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Ken Howard | |
|---|---|
 Howard at the 2014 Toronto International Film Festival | |
| 1st National President of the SAG-AFTRA | |
| In office March 30, 2012 – March 23, 2016 | |
| Preceded by | Office established |
| Succeeded by | Gabrielle Carteris |
| President of the Screen Actors Guild | |
| In office September 24, 2009 – March 30, 2012 | |
| Preceded by | Alan Rosenberg |
| Succeeded by | Office abolished |
| Personal details | |
| Born | Kenneth Joseph Howard Jr. March 28, 1944 El Centro, California, U.S. |
| Died | March 23, 2016 (aged 71) Valencia, California, U.S. |
| Spouse(s) | Linda Fetters (m. 1992) |
| Education | Amherst College (BA) Yale University Kent State University (MFA) |
| Occupation |
|
| Awards | Tony Award for Best Featured Actor in a Play 1970: Child's Play Daytime Emmy Award for Outstanding Performer in Children's Programming 1981: The Body Human Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Miniseries or a Movie 2009: Grey Gardens |
| 1966–2015 | |
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Deceased March 23, 2016
In Memory
Ken Howard died on March 23, five days short of his 72nd birthday.
In high school Ken starred in musicals at the Manhasset Congregational Church because he could sing. At Amherst he sang with the Zumbyes but was hesitant to try out for plays, thinking himself more a singer than an actor. But he did try out and was in many, including Macbeth, The Fantasticks and Long Day’s Journey into Night.
Mock Chapels and the play Painting Day showed off Ken’s comedic side. Recently playing serious parts, he had to tape an audition piece to land the 30 Rock part. The producers had no idea Ken could play comedy at all, let alone so well.
Ken went on to Yale Drama School using his acting prowess playing poker with the law school students, thus keeping himself in walking-around money. Ken left one year shy of his degree, venturing to a Broadway audition and a part in David Merrick’s Promises, Promises.
A basketball star in high school and Amherst, Ken got the idea for the TV series The White Shadow that put him on the map, though he’d had a couple of series previously and made his name on Broadway in 1776 and by winning a Tony for Child’s Play.
I flew to LA to see Ken this past December. We looked at old movies and talked and joked. He was upbeat knowing what was ahead for him, and we had a great time. He was hoping to make it to our 50th. Linda, his wife, was the best thing that happened to Ken in the past 25 years. That and the pride of accomplishment Ken felt for merging the acting unions SAG and AFTRA. The industry valued him in many ways. I do too.
Jon Huberth ’66
Videos about Ken
Here are three videos regarding Ken courtesy of Jon Huberth. All part of the memorial tribute at the October 2017 Homecoming.
Remembrance by Paul Bloom
I didn't really know him well but we were classmates In High School and at Amherst and I can give you a small remembrance:
I remember Ken in the musicals at The Congregational Church in Manhasset (I was in the melodramas at the High School, but we didn't have the resources to do the big musicals}. Ken was Curly in Oklahoma and Billy Bigelow in Carousel. I can still hear him singing the Soliloquy from Carousel so beautifully! We ran together in athletics a few times (my three strides to his one). And we were premeds together for a few minutes our first year at Amherst. I suspect his family wanted him to be a doctor, but seeing him perform so many times at Amherst, it was clear where he was headed. I remember the excitement of going backstage to see him during the Broadway run of 1776 a few years after graduation (when he was terrific as Thomas Jefferson). And this winter on my television, speaking out for his fellow performers at the SAG awards. He was smart, funny, talented and warm. He will be missed.
Paul Bloom
Thoughts from Jon Huberth
If you don’t know Ken Howard was a successful actor and need to find out the details, Google it. I’m not writing about that here. I’m writing a few random recollections of remembrance.
Ken Howard had a presence. We all know that. But did you know he almost flunked out freshman year? So much for presence. Failing calculus, Ken was told Myron Rokoszak could tutor him, and Myron did, and did it well. That got Ken back for sophomore year. Ken gained a humbling from that – not the almost failing math part, but rather discovering that a “townie” could save the Big Guy’s ass. He loved telling that story on himself.
I was looking through old folders, unopened for 40 years, to find memorabilia for our 50th Reunion. What had I decided to keep from way back then? All the old typed scripts Ken and I wrote for Mock Chapel, Prom, and Friday Night Pep Rallies. To call them sophomoric would be high praise, but Ken loved doing those campus bits.
