1. Theatre, Film, and Television Biographies
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Keene Curtis Biography (1923-2002)

Born February 15, 1923 (some sources say 1925), in Salt Lake City, UT; son ofIra Charles (a railway worker and civil service employee) and Polley Francella (a teacher; maiden name, Holbrook) Curtis. Addresses: Office: 6363Ivarene Ave., Hollywood, CA 90068.

Nationality

American

Gender

Male

Occupation

Actor, director, stage manager

Birth Details

February 15, 1923

Salt Lake City, Utah, United States

Death Details

October 13, 2002

Bountiful, Utah

Famous Works

• CREDITS
• Stage Appearances
• Standby for the role of Archie, The Shop at Sly Corner, Booth Theatre, New York City, 1949
• Agazzi, Right You Are If You Think You Are, McCarter Theatre, Princeton, NJ, 1960
• Franz, Anatole, Association of Producing Artists, City Hall Theatre, Hamilton, Bermuda, 1960
• Henry Straker, Man and Superman, Association of Producing Artists,City Hall Theatre, 1960 , later McCarter Theatre, 1960
• Julian Froth, then Biondello, The Taming of the Shrew, Associationof Producing Artists, Outdoor Theatre, Hamilton, Bermuda, 1960
• Lane, The Importance of Being Earnest, McCarter Theatre, 1960
• Mayor Hebble Tyson, The Lady's Not for Burning, McCarter Theatre, 1960
• Medvedenko, The Sea Gull, Association of Producing Artists, City Hall Theatre, then McCarter Theatre, both 1960
• Stevens, The Tavern, McCarter Theatre, 1960
• Title role, Scapin, McCarter Theatre, 1960
• Bottom, A Midsummer Night's Dream, McCarter Theatre, 1961
• Colonel Howard, Fashion, McCarter Theatre, 1961
• Dr. Dorn, The Sea Gull, McCarter Theatre, 1961
• Feste, Twelfth Night, McCarter Theatre, 1961
• Lucianus, Hamlet, McCarter Theatre, 1961
• Oswald, King Lear, McCarter Theatre, 1961
• Page, As You Like It, McCarter Theatre, 1961
• Sheriff, The Tavern, McCarter Theatre, 1961
• Sir Oliver, The School for Scandal, McCarter Theatre, 1961
• George Selincourt, A Penny for a Song, Association of Producing Artists Repertory, Bucks County Playhouse, New Hope, PA, then John Drew Theatre, East Hampton, NY, then Lydia Mendelssohn Theatre, Ann Arbor, MI, 1962
• Sheriff, The Tavern, Lydia Mendelssohn Theatre, 1962
• Sir Benjamin Backbite, The School for Scandal, Association of Producing Artists Repertory, Lydia Mendelssohn Theatre, 1962
• Conrad, Much Ado about Nothing, Association of Producing Artists Repertory, Trueblood Theatre, Ann Arbor, MI, 1963
• Salarino, The Merchant of Venice, Association of Producing ArtistsRepertory, Trueblood Theatre, 1963
• Sirelli, Right You Are If You Think You Are, Association of Producing Artists Repertory, Trueblood Theatre, 1963
• Sir William Bagot, Richard II, Association of Producing Artists Repertory, Trueblood Theatre, 1963
• Tartar, The Lower Depths, Association of Producing Artists Repertory, Trueblood Theatre, 1963
• Bottom, A Midsummer Night's Dream, Association of Producing Artists Repertory, Phoenix Theatre, New York City, 1963-64
• Sheriff, The Tavern, Association of Producing Artists Repertory, Phoenix Theatre, 1963-64
• DuCroisy, Impromptu at Versailles, Association of Producing Artists Repertory, Phoenix Theatre, 1964
• Henry Straker, Man and Superman, Association of Producing ArtistsRepertory, Lydia Mendelssohn Theatre, then Phoenix Theatre, 1964
