---
name: "Karl Swenson"
canonical: "https://film.one/person/karl-swenson"
fi1m_id: "karl-swenson"
imdb_id: "nm0842425"
tmdb_id: 12158
wikidata_id: "Q690569"
roles: ["Actor"]
born: "23 July 1908"
died: "8 October 1978"
reviewed_on_fi1m: 4
average_fi1m_score: 84
average_as: "actor"
average_over: 3
updated: "2026-09-26T16:08:34.048889+00:00"
licence: "© Fi1m Ltd. Written by AI under a human editor; checked against sources before publication. Quote with attribution and a link to the canonical URL."
---

# Karl Swenson

## Identity

Karl Swenson

- **Canonical:** https://film.one/person/karl-swenson
- **Type:** Person
- **Fi1m ID:** karl-swenson
- **IMDb ID:** nm0842425
- **TMDB ID:** 12158
- **Wikidata ID:** Q690569
- **Same entity:** https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Karl_Swenson, https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q690569, https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0842425/, https://www.themoviedb.org/person/12158

Actor. Born 23 July 1908 in Brooklyn, New York City, New York, USA. Died 8 October 1978.

## Details

- **Work:** Actor
- **Born:** 23 July 1908, Brooklyn, New York City, New York, USA
- **Died:** 8 October 1978
- **Active:** 1961–1966
- **Also known as:** Peter Wayne
- **Titles on Fi1m:** 4: 3 acting, 1 other
- **Average Fi1m score:** 84, as actor, over 3 titles
- **Fi1m against the critics:** 84 to 73 across 3 titles
- **Score spread:** 3 at 80+, 0 at 60–79, 0 under 60
- **Lead roles:** 0 of 1 acting credits billed first or second
- **Genres:** Horror 2, Thriller 2, Drama 1, History 1, Science Fiction 1
- **Screen time:** 7 hours of reviewed films
- **Box office:** $23m across 3 films with figures
- **Elsewhere:** https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Karl_Swenson, https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q690569, https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0842425/, https://www.themoviedb.org/person/12158

## Biography

Karl Swenson was an American actor of stage, radio, film and television. Born in Brooklyn, New York, he began his career in radio in the 1930s and appeared on Broadway, initially using the stage name Peter Wayne. He later moved into film and television, accumulating credits across Westerns and other genres.

Swenson is known for his voice role as Merlin in the Disney animated film *The Sword in the Stone* (1963), his appearance in Alfred Hitchcock's *The Birds* (1963), and his recurring role as Lars Hanson in the television series *Little House on the Prairie* (1974–1978). He played Dr. Morris in the film *Seconds* (1966). He was married to actress Joan Tompkins and died in Torrington, Connecticut, in 1978.

*Sources: en.wikipedia.org, allmovie.com, themoviedb.org.*

## On Fi1m (4)

### Performed in (3) — the average rests on these

- *Seconds* (1966), Fi1m 84, as Dr. Morris — [page](https://film.one/film/seconds.md)
- *The Birds* (1963), Fi1m 86, as Le prophète de malheur ivre au bar — [page](https://film.one/film/the-birds.md)
- *Judgment at Nuremberg* (1961), Fi1m 82, as Heinrich Geuter — [page](https://film.one/film/judgment-at-nuremberg.md)

### Also credited (1) — thanks, archive footage, uncredited

- *How the West Was Won* (1962), Fi1m 62, as Train Conductor (uncredited) — [page](https://film.one/film/how-the-west-was-won.md)

## Complete filmography (119)

Every credit, newest first. Titles without a page can be requested for review on the HTML page.

