Bo Svenson
{{short description|Swedish-American actor}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=January 2015}}
{{Infobox person
| name = Bo Svenson
| image = Bo Headshot 2023.jpg
| caption = Svenson in 2023
| birth_date = {{Birth date and age|df=yes|1941|2|13}}
| birth_place = Gothenburg, Sweden
| death_date =
| death_place =
| occupation = Actor, film director, film producer, screenwriter
| years_active = 1965–present
| spouse = {{marriage|Lise Svenson|1966}}
| website = {{URL|bosvenson.com}}
}}
Bo Svenson (born 13 February 1941) is a Swedish-American actor, director, producer, and screenwriter, known for his roles in American genre films of the 1970s and 1980s.
Early life
Svenson was born in Sweden, the son of Birger Ragnar Svensson (1917–?), an athlete and the personal driver and bodyguard for the King of Sweden, and musician/big band leader Iris Viola "Lola" Svensson (1912–1998).
Svenson emigrated to the United States when he was 17, joined the United States Marine Corps, and served until his honorable discharge six years later.[https://www.tcm.com/tcmdb/person/187375%7C0/Bo-Svenson/#overview Bo Svenson, Actor: Biography] Turner Classic Movies. Retrieved November 2, 2023. After his military service, Svenson settled in Florida, where he earned his living in various jobs, including professional race car driver.[https://www.tcm.com/tcmdb/person/187375%7C0/Bo-Svenson#biography], tcm.com; 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.[http://www.bosvenson.com/bio.htm Bo Svenson profile], bosvenson.com; 26 February 2012. He has since become a naturalized United States citizen.[https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0004149/resume?ref_=nm_ov_res Bo Svenson resume], imdb.com; accessed 20 August 2015.
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.{{cite web|title=JUDOKA AND WALKING TALL ACTOR BO SVENSON|url=http://judotalk.com/profiles/blogs/judoka-and-walking-tall-actor-bo-svenson|website=judotalk.com|access-date=5 August 2014}} He was the 1961 Far East Judo Champion in the Heavyweight Division.
Career
In the late 1960s, Svenson had a recurring role in the TV series Here Come the Brides as Lumberjack Olaf "Big Swede" Gustavsen. He appeared in the 1973 made-for-TV movie Frankenstein, in which he plays the "Creature".
One of his first big-screen movie roles was opposite Robert Redford in The Great Waldo Pepper, where Redford and Svenson play rival ex-WWI U.S. Army Air Service pilots who are now employed in the hard and dangerous but wildly adventurous lives of 1920s barnstorming pilots, touring the Midwest.
In his next pursuit, Svenson 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.{{IMDb name|4149}}
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.
Svenson got name-checked by Breaking Bad
=Work with Fred Williamson=
Svenson has co-starred in a number of films with Fred Williamson. They include, The Inglorious Bastards (1978),TimeOut, Friday 10 February 2023 - [https://www.timeout.com/film/50-best-world-war-ii-movies The 50 best World War II movies, 40. The Inglorious Bastards (1978) Written by Phil de Semlyen, Tom Huddleston] Deadly Impact (1984),'
