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 ...
In two of his most remembered roles, although the parts were small, he is technically the most important character in each. In Little House on the Prairie (1974), he is the founder of Walnut Grove, the town in which the entire show is centered. And in Vanishing Point (1971), he is the mechanic who souped up the car for the cross country chase (as well as the owner of the garage).
Actor
Title
Year
Status
Character
The Guns of Will Sonnett
1968
TV Series
Walden
Cimarron Strip
1967-1968
TV Series
Dr. Kihlgren
Doctor Kilghren
Doc Kihlgren
...
Judd for the Defense
1968
TV Series
Judge
Tarzan
1968
TV Series
Governor General
Bonanza
1959-1967
TV Series
Captain Nels Larson / Dr. Woods / Ike Daggert / ...
Daktari
1967
TV Series
Terry Coopersmith
Hogan's Heroes
1967
TV Series
Dr. Karl Svenson
CBS Playhouse
1967
TV Series
Dr. Keller
Hour of the Gun
1967
Dr. Charles Goodfellow
The Rat Patrol
1967
TV Series
Colonel Seidner
The Big Valley
1965-1967
TV Series
Steve Minter / Aaron Moyers / Bert Hadley
Brighty of the Grand Canyon
1966
Theodore Roosevelt
12 O'Clock High
1966
TV Series
Gunnar Karlsen
Seconds
1966
Dr. Morris
A Man Called Shenandoah
1966
TV Series
Sheriff Ben Garrett
Convoy
1965
TV Series
Lars Hanson
Dr. Kildare
1965
TV Series
Judge
Perry Mason
1962-1965
TV Series
Unk Hazekian / Charles Norman / Corley Ketchum / ...
The Cincinnati Kid
1965
Mr. Rudd
The Sons of Katie Elder
1965
Doc Isdell
Major Dundee
1965
Captain Waller
Rawhide
1959-1965
TV Series
Merle / Sergeant
The Fugitive
1964-1965
TV Series
Morgan / Service station owner
Diamond Jim: Skulduggery in Samantha
1965
TV Movie
Vanderhof
Death Valley Days
1960-1964
TV Series
Abe Hughes / Andrews
Mr. Novak
1964
TV Series
Mr. Haskell
Profiles in Courage
1964
TV Series
Chynoweth
Gomer Pyle: USMC
1964
TV Series
Colonel Harper
The Bill Dana Show
1964
TV Series
Fred Wilkins
The Travels of Jaimie McPheeters
1963-1964
TV Series
Bigger / Coley Bishop
Wagon Train
1961-1964
TV Series
Harry Whitmore / Jim Bridger
The Prize
1963
Hilding
The Sword in the Stone
1963
Merlin (voice)
The Man from Galveston
1963
Sheriff
Temple Houston
1963
TV Series
Sam Wade
The Farmer's Daughter
1963
TV Series
Max
The Greatest Show on Earth
1963
TV Series
Louis
The Lieutenant
1963
TV Series
Lt. Col. Curtis Morley
77 Sunset Strip
1958-1963
TV Series
Marty Kline / Tom Lansing / Joseph Vanner / ...
Laramie
1959-1963
TV Series
Emil Viktor / Lars Carlson / Bryan James / ...
The Birds
1963
Drunken Doomsayer in Diner
G.E. True
1963
TV Series
Jim Kowalski
The Eleventh Hour
1963
TV Series
Nelson
Sam Benedict
1962-1963
TV Series
Barney Rossvalley
The Dakotas
1963
TV Series
Harry McNeill
It's a Man's World
1962
TV Series
Mr. DeWitt
The Alfred Hitchcock Hour
1962
TV Series
George Sherston
How the West Was Won
1962
Train Conductor (uncredited)
The Andy Griffith Show
1962
TV Series
Mr. McBeevee
The Comedy Spot
1962
TV Series
Howard Carol
Kraft Mystery Theater
1962
TV Series
Lawson
The Spiral Road
1962
Insp. Bevers
The Untouchables
1961-1962
TV Series
Stanley Zolinsky / Hans Dreiser
Lonely Are the Brave
1962
Rev. Hoskins
The Dick Powell Theatre
1962
TV Series
Lang
Walk on the Wild Side
1962
Schmidt / Courtney
Surfside 6
1962
TV Series
Charlie Haynes
Ben Casey
1962
TV Series
Dr. Frank Barthold
Ripcord
1962
TV Series
Will Gorman
Judgment at Nuremberg
1961
Dr. Heinrich Geuter
Window on Main Street
1961
TV Series
Outlaws
1961
TV Series
Dowzy Williams
Have Gun - Will Travel
1958-1961
TV Series
Sheriff / Sam DeWitt / Lloyd Petty / ...