Ken was in many plays at Amherst; even incurring the wrath of Coach Rick Wilson when he took the basketball season off one year to act at Kirby. In Manhasset High Ken starred in musicals because he could sing. At Amherst he sang with the Zumbyes. Somebody told him to try out for plays, but Ken was hesitant, thinking himself more a singer than an actor. But he did try out. He and I were in “Long Day’s Journey Into Night”. Ken played Jamie. I played his brother and remember being on stage and looking at Ken’s performance in wonder – which I shouldn’t have been doing at the time. But he was really good.
I directed Ken in “Painting Day”, an original play by Jim Shearwood ’64. Ken was very funny. It was basically a two-hander, and Ken was ‘Ollie’ to John Alcock’s ‘Stanley’. In recent years Ken played a lot of serious parts so wasn’t known for his comedic ability. He actually had to tape an audition piece to land the part on “30 Rock”. The producers had no idea Ken could play comedy at all, let alone so well.
Ken went on to Yale Drama School. He used his acting prowess in creative ways at Yale. Every Saturday night he would go play poker with the law school students. That kept Ken in walking-around money throughout Yale. Though our alumni online directory says he received his MFA from Yale, Ken got his MFA in 1999 from KentState where he briefly taught. Ken actually left Yale one year shy of his degree, when he ventured to an audition in New York City on a lark and got a part in David Merrick’s “Promises, Promises”. He incurred the wrath of Yale’s Dean Robert Brustein [another Amherst grad] who later forgave him for leaving and invited him to teach at Harvard. Ken taught Harvard law students how to present themselves in oral argument, thus atoning somewhat for his fleecing of the law students at Yale.
A friend reminds me that when he saw Ken star in the Williamstown Theatre Festival’s production of “How to Succeed In Business Without Really Trying”, the coatrack in the men's room scene did not descend all the way from the fly gallery as intended, and all the men had to toss their jackets on the floor. Enter Howard who stood on tiptoe and neatly hung his coat on the hook.
Ken’s height also came in handy at ring-toss games. Once at the San Gennaro Festival in Little Italy, Ken went up to a ring toss that had a sign that said “No Leaning”. Ken leaned way in, arms at his sides. “Is this leaning?” he asked. “Yes,” the man replied. Ken straightened back up a bit. “Is this leaning?” “Yes.” Ken straightened up some more. “Is THIS leaning?” “No.” At which point, now leaning over just slightly, Ken stretched his arm out and dropped the ring neatly on the peg. He gave the Teddy Bear to me.
My actress daughter Eliza and I flew out to LA to see him this past December. She and he had a mutual admiration society going. I spent the night, he and I looking at old movies and talking and joking. He was very upbeat in his total acceptance of what was around the corner for him, and we had a great time. Linda, his wife, has been the best thing that could have happened to him in the past twenty-five years. That and the pride of accomplishment Ken felt for being instrumental in bringing the acting unions SAG and AFTRA together – a huge achievement. The industry valued him in many ways. I do, too.
God speed, Ken Howard. God speed.
Jon Huberth '66
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Ken Howard, actor and president of SAG-AFTRA, dies at 71
Screen Actors Guild President Ken Howard speaks during The 22nd Annual Screen Actors Guild Awards at The Shrine Auditorium on Jan. 30, 2016, in Los Angeles.
Ken Howard, president of SAG-AFTRA and an actor known for his role on TV’s “The White Shadow,” died Wednesday at age 71.
Howard was a Tony- and Emmy-winning actor who in recent years became best known for championing the merger of Hollywood’s two largest actors’ unions, which had a history of sparring.
His death was announced in a statement released by the union. No cause of death was given.
In the statement, SAG-AFTRA acting President Gabrielle Carteris said: “Ken was an inspirational leader, and it is an incredible loss for SAG-AFTRA, for his family and for everyone who knew him. He was a light that never dimmed and was completely devoted to the membership. He led us through tumultuous times and set our union on a steady course of excellence. We will be forever in his debt.”
See the most-read stories in Entertainment this hour >>
In the same statement, National Executive Director David White said, “Ken was a remarkable leader, and his powerful vision for this union was a source of inspiration for all of us. He was an exceptional person, and we are deeply saddened by his passing. He had a remarkable career and he never forgot what it was like to be a working performer.”