• Rio Rita, The Hostage, Association of Producing Artists Repertory,Lydia Mendelssohn Theatre, 1964
• Sirelli, Right You Are If You Think You Are, Association of Producing Artists Repertory, Phoenix Theatre, 1964
• Tartar, The Lower Depths, Association of Producing Artists Repertory, Phoenix Theatre, 1964
• Egon, Judith, Association of Producing Artists Repertory, Lydia Mendelssohn Theatre, 1964 , then Phoenix Theatre, 1965
• Napoleon Bonaparte, War and Peace, Association of Producing Artists Repertory, Lydia Mendelssohn Theatre, 1964 , then Phoenix Theatre, 1965
• Boris Kolenkhov, You Can't Take It with You, Association of Producing Artists Repertory, Lydia Mendelssohn Theatre, then Lyceum Theatre, New York City, 1965
• Guide, Herakles, Association of Producing Artists Repertory, LydiaMendelssohn Theatre, 1965
• Molvik, The Wild Duck, Association of Producing Artists Repertory,Lydia Mendelssohn Theatre, 1965
• Sirelli, Right You Are If You Think You Are, Lydia Mendelssohn Theatre, then Royal Alexandria Theatre, Toronto, Ontario, Canada, later Lyceum Theatre, 1966
• Sir Oliver Surface, The School for Scandal, Association of Producing Artists Repertory, Huntington Hartford Theatre, Hollywood, CA, 1966
• Boris Kolenkhov, You Can't Take It with You, Lyceum Theatre, then Lydia Mendelssohn Theatre, 1967
• Napoleon Bonaparte and Pierre, War and Peace, Lyceum Theatre, 1967
• Yepihodov, The Cherry Orchard, Royal Alexandria Theatre, then Lyceum Theatre, 1967
• Anarchist, Pantagleize, Huntington Hartford Theatre, 1967 , then Memorial Auditorium, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, later Royal AlexandriaTheatre, then Lyceum Theatre, 1968
• Alex, The Cocktail Party, Memorial Auditorium, Stanford University, later Royal Alexandria Theatre, then Lyceum Theatre, 1968
• Oronte, The Misanthrope, Royal Alexandria Theatre, then Lydia Mendelssohn Theatre, later Lyceum Theatre, 1968
• Colonel Mischa Oblenskyk, A Patriot for Me, National Theatre, Washington, DC, then Imperial Theatre, New York City, 1969
• Ned Buntline, Indians, Brooks Atkinson Theatre, New York City, 1969
• Player king, Hamlet, Lyceum Theatre, 1969
• Sergeant, Cock-a-Doodle Dandy, Lyceum Theatre, 1969
• Various roles, Collision Course, Pavilion, Pennsylvania State University, State College, PA, 1969
• Captain, Max, George Wague, and reporter, Colette, Ellen Stewart Theatre, New York City, 1970
• Napoleon III, Blood Red Roses, John Golden Theatre, New York City,1970
• Prince William of Hesse, Joseph Fouche, Lord Herries, and Prince Metternich, The Rothschilds, Fisher Theatre, Detroit, MI, then Forrest Theatre, Philadelphia, PA, then Lunt-Fontanne Theatre, New York City, 1970
• The Ride across Lake Constance, Forum Theatre, New York City, 1972
• Curtis Appleby, Night Watch, Morosco Theatre, New York City, 1972
• Death, Ratfink, Portfolio Theatre, New York City, 1972
• Dr. Isaacs, Via Galactica (also known as Via Galactica, a Musical of the Future), Uris Theatre, New York City, 1972
• Dr. Oates, Gudttman Ordinary Scale, John Drew Theatre, 1972
• Dr. Rance, What the Butler Saw, John Drew Theatre, 1972
• Inquisitor, Saint Joan, Ahmanson Theatre, Los Angeles, CA, 1974
• Life on a Limb, Elitch Gardens, Denver, CO, 1975
