Moroni Olsen

Birthday: 1889-06-26
Deathday: 1954-11-22
Birthplace: Ogden, Utah, USA
Gender: Male
Owned By: Unowned

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.

Credits

Year Title Character
1954-11-24 Sign of the Pagan Pope Leo I
1954-02-19 The Long, Long Trailer Mr. Tewitt
1953-09-22 Marry Me Again Mr. Courtney
1953-07-15 So This Is Love Arnold Reuben
1952-10-24 Lone Star Sam Houston
1952-07-01 Washington Story Speaker Of The House
1952-04-22 At Sword's Point Porthos
1951-11-01 Submarine Command Rear Adm. Joshua Rice
1951-06-15 No Questions Asked Henry Manston
1951-04-05 Father's Little Dividend Herbert Dunstan
1951-02-03 Payment on Demand Mr. Barton
1950-05-18 Father of the Bride Herbert Dunstan
1949-12-21 Samson and Delilah Targil
1949-08-30 Task Force Adm. Ames
1949-06-25 The Fountainhead Chairman
1948-12-23 Command Decision Congressman Stone
1948-07-09 Up in Central Park Big Jim Fitts
1948-02-13 Call Northside 777 Parole Board Chairman
1947-12-17 High Wall Dr. Philip Dunlap
1947-11-01 That Hagen Girl Trenton Gateley
1947-09-16 Black Gold Don Toland
1947-09-13 Life with Father Dr. Humphries
1947-05-29 Possessed Dr. Ames - Mrs. Smith's psychiatrist
1947-05-28 The Long Night Chief of Police Bob McManus
1946-12-20 It's a Wonderful Life Senior Angel (voice) (uncredited)
1946-10-25 The Strange Woman Rev. Thatcher
1946-08-21 Notorious Walter Beardsley
1946-07-18 Boys' Ranch Judge Henderson
1946-06-07 The Walls Came Tumbling Down Bishop Martin
1946-03-02 From This Day Forward Tim Bagley
1945-10-20 Mildred Pierce Inspector Peterson
1945-10-20 Don't Fence Me In Henry Bennett
1945-10-04 Week-End at the Waldorf House Detective
1945-08-24 Pride of the Marines Capt. Burroughs
1944-11-15 Thirty Seconds Over Tokyo General (uncredited)
1944-06-03 Roger Touhy, Gangster Riley
1944-05-12 Cobra Woman MacDonald
1944-04-02 Buffalo Bill Sen. Frederici
1944-01-14 Ali Baba and the Forty Thieves Caliph Hassan
1943-12-16 Madame Curie President of Businessman's Board (uncredited)
1943-07-29 We've Never Been Licked Commandant
1943-04-29 Mission to Moscow Col. Faymonville
1943-03-20 Air Force Col. Blake
1942-12-25 Reunion in France Paul Grebeau
1942-10-01 Mrs. Wiggs of the Cabbage Patch Dr. Henry Olcott
1942-09-08 The Glass Key Ralph Henry
1942-06-12 My Favorite Spy Major Allen
1942-03-27 Sundown Jim Andrew Barr
1942-03-01 Nazi Agent Brenner
1941-12-24 Dangerously They Live Mr. John Goodwin
1941-11-01 One Foot in Heaven Dr. John Romer
1941-08-02 Three Sons o' Guns Philip G. Talbot
1941-01-23 Life with Henry Sylvanus Q. Sattherwaite
1941-01-04 Respect the Law Dr. Walter Terriss
1941-01-01 Dive Bomber Senior Surgeon at San Diego
1940-12-20 Santa Fe Trail Robert E. Lee
1940-11-09 East of the River Judge R.D. Davis
1940-09-27 Brigham Young Doc Richards
1940-05-05 If I Had My Way Mr. Blair
1940-03-23 Virginia City Cameron
1940-01-13 Brother Rat and a Baby Major Terry
1939-12-30 Invisible Stripes The Warden
1939-12-08 Barricade Managing Editor
1939-11-24 That's Right – You're Wrong Jonathan Forbes
1939-11-10 Allegheny Uprising Tom Calhoon
1939-09-16 Dust Be My Destiny Slim Jones
1939-08-19 The Bill of Rights Royal Governor Dunmore
1939-06-13 Susannah of the Mounties Supt. Andrew Standing
1939-05-27 Code of the Secret Service The friar
1939-05-05 Rose of Washington Square Buck Russell
1939-02-17 The Three Musketeers Bailiff
1939-01-21 Off the Record Juvenal Court Judge
1939-01-05 Homicide Bureau Captain Haines
1938-12-30 Kentucky John Dillon - 1938
1938-11-25 Submarine Patrol The Fleet Captain
1938-10-14 There Goes My Heart Fisherman (uncredited)
1938-10-06 That Certain Age Fullerton's Associate (uncredited)
1938-08-26 Marie Antoinette Bearded Leader of the People (uncredited)
1938-06-11 What Do You Think? Tupapaoo Kurt Larsen
1938-05-27 Kidnapped Douglas
1938-02-12 Gold Is Where You Find It Senator Hearst
1938-01-14 Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs Magic Mirror (voice) (uncredited)
1937-12-05 Adventure's End First Mate Rand Husk
1937-11-12 The Last Gangster Detective Danny Shea (uncredited)
1937-04-09 The Soldier and the Lady Tartar Chief (Voice) (Uncredited)
1936-12-26 The Plough and the Stars General Connally
1936-10-02 Mummy's Boys Dr. Edward Sterling
1936-08-07 Grand Jury Davis, the bodyguard
1936-07-28 Mary of Scotland John Knox
1936-07-27 M'Liss Jake
1936-04-23 The Witness Chair Lt. Poole
1936-04-03 Two in Revolt Cyrus Benton
1936-03-27 The Farmer in the Dell Chester Hart
1936-03-12 Yellow Dust Missouri
1935-12-27 We're Only Human R.J. Curran
1935-12-13 Seven Keys to Baldpate Mayor Jim Cargen
1935-11-15 Annie Oakley Col. William F. 'Buffalo Bill' Cody
1935-11-01 The Three Musketeers Porthos
1934-03-30 Death Takes a Holiday Cardinal De Valle (uncredited)