He was first elected as union president in 2009 on a campaign to combine the Screen Actors Guild with the American Federation of Television and Radio Artists, which occurred in 2012.
He was credited by his supporters, including Tom Hanks and George Clooney, with bringing stability and unity to a once deeply divided union. But Howard also faced opposition from a faction in SAG that opposed the merger.
In August he narrowly defeated “Home Improvement” actress Patricia Richardson for a second term as president of SAG-AFTRA.
Shortly after his election to union president in 2009 he said in an interview with The Times, “One of the things that make actors good is their capacity to listen. I’ll keep reminding myself that. If ever there was a job that requires a lot of listening, it’s this one.”
Howard was born in El Centro, Calif., on March 28, 1944, and grew up mostly on Long Island. He attended Amherst College and Yale School of Drama before joining the cast of Neil Simon’s “Promises, Promises” on Broadway. His stage performance in “Child’s Play” won him a Tony award in 1970. That performance captured the attention of director Otto Preminger, who cast Howard opposite Liza Minnelli in the film “Tell Me That You Love Me, Junie Moon.”
In “The White Shadow,” which lasted for three seasons on CBS before ending in 1981, the 6-foot-6 Howard found his most iconic role as a former pro basketball player turned inner-city high school coach.
In the mid-’90s, Howard spent three years at Harvard, teaching acting and public speaking as well as a course in oral argument at Harvard Law School with famed legal scholar Charles Ogletree.
Howard continued to be an active and versatile performer even against the demands of his union leadership.
In the last few years, Howard appeared in films such as “Joy” and “The Judge,” and other roles included appearances in “J. Edgar,” “Rambo,” “Michael Clayton” and “In Her Shoes.” His recent television work included a recurring role on “30 Rock.”
Howard won a Daytime Emmy in 1981 for “The Body Human: Facts for Boys.” He also won an Emmy for his performance in the 2009 TV movie “Grey Gardens.”
Howard was married three times, first to Louise Sorel from 1973 to 1975 and then to Margo Coleman from 1977 to 1991. He is survived by his third wife, Linda Fetters, whom he married in 1992.
In a statement, Clooney recalled how he was still a struggling young actor when he first met Howard in 1983. Clooney wasn’t going to be able to get from one studio lot to another in time to make an audition. Howard put Clooney’s bicycle in the trunk of his car and gave the actor, whom he did not know, a ride across town.
“Today his obituary read that he was six foot six,” Clooney’s statement said, “but he was so much taller than that.”
mark.olsen@latimes.com
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Kenneth Joseph Howard Jr. (March 28, 1944 – March 23, 2016) was an American actor. He was known for his roles as Thomas Jefferson in 1776 (1972) and as high school basketball coach and former Chicago Bulls player Ken Reeves in the television show The White Shadow (1978–1981). Howard won the Tony Award for Best Featured Actor in a Play in 1970 for his performance in Child's Play, and won the Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Miniseries or a Movie for his work in Grey Gardens (2009).
Howard had co-starring roles in the films Tell Me That You Love Me, Junie Moon (1970), Such Good Friends (1971), and The Strange Vengeance of Rosalie (1972). In the 1980s, he worked mostly in television, winning a Daytime Emmy Award for the CBS afternoon special The Body Human: Facts for Boys (1980). He later appeared in numerous character parts in films such as Clear and Present Danger (1994), The Net (1995), Michael Clayton (2007), and The Judge (2014).
Howard was elected president of the actors' union, Screen Actors Guild (SAG), in September 2009[1] and reelected to a second term, in September 2011.[2] He was the last president of the Screen Actors Guild and the first president of the newly combined SAG-AFTRA union, after the Screen Actors Guild and the American Federation of Television and Radio Artists (AFTRA) voted to merge in 2012. He was reelected in 2015.[3]
Early life
Howard was born on March 28, 1944, in El Centro, California, the son of Martha Carey (née McDonald) and Kenneth Joseph Howard, a stockbroker,[4][5] being the elder of their two sons. His younger brother, the late Don Howard, was also an actor and director.[6][7] His approximately 6-foot 6-inch (1.98 m) stature earned him the nickname "Stork" as a high school student. He grew up in Manhasset, New York, on Long Island.[8]
The nickname "The White Shadow" was given to him by the Long Island press in 1961, as, at age 17, Howard was the only white starter on the Manhasset High School varsity basketball team.[9]
A member of the National Honor Society in high school, Howard turned down several offers of basketball scholarships in favor of a more focused academic education. He graduated in 1966 from Amherst College, where he served as captain of the basketball team.[10] He was also a member of the a cappella singing group The Zumbyes. He attended the Yale School of Drama but left to make his Broadway debut before completing his master's degree[11] – which he achieved in 1999.
