CINEFILER

Moroni Olsen

Born
June 26, 1889
Died
November 22, 1954
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia Moroni Olsen (June 27, 1889 – November 22, 1954) was an American actor. Olsen was born in Ogden, Utah, to Mormon parents Edward Arenholt Olsen and Martha Hoverholst, who named him after the Moroni found in the Book of Mormon. Some sources have claimed that Olsen's birth name was John Willard Clawson, but there appears to be no support for this claim. Olsen studied at Weber Stake Academy, the predecessor of Weber State University. He then went to study at the University of Utah, where one of his teachers was Maud May Babcock. During World War I, he sold war bonds for the United States Navy. He also studied and performed in the Eastern United States around this time. In 1923, Olsen organized the "Moroni Olsen Players" out of Ogden. They performed at both Ogden's Orpheum Theatre and at various other locations spread from Salt Lake City to Seattle. After having worked on Broadway, he made his film debut in a 1935 adaptation of The Three Musketeers. He later played a different role in a 1939 comedy version of the story, starring Don Ameche as D'Artagnan and the Ritz Brothers as three dimwitted lackeys who are forced to substitute for the musketeers, who have drunk themselves into a stupor. His most famous role was the voice of the Slave in The Magic Mirror in Walt Disney's Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs (1937). Olsen also provided the voice of the senior angel in It's a Wonderful Life. Olsen was an active member of the LDS Church, being a teacher of youth in the Hoolwood Ward. He also was director of the Pilgramage Play of Hollywood for several years.
Known For
It's a Wonderful Life
(1946)
Senior Angel (voice) (uncredited)
Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs
(1937)
Magic Mirror (voice) (uncredited)
Samson and Delilah
(1949)
Targil
Notorious
(1946)
Walter Beardsley
Father of the Bride
(1950)
Herbert Dunstan
Mildred Pierce
(1945)
Inspector Peterson
Father's Little Dividend
(1951)
Herbert Dunstan
The Fountainhead
(1949)
Chairman
Thirty Seconds Over Tokyo
(1944)
General (uncredited)
Call Northside 777
(1948)
Parole Board Chairman
Mary of Scotland
(1936)
John Knox
Santa Fe Trail
(1940)
Robert E. Lee
Madame Curie
(1943)
President of Businessman's Board (uncredited)
Marie Antoinette
(1938)
Bearded Leader of the People (uncredited)
Possessed
(1947)
Dr. Ames - Mrs. Smith's psychiatrist
Dive Bomber
(1941)
Senior Surgeon at San Diego
Full Filmography
Acting
Annie Oakley
(1935)
Col. William F. 'Buffalo Bill' Cody
The Three Musketeers
(1935)
Porthos
Seven Keys to Baldpate
(1935)
Mayor Jim Cargen
We're Only Human
(1935)
R.J. Curran
Grand Jury
(1936)
Davis, the bodyguard
M'Liss
(1936)
Jake
Yellow Dust
(1936)
Missouri
Mary of Scotland
(1936)
John Knox
Two in Revolt
(1936)
Cyrus Benton
Mummy's Boys
(1936)
Dr. Edward Sterling
The Witness Chair
(1936)
Lt. Poole
The Farmer in the Dell
(1936)
Chester Hart
The Plough and the Stars
(1936)
General Connally
Adventure's End
(1937)
First Mate Rand Husk
Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs
(1937)
Magic Mirror (voice) (uncredited)
The Soldier and the Lady
(1937)
Tartar Chief (Voice) (Uncredited)
The Last Gangster
(1937)
Detective Danny Shea (uncredited)
Submarine Patrol
(1938)
