Skip to content
MovieCove
Bo Svenson

Bo Svenson

Actor, also producer · Born February 13, 1941 (85) · Gothenburg, Västra Götalands län, Sweden

Bo Svenson (born 13 February 1941) is a Swedish-American actor, director, producer, and screenwriter, known for his roles in American genre films of the 1970s and 1980s. In the late 1960s, Svenson had a recurring role in the hit TV series Here Come the Brides as Lumberjack Olaf "Big Swede" Gustavsen. Svenson appeared in the 1973 made-for-TV movie Frankenstein, in which he plays the Creature. One of Svenson's first big-screen movie roles was opposite Robert Redford in The Great Waldo Pepper, where Redford and Svenson play rival ex-WWI U.S. Army Air Service pilots who are now employed in the hard and dangerous but wildly adventurous lives of 1920's barnstorming pilots, touring the Midwest. In his next pursuit, Svenson took over the role of lawman Buford Pusser from Joe Don Baker in both sequels to the hit 1973 film Walking Tall, after Pusser himself, who had originally agreed to take over the role, died in an automobile crash. He reprised the role again for the short-lived 1981 television series of the same name.[5] One of his most famous roles in films was as murder-witness-turned-vigilante Michael McBain in the 1976 cult classic Breaking Point. He played the Soviet agent Ivan in the Magnum, P.I. episode "Did You See the Sunrise?" (1982) and many years later had a cameo as an American colonel in Inglourious Basterds, as a tribute to his role in The Inglorious Bastards; he is the only actor to appear in both films. Description above from the Wikipedia article Bo Svenson, licensed under CC-BY-SA, full list of contributors on Wikipedia.

Read more

Biography from TMDB.

Born
February 13, 1941 (85)
From
Gothenburg, Västra Götalands län, Sweden
Works as
Actor, also producer
Titles
50 on MovieCove · 99 credits in all
Links
IMDb (opens in a new tab)TMDB (opens in a new tab)Wikidata (opens in a new tab)

Known for

TMDB popularity, last 63 days to Oct 26Down 20% in 30 days

What are Bo Svenson's films like?

Across their 37 MovieCove titles with a thematic analysis, their films lean Morality and Survival.

Genres

Action18 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 18th percentile
: browse their Action movies
Adventure5 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 20th percentile
: browse their Adventure movies
Horror5 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 14th percentile
: browse their Horror movies
Drama4 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 34th percentile, at or above their average across these genres
: browse their Drama movies
Comedy2 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 58th percentile, at or above their average across these genres
: browse their Comedy movies
Crime2 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 42nd percentile, at or above their average across these genres
: browse their Crime movies

Their MovieCove films by primary genre. The badge is the typical Midcredits score of the genre's films, the median percentile; an up arrow marks a genre at or above their average across these genres.

Themes

share of theme weight
Morality
31%
Survival
25%
Self
18%
Bonds
14%
Power
5%
Society
4%
Ideas
2%
Survival15 titles, browse their movies with this themeJustice11 titles, browse their movies with this themeFamily bonds7 titles, browse their movies with this themeRedemption7 titles, browse their movies with this themeIdentity4 titles, browse their movies with this themePurpose3 titles, browse their movies with this themeRevenge3 titles, browse their movies with this themeDeception3 titles, browse their movies with this theme

What they feel like to watch

their average across 37 films
ToneFeelDemandtheir average · filled zone: the category
Stylized: How far its world departs from everyday reality. Browse their stylized movies.
Tone · Style
naturalisticheightened

A split, not a type: Grounded 25 · Stylized 9 · Heightened 3

Charged: How hard the emotional peaks hit while you watch. Browse their charged movies.
Feel · Intensity
gentleintense

Gentle 4 · Charged 17 · Intense 16

Shifting: How much it swings between very different feelings. Browse their shifting movies.
Feel · Swings
steadyswings

