Bo Svenson
Not to be confused with Danish football player
Bo Svensson.
| Bo Svenson |
|---|
| Born |
(1941-02-13) 13 February 1941
Gothenburg, Sweden |
|---|
| Occupation |
Actor, film director, film producer, writer |
|---|
| Years active |
1965–present |
|---|
| Spouse(s) |
Lise Svenson (1966–present); 3 daughters; Pia, Maja and Mia[1] |
|---|
| Website |
Official website |
|---|
Bo Svenson (born 13 February 1941) is a Swedish-born American actor, known for his roles in American genre films of the 1970s and 1980s. He is a naturalized United States citizen.[2]
Early life
Svenson was born in Sweden, to Lola Iris Viola (née Johansson), a big band leader, actress, and singer, and Birger Ragnar Svenson, a personal driver, athlete, and bodyguard for the King of Sweden.[3] He emigrated to the United States and then, when he was 17, joined the United States Marine Corps, serving until his honorable discharge six years later.[3] His first state of residence in the United States was Georgia, where he became familiar with the rural Southern accent he later employed in some of his roles.[3]
He also holds a fourth degree (Yondan = 4th Dan) black belt in judo. He earned his first degree (Shodan) belt at Kodokan in Japan, the home dojo of Judo, while stationed in Japan in 1961 as a Marine.[4] He was the 1961 Far East Judo Champion in the Heavyweight Division.[3]
Career
In the late 1960s, Svenson had a recurring role in the hit TV series Here Come the Brides as Lumberjack Olaf "Big Swede" Gustavsen. In the mid-1970s, he took over the role of lawman Buford Pusser from Joe Don Baker in both sequels to the hit 1973 film Walking Tall, after Pusser himself, who had originally agreed to take over the role, died in an automobile crash. He reprised the role again for the short-lived 1981 television series of the same name.[5]
One of his most famous roles in films was as murder witness-turned-vigilante Michael McBain in the 1976 cult classic Breaking Point. He played the Soviet agent Ivan in the Magnum, P.I. episode "Did You See the Sunrise?" (1982) and many years later had a cameo as an American colonel in Inglourious Basterds, as a tribute to his role in The Inglorious Bastards; he is the only actor to appear in both films.[5]
Interviews
Filmography
Actor
Television
| Year |
Title |
Role |
Notes |
| 1965 |
Flipper |
Harry Hobson |
Episode: "Coral Fever" |
| 1967 |
N.Y.P.D. |
Actor |
Episode: "Shakedown" |
| 1968 |
Premiere |
Milovan Drumm |
Episode: "The Freebooters" |
| Mission Impossible |
Karl |
Episode: "The Mercenaries" |
| Here Comes the Brides |
Big Swede |
10 episodes |
| 1969 |
Lancer |
Josh |
Episode: "The Wedding" |
| The Name of the Game |
G.B. Mosbie |
Episode: "Love-In at Ground Zero" |
| Daniel Boone |
Haskins |
Episode: "A Pinch of Salt" |
| The High Chaparral |
Bennett |
Episode: "Trail to Nevemore" |
| Ironside |
Baron Lars Von Gyllenskjold |
Episode: "Love My Enemy" |
| 1970 |
The Virginian |
Lonnie |
Episode: "The Price of the Hanging" |
| Mod Squad |
Bubba |
Episode: "Welcome to the Human Race, Levi Frazee!" |
| 1971 |
The Chicago Teddy Bears |
Georgi |
Episode: "Billy the Kid" |
| McCloud |
Charles 'Bubba' White |
Episode: "Top of the World, Ma" |
| 1972 |
The Bravos |
Raeder |
TV movie |
| The Rookies |
Bud Reeves |
Episode: "The Commitment" |
| Banyon |
Carlo |
Episode: "Meal Ticket" |
| 1973 |
The Wide World of Mystery |
Monster |
2 part episode: "Frankenstein" |
| You'll Never See Me Again |
Sam |
TV movie |
| Kung Fu |
Pike |
Episode: "The Spirit-Helper" |
| 1974 |
The Snoop Sisters |
Chet Marion |
Episode: "Fear Is a Free-Throw" |
| 1975 |
Target Risk |
Lee Driscoll |
Tv movie |
| 1977 |
Snowbeast |
Gar Seberg |
TV movie |
| 1979 |
Gold of the Amazon Women |
Tom Jensen |
TV movie |
| The Spirit of Adventure: Night Flight |
Fabien |
TV movie |
| 1981 |
Walking Tall |
Sheriff Buford Pusser |
7 episodes |
| 1982 |
Magnum, P.I. |
Ivan |
Episode: "Did You See the Sun Rise?" |
| 1983 |
The Fall Guy |
Col. Baker |
2 episodes |
| 1984 |
Jealousy |
Ho Hutton |
TV movie |
| Hunter |
Sheriff Jake Cutter |
Episode: "A Long Way from L.A." |
| 1985 |
Crazy like a Fox |
|
Episode: "Motor Homicide" |
| 1987 |
Dirty Dozen: The Deadly Mission |
Maurice Fontenac |
TV movie |
| 1988 |
Murder, She Wrote |
Karl Anderson |
2 episodes |
| 1993 |
Neon Rider |
Maitland |
Episode: "Walking Tall" |
| Street Justice |
Captain Stryker |
Episode: "Countdown" |
| The Commish |
George Hayes |
Episode: "Hero" |
| 1994 |
Lonesome Dove: The Series |
Colonel Jeb Quintano |
Episode: "Last Stand" |
| Cobra |
Frank McLory |
Episode: "Death Dive" |
| Kung Fu: The Legend Continues |
Ben Kinasay |
Episode: "Only the Strong Survive" |
| 1995 |
Pointman |
Uncle Nick |
Episode: "Going Home" |
| 1997 |
Heartless |
Sheriff Sam |
TV movie |
| 1998 |
Dead Man's Gun |
Colonel Horace Buckthorn |
Episode: "The Mimsers" |
| 1998 |
Due South |
Colonel Horace Buckthorn |
2-part episode: "Call of the Wild" |
| 2002 |
JAG |
Capt. Mikhail Yerastov |
2 episodes |
| 2004 |
I'll Be Seeing You |
Philip Carter |
TV movie |
| Proof of the Man |
Ken Shuftan |
TV mini-series |
| 2012 |
Arne Dahl: Bad Blood |
Daniel Brink |
TV movie |
|
Director
Producer
Writer
| Year |
Title |
Notes |
| 2001 |
Outlaw |
|
| 2004 |
Legacy |
|
|
References
- ↑ Bo Svenson bio, imdb.com; accessed 12 August 2016.
- ↑ Bo Svenson resume, imdb.com; accessed 20 August 2015.
- 1 2 3 4 Bo Svenson profile, bosvenson.com; 26 February 2012.
- ↑ "JUDOKA AND WALKING TALL ACTOR BO SVENSON". judotalk.com. Retrieved 5 August 2014.
- 1 2 Bo Svenson at the Internet Movie Database