- *Disney Sing-Along Songs: Colors of the Wind* (1995), as (voice) (archive footage)
- *Disney's Sing-Along Songs: Under the Sea* (1990), as Merlin (archive footage) (voice)
- *Disney's Halloween Treat* (1982), as Merlin (voice) (archive footage)
- *The Amazing Spider-Man* (1978), series, Actor
- *Disney's Greatest Villains* (1977), as Merlin (voice) (archive footage)
- *Little House on the Prairie* (1974), series, as Lars Hanson
- *The Gun and the Pulpit* (1974), as Adams
- *Happy Days* (1974), series, Actor
- *Doc Elliot* (1973), series, Actor
- *Ulzana's Raid* (1972), as Rukeyser
- *Ghost Story* (1972), series, as Ed Barnes
- *The New Healers* (1972), as Mr. Fisherman
- *Emergency!* (1972), series, as Gus
- *A Howling in the Woods* (1971), as Apperson
- *Cannon* (1971), series, Actor
- *Vanishing Point* (1971), as Clerk
- *The Wild Country* (1970), as Jensen
- *The Odd Couple* (1970), series, as Captain Potter
- *The Immortal* (1970), series, Actor
- *The Young Rebels* (1970), series, Actor
- *… tick… tick… tick…* (1970), as Frank Braddock Sr.
- *Hawaii Five-O* (1969), series, as Abel Morgan
- *The Mod Squad* (1968), series, Actor
- *The Outcasts* (1968), series, Actor
- *Hour of the Gun* (1967), as Dr. Charles Goodfellow
- *Do Not Go Gentle Into That Good Night* (1967), as Dr. Keller
- *The Guns of Will Sonnett* (1967), series, Actor
- *Judd, for the Defense* (1967), series, Actor
- *Cimarron Strip* (1967), series, as Dr. Kihlgren
- *Ironside* (1967), series, as Vet
- *CBS Playhouse* (1966), series, as Dr. Keller
- *Brighty of the Grand Canyon* (1966), as Theodore Roosevelt
- *Seconds* (1966), as Dr. Morris — Fi1m 84, [page](https://film.one/film/seconds.md)
- *Mission: Impossible* (1966), series, as Colonel Dubov, Dr. Ziegler — Fi1m 82, [page](https://film.one/tv/mission-impossible-1966.md)
- *The Rat Patrol* (1966), series, as Colonel Seidner
- *Tarzan* (1966), series, Actor
- *The Cincinnati Kid* (1965), as Mr. Rudd
- *Hogan's Heroes* (1965), series, as Dr. Karl Svenson
- *The Big Valley* (1965), series, as Bert Hadley, Aaron Moyers, Steve Minter
- *The Sons of Katie Elder* (1965), as Doc Isdell
- *Major Dundee* (1965), as Captain Waller
- *Profiles in Courage* (1964), series, as Chynoweth
- *Gomer Pyle, U.S.M.C.* (1964), series, as Col. Harper
- *The Sword in the Stone* (1963), as Merlin (voice)
- *The Prize* (1963), as Hilding
- *The Man from Galveston* (1963), as Sheriff
- *The Travels of Jaimie McPheeters* (1963), series, as Coley Bishop
- *Mr. Novak* (1963), series, as Mr. Haskell
- *The Bill Dana Show* (1963), series, Actor
- *The Fugitive* (1963), series, as Axel Nielsen - Service station owner, Morgan — Fi1m 84, [page](https://film.one/tv/the-fugitive-1963.md)
- *The Greatest Show on Earth* (1963), series, as Louis
- *The Lieutenant* (1963), series, Actor
- *The Birds* (1963), as Le prophète de malheur ivre au bar — Fi1m 86, [page](https://film.one/film/the-birds.md)
- *The Dakotas* (1963), series, Actor
- *How the West Was Won* (1962), as Train Conductor (uncredited) — Fi1m 62, [page](https://film.one/film/how-the-west-was-won.md)
- *General Electric True* (1962), series, Actor
- *The Alfred Hitchcock Hour* (1962), series, as George Sherston
- *The Virginian* (1962), series, as Col. Theodore Roosevelt, Karl Swenson, Ben Wallace
- *Sam Benedict* (1962), series, as Barney Rosvalley, Barney Rossvalley
- *The Spiral Road* (1962), as Insp. Bevers
- *Lonely are the Brave* (1962), as Rev. Hoskins
- *Walk on the Wild Side* (1962), as Schmidt
- *Judgment at Nuremberg* (1961), as Heinrich Geuter — Fi1m 82, [page](https://film.one/film/judgment-at-nuremberg.md)
- *Ben Casey* (1961), series, Actor
