Karlsen, John

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John Karlsen in Annuario degli attori 1976

In Annuario degli attori 1976

John Karlsen was a tall character and bit-part actor who first appeared in several Italian productions in 1958 and who then maintained an Italian film career for almost the next 50 years.

John was born on board a ship travelling from London to Singapore, which was diverted to Australia, on October 20th 1919 (most sites erroneously give his birth place as New Zealand, though one would suppose his nationality was registered as Australian - his parents nationality is unknown). He died, having presumably moved to New Zealand following his belated retirement from acting, in Auckland on July 5th 2017, at the age of 97. A number of sources report his full name as being Charles John Karlsen, a name he was credited under on one occasion.

Little is known of John's life before his arrival in Italy. He spent some time working as a stage actor in Britain, where he had his own repertory company. He first came to Italy to direct a play, where he was discovered by a casting director. He was 39 when his Italian film-career began, but looked somewhat older due to his already-white and receding hair (dyed black on occasion) and gaunt facial features. His looks barely changed for the rest of his career. His appearance tended to get him regularly cast in the roles of butlers, teachers, scientists, doctors, nazis and priests, usually of the more sinister variety. He also directed plays in Rome and worked regularly as a dubbing artist for English-language versions of Italian films.

While his is a quite well-known face, it could be quite possible that there are still a few unknown roles to be discovered.

Some of his biographical details are confirmed by this 2004 interview on wantedinrome.com.

Filmography

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1958

1. Le bellissime gambe di Sabrina .... Security guard at jewellery store (uncredited)
2. The Naked Maja .... Inquisitor (credited)
3. Totò nella luna .... Dr. John Forrester (uncredited)
   
   1959
4. The Four Just Men (TV series) - ep. 1: "The Battle of the Bridge" .... Second sentry (credited)
   
   1961
5. Barabba .... Man in the crowd calling for Barabbas' release (uncredited)
6. Francis of Assisi .... Brother Morico (uncredited)
7. Il planeta degli uomini spenti .... United Commission representative (uncredited)
8. Lycanthropus .... Creepy-looking man at the autopsy and funeral (uncredited)
9. Una vita difficile .... University professor (uncredited)
   
   1962
10. Le sette spade del vendicatore .... Actor (uncredited)
11. Maciste all'inferno .... Burgomeister (credited)
12. Ponzio Pilato .... Senator (uncredited)
13. Sodoma e Gomorra .... Hebrew (uncredited)
14. Totò e Peppino divisi a Berlino .... Greta's companion (uncredited)
    
    1963
15. 8½ .... Car driver / Priest (uncredited)
16. Cleopatra .... Egyptian high priest (uncredited)
17. Il boom .... Doctor (credited)
18. Le ore dell'amore .... Gay party guest (uncredited)
19. Totò contro i quattro .... The owner of the villa (uncredited)
    
    1964
20. Cleopazza (credited?) .... role?
21. La cripta e l'incubo .... Franz Kamstein (uncredited)
    
    1965
22. Crack in the World .... Dr. Reynolds (credited)
23. Due mafiosi contro Goldginger .... Commodore Stevenson (credited)
24. Le bambole .... Alfonso (credited)
    
    1966
25. Agente 3S3, massacro al sole .... Mikhailovic's Boss (credited as John Karsten)
26. El Greco .... Prosecutor (credited)
27. Il gioco delle spie .... Mr. Corvin (credited)
28. Il Natale che quasi non fu .... Blossom (credited)
29. Io, io, io.... e gli altri .... Producer (credited as Charles John Karlsen)
30. Modesty Blaise .... Oleg (credited)
31. Requiem per un agente segreto .... Franco (credited)
32. The She Beast .... Count Von Helsing (credited)
    
    1967
33. ...4 ..3 ..2 ..1 ...morte .... Crest (credited as John Karlesen)
34. Faccia a faccia .... School director (uncredited)
35. I barbieri di Sicilia .... Nazi chemist (uncredited)
36. Troppo per vivere... poco per morire .... Photographer in nightclub (uncredited)
    