• Johnson, Too Much Johnson, Lake Forest, IL, 1975
• Joshua, Ring 'round the Moon, Ahmanson Theatre, 1975
• President Woodrow Wilson, President Wilson in Paris, Forum Lab Theatre, New York City, 1975
• Marquis, The Baker's Wife, Dorothy Chandler Pavilion, Los Angeles, CA, 1976
• The Middle Ages, Mark Taper Forum Laboratory, Los Angeles, CA, 1977
• Bert Challenor, Comedians, Mark Taper Forum, 1977
• Old actor, The Fantasticks, Dallas Music Hall, Dallas, TX, 1977
• Daddy Warbucks, Annie, Curran Theatre, San Francisco, CA, then Shubert Theatre, Los Angeles, CA, 1978
• Yugoslavian revolutionary, Division Street, Mark Taper Forum, 1980, then Ambassador Theatre, New York City, 1981
• Feste, Twelfth Night, Mark Taper Forum, 1981
• George Thunder, Wild Oats, Stratford Shakespearean Festival, Stratford, Ontario, Canada, 1981
• Gorky, Chekhov in Yalta, Mark Taper Forum, 1981
• Chandebise and Poche, A Flea in Her Ear, Mark Taper Forum, 1982
• Oronte, The Misanthrope, Mark Taper Forum, 1982
• Albin/Za Za, La cage aux folles, Palace Theatre, New York City, 1983
• Colonel Melkett, Black Comedy, Ahmanson Theatre, 1983
• Happy Birthday, Mr. Abbott! or Night of 100 Years, Palace Theatre,1987
• Bradley, The Cocktail Hour, Promenade Theatre, New York City, 1988-89 , then John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts, Washington, DC, 1989 , later Ahmanson Theatre, 1989
• Colonel Melkett, "Black Comedy," Black Comedy/White Liars (double-bill), Criterion Center Stage Right, Roundabout Theatre, New York City, 1993
• Leonato, Much Ado about Nothing, Old Globe Theatre, San Diego, CA,1995
• Appeared in A House Possessed, Henry Street Playhouse, New York City; also appeared in productions of the American Conservatory Theatre, San Francisco, CA, 1989-90.
• Major Tours
• Anarchist, Pantagleize, Canadian and U.S. cities, 1967
• Albin/Za Za, La cage aux folles, U.S. cities, 1985
• Stage Work
• Stage Manager, Unless Otherwise Noted
• The Dark Is Light Enough, American National Theatre and Academy, New York City, 1955
• Medea, Theatre de Sandra Bernhardt, Paris, France, 1955
• Four Winds, Cort Theatre, New York City, 1957
• Nude with Violin, Belasco Theatre, New York City, 1957
• The Firstborn, Coronet Theatre, 1958
• Present Laughter, Belasco Theatre, 1958
• Look after Lulu, Henry Miller's Theatre, New York City, 1959
• Much Ado about Nothing, Cambridge Drama Festival, Cambridge, MA, then Lunt-Fontanne Theatre, 1959
• Silent Night, Lonely Night, Morosco Theatre, 1959
• Twelfth Night, Boston Drama Festival, Boston, MA, 1959
• Director, Sweet of You to Say So, Lydia Mendelssohn Theatre, 1966
• Stage Manager, Unless Otherwise Noted; Major Tours
• Martha Graham's Dance Company, U.S. cities, 1949-50 , then European cities, 1954
• The Constant Wife, U.S. cities, 1953
• The Male Animal, U.S. cities, 1953
• Mrs. Patterson, U.S. cities, 1954
• General manager, Eleanor Steber World Tour, international cities,1956-57
• The Firstborn, Israeli cities, 1958
• Alvin Ailey-Carmen DeLavallade American Dance Company, Australianand far Eastern cities, 1962
• Also worked as the stage manager for productions of Katharine Cornell andGuthrie McClintock.
• Film Appearances
• Seyton and Lennox, Hamlet, Republic Pictures, 1947
• Steiner, Blade, Joseph Green Pictures, 1973
