Moroni Olsen

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.

Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs

7.1

It's a Wonderful Life

8.3

Notorious

7.7

Mildred Pierce

7.6

I Love Lucy

7.9

Samson and Delilah

6.5

Father of the Bride

7.0

Call Northside 777

6.6

The Fountainhead

6.9

The Glass Key

6.6

Possessed

6.8

Father's Little Dividend

6.4

Life with Father

6.5

Thirty Seconds Over Tokyo

6.6

Air Force

6.4

The Long, Long Trailer

6.8

Santa Fe Trail

5.7

Death Takes a Holiday

6.4

Madame Curie

7.2

The Strange Woman

6.3

Buffalo Bill

5.8

Mary of Scotland

6.3

Ali Baba and the Forty Thieves

6.1

The Long Night

5.8

Virginia City

6.1

Annie Oakley

6.4

Marie Antoinette

6.6

Dive Bomber

6.3

High Wall

6.2

Allegheny Uprising

5.6

The Last Gangster

6.3

Cobra Woman

5.2

Lone Star

5.6

Payment on Demand

6.2

Invisible Stripes

6.2

Command Decision

6.6

Reunion in France

6.4

Dust Be My Destiny

6.2

One Foot in Heaven

6.6

Mission to Moscow

5.2

No Questions Asked

6.0

Submarine Command

5.6

Brigham Young

4.4

Susannah of the Mounties

6.3

The Plough and the Stars

5.6

There Goes My Heart

7.2

Task Force

7.0

Pride of the Marines

6.5

From This Day Forward

5.2

Nazi Agent

6.6

At Sword's Point

4.8

Kentucky

5.7

Dangerously They Live

5.9

Week-End at the Waldorf

6.0

Gold Is Where You Find It

6.9

The Walls Came Tumbling Down

5.9

Seven Keys to Baldpate

6.6

East of the River

5.7

That Hagen Girl

5.2

Mummy's Boys

4.7

The Three Musketeers

6.4

The Witness Chair

6.2

That Certain Age

5.0

Code of the Secret Service

3.5

Submarine Patrol

6.6

My Favorite Spy

5.2

If I Had My Way

6.4

Boys' Ranch

6.5

So This Is Love

4.5

Up in Central Park

7.0

Yellow Dust

4.0

Sign of the Pagan

5.2

Off the Record

6.0

Rose of Washington Square

5.7

Roger Touhy, Gangster

6.0

That's Right – You're Wrong

5.7

Don't Fence Me In

4.3

Adventure's End

5.0

Kidnapped

4.7

Brother Rat and a Baby

5.2

Washington Story

6.0

Barricade

5.0

We're Only Human

6.5

Homicide Bureau

6.0

Black Gold

6.0

The Soldier and the Lady

6.5

The Bill of Rights

6.0

What Do You Think? Tupapaoo

7.5

Grand Jury

7.0

Life with Henry

5.0

M'Liss

5.0

Two in Revolt

6.0

Three Sons o' Guns

5.0

Respect the Law

6.0

We've Never Been Licked

0.0

Marry Me Again

0.0

Mrs. Wiggs of the Cabbage Patch

0.0

The Farmer in the Dell

0.0

Sundown Jim

0.0