Theater
Howard began his career on Broadway in Promises, Promises with Jerry Orbach. In 1970, he won a Tony Award as Best Supporting or Featured Actor (Dramatic) for Child's Play. Howard later starred on Broadway as Thomas Jefferson in 1776 and reprised the role in the 1972 film. His other Broadway appearances included Seesaw in 1973 and The Norman Conquests. Howard portrayed several U.S. presidents in the 1975 Broadway musical 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue and appeared as Warren G. Harding in Camping with Henry and Tom in 1995.[12] He appeared in legitimate theater in many cities, most recently as Tip O'Neill in a one-man show According to Tip, at the New Repertory Theatre in Watertown, Massachusetts.[13]
Television
On television, Howard appeared as Ken Reeves, a Los Angeles high school basketball coach, in The White Shadow, produced by Bruce Paltrow in 1978. Howard had the starring role in the 1973 TV series Adam's Rib opposite his good friend (and Paltrow's wife) Blythe Danner, who also played wife Martha to his Thomas Jefferson in the film version of 1776. He starred in The Manhunter, a crime drama that was part of CBS's lineup for the 1974–75 television season.
Howard starred in the TV movie Father Damien in 1980 (in which he replaced David Janssen in the title role after Janssen died a few days after the movie started production) and won a Daytime Emmy Award in 1981 for his performance as the ideal father in the CBS afternoon special The Body Human: Facts for Boys. Howard's additional credits included "Sidney Sheldon's Rage of Angels, 1983", the 2000 miniseries Perfect Murder, Perfect Town, and the feature film Dreamer: Inspired by a True Story, both co-starring Kris Kristofferson. He played the title character in the 1984 American Playhouse production of Mark Twain's Pudd'nhead Wilson, having earlier played Twain on Bonanza. Later, he appeared as Garrett Boydston in Dynasty and its spin-off The Colbys. In the late 1980s, he appeared on Murder, She Wrote and, from 2001–04, in Crossing Jordan as the title character's father. In 2007, he appeared in the Jimmy Smits series Cane.
Howard guest-starred on numerous television dramas. He was guest villain in Hart to Hart Returns, a 1993 made-for-TV movie. He also appeared in season one of The West Wing as President Bartlet's first choice for US Supreme Court Justice in the episode "The Short List". His other dramatic guest roles included NYPD Blue, The Practice, Boston Legal, Cold Case, Dirty Sexy Money, Eli Stone, Brothers and Sisters, Law & Order: Special Victims Unit, Curb Your Enthusiasm, Fairly Legal, Crossing Jordan, The Closer, Blue Bloods, The Golden Girls, The Office, and 30 Rock.
Film
Howard made his movie debut in 1970, in Tell Me That You Love Me, Junie Moon, opposite Liza Minnelli. Numerous dramatic and comedic movie roles followed, including: Otto Preminger's Such Good Friends with Dyan Cannon and Jennifer O'Neill, 1776, The Strange Vengeance of Rosalie, Independence, Second Thoughts, Oscar with Sylvester Stallone in 1991, Ulterior Motives, Clear and Present Danger with Harrison Ford in 1994, The Net with Sandra Bullock in 1995, Tactical Assault, Dreamer: Inspired by a True Story, and In Her Shoes in 2005.
In 2007, Howard appeared again with Stallone in Rambo, and in George Clooney's Michael Clayton. In 2010, he starred in The Numbers Game with Steven Bauer. He next appeared as Harlan F. Stone in Clint Eastwood's J. Edgar.
He gave an acclaimed performance as Phelan Beale in the 2009 HBO film Grey Gardens, playing opposite Jessica Lange, for which he received an Emmy Award.[14] His last films were Better Living Through Chemistry (2013), A.C.O.D.(2013), The Judge (2014), The Wedding Ringer (2015) and the biographical comedy-drama film Joy (2015).
Ken Howard was elected the National President of the Screen Actors Guild on September 24, 2009.
