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 immigrated to the United States when he was 17, joined the United States Marine Corps, and served until his honorable discharge six years later.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., 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.Bo Svenson profile, bosvenson.com; 26 February 2012. He has since become a naturalized United States citizen.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. 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 title.
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's Mike Ehrmantraut.
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 - 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 - Page 63 Deadly Impact Delta Force Commando (1987),TV Guide - Delta Force Commando The Kill Reflex (1989),BFI - The Kill Reflex (1989) Film details Three Days to a Kill (1991),BFI - Three Days to a Kill (1991), Film Details and Steele's Law (1991)BFI - 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.
Filmography Actor + Film Year Title Role 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 Murdock1977 The Son of the Sheik Hamilton Burger Walking Tall: Final Chapter Buford PusserSnowbeastGar Seberg 1978 The Inglorious Bastards Lieutenant Robert Yeager 1979 Portrait of a Hitman Dr. Bob Michaels North Dallas Forty Jo Bob Priddy1980 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 Captain Campbell Choke Canyon Captain Oliver Parkside Armour of God Monk Heartbreak Ridge Roy Jennings, Palace Bar Owner 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 1988 Andy Colby's Incredible Adventure Kor The Conqueror Deep Space Captain Robertson Primal Rage Ethridge 1989 Soda Cracker Ivan Moss Curse II: 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 Colonel Roy Ackett 1996 Cheyenne Captain Starrett 1997 Speed 2: Cruise Control Captain Pollard 1998 Yukie Richard 2000Crackerjack 3 Jack Thorn 2001 Outlaw Detective Maize 2004 Legacy Purse Snatcher Kill Bill: Volume 2 Reverend Harmony Kill Bill: The Whole Bloody Affair Reverend Harmony 2005 Hell to Pay Del Shannon 2006 Raising Jeffrey Dahmer Detective John Amos 2008 I Am Somebody: No Chance in Hell Bo Foreman 2009 Inglourious Basterds American Colonel2010 The 7 Adventures of Sinbad Simon Magnusson Angry Bill Icarus Vadim2014 The Dependables Mick Skinner Jersey Justice W.W. Tolliver 2019Finding GraceDr. Nelson
+ 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 episodesThe OutcastsPardeeEpisode: "The Heroes" 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" 1970 The Virginian Lonnie Episode: "The Price of the Hanging" The 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 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 1978 Battle of the Network Stars Himself Competitor with the CBS team 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 Colonel 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 Unknown 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 Holloway Muldoon 2 episodes 2002 JAG Captain Mikhail Yerastov Episodes: "Defending His Honor" and "Enemy Below" 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 1996 The Road Home 1996–1998 Kung Fu: The Legend Continues 1998 He's Not Heavy 2001 Outlaw 2004 Legacy
Producer Year Title Notes 1998 Yukie Co-producer 2004 Legacy Producer 2006 Raising Jeffrey Dahmer Co-producer
Writer Year Title 2001 Outlaw 2004 Legacy
References
External links
Interviews Interview from The Quentin Tarantino Archives, tarantino.info; accessed 20 August 2015.