Bo Svenson

U.S. Armed Forces Far East Heavyweight Division Judo Champion (1961).

He played "Big Swede" on the TV series Here Come the Brides (1968).

His role as "The Giant/The Monster" in the TV movie "Mary Shelley's Original Frankenstein" brought him great acclaim and led to a starring role in Maurie (1973) and as Robert Redford's co-star in The Great Waldo Pepper (1975).

Other major starring film roles followed, including, most notably, Walking Tall Part II (1975), Final Chapter: Walking Tall (1977) (as well as the "Walking Tall" TV series), North Dallas Forty (1979), The Delta Force (1986), and Heartbreak Ridge (1986). An accomplished athlete, he has competed in world championships, Olympic selections and/or international competition in numerous sports, including judo. A 5th degree black belt in judo, and a black belt holder in karate as well as aikido, he is past Chairman of USA Judo Masters and has been inducted into the Martial Arts Masters Hall of Fame.

Listed as one of twelve "Promising New Actors of 1976" in John Willis' Screen World, Vol. 28.

Castellari's Quel maledetto treno blindato (1978), in which Bo starred), Svenson has focused on his first love - writing. His novel, "A Dream of America", is on Amazon's list of "Preferred Reads". Born in Sweden, he emigrated by himself to the United States in his late teens and began serving his new country with six years in the U. S. Marines. He lost any lingering accent and has spoken ever since with an uncannily flawless American accent. Following his honorable discharge, he pursued a Ph. D. in metaphysics when he was spotted by James Hammerstein and cast in a revival of "South Pacific", which led to his playing the lead role as Yang Sun in Bertolt Brecht's play, "The Good Woman of Szechuan" at Greenwich Village's Circle in the Square Theatre, and a starring role in the CBS TV pilot "The Freebooters".

The October 24, 1979, issue of Variety, in the Italian Production section, announced the movie "Due Nelle Stelle" (English title "Two in the Stars") by director Anthony Ascott, cast Fred Williamson, Bo Svenson, Arthur Kennedy, Jackie Basehart, and Antonella Interlenghi began filming in September 1979. No evidence the movie was ever finished.

He was television's highest-paid actor for his reprisal of Buford Pusser in the television series Walking Tall (1981). Only Johnny Carson was making more than he was at the time.

He was Chairman of the Board/CEO of the Motion Picture Group of America (1984-2004).

Svenson has worked with over 100 Academy Award winners/nominees. Since filming Quentin Tarantino's Kill Bill: Volume 2 (2004) and Inglourious Basterds (2009) (the latter being Tarantino's version of one of his favorite films of all time, Enzo G.

A 5th degree black belt in judo and other martial arts, he was inducted into the Martial Arts Masters Hall of Fame on August 8, 2009.

Won the 2010 Screen Actors Guild (SAG) Award for "Outstanding Performance by a Cast" for Quentin Tarantino's "Inglourious Basterds".

Receipient of the 2012 Silver Spur Lifetime Achievement Award from The Reel Cowboys Hall of Fame.

Received the Lifetime Achievement Award at the 2013 Movieville International Film Festival in Sarasota, Florida. The award acknowledged and celebrated Svenson's many years of excellence as an actor, writer, and director.

He also spent three years driving in NASCAR and was Sports Commissioner at the 2015 Special Olympics World Games (at UCLA).

Bo Svenson's screenplay, "Don't Call Me Sir!", has been selected as a finalist and will be presented Fernleif's 2017 Best of the Best Festival to be held June 23, 2017 at the Ocean Screening Room in Santa Monica, California.

Bo Svenson's screenplay "Dreamers" won Best Screenplay at the 2018 Russian Film Festival (Moscow).