Steady 6 · Shifting 27 · Whiplash 4

Straight-faced: How much of the runtime is played for laughs. Browse their straight-faced movies.
Feel · Humor
noneconstant

Straight-faced 20 · Some laughs 16 · Funny 1

Even-paced: How fast it moves from scene to scene. Browse their even-paced movies.
Demand · Pace
slowrelentless

Slow burn 9 · Even-paced 23 · Relentless 5

Casual: How much focus it asks of you — look away and lose the thread? Browse their casual movies.
Demand · Attention
casualfull focus

Casual 22 · Engaged 14 · Full focus 1

Resolved: How much is left for you to interpret. Browse their resolved movies.
Demand · Resolution
resolvedambiguous

Resolved 32 · Open-ended 5 · Ambiguous 0

Roles they play

23 analyzed roles

Usually the Shadow: 8 of 23 analyzed roles.

Shadow
8 of 23
Hero
7 of 23
Ally
6 of 23
Herald
1 of 23
Threshold guardian
1 of 23
Show the 23 roles

Moods and endings

endings are an aggregate; no title is named

Dominant moods · mentions across their titles

Tense
32
Thrilling
17
Absurd
10
Melancholic
9
Dread
6
Other
23

How their films linger

Fun19 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteBittersweet12 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteUnsettling10 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteRousing8 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteFeel-good8 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteHopeful6 titles, browse their movies with this aftertaste

How their films end · 5 with a twist

  • Happy15
  • Bittersweet18
  • Tragic2
  • Ambiguous2

AI-generated from each title's plot synopsis and cast list, with extra plot summaries, reviews and Parents Guide notes for titles the model may not know, and the model's own knowledge of the ones it recognizes. Only analyzed titles count, so this covers part of the filmography; the feel axes count films only for now.

Where can I watch Bo Svenson's films?

As of October 24, 2026, 31 of their 50 MovieCove titles stream on a subscription or free service, most on Tubi (23).

Also on these channels

Subscription and free streaming for Bo Svenson's titles on MovieCove; rent and buy are not counted. Titles are listed by Midcredits score, highest first, at most 12 per service; a dashed chip is a producer credit or a minor one, such as a thanks. A service opens the browse page, which counts movies only, so its number can differ.

Filmography

99 credits, 50 with a MovieCove page; 2 appearances as themselves are hidden until asked for.

  • Finding Grace(2019)

    as Dr. Nelson

    Midcredits score: 46th percentile of all films

  • Min søsters børn og guldgraverne(2015)

    as John

    Midcredits score: 20th percentile of all films

  • Jersey Justice (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2014)

    as W.W. Tolliver

  • The Dependables (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2014)

    as Mick Skinner

  • Non-Stop(2013)

    as Dr. Halperin

    Midcredits score: 21st percentile of all films

  • Kill Bill: The Whole Bloody Affair(2004)

    as Reverend Harmony

    Midcredits score: 99th percentile of all films

  • Angry(2010)

    as Bill

    Midcredits score: 49th percentile of all films

  • America's National Treasures (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2010)

    Show 12 episodes · as Narrator

  • The 7 Adventures of Sinbad(2010)

    as Simon Magnusson

    Midcredits score: 1st percentile of all films

  • Icarus(2010)

    as Vadim

    Midcredits score: 19th percentile of all films

  • Stolz der Nation (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2009)

    as Benjamin Palme

  • Inglourious Basterds(2009)

    as American Colonel

    Midcredits score: 99th percentile of all films

  • Chinaman's Chance: America's Other Slaves(2008)

    as Foreman Bo

    Midcredits score: 46th percentile of all films

  • Raising Jeffrey Dahmer (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2006)

    as Detective John Amos

  • Hell to Pay (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2005)

    as Del Shannon

  • I'll Be Seeing You(2004)

    as Philip Carter

    Midcredits score: 19th percentile of all films

  • Kill Bill: Vol. 2(2004)

    as Reverend Harmony

    Midcredits score: 98th percentile of all films

  • Outlaw (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2001)

