Bo Svenson Movies
Born in Sweden, Bo Svenson moved to the U.S. at the age of 17. Before settling upon an acting career, the husky Svenson attended UCLA, served in the Marines for six years, then worked as a hockey player, race-car driver and 3rd Degree Black Belt judo champ. His first regular TV work was on the 1968 western series Here Come the Brides, in which he was cast to type as Big Swede (though by this time, he had lost all vestiges of his Scandinavian accent). After an impressive movie debut in the little-seen Maury (1974), Svenson was second-billed as Alex Olsson, competitor-cum-partner of barnstorming aviator Robert Redford, in The Great Waldo Pepper (1973). When Joe Don Baker, star of the 1973 sleeper Walking Tall, passed on the opportunity to play Sheriff Buford Pusser in the 1975 sequel, Svenson inherited the role; he would portray Pusser in both Part 2: Walking Tall (1975) and The Final Chapter: Walking Tall (1977), then repeated the assignment in the 1981 Walking Tall TV series. Perhaps someday, Bo Svenson will escape the sleazoid actioners in which he is usually starred, and receive a screen role worthy of his talents. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi
Director Bob Clark would graduate from the Canadian Breaking Point to such films as Porky's and A Christmas Story, proving beyond a doubt that it is possible to overcome a bad start. Bo Svenson stars as a mild-mannered teacher--glasses and all. He witnesses a mob murder, whereupon he is put into a witness protection program by cop (Robert Culp). When mobsters show up to rub out Svenson, the authorities are helpless, so suddenly "Mr. Peepers" becomes "Rambo". ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi
- Starring:
- Bo Svenson, Robert Culp, (more)
Robert Redford plays Waldo Pepper, a former World War I pilot who exaggerates his accomplishments in order to impress the rabble. After a brief rivalry with air-show entrepreneur Axel Olsson (Bo Svenson), Pepper teams with Axel to barnstorm all over the Midwest; later, after a series of unexpected (and calamitous) events, Pepper gets a job as a movie stunt pilot. On the set, he meets the film's technical advisor: former German ace Ernst Kessler (Bo Brundin), a man whom Pepper has been claiming falsely to have fought during the war, thereby advancing his own reputation. He is as disillusioned with civilian life as Pepper is, and ignoring the entreaties of the film's director, stages a genuine dogfight (sans live ammo) with his old "opponent." The Great Waldo Pepper represented the third filmic collaboration between star Robert Redford and director George Roy Hill. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi
- Starring:
- Robert Redford, Bo Svenson, (more)
- 1975
Bo Svenson plays a bonded courier whose girlfriend Meredith Baxter is kidnapped while the two of them are out on a date. The villains demand that Svenson participate in an elaborate scam. He is to fake a diamond robbery, so that the bad guys can collect a huge insurance settlement. But Svenson turns the tables on the crooks and saves Meredith from an untimely end (else she wouldn't have been able to play straight woman to Michael J. Fox on Family Ties). The pilot for an unsold Bo Svenson TV action series, Target Risk was originally telecast January 6, 1975. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi
Tennessee Sheriff Buford Pusser and his trusty club return in this sequel. As with the first, he continues his single handed crusade against organized crime. Violence ensues. ~ Sandra Brennan, Rovi
- 1973
This sports drama is based on the true story of professional basketball players Maurice Stokes and Jack Twyman. When Stokes (Bernie Casey), who is black, is rendered comatose and paraplegic by a head injury, his white teammate Twyman (Bo Svenson) exerts himself mightily to raise money for Stokes' physical therapy and medical treatment in the hopes that he will one day walk again. Before the injury, Twyman was just a friendly teammate. Afterwards, he became more or less a member of Stokes' family. ~ Clarke Fountain, Rovi
- 1973
The made-for-TV family-Western Hitched is a sequel to the 1971 TV movie Lock, Stock and Barrel, with Sally Field stepping into the role originally played by Belinda Montgomery. Newly married couple Roselle and Clare Bridgeman (played by Field and Tim Matheson) head westward to seek their fortune, only to become accidentally separated. In their efforts to stage a reunion, both Roselle and Clare undergo a variety of exhilirating experiences involving outlaws, sharpsters, saloon gals, and a Native American or two. Originally telecast by NBC on March 31, 1973, Hitched was intended as the pilot for a weekly TV series, and as such was shown in tandem with another busted pilot, Savage, starring Martin Landau and Barbara Bain. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi
- 1973
A husband (David Hartman) and his wife (Jess Walton) have an argument, and the wife runs out of the house. After searching for quite some time, he cannot find her -- but what he does find is evidence that she has been murdered and more evidence that implicates him as the killer. ~ Brian Gusse, Rovi
Produced by Dan "Dark Shadows" Curtis, this TV adaptation of Mary Shelley's classic spine-chiller Frankenstein remains fairly faithful to its source. Robert Foxworth stars as Dr. Victor Frankenstein, who comes to grief when he "plays God" by creating a human being from spare body parts. The monster, played by Bo Svenson, is doomed from the start, not only by fate but by his inherited homicidal nature. Susan Strasberg and Heidi Vaughn co-star as the two unfortunate women in Dr. Frankenstein's life. Originally telecast in two parts on ABC's late-night Wide World of Mystery anthology, Frankenstein debuted January 16 and 17, 1973. It was later pared down to a traditional two-hour, single-part TV movie. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi
- Starring:
- Robert Foxworth, Susan Strasberg, (more)
Filmed in Flagstaff, Arizona, The Bravos top-bills George Peppard as a frontier cavalry commander. It is Peppard's job to protect his fort, and the wagon train passengers sheltered within, from the 2000 Kiowa Indian warriors who dot the surrounding hills. This being a 1972 TV movie, the Native Americans are "savage" only when provoked. When they abduct Peppard's son Vincent Van Patten, it is in retribution for the death of their own chief's son. The Bravos was the 90-minute pilot film for a never-sold western series. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi
- 1972
Ironside (Raymond Burr) searches for a resourceful burglar who has figured out a method of "taming" vicious guard dogs so that he can rob stores without interference. In order to flush out the villain, Ironside adopts his own dog and sets both himself and the pooch up as bait. With the preponderance of fierce-looking German shepherds and Doberman pinschers in this episode, one wonders how the actors got through their scenes without being ripped asunder after each take! ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi
- 1971
In this detective, a football player begins looking for the New York mobster who owes him $10,000. He is assisted by his mother. ~ Sandra Brennan, Rovi
- 1969
A private delegation of Chinese and American diplomats has convened in a secret Scandanavian location to negotiate the release of several American POWS. Providing security at the meeting is Chief Ironside (Raymond Burr), who finds himself matching wits--and witticisms--with his cagey Chinese counterpart Hsai Hsu Mak (Khigh Dhiegh) as the two men try to find a potential murderer in their midst. Meanwhile, Ironside's aide Mark (Don Mitchell) falls in love with female Chinese delegate Mei Noyen (Cecile Ozorio) (one of the few instances of an interracial romance on 1960s television). ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi
- 1968
Mercenary leader Colonel Han Krim (Pernell Roberts) promises to bring freedom to emerging African nations, all the while robbing the economic resources of those nations to fatten his own coffers. In order to discredit Krim and return his ill-gotten gains to their rightful owners, the IMF stages a spectacular gold heist. Only one possible crimp in the plan: There are only five IMF agents, while Krim boasts over three hundred followers. First telcast October 27, 1968, "The Mercenaries" was written by Laurence Heath. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi
- Starring:
- Peter Graves, Barbara Bain, (more)
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