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