Moroni Olsen
- Known for
- Acting
- Born
- 26 June 1889 · Ogden, Utah, USA
- Died
- 22 November 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
Acting 100
- 1954Sign of the Pagan as Pope Leo I
- 1954The Long, Long Trailer as Mr. Tewitt
- 1953Marry Me Again as Mr. Courtney
- 1953So This Is Love as Arnold Reuben
- 1952Lone Star as Sam Houston
- 1952Washington Story as Speaker Of The House
- 1952At Sword's Point as Porthos
- 1951Submarine Command as Rear Adm. Joshua Rice
- 1951No Questions Asked as Henry Manston
- 1951Father's Little Dividend as Herbert Dunstan
- 1951Payment on Demand as Mr. Barton
- 1950Father of the Bride as Herbert Dunstan
- 1949Samson and Delilah as Targil
- 1949Task Force as Adm. Ames
- 1949The Fountainhead as Chairman
- 1948Command Decision as Congressman Stone
- 1948Up in Central Park as Big Jim Fitts
- 1948Call Northside 777 as Parole Board Chairman
- 1947High Wall as Dr. Philip Dunlap
- 1947That Hagen Girl as Trenton Gateley
- 1947Black Gold as Don Toland
- 1947Life with Father as Dr. Humphries
- 1947Possessed as Dr. Ames
- 1947The Long Night as Chief of Police Bob McManus
- 1946It's a Wonderful Life as Senior Angel (voice) (uncredited)
- 1946The Strange Woman as Rev. Thatcher
- 1946Notorious as Walter Beardsley
- 1946Boys' Ranch as Judge Henderson
- 1946The Walls Came Tumbling Down as Bishop Martin
- 1946From This Day Forward as Tim Bagley
- 1945Mildred Pierce as Inspector Peterson
- 1945Don't Fence Me In as Henry Bennett
- 1945Week-End at the Waldorf as House Detective
- 1945Behind City Lights as Curtis Holbrook
- 1945Pride of the Marines as Capt. Burroughs
- 1944Thirty Seconds Over Tokyo as General (uncredited)
- 1944Roger Touhy, Gangster as Riley
- 1944Cobra Woman as MacDonald
- 1944Buffalo Bill as Sen. Frederici
- 1944Ali Baba and the Forty Thieves as Caliph Hassan
- 1943Madame Curie as President of Businessman's Board (uncredited)
- 1943We've Never Been Licked as Commandant
- 1943Mission to Moscow as Col. Faymonville
- 1943Air Force as Col. Blake
- 1942Reunion in France as Paul Grebeau
- 1942Mrs. Wiggs of the Cabbage Patch as Dr. Henry Olcott
- 1942The Glass Key as Ralph Henry
- 1942My Favorite Spy as Major Allen
- 1942Sundown Jim as Andrew Barr
- 1942Nazi Agent as Brenner
- 1941Dangerously They Live as Mr. John Goodwin
- 1941One Foot in Heaven as Dr. John Romer
- 1941Dive Bomber as Senior Surgeon at San Diego
- 1941Three Sons o' Guns as Philip G. Talbot
- 1941Life with Henry as Sylvanus Q. Sattherwaite
- 1941Respect the Law as Dr. Walter Terriss
- 1940Santa Fe Trail as Robert E. Lee
- 1940East of the River as Judge R.D. Davis
- 1940Brigham Young as Doc Richards
- 1940If I Had My Way as Mr. Blair
- 1940Virginia City as Cameron
- 1940Brother Rat and a Baby as Major Terry
- 1939Invisible Stripes as The Warden
- 1939Barricade as Managing Editor
- 1939That's Right – You're Wrong as Jonathan Forbes
- 1939Allegheny Uprising as Tom Calhoon
- 1939Dust Be My Destiny as Slim Jones
- 1939The Bill of Rights as Royal Governor Dunmore
- 1939Susannah of the Mounties as Andrew Standing
- 1939Code of the Secret Service as The friar
- 1939Rose of Washington Square as Buck Russell
- 1939The Three Musketeers as Bailiff
- 1939Off the Record as Juvenal Court Judge
- 1939Homicide Bureau as Captain Haines
- 1938Kentucky as John Dillon - 1938
- 1938Submarine Patrol as The Fleet Captain
- 1938There Goes My Heart as Fisherman (uncredited)
- 1938That Certain Age as Fullerton's Associate (uncredited)
- 1938Marie Antoinette as Bearded Leader of the People (uncredited)
- 1938What Do You Think? Tupapaoo as Kurt Larsen
- 1938Kidnapped as Douglas
- 1938Gold Is Where You Find It as Senator Hearst
- 1938Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs as Magic Mirror (voice) (uncredited)
- 1937Adventure's End as First Mate Rand Husk
- 1937The Last Gangster as Detective Danny Shea (uncredited)
- 1937The Soldier and the Lady as Tartar Chief (Voice) (Uncredited)
- 1936The Plough and the Stars as General Connally
- 1936Mummy's Boys as Dr. Edward Sterling
- 1936Grand Jury as Davis, the bodyguard
- 1936Mary of Scotland as John Knox
- 1936M'Liss as Jake
- 1936The Witness Chair as Lt. Poole
- 1936Two in Revolt as Cyrus Benton
- 1936The Farmer in the Dell as Chester Hart
- 1936Yellow Dust as Missouri
- 1935We're Only Human as R.J. Curran
- 1935Seven Keys to Baldpate as Mayor Jim Cargen
- 1935Annie Oakley as Buffalo Bill
- 1935The Three Musketeers as Porthos
- 1934Death Takes a Holiday as Cardinal De Valle (uncredited)