80s Action Movies on the Cheap, Daniel R. Budnik, 2017 - ISBN (print) 978-07864-9741-6 - [https://books.google.com/books?id=S6RtDgAAQBAJ&dq=Fred+Williamson%22Bo+Svenson%22&pg=PA63 Page 63 Deadly Impact'] Delta Force Commando (1987),TV Guide - [https://www.tvguide.com/movies/delta-force-commando/2000328806/ Delta Force Commando] The Kill Reflex (1989),BFI - [https://web.archive.org/web/20200812050443/https://www.bfi.org.uk/films-tv-people/4ce2b7e451880 The Kill Reflex (1989) Film details] Three Days to a Kill (1991),BFI - [https://web.archive.org/web/20200929111509/https://www2.bfi.org.uk/films-tv-people/4ce2b7b636deb Three Days to a Kill (1991), Film Details] and Steele's Law (1991)BFI - [https://web.archive.org/web/20210616123209/https://www2.bfi.org.uk/films-tv-people/4ce2b801c9acb Steele's Law (1991), Film details]
Outside acting
Svenson maintains an active role in the entertainment industry and is the Founder and CEO of MagicQuest Entertainment, a Hollywood production company since 1975, and Founder and CEO of CanAm Film Corp., a British Columbia corporation since 1992.{{Cite web |title=Biography |url=https://www.bosvenson.com/biography |access-date=2022-11-19 |website=Bosvenson |language=en}}
Filmography
=Actor=
| class = "wikitable sortable"
|+ Film |
| Year
! Title ! Role |
|---|
| 1973
| Maurie | Jack Twyman |
| 1974
| Axel Olsson |
| 1975
| Buford Pusser |
| rowspan=2 | 1976
| Michael McBain |
| Special Delivery
| Jack Murdock |
| rowspan="2" |1977
| The Son of the Sheik | Hamilton Burger |
| Walking Tall: Final Chapter
| Buford Pusser |
| |Snowbeast
|Gar Seberg |
| 1978
| Lieutenant Robert Yeager |
| rowspan=2 | 1979
| Dr. Bob Michaels |
| North Dallas Forty
| Jo Bob Priddy |
| 1980
| Virus | Major Carter |
| 1982
| Detective Joe Carlson |
| 1983
| Thunder | Sheriff Bill Cook |
| rowspan=2 | 1984
| Deadly Impact | George Ryan |
| The Manhunt
| Sheriff |
| 1985
| Kor |
| rowspan=4 | 1986
| Captain Campbell |
| Choke Canyon
| Captain Oliver Parkside |
| Armour of God
| Monk |
| Heartbreak Ridge
| Roy Jennings, Palace Bar Owner |
| rowspan="7" | 1987
| Maniac Killer | Count Silvano |
| Movie in Action
| The Director |
| Thunder II
| Sheriff Roger |
| Double Target
| Colonel Galckin |
| White Phantom
| The Colonel |
| Brothers in Blood
| Steven Elliott Logan / Steel |
| Delta Force Commando
| Colonel Keitel |
| rowspan="3" | 1988
| Andy Colby's Incredible Adventure | Kor The Conqueror |
| Deep Space
| Captain Robertson |
| Primal Rage
| Ethridge |
| rowspan=3 | 1989
| Ivan Moss |
| Curse II: The Bite
| The Sheriff |
| Beyond the Door III
| Professor Andromolek |
| rowspan=2 | 1990
| Tides of War | SS Colonel |
| Laser Mission
| Colonel |
| rowspan=2 | 1991
| Critical Action | Ex-Con |
| Steele's Law
| Sheriff Barnes |
| 1992
| Three Days to a Kill | Rick |
| 1994
| Savage Land | Jeb |
| rowspan=2 | 1995
| Private Obsession | Sam Weston |
| Steel Frontier
| Colonel Roy Ackett |
| 1996
| Cheyenne | Captain Starrett |
| 1997
| Captain Pollard |
| 1998
| Yukie | Richard |
| 2000
| Jack Thorn |
| 2001
| Outlaw | Detective Maize |
| rowspan=2 | 2004
| Legacy | Purse Snatcher |
| Kill Bill: Volume 2
| Reverend Harmony |
| 2005
| Hell to Pay | Del Shannon |
| 2006
| Detective John Amos |
| 2008
| I Am Somebody: No Chance in Hell | Bo Foreman |
| 2009
| American Colonel |
| rowspan="3" |2010
| Simon Magnusson |
| Angry
| Bill |
| Icarus
| Vadim |
| rowspan="2" |2014
| Mick Skinner |
| Jersey Justice
| W.W. Tolliver |
| 2019
|Dr. Nelson |
| class = "wikitable sortable"
|+ Television |
| Year
! Title ! Role ! class = "unsortable" | Notes |
|---|
| 1965
| Flipper | Harry Hobson | Episode: "Coral Fever" |
| 1967
| N.Y.P.D. | Actor | Episode: "Shakedown" |