• Agent Bradfort, Wilton (a businessperson), and Hughes (a salesperson), The Wrong Damn Film, Carson Davidson, 1975
• Dr. Julius Lasse-Braun, Rabbit Test, Avco-Embassy, 1978
• Mr. Leonard, American Hot Wax, Paramount, 1978
• Oppenheim, Heaven Can Wait, Paramount, 1978
• Dr. Knitz, The Buddy System, Twentieth Century-Fox, 1984
• Principal Singleton, Lambada (also known as Il ballo proibito and L'originale erotic dance), Warner Bros., 1990
• Gus Hale, Sliver (also known as Sliver--Gier der Augen), Paramount, 1993
• Dwight D. Eisenhower, I.Q., Paramount, 1994
• Herbert Cadbury, Richie Rich's Christmas Wish (also known as Richie Rich: A Christmas Story), Warner Bros. Home Video, 1998
• Television Appearances
• Series
• Max Pomeroy, The Magician, NBC, 1973-74
• Voice characterization, Scooby and Scrappy-Doo (animated), ABC, 1979-80
• Mr. Cushing, One in a Million, ABC, 1980
• Narrator, The Space Stars (animated), NBC, 1981-82
• Voice characterization, The Smurfs (also known as Smurfs' Adventures), NBC, 1981-90
• Clifford Mundy, Amanda's (also known as Amanda's by theSea), ABC, 1983
• Elliott Klaben, Empire, CBS, 1984
• Voice characterization, The Adventures of Don Coyote and Sancho Panda (animated), syndicated, 1990-92
• John Alan Hill, Cheers, NBC, 1990-93
• Voice of The Pastmaster, Swat Kats: The Radical Squadron (also known as Swat Kats; animated), syndicated, 1993-94
• Also had a recurring role on Lou Grant, CBS.
• Movies
• John McCone, The Missiles of October, ABC, 1974
• Uri Lazlo, "The Cloning of Mr. Swimmer," ABC Movie of the Week, ABC, 1974
• Tom Estes, Stowaway to the Moon, CBS, 1975
• Mr. Undershaft, The Magnificent Magical Magnet of Santa Mesa (alsoknown as The Adventures of Freddy and Mr. Undershaft), NBC, 1977
• Mr. Kringelein, Gypsy, CBS, 1993
• Father Van Exem, Mother Teresa: In the Name of God's Poor (also known as In the Name of God's Poor and Mutter Teresa), The Family Channel, 1997
• Judge Handley, Legalese, TNT, 1998
• Specials
• Kiever, "Whirlwind," Benjamin Franklin, CBS, 1974
• Mayor Hebble Tyson, The Lady's Not for Burning, PBS, 1974
• Herbert, The Royal Family, 1977
• The Fantastic Funnies, 1980
• Gerald Tarent, Modesty Blaise, 1982
• Charles Hawthorne, There Goes the Neighborhood, 1983
• Episodic
• Colonel Wortman, "Iron Guts Kelly," M*A*S*H, CBS, 1974
• Dobbs Burke, "Bones of Contention," Hawaii Five-O, CBS, 1974
• Lowell Bates, The Karen Valentine Show (also known as Karen), ABC, 1974
• Vincent Gorden, "Killer at Sea," Hawaii Five-O, CBS, 1974
• "The Blunt Instrument," The Adventures of Ellery Queen, NBC, 1975
• Dr. Goodman, "The Over the Hill Gang," Sanford and Son, NBC, 1975
• "Fausta, the Nazi Wonder Woman," Wonder Woman, ABC, 1976
• "Tennis, Anyone?," The Jeffersons, CBS, 1976
• Sam, "The Quasar Kill," Cannon, CBS, 1976
• "No Deadly Secret," Quincy, M.E. (also known as Quincy), NBC, 1977
• "Sweepstakes Bums," The San Pedro Beach Bums, ABC, 1977
• "May the Source Be with YOU," Quark, NBC, 1978
• "The Movie," Struck by Lightning, CBS, 1979
• Dr. Todson, Three's Company, ABC, 1979
• Reverend Mayberry, "Just the Ten of Us," Eight Is Enough, ABC, 1979
• "He Flies through the Air," Foul Play, ABC, 1980
• Andrew Gainer, "Make Room for Daddy," Three's Company, ABC, 1981