    1968
37. Fenomenal e il tesoro di Tutankamen .... Professor Micklewitz (credited)
38. Galileo .... Priest who understands the importance of science (credited)
39. L'oro di Londra .... Ed (credited)
40. Più tardi Claire, più tardi... .... Priest (uncredited)
41. Tre passi nel delirio .... Schoolmaster (uncredited)
    
    1969
42. Fellini Satyricon .... Man riding in carriage (uncredited)
43. Femina ridens .... Manservant (uncredited)
44. Femmine insaziabili .... Fletcher (uncredited)
45. Vedo nudo .... Psychiatrist (uncredited)
    
    1970
46. Mademoiselle De Sade e i suoi vizi .... Marquis Foro (credited)
    
    1971
47. La bestia uccide a sangue freddo .... Professor Osterman (credited)
48. Stanza 17-17 palazzo delle tasse, ufficio imposte .... Safe salesman (uncredited)
49. Storie dell'anno mille (TV mini-series) - ep. 1 .... Priest (credited)
    
    1972
50. Che?.... Edward (uncredited)
51. Fratello sole, sorella luna .... Cardinal (uncredited)
    
    1973
52. Polvere di stelle .... Nazi commander (uncredited)
53. Società a responsabilità molto limitata .... Hospital patient (uncredited)
    
    1974
54. Il bacio .... Friedrich (uncredited)
    
    1975
55. Conviene far bene l'amore .... British agent (uncredited)
56. Il messia .... Calaphas (credited)
57. Le orme .... Alfredo Laurenti (credited as John Carlsen)
58. Prete, fai un miracolo .... Bishop Ritter (credited/b] - role unconfirmed)
59. The Count of Monte-Cristo .... Barrois (uncredited)
    
    1976
60. Il Casanova di Federico Fellini .... Lord Talou (credited)
61. San Pasquale Baylonne protettore delle donne .... Wedding guest (uncredited)
    
    1979
62. I contrabbandieri di Santa Lucia .... Man at the police meeting (credited)
63. Mani di velluto .... President of the insurance company (uncredited)
64. The Black Stallion .... Archaeologist (credited as John Karlson)
    
    1980
65. L'avvertimento .... Ferdinando Violante (credited)
66. Sam & Sally (TV series) - season 2, ep. 3: "I collezionisti" .... Von Trapp (credited)
    
    1981
67. Camera d'albergo .... Shaving priest (uncredited)
68. The Borgias (TV mini-series) - ep. 7 .... Bishop Francesco Soderini (credited)
    
    1982
69. Pronto... Lucia .... Doctor (credited)
    
    1983
70. La chambre des dames (TV mini-series) - ep. 2 .... Sires Vives Yehel (credited)
71. Marco Polo (TV mini-series) - ep. 8 .... Judge (credited as John Karsen)
72. The Winds of War (TV mini-series) - ep. 2: "The Storm Breaks" .... Reverend Glenville (credited)
    
    1984
73. Dagobert .... Doctor (credited)
74. Waterfront (TV mini-series) - eps. 1 & 2 .... Professor Arnaldo Chieri (uncredited)
    
    1986
75. Asilo di polizia .... Museum guide (credited)
    
    1987
76. I Love N.Y. .... Butler (credited)
77. La monaca di Monza .... Don Carlo (credited)
    
    1988
78. Il piccolo diavolo .... Priest from Anzio (credited)
79. La partita .... Sir Candioni (credited)
80. Stradivari .... Grand chamberlain (credited)
    
    1989
81. Bill & Ted's Excellent Adventure .... Evil Duke (credited)
82. Blaues Blut (TV series) - ep. 5: "Dunkle Pfade" .... Sir Thomas Milton (credited)
83. La chiesa .... Heinrich (credited)
84. Valentina (TV series) - ep. 11: "Caduta angeli" .... Rolandi (credited)
    
    1990
85. Roger Corman's Frankenstein Unbound .... Parson (credited)
86. Stasera a casa di Alice .... Saverio's father-in-law (credited as John Charles Karlsen)
    
    1991
87. Il conte Max .... Butler (credited)
    
    1993
88. E.T.A. Hoffmanns Der Sandmann .... Spalanzini (credited)
89. Killer Rules (TV movie) .... Lord Elston (credited)
    
    1999
90. Svitati .... Dr. Caputo (credited)
    