    Director · Screenplay · as Detective Maize

  • Crackerjack 3 (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2000)

    as Jack Thorn

  • Solitude Point (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1998)

    as Richard

  • Heartless (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1997)

    as Sheriff Sam

  • Speed 2: Cruise Control(1997)

    as Captain Pollard

    Midcredits score: 2nd percentile of all films

  • Cheyenne (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1996)

    as Captain Starrett

  • Steel Frontier(1995)

    as Roy Ackett

    Midcredits score: 16th percentile of all films

  • Private Obsession (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1995)

    as Sam Weston

  • Due South (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1994)

    Show 2 episodes · as Holloway Muldoon

  • Savage Land(1994)

    as Jeb

    Midcredits score: 13th percentile of all films

  • Cobra (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1993)

    Show 1 episode · as Frank McLory

  • Kung Fu: The Legend Continues(1993)

    Show 1 episode · as Ben Kinasay

    Midcredits score: 30th percentile of all shows

  • Three Days to a Kill (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1992)

    as Rick

  • The Commish(1991)

    Show 1 episode · Actor

    Midcredits score: 59th percentile of all shows

  • Steele's Law (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1991)

    as Sheriff Barnes

  • Soldier of Fortune (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1990)

    as Colonel Preston

  • Tides of War (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1990)

    as SS Colonel Otto Haber

  • Beyond the Door III(1989)

    as Professor Andromolek

    Midcredits score: 18th percentile of all films

  • Curse II: The Bite(1989)

    as The Sheriff

    Midcredits score: 14th percentile of all films

  • The Kill Reflex(1989)

    as Ivan Moss

    Midcredits score: 11th percentile of all films

  • Primal Rage(1988)

    as Ethridge

    Midcredits score: 24th percentile of all films

  • Deep Space(1988)

    as Captain Robertson

    Midcredits score: 8th percentile of all films

  • Delta Force Commando (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1987)

    as Col. Keitel

  • Maniac Killer (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1987)

    as Count Silvano

  • White Phantom(1987)

    as The Colonel

    Midcredits score: 7th percentile of all films

  • Double Target(1987)

    Producer · as Col. Galckin

    Midcredits score: 10th percentile of all films

  • Brothers in Blood(1987)

    Producer · Actor

    Midcredits score: 8th percentile of all films

  • Thunder II(1987)

    as Sheriff Roger

    Midcredits score: 23rd percentile of all films

  • The Dirty Dozen: The Deadly Mission(1987)

    as Maurice Fronenac

    Midcredits score: 20th percentile of all films

  • Movie in Action (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1987)

    Actor

  • Heartbreak Ridge(1986)

    as Roy Jennings

    Midcredits score: 73rd percentile of all films

  • Armour of God(1986)

    as Monk (uncredited)

    Midcredits score: 77th percentile of all films

  • Choke Canyon(1986)

    as Capt. Oliver Parkside

    Midcredits score: 15th percentile of all films

  • The Delta Force(1986)

    as Capt. Campbell

    Midcredits score: 31st percentile of all films

  • Wizards of the Lost Kingdom(1985)

    as Kor

    Midcredits score: 1st percentile of all films

  • Crazy like a Fox (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1984)

    Show 1 episode · as Chuck Dobson

  • Man Hunt (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1984)

    as Sheriff

  • Murder, She Wrote(1984)

    Show 1 episode · as Cal Harding · as Karl Anderson

    Midcredits score: 67th percentile of all shows

  • Hunter(1984)

    Show 1 episode · as Jake Cutter

    Midcredits score: 48th percentile of all shows

  • Deadly Impact (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1984)

    as George Ryan

  • Jealousy(1984)

    as Jesse Hutton

    Midcredits score: 18th percentile of all films

  • Thunder(1983)

    as Sheriff Bill Cook

    Midcredits score: 26th percentile of all films

  • Butcher, Baker, Nightmare Maker(1981)

    as Detective Joe Carlson

    Midcredits score: 57th percentile of all films

  • Walking Tall (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1981)