Author
Howard was the author of the 2003 book Act Natural: How to Speak to Any Audience,[15] based on the drama courses he had taught at Harvard University. He was a popular reader for audiobooks.[3]
Personal life
Howard was married three times. His first wife was actress Louise Sorel (m. 1973–75). His second wife was writer and advice columnist Margo Lederer (m. 1977–91). His final marriage was to stuntwoman Linda Fetters Howard (m. 1992–2016).[16]
In 2000, Howard underwent a kidney transplant; the donor was family friend Jeannie Epper,[17] with whom Linda had worked in the stunt community.[18]
Death
In 2007, Howard was diagnosed with stage four prostate cancer. In March 2016, he was hospitalized in Valencia, California, with shingles, where he died on March 23, five days before his 72nd birthday.[19] He was the first and, as of 2025, the only Screen Actors Guild or SAG-AFTRA national president to die in office.
Filmography
Film
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1970 | Tell Me That You Love Me, Junie Moon | Arthur | |
| 1971 | Such Good Friends | Cal | |
| 1972 | The Strange Vengeance of Rosalie | Virgil | |
| 1776 | Thomas Jefferson | ||
| 1976 | Independence | Thomas Jefferson | Short film directed by John Huston.[20] |
| 1983 | Second Thoughts | John Michael | |
| 1991 | Oscar | Kirkwood | |
| 1993 | Ulterior Motives | Malcolm Carter | |
| 1994 | Clear and Present Danger | Committee Chairman | |
| 1995 | The Net | Michael Bergstrom | |
| 1998 | Tactical Assault | General Horace White | |
| 1999 | At First Sight | Virgil's Father | |
| 2004 | Stuck | Marty | Short film directed by Clark Harris. |
| Double Dare | Himself | Documentary film | |
| 2005 | Dreamer | Bill Ford | |
| In Her Shoes | Michael Feller | ||
| 2006 | Arc | Santee | |
| 2007 | Michael Clayton | Don Jeffries | |
| 2008 | Rambo | Father Arthur Marsh | |
| Under Still Waters | Conrad | ||
| Smother | Gene Cooper | ||
| 2009 | Two:Thirteen | Sheriff Sedgewick | |
| The Beacon | Officer Bobby Ford | ||
| 2010 | A The Numbers Game | Harold | |
| 2011 | J. Edgar | Harlan F. Stone | |
| 2012 | A Fighting Man | George | Short film |
| Just an American | Dr. Sullivan | ||
| 2013 | A.C.O.D. | Gary | |
| 2014 | Better Living Through Chemistry | Walter Bishop | |
| The Judge | Judge Warren | ||
| 2015 | The Wedding Ringer | Ed Palmer | |
| Joy | Mop Executive | Final Film Role |
Television
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1969 | N.Y.P.D. | Rick Crossfield | Episode: "Everybody Loved Him" |
| 1972 | Bonanza | Samuel Clemens | Episode: "The Twenty-Sixth Grave" |
| Medical Center | Kevin Morgan | Episode: "The Outcast" | |
| 1973 | Adam's Rib | Adam Bonner | Contract role |
| 1974–75 | The Manhunter | Dave Barrett | Contract role |
| 1977 | The Court Martial of George Custer | Prosecuting attorney | Made-for-TV movie |
| 1978 | Superdome | Dave Walecki | Made-for-TV movie |
| The Critical List | Nels Freiberg | Made-for-TV movie | |
| A Real American Hero | Danny Boy Mitchell | Made-for-TV movie | |
| 1978–81 | The White Shadow | Ken Reeves | Contract role |
| 1980 | Father Damien: The Leper Priest | Father Damien | Made-for-TV movie |
| 1982 | Victims | Joe Buckley | Made-for-TV movie |
| The Country Girl | Bernie Dodd | Made-for-TV movie | |
| 1983 | It's Not Easy | Jack Long | Contract role |
| 1983 | Rage of Angels | Adam Warner | Miniseries |
| The Thorn Birds | Rainer Hartheim | Miniseries | |
| 1984 | Glitter | Senator | Episode: "Pilot" |
| He's Not Your Son | Michael Saunders | Made-for-TV | |
