Father was a Danish missionary stationed in India.
Owned a bungalow in Hawaii from 1961 until his death in 2001.
Worked as a scenic artist on Broadway in the 1930's and for the Office of War Information (Voice of America) during World War II, before joining Paramount's art department in the mid-1940's.
Larsen attended the Royal College of Engineering before pursuing further studies at Yale Drama School. He became an American citizen in 1943.