| rowspan="4" | 1968
| Premiere | Milovan Drumm | Episode: "The Freebooters" |
| Mission Impossible
| Karl | Episode: "The Mercenaries" |
| Here Comes the Brides
| Big Swede | 10 episodes |
| The Outcasts
|Pardee |Episode: "The Heroes" |
| rowspan=5 | 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 Nevermore" |
| Ironside
| Baron Lars Von Gyllenskjold | Episode: "Love My Enemy" |
| rowspan=2 | 1970
| Lonnie | Episode: "The Price of the Hanging" |
| The Mod Squad
| Bubba | Episode: "Welcome to the Human Race, Levi Frazee!" |
| rowspan=2 | 1971
| Georgi | Episode: "Billy the Kid" |
| McCloud
| Charles 'Bubba' White | Episode: "Top of the World, Ma" |
| rowspan=3 | 1972
| The Bravos | Raeder | TV movie |
| The Rookies
| Bud Reeves | Episode: "The Commitment" |
| Banyon
| Carlo | Episode: "Meal Ticket" |
| rowspan="2" |1973
| You'll Never See Me Again | Sam | TV movie |
| Kung Fu
| Pike | Episode: "The Spirit-Helper" |
| 1974
| Chet Marion | Episode: "Fear Is a Free-Throw" |
| 1975
| Target Risk | Lee Driscoll | TV movie |
| 1977
| Gar Seberg | TV movie |
| rowspan=2 | 1979
| Tom Jensen | TV movie |
| The Spirit of Adventure: Night Flight
| Fabien | TV movie |
| 1981
| Sheriff Buford Pusser | 7 episodes |
| 1982
| Ivan | Episode: "Did You See the Sun Rise?" |
| 1983
| Colonel Baker | 2 episodes |
| rowspan=2 | 1984
| Jealousy | Ho Hutton | TV movie |
| Hunter
| Sheriff Jake Cutter | Episode: "A Long Way from L.A." |
| 1985
| Unknown | Episode: "Motor Homicide" |
| 1987
| The Dirty Dozen: The Deadly Mission | Maurice Fontenac | TV movie |
| 1988
| Karl Anderson | 2 episodes |
| rowspan=3 | 1993
| Maitland | Episode: "Walking Tall" |
| Street Justice
| Captain Stryker | Episode: "Countdown" |
| The Commish
| George Hayes | Episode: "Hero" |
| rowspan=3 | 1994
| 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
| Sheriff Sam | TV movie |
| 1998
| Colonel Horace Buckthorn | Episode: "The Mimsers" |
| 1998
| Holloway Muldoon | 2 episodes |
| 2002
| JAG | Captain Mikhail Yerastov | 2 episodes |
| rowspan=2 | 2004
| Philip Carter | TV movie |
| Proof of the Man
| Ken Shuftan | TV mini-series |
| 2012
| Arne Dahl: Bad Blood | Daniel Brink | TV movie |
=Director=
| class = "wikitable sortable" |
| Year
! Title |
|---|
| 1996
| The Road Home |
| 1996–1998 |
| 1998
| He's Not Heavy |
| 2001
| Outlaw |
| 2004
| Legacy |
| 2010 |
=Producer=
| class = "wikitable sortable" |
| Year
! Title ! Notes |
|---|
| 1998
| Yukie | Co-producer |
| 2004
| Legacy | Producer |
| 2006
| Co-producer |
=Writer=
| class = "wikitable sortable" |
| Year
! Title |
|---|
| 2001
| Outlaw |
| 2004
| Legacy |
References
{{reflist}}
External links
{{commons category}}
- {{official website|http://www.bosvenson.com/}}
- {{IMDb name|4149}}
;Interviews
- [http://wiki.tarantino.info/index.php/Interview_with_Bo_Svenson Interview from The Quentin Tarantino Archives], tarantino.info; accessed 20 August 2015.
{{Authority control}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Svenson, Bo}}
Category:American male film actors
Category:American male television actors
Category:American voice directors
Category:Swedish voice directors
Category:Naturalized citizens of the United States
Category:Male actors from Gothenburg
Category:Swedish emigrants to the United States
Category:Swedish male film actors
Category:Swedish male television actors
Category:University of California, Los Angeles alumni