| American Playhouse | Pudd'nhead Wilson | Episode: "Pudd'nhead Wilson" | |
| Hotel | Bill Tillery | Episode: "Passages" | |
| 1985–86 | Dynasty | Garrett Boydston | Recurring |
| The Colbys | Recurring | ||
| 1985 | Hotel | Malcolm Taylor | Episode: "Missing Pieces" |
| 1986 | Rage of Angels: The Story Continues | Adam J. Warner | Made-for-TV-Movie |
| Dream Girl, U.S.A. | TV Host | Contract role | |
| 1988 | American Playhouse | Sam Evans | Episode: "Strange Interlude" |
| The Man in the Brown Suit | Gordon Race | Made-for-TV-Movie | |
| 1985–1989 | Murder, She Wrote | Various Roles | 6 episodes |
| 1991 | Deadly Nightmares | Dubois | Episode: "Homecoming" |
| P.S. I Luv U | Jack Packer | Episode: "Pilot" | |
| Murder in New Hampshire | Bill Smart | Made-for-TV-Movie | |
| Memories of Midnight | Kirk Reynolds | Made-for-TV-Movie | |
| 1992 | The Golden Girls | Jerry | Episode: "The Commitments" |
| Mastergate | Courtleigh Bishop | Made-for-TV-Movie | |
| What Happened? | Host | Documentary | |
| 1993 | Batman: The Animated Series | Hartness | Episode: "See No Evil" |
| Hart to Hart Returns | Dr. Paul Menard | Made-for-TV-Movie | |
| 1994 | One West Waikiki | Ronald Markham | Episode: "Til Death Do Us Part" |
| Moment of Truth: To Walk Again | Ed Keating | Made-for-TV-Movie | |
| Captain Planet and the Planeteers | Voice | Episode: "A River Ran Through It" | |
| 1994–98 | Melrose Place | Mr. George Andrews | Recurring |
| 1995 | Op Center | The President | Miniseries |
| Her Hidden Truth | Jack Devereaux | Made-for-TV-Movie | |
| 1996 | Diagnosis: Murder | Special Agent Dunleavy | Episode: "Murder Can Be Contagious" |
| Arli$$ | Rocky | Episode: "The Stuff That Dreams Are Made Of" | |
| The Client | Charlie Braxton | Episode: "Money Talks" | |
| 1997 | Something Borrowed, Something Blue | Senator John Farrell | Made-for-TV-Movie |
| Diagnosis: Murder | David Clarke | Episode: "Slam Dunk Dead" | |
| The Practice | Senator Frank Patanki | Episode: "Hide and Seek" | |
| 1999 | The West Wing | Judge Peyton Cabot Harrison III | Episode: "The Short List" |
| A Vow To Cherish | John Brighton | Made-for-TV-Movie | |
| 2000 | The Practice | Defense Atty. Bradford | Episode: "Race Ipsa Loquitor" |
| Perfect Murder, Perfect Town | Alex Hunter | Miniseries | |
| 2001–05 | Crossing Jordan | Max Cavanaugh | Recurring |
| 2001 | Family Law | Reardon | Episode: "Film at Eleven" |
| Arli$$ | Coach Dreyfuss | Episode: "Of Cabbages and Kings" | |
| 2004 | Curb Your Enthusiasm | Ken Abbot | Episodes: 2 episodes |
| A Boyfriend for Christmas | Judge | Uncredited | |
| 2006 | The Office | Ed Truck | Episode: "The Carpet" |
| George Lopez | Dr. Woodson | Episode: "The Kidney Stays in the Picture" | |
| Ghost Whisperer | Judge Walter Merrick | Episode: "Fury" | |
| Huff | Walt Callahan | 2 episodes | |
| Conviction | Judge Hanford | Episode: "The Wall" | |
| Law & Order: Special Victims Unit | Dr. Arlen Rieff | Episode: "Cage" | |
| 2007 | Sacrifices of the Heart | Thane Weston | Made-for-TV-movie |
| The Nine | Alvy Munson | Episode: "Man of the Year" | |
| Cane | Joe Samuels | Recurring | |
| 2008 | Brothers & Sisters | Boyd Taylor | Episode: "Double Negative" |
| Eli Stone | Thomas Hayes | Episode: "Grace" | |
| Boston Legal | Judge Walter Yardley | Episode: "Kill, Baby, Kill!" | |
| Dirty Sexy Money | Evan Connello | Episode: "The Summer House" | |
| 2009 | Cold Case | Harry Kemp Jr. '58 | Episode: "Libertyville" |
| Grey Gardens | Phelan Beale | Television Movie, HBO | |
| 2011–13 | 30 Rock | Hank Hooper | Recurring – 9 episodes |