    2003
91. The Order .... Eden's manservant (credited)
    
    2007
92. Il nascondiglio .... (credit only)

English-language dubbing filmography

• Gli invincibili tre (1964) - voice of King Igos (Carlo Tamberlani)
• La rivincita di Ivanhoe (1965) - voice of the Prior of Essex (Nando Tamberlani)
• Le spie uccidono in silenzio (1966) - voice of Professor Bergson (Jesús Tordesillas)
• A doppia faccia (1969) - voice of Inspector Stevens (Günther Stoll)
• Fellini - Block notes di un regista (1969) - voice of The Professor (Professor Genius)
• La battaglia di El Alamein (1969) - voice of General Auchinleck (James Mishler)
• Concerto per pistola solista (1970) - voice of Peter the butler (Ballard Berkeley)
• Gli occhi freddi della paura (1971) - voice of Hawkins (Leon Lenoir)
• 7 scialli di seta gialla (1972) - voice of Burton (Umberto Raho)
• Cosa avete fatto a Solange? (1972) - voice of Mr. Erickson (Giancarlo Badessi)
• L'età di Cosimo de Medici (1972) (TV mini-series) - voice of Pope Nicholas V (John Bartha)
• Zambo, il dominatore della foresta (1972) - voice of Professor Woodward (Attilio Dottesio)
• Amarcord (1973) - voice of The lawyer (Luigi Rossi)
• La morte negli occhi del gatto (1973) - voice of Priest (Franco Ressel)
• Roma drogata: la polizia non può intervenire (1975) - voice of Giovanni (Umberto Raho)
• California (1977) - voice of Full (Franco Ressel)
• Il cinico, l'infame, il violento (1977) - voice of Di Maggio's accountant (Dante Cleri)
• Il mondo porno di due sorelle (1979) - voice of Andy (Daniele Dublino)
• John Travolto... da un insolito destino (1979) - voice of Hotel manager (Giulio Farnese)
• L'infermiera nella corsia dei militari (1979) - voice of Ottavio (Gino Pagnani)
• Un'ombra nell'ombra (1979) - voice of Paul (Frank Finlay)
• Bakterion (1982) - voice of Vince (Miguel Herrera)
• Tempi di guerra (1987) - voice of Nazi officer (Demeter Bitenc)

More John!

There are still a few movies where John is credited by various online sources that I have been unable to find, so if anybody has images of him in the films below you know what to do.

• Un affare tranquillo (a.k.a. Un commerce tranquille) (1964) as Priest [IMDb]
• Cool Million (TV series, 1972) - episode "Mask of Marcella" as Werner [IMDb]
• Francesco di Assisi (1972) [ANICA]
• Caro dolce amore (a.k.a. Honey Sweet love) (1994) as Sir John Atherton [ANICA]

Kein Karlsen!

Movies where John is credited as appearing somewhere online, but does not appear. There always has to be one!.

• Io piaccio (1955) ANICA as Doctor. It is similar-looking Renato Navarrini in the role
• La ciociara (1960) Mentioned in the interview. Johan says he has searched for Karlsen without success
• It Happened in Athens (1962) IMDb as King of Greece. It is not John in the role.
• Amarcord (1973) IMDb, mentioned in the trivia section on IMDb (but not the filmography). John does not appear, though he did do some dubbing for the English version

[PeplumParadise]

Le bellissime gambe di Sabrina (1958) as Security guard at Jewellery store.

This vehicle for American star Mamie Van Doren was reportedly John's Italian film debut.

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The Naked Maja (La maja desnuda) (1958) credited, as Inquisitor

Images upgraded

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Totò nella luna (1958) as Dr. John Forrester

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Francis of Assisi (1961) as Brother Morico

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Il planeta degli uomini spenti (1961) as United Commission representative

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Lycanthropus (1961) The best role description I can come up with is Creepy-looking man at the autopsy and funeral, since he is only seen hovering in the background in both scenes without seeming to be there for any particular purpose, though he's probably actually meant to be part of the investigative team!

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Una vita difficile (1961) as University professor

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Le sette spade del vendicatore (1962) as Actor

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Maciste all'inferno (1962) credited, as Burgomeister