Bo Svenson

At 6'5," with broad shoulders and blond hair, Bo Svenson is the American image of the big, lumbering Swede, a part he played in his first American series, "Here Come the Brides" (ABC, 1968-70). Svenson left his native Sweden at age 17 and moved to Wisconsin where he worked on a cousin's farm before joining the US Marines (1959-65). After his military service, Svenson settled in Florida, where he earned his living in various jobs, including professional race car driver. A role in the chorus of a production of "South Pacific" and a guest stint on an episode of "Flipper" convinced Svenson to relocate to NYC to pursue an acting career. After making minor appearances in off-off-Broadway productions, he landed a role in "Pigeons Don't Cry" which led him to Hollywood.

Svenson landed the role of Swede, the gentle giant engaged to the schoolteacher on "Here Come the Brides." When the series finished its run, he segued to TV longforms, appearing in "The Lost Treasure" (1971), the Western "The Bravos" (ABC, 1972) and as the Creature in an acclaimed version of "Frankenstein" (ABC, 1973).Svenson made his feature debut in "Maurie/Big Mo" (1973), as a teammate of an injured basketball player (Bernie Casey). He is perhaps best remembered for succeeding Joe Don Baker in the role of Sheriff Buford Pusser, the crusading, fair-minded Southern law enforcer, in "Walking Tall, Part II" (1975) and "Final Chapter - Walking Tall" (1977). Svenson also played the role in the short-lived NBC TV series. Most of his subsequent work has been in action-adventure features, such as "Delta Force" (1986), in which he was the captain of a hijacked plane. In the 1980s and 90s, many of his films were made for independent companies and had theatrical runs overseas with mostly home video distribution in the US (e.g., "Savage Land" 1994, "Tides of War" 1994 and "Private Obsessions" 1995).