Karl Swenson

Biography for Karl Swenson

Of Swedish descent, burly, light-haired character actor Karl Swenson was born in Brooklyn and started his four-decade career on radio. Throughout the late 30s and 40s, his voice could be heard all over the airwaves, appearing in scores of daytime serials ("Lorenzo Jones") and mystery dramas ("Inner Sanctum Mysteries"). He gave visual life to one of his serial characters, Walter Manning, in "Portia Faces Life" when it went to TV in 1953. It was during his lengthy work in this medium that he met his wife, stage and radio actress Joan Tompkins. They appeared together throughout their careers on TV and in a few films. In the 1950s, he kept afloat on TV in rugged guest spots ("Dr. Kildare" (1961), "Gunsmoke" (1955), "Maverick" (1957), "Mission: Impossible" (1966) and "Hawaii Five-O" (1968)). He didn't appear in films until age 50+ with minor roles in Kings Go Forth (1958), North to Alaska (1960), The Birds (1963) and The Sons of Katie Elder (1965). His voice was also well utilized in such animated features as The Sword in the Stone (1963) as the voice of Merlin. Karl met actor Michael Landon on the set of "Bonanza" (1959), appearing in four separate episodes over time. Landon remembered him when he began to film "Little House on the Prairie" (1974). Cast in the recurring role of lumber mill owner Lars Hanson, he remained with the show until his death in 1978 of a heart attack. His character on the show also died.

Karl Swenson is an American actor born July 23, 1908 in Brooklyn New York, who died on October 8, 1978 in Torrington Connecticut of a heart attack.

He played the role of Lars Hanson in the famous series La Petite Maison in La Prairie. Karl died for some time after turning the episode in which his character died!

Karl Swenson was an American actor born August 20, 1908 in Brooklyn, New York. He began his acting career in 1936 and played in many theater, films and television productions during his life.

Swenson was best known for his roles in productions of the famous theatrical company of the New York Shakespeare Festival, especially in the pieces "Henry V" and "The Taming of the Shrew". He has also played in several productions from the Broadway theater company, notably in "The Iceman Cometh" and "Death of a Salesman".

Outside the theater, Swenson has also played in many films and television shows. He notably played in films such as "The Big Circus" and "The Big Knife", as well as in popular television shows such as "The Lone Ranger" and "The Adventures of Superman". Swenson also played in science fiction television series such as "Lost in Space" and "Star Trek", where he interpreted the character of Lars, the father of Uhura.

Swenson continued to work until his death in 1978, at the age of 70. He was considered one of the most talented and versatile actors of his generation, and his career was marked by his skill in interpreting very different roles with great ease.

Photos

Filmography

Trivia

• In two of his most remembered roles, although the parts were small, he is technically the most important character in each. In "Little House and the Prairie" he is the founder of Walnut Grove, the town in which the entire show is centered. And in "Vanishing Point" he is the mechanic who supped up the car for the cross country chase (as well as the owner of the garage).

Family

• Spouse : Virginia Hanscom Swenson (1930 - 1960) 4 children, Joan Tompkins (? - 8 October 1978) (his death)

Author of the card

• Creation date: 17/09/2007 by abdest