• "Death in a Funny Position," Benson, ABC, 1982
• "Maybe Baby," Trapper John, M.D., CBS, 1982
• "Replay," Cassie and Company, NBC, 1982
• "The Crying Clown," Matt Houston, ABC, 1983
• "Words and Music," Boone, NBC, 1983
• Griffin, "K.I.T.T. the Cat," Knight Rider, NBC, 1983
• "Paddles Up," Partners in Crime, NBC, 1984
• "The Sufi Project," Whiz Kids, CBS, 1984
• Van Slyke, "Daydream Believer," The Wizard, CBS, 1987
• Mr. Klimmer, "Mac's Millions," Night Court, NBC, 1988
• "I Like You but...," Newhart, CBS, 1989
• Voice characterization, "A Most Excellent Roman Holiday," Bill and Ted's Excellent Adventures (animated), CBS, 1990
• Santa Claus, "A Walsh Family Christmas," Beverly Hills, 90210, Fox, 1991
• "High Tidings," Picket Fences, CBS, 1992
• Jerome Mueller, "Final Curtain," Murder, She Wrote, CBS, 1992
• "Close Encounters of the Worst Kind," Coach, ABC, 1994
• Lou Bond, "A House Divided," Full House, ABC, 1994
• "A Day in the Strife," Babylon 5, syndicated, 1995
• "Happily Ever After," The Client (also known as John Grisham's The Client), CBS, 1995
• "Potato Boys," American Gothic, CBS, 1995
• Dr. Green, "Sisyphus, Prometheus, and Me," Hope and Gloria, NBC, 1995
• The Jeff Foxworthy Show, NBC, 1996
• "Driving Lessons," Brotherly Love, The WB, 1996
• Mr. Davies, "Caroline and the Gift," Caroline in the City, NBC, 1996
• Narrator, Sex and the Silver Screen, Showtime, 1996
• Old man, "Sacred Ground," Star Trek: Voyager, UPN, 1996
• Pastor Lindemann, "There Is No Scientific Name for a Show about God," The Drew Carey Show, ABC, 1996
• Voice characterization, "Compassion," Adventures from the Book of Virtues (animated), PBS, 1996
• William B. Caldwell, "Ordinary People," Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman (also known as Lois and Clark and The New Adventures of Superman), ABC, 1996
• William B. Caldwell, "Twas the Night before Mxymas," Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman (also known as Lois and Clark and The New Adventures of Superman), ABC, 1996
• Brent Nicholson, "The Errand Girl," Ned and Stacey, Fox, 1997
• Ernest Littlefield, "The Torment of Tantalus," Stargate SG-1, Showtime, 1997
• Judge Johnson Hawk, "The Dirty Joke," Ally McBeal, Fox, 1997
• Judge Johnson Hawk, "One Hundred Tears Away," Ally McBeal, Fox, 1997
• Mr. Klug (Jonathan's boss), The Single Guy, NBC, 1997
• Norman, "My Dinner with Andrew," Touched by an Angel, CBS, 1997
• Pastor Lindemann, "Volunteer," The Drew Carey Show, ABC, 1997
• Potter Stevens, "Gift of Jami," Men Behaving Badly, NBC, 1997
• Wheeler, Sr., Cracker, ABC, 1997
• "Empty Shoes," Party of Five, Fox, 1998
• Mr. Fenigor, "Bank," The Pretender, NBC, 1998
• Mr. Fenigor, "Bloodlines" (parts one and two), The Pretender, NBC,1998
• Judge Johnson Hawk, "The Dirty Joke," Ally, Fox, 1999
• Judge Johnson Hawk, "One Hundred Tears Away," Ally, Fox, 1999
• Appeared in the episodes "Homemade Murder" and "With This Hart I Thee Wed," both Hart to Hart, ABC; also contributed a voice characterization to "The Invasion of the Booby Hatchers," Laverne and Shirley (animated), ABC.
• Pilots
• Max Pomeroy, The Magician, NBC, 1973
• Dr. William Scott, Strange New World, ABC, 1975
• Jordan Harrower, Unit 4, 1981

Further Reference

OTHER SOURCES

Periodicals:

• Back Stage, September 3, 1993, pp. 5-6.