John Qualen

From Wikipedia the free encyclopedia John Qualen born Johan Mandt Kvalen December 8 1899 September 12 1987 was a CanadianAmerican 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 familys original surname Kvalen to Qualen though some sources give Oleson later Oleson Kvalen as Qualens earlier surnames His fathers 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 Rices Street Scene His movie career began when he recreated the role in the film version This was followed by his appearance in John Fords Arrowsmith 1931 which began a more than thirty year membership in the directors 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 Fords 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 jewelryselling Norwegian resistance member in Michael Curtiz Casablanca 1942 he essayed a light Scandinavian accent but put on a thicker Mediterranean accent as the homewardbound fisherman Locota in William Wellmans The High and the Mighty 1954 Qualen was treasurer of The Authors Club and historian of The Masquers Hollywoods 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