- *Dr. Kildare* (1961), series, as Judge
- *Flaming Star* (1960), as Dred Pierce
- *North to Alaska* (1960), as Lars Nordqvist
- *Klondike* (1960), series, as Judge Frank Weinstock
- *Surfside 6* (1960), series, Actor
- *The Andy Griffith Show* (1960), series, as Mr. McBeevee
- *The Westerner* (1960), series, as Ben Potts
- *Outlaws* (1960), series, Actor
- *One Foot in Hell* (1960), as Sheriff Ole Olson
- *The Gallant Hours* (1960), as Bill Bailey
- *Hong Kong* (1960), series, as John Olwine
- *Ice Palace* (1960), as Scotty Ballantyne
- *Mr. Lucky* (1959), series, Actor
- *Hawaiian Eye* (1959), series, Actor
- *The Rebel* (1959), series, as Lew Bussey
- *Johnny Ringo* (1959), series, as Kramer
- *Lock-Up* (1959), series, Actor
- *Riverboat* (1959), series, as Ansel Torgin
- *Bonanza* (1959), series, as Carl Harris
- *Tightrope* (1959), series, as Brahn
- *The Hanging Tree* (1959), as Tom Flaunce
- *No Name on the Bullet* (1959), as Stricker
- *Black Saddle* (1959), series, as Dr. Wyle
- *Rawhide* (1959), series, Actor
- *Gateways to the Mind* (1958), as Hal - the Cameraman (uncredited)
- *77 Sunset Strip* (1958), series, as Marty Kline
- *Bat Masterson* (1958), series, as Jim Pate
- *Westinghouse Desilu Playhouse* (1958), series, as Van Kemp
- *The Rifleman* (1958), series, as Chris Manse
- *The Texan* (1958), series, Actor
- *Bronco* (1958), series, Actor
- *Kings Go Forth* (1958), as The Colonel
- *Leave It to Beaver* (1957), series, as George Haskell
- *Trackdown* (1957), series, Actor
- *The Court of Last Resort* (1957), series, Actor
- *The Walter Winchell File* (1957), series, Actor
- *Maverick* (1957), series, as Captain Nares, Sheriff Griffin, General Josiah Warren
- *Perry Mason* (1957), series, as Axel Norstaad, Corley Ketchum, Charles Norman, Unk Hazekian
- *Sugarfoot* (1957), series, as Andy Burke, Bill Manning, Alexi Sharlokov, Dennis O'Hara
- *Have Gun, Will Travel* (1957), series, Actor
- *Four Boys and a Gun* (1957), as Mr. Badek
- *Dick Powell's Zane Grey Theatre* (1956), series, as Lee Willis, Lud Greening, Will Harmon
- *The Adventures of Jim Bowie* (1956), series, as Andre Rochambeau
- *Alice in Wonderland* (1955), as Humpty Dumpty
- *Playwrights '56* (1955), series, Actor
- *Alfred Hitchcock Presents* (1955), series, as Ed Holland, John
- *Gunsmoke* (1955), series, as Hank Luz, Raff, Hutch, Adam, Tabe, Ian McGovern, Lars Karlgren, McGruder, Mr. Hubert
- *The Wonderful World of Disney* (1954), series, as Laredo Marshal (uncredited)
- *Lassie* (1954), series, Actor
- *Portia Faces Life* (1954), series, Actor
- *Hallmark Hall of Fame* (1951), series, as Humpty Dumpty
- *Schlitz Playhouse of Stars* (1951), series, as Asmussen
- *Robert Montgomery Presents* (1950), series, Actor
- *December 7th* (1943), as Machine-Gunner (uncredited)
- *Strangers All* (1935), as Protester at Communist Meeting

## Gallery

- ![Karl Swenson](https://film.one/media/person/449050/gallery-c2584df6e731.jpg) Karl Swenson — Macfadden Publications, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons (https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/9/9d/Karl_Swenson_1946.jpg?utm_source=commons.wikimedia.org&utm_campaign=imageinfo&utm_content=thumbnail_unscaled)
- ![Karl Swenson](https://film.one/media/person/449050/gallery-47dbf773a1e8.jpg) Karl Swenson — Image via TMDB
- ![Karl Swenson](https://film.one/media/person/449050/gallery-fb5c1075dcd6.jpg) Karl Swenson — Image via TMDB

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© Fi1m Ltd. Written by AI under a human editor; checked against sources before publication. Quote with attribution and a link to the canonical URL. Canonical: https://film.one/person/karl-swenson