The Case of the Dangerous Robin
1961
TV Series
The Ex-con
The Best of the Post
1960-1961
TV Series
Skipper / Turner
Klondike
1960-1961
TV Series
Dr. Edwards / Judge Frank Weinstock
Maverick
1957-1961
TV Series
General Josiah Warren / Sheriff Griffin / Captain Nares
The Aquanauts
1961
TV Series
Rainbow
Flaming Star
1960
Dred Pierce
Hong Kong
1960
TV Series
John Olwine
The Westerner
1960
TV Series
Ben Potts
North to Alaska
1960
Lars Nordquist
Hawaiian Eye
1960
TV Series
Martin Dunlap
Alfred Hitchcock Presents
1958-1960
TV Series
John / Ed Holland
One Foot in Hell
1960
Sheriff Ole Olson
Johnny Ringo
1960
TV Series
Marshal Kramer
The Gallant Hours
1960
Capt. Bill Bailey
Mr. Lucky
1960
TV Series
Frederick St. John
The Man and the Challenge
1960
TV Series
Dr. Lindstrom
The Rifleman
1960
TV Series
Chris Manse / Nils Swenson
Hotel de Paree
1960
TV Series
Jed Holmes
Bachelor Father
1958-1960
TV Series
Charley Burton
Mr. Frank Weston
Charlie Burton
Ice Palace
1960
Scotty Ballantyne
Grand Jury
1960
TV Series
Matthews
The Texan
1958-1959
TV Series
Sam Maitland / Sheriff
Black Saddle
1959
TV Series
Doc Wyle
Zane Grey Theater
1958-1959
TV Series
Will Harmon / Lud Greening / Lee Willis
This Man Dawson
1959
TV Series
The Rebel
1959
TV Series
Lew Bussey
The Man from Blackhawk
1959
TV Series
Riverboat
1959
TV Series
Ansel Torgin
Lock Up
1959
TV Series
Ed Reed
Men Into Space
1959
TV Series
Sen. Jim Sloane
Tightrope
1959
TV Series
Brahn
Bronco
1959
TV Series
Captain Taylor / Sean Casey
Westinghouse Desilu Playhouse
1958-1959
TV Series
Van Kemp / Snipes
The Jack Benny Program
1959
TV Series
Pierre the Butler
Steve Canyon
1959
TV Series
Stefan Karolyi / Col. Vanderhoek
Sugarfoot
1958-1959
TV Series
Dennis O'Hara / Alexi Sharlokov / Bill Manning / ...
The Hanging Tree
1959
Tom Flaunce
Trackdown
1959
TV Series
Tom Monroe
No Name on the Bullet
1959
Stricker
Bold Venture
1959
TV Series
Kenny
Mackenzie's Raiders
1959
TV Series
Secretary of War James Cameron
Bat Masterson
1958
TV Series
Jim Pate
The Badlanders
1958
The Marshal (uncredited)
Jefferson Drum
1958
TV Series
Kiley
Kings Go Forth
1958
The Colonel
Cheyenne
1958
TV Series
Bruce Coll
Colt .45
1958
TV Series
Jim Courtwright
Leave It to Beaver
1958
TV Series
George Haskell
Jane Wyman Presents The Fireside Theatre
1958
TV Series
Pat Casey
The Adventures of Jim Bowie
1958
TV Series
Andre Rochambeau
Tales of Wells Fargo
1957
TV Series
Mayor Ed Flavin
The Court of Last Resort
1957
TV Series
Carl Halsted
Schlitz Playhouse
1957
TV Series
Asmussen
Circus Boy
1957
TV Series
Lars Larsen
The Walter Winchell File
1957
TV Series
Rev. Martin Marisch
That Night!
