Bo Svenson
| Bo Svenson | |
|---|---|
| Born |
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
Born in Sweden, to a Russian Jewish mother and a Swedish father. Lola Iris Viola, 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) 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
- Interview from The Quentin Tarantino Archives, tarantino.info; accessed 20 August 2015.
Filmography
Actor
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1973 | Maurie | Jack Twyman | |
| 1974 | The Great Waldo Pepper | Axel Olsson | |
| 1975 | Walking Tall, Part 2 | Buford Pusser | |
| 1976 | Breaking Point | Michael McBain | |
| Special Delivery | Jack Murdock | ||
| 1977 | The Son of the Sheik | Hamilton Burger | |
| Walking Tall: Final Chapter | Buford Pusser | ||
| 1978 | The Inglorious Bastards | Lt. Robert Yeager | |
| 1979 | Portrait of a Hitman | Dr. Bob Michaels | |
| North Dallas Forty | Jo Bob Priddy | ||
| 1980 | Sverige åt svenskarna | The lad | |
| Virus | Major Carter | ||
| 1982 | Night Warning | Detective Joe Carlson | |
| 1983 | Thunder | Sheriff Bill Cook | |
| 1984 | Deadly Impact | George Ryan | |
| The Manhunt | Sheriff | ||
| 1985 | Wizards of the Lost Kingdom | Kor | |
| 1986 | The Delta Force | Capt. Campbell | |
| On Dangerous Ground | Capt. Oliver Parkside | ||
| Armour of God | Monk | ||
| Heartbreak Ridge | Roy Jennings, Palace Bar Owner | ||
| 1987 | Maniac Killer | Count Silvano | |
| Movie in Action | The Director | ||
| Thunder Warrior II | Sheriff Roger | ||
| Double Target | Colonel Galckin | ||
| White Phantom | The Colonel | ||
| Brothers in Blood | Steven Elliott Logan/Steel | ||
| 1988 | Andy Colby's Incredible Adventure | Kor The Conqueror | |
| Delta Force Commando | Col. Keitel | ||
| Deep Space | Capt. Robertson | ||
| Primal Rage | Ethridge | ||
| 1989 | Soda Cracker | Ivan Moss | |
| The Bite | The Sheriff | ||
| Beyond the Door III | Professor Andromolek | ||
| 1990 | Tides of War | SS Colonel | |
| Laser Mission | Colonel | ||
| 1991 | Critical Action | Ex-con | |
| Steele's Law | Sheriff Barnes | ||
| 1992 | Three Days to a Kill | Rick | |
| 1994 | Savage Land | Jeb | |
| 1995 | Private Obsession | Sam Weston | |
| Steel Frontier | Roy Ackett | ||
| 1996 | Cheyenne | Capt. Starrett | |
| 1997 | Speed 2: Cruise Control | Captain Pollard | |
| 1998 | Yukie | Richard | |
| 2000 | Crackerjack 3 | Jack Thorn | |
| 2001 | Outlaw | Detective Maize | |
| 2004 | Legacy | Purse Snatcher | |
| Kill Bill: Volume 2 | Reverend Harmony | ||
| 2005 | Hell to Pay | Del Shannon | |
| 2006 | Raising Jeffrey Dahmer | Detective John Amos | |
| 2008 | I Am Somebody: No Chance in Hell | Foreman Bo | |
| 2009 | Inglourious Basterds | American Colonel | |
| 2010 | Jersey Justice | W.W. Tolliver | |
| The 7 Adventures of Sinbad | Simon Magnusson | ||
| Angry | Bill | ||
| Icarus | Vadim | ||
| 2014 | The Dependables | Mick Skinner | |
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1965 | Flipper | Harry Hobson | Episode: "Coral Fever" |
| 1967 | N.Y.P.D. | Actor | Episode: "Shakedown" |
| 1968 | Premier | 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 | The 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
| Year | Title | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| 1996–1998 | Kung Fu: The Legend Continues | |
| 1998 | He's Not Heavy | |
| 2001 | Outlaw | |
| 2004 | Legacy | |
| 2010 | Moomins and the Comet Chase | Voices |
Producer
| Year | Title | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| 1998 | Yukie | Co-producer |
| 2004 | Legacy | Producer |
| 2006 | Raising Jeffrey Dahmer | Co-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