The Fleet Captain
Kentucky
(1938)
John Dillon - 1938
There Goes My Heart
(1938)
Fisherman (uncredited)
Kidnapped
(1938)
Douglas
Gold Is Where You Find It
(1938)
Senator Hearst
That Certain Age
(1938)
Fullerton's Associate (uncredited)
Marie Antoinette
(1938)
Bearded Leader of the People (uncredited)
What Do You Think? Tupapaoo
(1938)
Kurt Larsen
Dust Be My Destiny
(1939)
Slim Jones
Allegheny Uprising
(1939)
Tom Calhoon
Rose of Washington Square
(1939)
Buck Russell
Code of the Secret Service
(1939)
The friar
Barricade
(1939)
Managing Editor
Susannah of the Mounties
(1939)
Supt. Andrew Standing
That's Right - You're Wrong
(1939)
Jonathan Forbes
Homicide Bureau
(1939)
Captain Haines
The Three Musketeers
(1939)
Bailiff
Off the Record
(1939)
Juvenal Court Judge
The Bill of Rights
(1939)
Royal Governor Dunmore
Invisible Stripes
(1939)
The Warden
Santa Fe Trail
(1940)
Robert E. Lee
Brigham Young
(1940)
Doc Richards
East of the River
(1940)
Judge R.D. Davis
Virginia City
(1940)
Cameron
Brother Rat and a Baby
(1940)
Major Terry
If I Had My Way
(1940)
Mr. Blair
Dive Bomber
(1941)
Senior Surgeon at San Diego
Dangerously They Live
(1941)
Mr. John Goodwin
One Foot in Heaven
(1941)
Dr. John Romer
Life with Henry
(1941)
Sylvanus Q. Sattherwaite
Three Sons o' Guns
(1941)
Philip G. Talbot
Respect the Law
(1941)
Dr. Walter Terriss
The Glass Key
(1942)
Ralph Henry
Nazi Agent
(1942)
Brenner
Mrs. Wiggs of the Cabbage Patch
(1942)
Dr. Henry Olcott
My Favorite Spy
(1942)
Major Allen
Sundown Jim
(1942)
Andrew Barr
Reunion in France
(1942)
Paul Grebeau
Air Force
(1943)
Col. Blake
Madame Curie
(1943)
President of Businessman's Board (uncredited)
Mission to Moscow
(1943)
Col. Faymonville
We've Never Been Licked
(1943)
Commandant
Buffalo Bill
(1944)
Sen. Frederici
Ali Baba and the Forty Thieves
(1944)
Caliph Hassan
Roger Touhy, Gangster
(1944)
Riley
Cobra Woman
(1944)
MacDonald
Thirty Seconds Over Tokyo
(1944)
General (uncredited)
Mildred Pierce
(1945)
Inspector Peterson
Pride of the Marines
(1945)
Capt. Burroughs
Week-End at the Waldorf
(1945)
House Detective
Don't Fence Me In
(1945)
Henry Bennett
Notorious
(1946)
Walter Beardsley
The Strange Woman
(1946)
Rev. Thatcher
The Walls Came Tumbling Down
(1946)
Bishop Martin
Boys' Ranch
(1946)
Judge Henderson
It's a Wonderful Life
(1946)
Senior Angel (voice) (uncredited)
From This Day Forward
(1946)
Tim Bagley
Possessed
(1947)
Dr. Ames - Mrs. Smith's psychiatrist
High Wall
(1947)
Dr. Philip Dunlap
Life with Father
(1947)
Dr. Humphries
The Long Night
(1947)
Chief of Police Bob McManus
That Hagen Girl
(1947)
Trenton Gateley
Black Gold
(1947)
Don Toland
Call Northside 777
(1948)
Parole Board Chairman
Up in Central Park
(1948)
Big Jim Fitts
Command Decision
(1948)
Congressman Stone
The Fountainhead
(1949)
Chairman
Samson and Delilah
(1949)
Targil
Task Force
(1949)
Adm. Ames
Father of the Bride
(1950)
Herbert Dunstan
Father's Little Dividend
(1951)
Herbert Dunstan
No Questions Asked
(1951)
Henry Manston
Submarine Command
(1951)
Rear Adm. Joshua Rice
Payment on Demand
(1951)
Mr. Barton
At Sword's Point
(1952)
Porthos
Washington Story
(1952)
Speaker Of The House
Lone Star
(1952)
Sam Houston
So This Is Love
(1953)
Arnold Reuben
Marry Me Again
(1953)
Mr. Courtney
The Long, Long Trailer
(1954)
Mr. Tewitt
Sign of the Pagan
(1954)
Pope Leo I
Data provided by TMDB