| 2011 | The Council of Dads | Burt Wells | Made-for-TV movie |
| Fairly Legal | Charles Pease | Episode: "Pilot" | |
| The Closer | Wes Durant | Episode: "Star Turn" | |
| 2012 | The Young and the Restless | George Summers | 3 episodes |
| Blue Bloods | Malcolm | Episode: "Nightmares" | |
| Counter Culture | Ken | Made-for-TV movie | |
| 2014 | The McCarthys | Coach Colwell | Episode: "Pilot" |
Theatre
| Year | Title | Role | Theatre | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1968–72 | Promises, Promises | Bartender Eddie Karl Kubelik | The Shubert Theatre, Broadway | [21] |
| 1969–72 | 1776 | Thomas Jefferson | 46th Street Theatre St. James Theatre Majestic Theatre, Broadway | |
| 1970 | Child's Play | Paul Reese | Royale Theatre, Broadway | |
| 1971 | JFK | Designer | Circle in the Square | |
| 1973 | Seesaw | Jerry Ryan | Uris Theatre Mark Hellinger Theatre | |
| 1975 | Little Black Sheep | Jack Hassler | Vivian Beaumont Theatre | |
| 1975–76 | The Norman Conquest Trilogy | Tom | Morosco Theatre | |
| 1976 | Equus | Performer | National Company | |
| 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue | The President | Mark Hellinger Theatre | ||
| 1988–90 | Rumors | Glenn Cooper | Broadhurst Theatre Ethel Barrymore Theatre | |
| 1995 | Camping with Henry and Tom | Warren G. Harding | Lucille Lortel Theatre | |
| 1996 | In the Moonlight Eddie | Director | Pasadena Playhouse | |
| 2007 | According to Tip | Tip O'Neil | New Repertory Theatre | |
| 2010 | Hopeless Romantic | Michael Hanley[22] | Center Stage Theater, Santa Barbara | |
| 2012 | Golden Child | Assistant Director | Pershing Square Signature Center The Alice Griffin Jewel Box Theatre |
Awards and nominations
| Year | Award | Category | Nominated work | Result | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1969 | Theatre World Awards | — | 1776 | Won | [23] |
| 1970 | Tony Awards | Best Supporting or Featured Actor in a Play | Child's Play | Won | [24] |
| 1981 | Daytime Emmy Awards | Outstanding Individual Achievement in Children's Programming – Performers | The Body Human (Episode: "Facts for Boys") | Won | [25] |
| 2009 | Online Film & Television Association Awards | Best Supporting Actor in a Motion Picture or Miniseries | Grey Gardens | Nominated | [26] |
| 2009 | Primetime Emmy Awards | Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Miniseries or a Movie | Won | [27] |
References
- "Ken Howard Elected as Screen Actors Guild President; Amy Aquino Elected as Secretary-Treasurer" (Press release). Screen Actors Guild. September 24, 2009. Retrieved December 7, 2011.
- Weinstein, Joshua L. (September 22, 2011). "Ken Howard Re-Elected President of SAG". The Wrap. Reuters. Retrieved December 7, 2011.
- "Ken Howard, Award Winning Actor and SAG-AFTRA President, Dead at 71". SAG-AFTRA. March 23, 2016. Retrieved March 25, 2016.
However, he again put his compelling voice to work...narrating more than 30 best-selling audio books.
- Barnes, Mike (March 23, 2016). "Ken Howard, SAG-AFTRA President, Dies at 71". The Hollywood Reporter.
- "Ken Howard Biography (1944–2016)". Film Reference Library. Retrieved December 7, 2012.
- Jones, Kenneth (September 1, 1999). "Actor and Stage Manager Don Howard is Dead at 47". Playbill.
- "William Shatner Biography (1931–)". Filmreference.com.
- Tarshis, Alex (November 10, 2005). "Hanging Out in the NBA TV Green Room With ... Ken Howard". NBA. Retrieved November 23, 2007.
- Perry, Douglas (March 24, 2016). "RIP Ken Howard; how his 1970s series 'The White Shadow' changed TV". The Oregonian. Portland. Retrieved March 25, 2016.
