.2	Actor	Mr. McBeevee(1 Episode)	1960
Surfside 6 TV Show	7.7	Actor	—(1 Episode)	1960
Klondike TV Show	7.2	Actor	—(1 Episode)	1960
Outlaws TV Show	7.1	Actor	—(1 Episode)	1960
Hong Kong TV Show	7.0	Actor	John Olwine(1 Episode)	1960
The Westerner TV Show	7.5	Actor	Ben Potts(1 Episode)	1960
The Hanging Tree Movie	7.0	Actor	Tom Flaunce	1959
No Name on the Bullet Movie	7.0	Actor	Stricker	1959
Johnny Ringo TV Show	6.7	Actor	Kramer(1 Episode)	1959
Mr. Lucky TV Show	7.3	Actor	—(1 Episode)	1959
Hawaiian Eye TV Show	7.4	Actor	—(1 Episode)	1959
Lock Up TV Show	7.2	Actor	—(1 Episode)	1959
The Rebel TV Show	7.6	Actor	Lew Bussey(1 Episode)	1959
Riverboat TV Show	7.2	Actor	Ansel Torgin(1 Episode)	1959
Tightrope TV Show	7.1	Actor	—(1 Episode)	1959
Black Saddle TV Show	7.3	Actor	Dr. Wyle(1 Episode)	1959
Rawhide TV Show	7.7	Actor	—	1959
Kings Go Forth Movie	6.3	Actor	The Colonel	1958
Westinghouse Desilu Playhouse TV Show	6.9	Actor	—(2 Episodes)	1958
Bronco TV Show	6.9	Actor	—(2 Episodes)	1958
Bat Masterson TV Show	7.1	Actor	Jim Pate(1 Episode)	1958
The Rifleman TV Show	8.1	Actor	—(2 Episodes)	1958
The Texan TV Show	7.3	Actor	—(2 Episodes)	1958
77 Sunset Strip TV Show	7.5	Actor	—(4 Episodes)	1958
The Rifleman TV Show	8.1	Actor	Chris Manse(2 Episodes)	1958
Gateways to the Mind Movie	7.7	Actor	Hal - the Cameraman (uncredited)	1958
Four Boys and a Gun Movie	5.8	Actor	Mr. Badek	1957
Perry Mason TV Show	8.1	Actor	Unk Hazekian(1 Episode)	1957
Leave It to Beaver TV Show	7.4	Actor	George Haskell(2 Episodes)	1957
Maverick TV Show	7.8	Actor	Sheriff Griffin(1 Episode)	1957
Trackdown TV Show	7.6	Actor	—(1 Episode)	1957
Have Gun - Will Travel TV Show	8.2	Actor	—(6 Episodes)	1957
Sugarfoot TV Show	7.2	Actor	Dennis O'Hara(1 Episode)	1957
The Court of Last Resort TV Show	7.5	Actor	—(1 Episode)	1957
The Walter Winchell File TV Show	7.6	Actor	—(1 Episode)	1957
Perry Mason TV Show	8.1	Actor	Corley Ketchum(1 Episode)	1957
Perry Mason TV Show	8.1	Actor	Axel Norstaad(1 Episode)	1957
Perry Mason TV Show	8.1	Actor	Charles Norman(1 Episode)	1957
Sugarfoot TV Show	7.2	Actor	Alexi Sharlokov(1 Episode)	1957
Sugarfoot TV Show	7.2	Actor	Andy Burke(1 Episode)	1957
Maverick TV Show	7.8	Actor	Captain Nares(1 Episode)	1957
Maverick TV Show	7.8	Actor	—(1 Episode)	1957
Sugarfoot TV Show	7.2	Actor	Bill Manning(1 Episode)	1957
Zane Grey Theatre TV Show	7.3	Actor	Will Harmon(1 Episode)	1956
Zane Grey Theatre TV Show	7.3	Actor	Lee Willis(1 Episode)	1956
Zane Grey Theatre TV Show	7.3	Actor	Lud Greening(1 Episode)	1956
The Adventures of Jim Bowie TV Show	6.6	Actor	Andre Rochambeau(1 Episode)	1956
Playwrights '56 TV Show	6.8	Actor	—(1 Episode)	1955
Gunsmoke TV Show	7.9	Actor	Mr. Hubert(1 Episode)	1955
Alfred Hitchcock Presents TV Show	8.4	Actor	John(1 Episode)	1955
Alfred Hitchcock Presents TV Show	8.4	Actor	Ed Holland(1 Episode)	1955
Gunsmoke TV Show	7.9	Actor	Hank Luz(1 Episode)	1955
Gunsmoke TV Show	7.9	Actor	Raff(1 Episode)	1955
Gunsmoke TV Show	7.9	Actor	Adam(1 Episode)	1955
Gunsmoke TV Show	7.9	Actor	Tabe(1 Episode)	1955
Gunsmoke TV Show	7.9	Actor	Ian McGovern(1 Episode)	1955
Gunsmoke TV Show	7.9	Actor	Hutch(1 Episode)	1955
Gunsmoke TV Show	7.9	Actor	McGruder(1 Episode)	1955
Gunsmoke TV Show	7.9	Actor	Lars Karlgren(1 Episode)	1955
Alice in Wonderland Movie	5.8	Actor	Humpty Dumpty	1955
Lassie TV Show	6.4	Actor	—(5 Episodes)	1954
Portia Faces Life TV Show	—	Actor	—(324 Episodes)	1954
The Magical World of Disney TV Show	8.1	Actor	Laredo Marshal (uncredited)(1 Episode)	1954
Schlitz Playhouse TV Show	7.3	Actor	Asmussen(1 Episode)	1951
Hallmark Hall of Fame TV Show	7.9	Actor	Humpty Dumpty(1 Episode)	1951
Robert Montgomery Presents TV Show	7.5	Actor	—(1 Episode)	1950
December 7th Movie	5.9	Actor	Machine-Gunner (uncredited)	1943
Strangers All Movie	6.0	Actor	Protester at Communist Meeting	1935

Karl Swenson

Known For

Judgment at Nuremberg

The Birds

The Sword in the Stone

Vanishing Point

Movies & TV Credits