1957
McAdam
The Web
1957
TV Series
The Big Story
1957
TV Series
Finch
Robert Montgomery Presents
1956-1957
TV Series
The United States Steel Hour
1957
TV Series
Abner Carson
Four Boys and a Gun
1957
Mr. Badek
Star Stage
1956
TV Series
Playwrights '56
1956
TV Series
Sy Crandell
Alice in Wonderland
1955
TV Movie
Humpty Dumpty
Mr. Citizen
1955
TV Series
Ponds Theater
1954
TV Series
The Inner Flame
1954
TV Series
Walter Manning #2
Goodyear Playhouse
1954
TV Series
December 7th: The Movie
1943
Machine-Gunner (uncredited)
Strangers All
1935
Protester at Communist Meeting (uncredited)
Dan August: Murder, My Friend
1980
TV Movie
Aubrey Burnett
Little House on the Prairie
1974-1978
TV Series
Lars Hanson
The Amazing Spider-Man
1978
TV Series
Dr. Carl Benson
Walt Disney's Wonderful World of Color
1958-1975
TV Series
Jensen / Laredo Marshal / U.S. Marshal
Cannon
1975
TV Series
Jack Halsey
Happy Days
1974
TV Series
Police Detective
Apple's Way
1974
TV Series
Dr. Knowles
The Gun and the Pulpit
1974
TV Movie
Adams
Doc Elliot
1974
TV Series
Mike Shea
The Streets of San Francisco
1974
TV Series
Gustaveson
Emergency!
1974
TV Series
Gus
Barnaby Jones
1973
TV Series
Mr. Fowler
The Odd Couple
1973
TV Series
Captain Potter
Lassie
1962-1972
TV Series
Anson Booth / Dr. Karl Hansen / Karl Burkholm / ...
Ulzana's Raid
1972
Rukeyser
Circle of Fear
1972
TV Series
Ed Barnes
The New Healers
1972
TV Movie
Mr. Fisherman
Mod Squad
1970-1972
TV Series
William Bradshaw / Ben / Edwards
O'Hara, U.S. Treasury
1972
TV Series
Otto Schurman
Longstreet
1972
TV Series
Sven Aalborg
A Howling in the Woods
1971
TV Movie
Apperson
The Birdmen
1971
TV Movie
Gunter (uncredited)
This Is the Life
1971
TV Series
Burke
Dan August
1971
TV Series
Aubrey Burnett
Gunsmoke
1957-1971
TV Series
Mr. Hubert / McGruder / Lars Karlgren / ...
Ironside
1971
TV Series
Vet
Medical Center
1971
TV Series
Dr. Mills
Vanishing Point
1971
Sam - Clerk at Delivery Agency
The Wild Country
1970
Jensen
The Immortal
1970
TV Series
Dr. Dom DiLorenzo
Insight
1969-1970
TV Series
John Bradley / Phillips
Hawaii Five-O
1970
TV Series
Abel Morgan
...tick... tick... tick...
1970
Frank Braddock Sr.
The Virginian
1962-1969
TV Series
Ezra Gates / Nelson / Sheriff Roy Cheever / ...
Mission: Impossible
1968-1969
TV Series
Dr. Ziegler / Colonel Dubov
Tiger, Tiger
1969
TV Movie
Dr. Herbert
The Outcasts
1969
TV Series
Tom Reed
Premiere
1968
TV Series
Erickson
Soundtrack
Title
Year
Status
Character
The Sword in the Stone
1963
performer: "Higitus Figitus" 1963, "That's What Makes the World Go Round" 1963, "A Most Befuddling Thing" 1963 - uncredited