Karl Swenson's Main TV Roles Show Character(s) Little House on the Prairie (1974) Lars Hanson Cimarron Strip Dr. Kihlgren Judd for the Defense Judge Zane Grey Theater Luis Greening The Comedy Spot Harold Carol

Main Movie Roles 1972 - Ulzana's Raid 1971 - Vanishing Point 1967 - Hour of the Gun 1966 - Seconds 1965 - The Cincinnati Kid 1965 - Major Dundee 1965 - The Sons of Katie Elder 1963 - The Sword in the Stone 1963 - The Birds 1963 - The Prize 1962 - Lonely Are the Brave 1962 - How the West Was Won 1961 - Judgment at Nuremberg 1960 - Ice Palace 1960 - North to Alaska 1960 - Flaming Star 1959 - The Hanging Tree 1957 - Four Boys and a Gun

BIOGRAPHY:

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 (I) 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.


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 on 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 souped up the car for the cross country chase (as well as the owner of the garage).