    Show 7 episodes · Actor

  • Magnum, P.I.(1980)

    Show 3 episodes · as Ivan

    Midcredits score: 75th percentile of all shows

  • Sverige åt svenskarna (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1980)

    Actor

  • Virus(1980)

    as Major Carter

    Midcredits score: 51st percentile of all films

  • North Dallas Forty(1979)

    as Jo Bob Priddy

    Midcredits score: 79th percentile of all films

  • Portrait of a Hitman (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1979)

    as Dr. Bob Michaels

  • Gold of the Amazon Women(1979)

    as Tom Jensen

    Midcredits score: 2nd percentile of all films

  • The Spirit of Adventure: Night Flight (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1979)

    as Fabien

  • The Son of the Sheik (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1978)

    as Hamilton Burger

  • The Inglorious Bastards(1978)

    as Lt. Robert Yeager

    Midcredits score: 67th percentile of all films

  • Final Chapter: Walking Tall(1977)

    Producer · as Buford Pusser

    Midcredits score: 35th percentile of all films

  • Snowbeast(1977)

    as Gar Seberg

    Midcredits score: 9th percentile of all films

  • Battle of the Network Stars (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1976)

    Show 1 episode · Actor

  • Special Delivery(1976)

    as Jack Murdock

    Midcredits score: 37th percentile of all films

  • Breaking Point (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1976)

    as Michael McBain

  • Part 2: Walking Tall(1975)

    as Buford Pusser

    Midcredits score: 42nd percentile of all films

  • The Great Waldo Pepper(1975)

    as Axel Olsson

    Midcredits score: 70th percentile of all films

  • Target Risk (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1975)

    as Lee Driscoll

  • The Snoop Sisters (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1973)

    Show 1 episode · as Chet Marion

  • Maurie (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1973)

    as Jack Twyman

  • Hitched (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1973)

    as Jay Appleby

  • Intertect (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1973)

    Actor

  • You'll Never See Me Again(1973)

    as Sam (uncredited)

    Midcredits score: 64th percentile of all films

  • Frankenstein (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1973)

    as Monster

  • Frankenstein (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1973)

    Show 2 episodes · as Monster

  • Kung Fu(1972)

    Show 1 episode · as Pike

    Midcredits score: 80th percentile of all shows

  • Banyon (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1972)

    Show 1 episode · Actor

  • The Rookies (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1972)

    Show 1 episode · Actor

  • The Bravos (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1972)

    as Raeder

  • The Chicago Teddy Bears (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1971)

    Show 1 episode · Actor

  • McCloud(1970)

    Show 1 episode · Actor

    Midcredits score: 53rd percentile of all shows

  • Lancer (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1968)

    Show 1 episode · Actor

  • The Mod Squad (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1968)

    Show 1 episode · as Bubba

  • The Name of the Game (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1968)

    Show 1 episode · as G.B. Mosbie

  • The High Chaparral (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1967)

    Show 1 episode · as Bennett

  • Ironside (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1967)

    Show 2 episodes · Actor

  • Mission: Impossible(1966)

    Show 1 episode · as Karl

    Midcredits score: 87th percentile of all shows

  • Jan & Dean: On the Run (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1966)

    as Smithsonian Guard

  • Daniel Boone (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1964)

    Show 1 episode · as Warren Haskins

Career shape

Star power in the 98th percentile of 239,109 people with a billed film role, over a full career of 99 titles from 1964 to 2020; peak year 1987.

Biggest box office

Speed 2: Cruise Control (1997)

$165M worldwide

Highest rated

North Dallas Forty (1979)

Midcredits 79th

Most popular right now

Speed 2: Cruise Control (1997)

Film career

MilestoneBreakout
19642020

Peak 1987 · fewer prominent film roles lately. Top draw in 10 MovieCove titles. Film roles by billing, audience size and rating; 25+ votes. A show carries a single first-air date, so shows are not on the curve.