- "Ken Howard". starpulse.com. Archived from the original on October 20, 2011. Retrieved December 7, 2011.
- Erickson, Hal (May 20, 2013). "Ken Howard". Movies & TV Dept. The New York Times. Archived from the original on May 21, 2013. Retrieved December 7, 2011.
- "Plays—Camping with Henry and Tom". Mark St. Germain.com. Archived from the original on February 25, 2013. Retrieved December 7, 2012.
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RIP Ken Howard; how his 1970s series 'The White Shadow' changed TV
Ken Howard
Ken Howard, the president of the actors' union SAG-AFTRA, died Wednesday at 71.
Howard, widely beloved in Hollywood, was a busy, versatile, actor. He won a Tony Award in 1970 for "Child's Play." He was Thomas Jefferson in the Broadway musical "1776" and reprised the role for the movie version. He played treacly corporate exec Hank Hooper on "30 Rock."
But the 6'6" actor will be remembered most of all as Ken Reeves in "The White Shadow," the CBS TV series that ran from 1978 to 1981. This is a good thing: the series was groundbreaking and funny and dramatic, and it showcased Howard at his best.
Wrote Tim Goodman in The Hollywood Reporter: "As soon as word of his death popped up on Twitter -- where seemingly all news breaks -- that's the first thing that popped into my head. Carver's coach was gone." He continued:
That's fictional Carver High School to you, set in South Central Los Angeles, a tough area where members of the high school basketball team at the center of the show were going to experience their own tough times coming of age. They had absent dads and lacked goals, sometimes hope and definitely a coach who could mold them into a good team. Coach Reeves, or really just "Coach," arrived to fill a lot of roles.
'The White Shadow' was totally in my wheelhouse, as I was starting high school and such. But hell, lots of people just liked 'The White Shadow' because it was good television, especially for the time. And it was about basketball. Come on.
He closed: "If I couldn't tell what the higher goals of [series creator Bruce Paltrow] and 'The White Shadow' were back then, I could certainly tell that this was maybe the first drama I wanted to watch every week. It seemed pretty real to me. And it didn't look like other TV shows."
"The White Shadow" was not a big ratings hit, but Goodman was hardly alone in loving the show and being deeply influenced by it. Heralded sports columnist and TV talker Bill Simmons, writing in 2002, declared that "The White Shadow" changed his life. "It knocked me over like a ton of bricks. Monday nights, 8 p.m. Everything stopped." He added:
In the pilot episode, [school administrator] Willis lures Reeves to L.A. to coach his high school's team. They lose his first game by 30 points. During halftime, Reeves nearly puts Hayward [one of the players] through a locker for talking back to him. Hayward quits the team. Coach Reeves heads over to his house to smooth things over. They end up betting on three games of one-on-one, with Coach throwing each game so he could give Hayward money. Eventually, he ends up getting Hayward back in school, just in time for Carver's first win of the Reeves Era. After the game, in the joyous locker room, Coach tells the team not to rest on their laurels, that he'll be dogging them every step of the way.
"Like a white shadow," Thorpe [another member of the team] says.
The end.
That was the pilot. Funny, interesting, likable, absorbing, well-acted, well-written ... and have I mentioned that there wasn't a single show like it? I mean, even remotely like it? Needless to say, I was hooked.
Howard's ex-wife, the writer Margo Howard, daughter of the late advice columnist Ann Landers, wrote in her 2003 memoir "A Life in Letters" that the show was "based on [Ken's] own years as a high-school basketball star in Manhasset -- where he was, in fact, called 'The White Shadow' for being the only white starter on an all-black team. This was a trail-blazing series, both for its form as an early comedy-drama and the realistic episodes that didn't always have a pat ending -- like life."
Margo Howard gets it exactly right. "The White Shadow" showed us real urban teen life: the problems and pressures and heartbreak. Episodes addressed teen pregnancy, drugs and stultifying public-school bureaucracy. But it was hardly a prime-time After-School Special. It did feel real -- much more real than other TV shows in the 1970s. And it also was fun and funny, with great one-liners and, of course, great acting. It paved the way for series like "Hill Street Blues," "My So-Called Life" and much more.
If you have never seen "The White Shadow," or you haven't seen it in years, search it out tonight on Netflix or Amazon Prime or your TV guide. Watch the series' jazzy, classic intro below:
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