By role

only this rolewith another role
Acting99 of 99: 98 only acting, 1 with another role · typical Midcredits score31stDirecting1 of 99: 0 only directing, 1 with another roleWriting1 of 99: 0 only writing, 1 with another role

By decade

1960s8 · acting1970s27 · acting1980s30 · acting1990s15 · acting2000s9 · 9 acting · 1 crew2010s9 · acting2020s1 · acting

Billing

usually 3rd · top billed in 21% of 24 roles
758095

Counts from TMDB across their full career, self appearances out; a title counts in every role they held on it. The ring is the typical Midcredits score (the median percentile) of the role's titles that are on MovieCove, shown from 5 scored. Billing is TMDB cast order for roles with 25+ votes, billed in the top 30; the columns are the share of top-billed roles in each era, 5-year spans from the year on the label, merged until each holds at least 5 roles.

How do Bo Svenson's films land?

Their typical MovieCove film has a Midcredits score in the 22nd percentile, the median of all 42; across their 37 films with reception data, the typical film sits in the 25th percentile for acclaim.

Acclaim · how much people like their films

25thpercentile
Typical film, the median of 37

Approval · how many liked their films

20thpercentile
Typical film, the median of 37

Reach · how many have seen their films

51stpercentile
Typical film, the median of 37

Midcredits score across 50 titles, by percentile

  • 75th and up8
  • 50th to 74th9
  • 25th to 49th10
  • Below 25th23

Shape of the crowd

25 of their 50 titles are Mixed.

  • Universally Loved3
  • Universally Panned2
  • Divisive3
  • Cult Classic2
  • Crowd Pleaser13
  • Broadly Agreed2
  • Mixed25

Most divisive · actor

Angry (2010)

98th percentile spread · 44% rated it 4 or lower

Most loved · actor

Kill Bill: The Whole Bloody Affair (2004)

Midcredits 99th · 93% liked

Reviewers score the acting 46/100 in their films, across 34 reviewed titles; fans 64, detractors 27. The element that speaks to their work as an actor.

Percentiles are each film's standing among all films on MovieCove; the typical film is the median, so one outlier cannot drag it. Percentiles and reviewer scores count the films IMDb credits them on, for now; the Midcredits score bands, the shape of the crowd and the two cards count their MovieCove titles, shows included (a show ranked among shows), appearances as themselves left out. A descriptor is the shape of a title's IMDb rating distribution against the catalog; "most divisive" needs a spread wider than half of all titles, and a card names only a principal credit: a craft role, and on a show a crew role or a run of episodes, never a courtesy credit or a one-off guest spot.

Is Bo Svenson's work okay for kids?

Across up to 7 MovieCove titles with content scores, violence & gore, profanity and frightening / intense run heavier than most films.

Their medianMedian of all filmsMiddle 80% of their titles
Violence & Gore5 titles63–79 · median 68 · intenseheavier than most filmsMedian of all films: 44
Sex & Nudity7 titles16–53 · median 36 · moderatenear the median of all filmsMedian of all films: 32
Profanity5 titles41–78 · median 56 · moderateheavier than most filmsMedian of all films: 36
Alcohol & Drugs5 titles20–51 · median 32 · mildnear the median of all filmsMedian of all films: 33
Frightening / Intense5 titles43–62 · median 61 · intenseheavier than most filmsMedian of all films: 39

Severity 0–100 from the Content Guide. Categories with under 10 votes on a title are not counted. The band's colour is the severity of their median, named beside it.

Who does Bo Svenson work with?

People who share at least 2 of Bo Svenson's MovieCove titles, grouped by what they did on them; Raimund Harmstorf shares the most, 3.

Directors

Writers

Actors

Composers, cinematographers and editors

Producers

Mixed roles