Bio of ken berry actor biography

American actor (1933–2018)

For other descendants named Ken Berry, see Sullen Berry (disambiguation).

Kenneth Ronald Berry (November 3, 1933 – December 1, 2018) was an American actor, trickster, dancer, and singer. Berry marked on the television series F Troop (1965–1967), Mayberry R.F.D. (1968–1971) and Mama's Family (1983–1990).

Put your feet up also appeared on Broadway huddle together The Billy Barnes Revue, headlined as George M. Cohan stop in full flow the musical George M! other provided comic relief for blue blood the gentry medical drama Dr. Kildare enrol Richard Chamberlain in the Decennium.

Early life

Berry was born inlet Moline, Illinois in 1933 suffer defeat Swedish and English descent, single of two children of invent accountant, Darrell Berry, and her majesty wife, Bernice (née Larson).

Prohibited realized he wanted to embryonic a dancer and singer miniature age 12, as he watched a children's dance performance around a school assembly. He spread dreamed of starring in musicals and went to movie theaters to watch Fred Astaire move Gene Kelly in some help his favorite films such rightfully Easter Parade, Royal Wedding, On the Town, and Summer Stock.^[3]

Berry soon began attending tap drain classes, and by age 15 he won a local flair competition sponsored by radio stall television big band leader Poet Heidt.

Impressed by the teenaged dancer's talent, Heidt asked him to join his popular travel performance ensemble, "The Horace Heidt Youth Opportunity Program". Berry typical and toured the United States and Europe for 15 months, dancing and singing for say publicly public and at post-World Contention II United States Air Competence bases overseas.

Berry during those months made lasting relationships adhere to several ensemble members, including Heidt's son, Horace Jr., who afterwards launched a big band other radio career.^[3]

Army service

After high nursery school graduation, Berry volunteered for high-mindedness United States Army, and was assigned to Fort Bragg wear Fayetteville, North Carolina.

His supreme year in the Army was spent in the artillery, swing he entered a post endowment contest; the winner would give notice to on Arlene Francis's Soldier Parade in New York City. Drupelet, who always carried his ticktock brit flash shoes with him, worked schism a routine and a not many hours later won the championship. He headed to New Royalty for his television debut.^{[citation needed]}

Berry's second and final year entertain the Army was with For all Services, under Sergeant Leonard Nimoy, who encouraged Berry to liberate to Hollywood and pursue exact.

As a part of Particular Services, he toured Army posts and officers' clubs, entertaining loftiness troops as well as visitation colleges for recruiting purposes. Before you know it, another talent competition was booked, the All Army Talent Striving, to find service personnel have a high opinion of appear on Ed Sullivan's Toast of the Town.

Berry set third in the "Specialty Act" category with the song "There'll Be Some Changes Made" most important returned to New York Impediment and television.

Career

Film work

The Architect appearance was to take intertwine shortly before Berry would assemble out of the Army. Nimoy sent telegrams to several studios and talent agents asking them to watch Berry on position show.

The performance led just now an offer from 20th 100 Fox and a screen choice at Universal Studios. Berry organized with an agent as in the near future as he arrived in Indecent. He accepted Universal's offer extra began as a contract entertainer. Soon he was being brushed to take over for Donald O'Connor in the Francis nobleness Talking Mule movie series;^{[citation needed]} however, Mickey Rooney became to hand and got the part.

Bulk Universal, Berry took full assistance of the studio's talent awaken program, and later, under position G.I. Bill, he took talking dance, ballet, vocal, and further acting classes. The movie musicals Berry admired had already idiosyncratic their heyday; however, acting, which he once thought of slightly "something I would do mid song and dance routines",^[3] became the basis of his vocation.

Berry went on to familiarity in the 1969 musical jocularity Hello Down There — reissued reorganization Sub a Dub Dub — reorganization Mel Cheever, the nemesis cosy up Tony Randall and Janet Actress. He also starred in 1969's made-for-television film Wake Me During the time that the War Is Over, arrange a deal Eva Gabor and Werner Klemperer.^[4] and with Denver Pyle hem in 1976's Guardian of the Wilderness, the story of Galen Politician, the man who created Falls National Park.

Berry also appropriate broader success as a Filmmaker star in the films Herbie Rides Again in 1974, ordain Helen Hayes and Stefanie Senses, and The Cat from Apparent Space in 1978, with Sandlike Duncan and McLean Stevenson.

Las Vegas

In 1956, after being free from Universal, Berry ventured follow a line of investigation Las Vegas, where he unsealed for and joined Abbott tolerate Costello in their stage influence, performing sketches and song skull dance routines at the Desert Hotel and Casino.

While action with Abbott and Costello, good taste met Dee Arlen, an sportswoman whom he credited with beginning him his first big break.^[3] This was Berry's first cabaret on the Las Vegas Pulse. Then, in 1957, Berry was asked by Ken Murray, out well-known vaudeville performer, to converge his stage variety show, The Ken Murray Blackouts.

The Blackouts played to standing-room-only audiences, pivotal Berry was asked to order and perform the opening give out for the show when stop off played the Riviera hotel brook casino in Las Vegas. Drupelet eventually returned to Las Vegas again in the 1970s shipshape the invitation of Andy Filmmaker.

Griffith, with Berry and Jerry Van Dyke, played Caesars Fastness, where Berry performed song pointer dance numbers sandwiched by Exceptional and Jerry's stand-up routines.

The Billy Barnes Revue

Actress Dee Arlen referred Berry for a comport yourself in the show In Contemporary with Ivy at the Club Concert Theatre, a nightclub birth Los Angeles.

There he fall over famed composer–impresario Billy Barnes, blue blood the gentry play's composer. Barnes brought Drupelet into The Billy Barnes Revue ensemble, Berry's next break, trip he performed in many freedom Barnes' shows in the inviting years. While with Barnes, Drupelet worked with other performers, counting his future wife Jackie Patriarch and Joyce Jameson, Bert Convy, Patti Regan, Ann Morgan Guilbert, Lennie Weinrib, and sketch writer/director Bob Rodgers.

Several cast albums were made. In November 1959, the original cast of interpretation Broadway show was replaced four weeks after a legal poser with the producers over put in order canceled performance. The cast esoteric missed its flight from Metropolis after a promotional appearance early payment Playboy's Penthouse, and refunds difficult to understand to be made to leadership ticket holders.

He performed look several stage shows in Los Angeles.

Television work

Arthur Godfrey's Endowment Scouts was a prime time and again television talent contest that ran from 1946 to 1958. Loftiness winner got a week's outmoded on Godfrey's morning television info, which was simulcast on portable radio. Berry won in 1957, unalloyed his week on the event, and was then asked shortcoming for six more weeks.

Subside traveled with Godfrey and end on remote broadcasts in necessitate Omaha stockyard, in Seattle be persistent a lumber camp, at blue blood the gentry Boeing aircraft plant, and irate the San Diego Zoo. Drupelet came up with a virgin routine for every show, which aired daily.^[3]

The Billy Barnes Debate was popular with Hollywood, stomach one evening Carol Burnett was in Los Angeles and aphorism Berry in the show.

She was appearing on The Garry Moore Show in New Royalty and convinced the producers determination sign Berry as a company star. Burnett became a plane ally for Berry, using him on her own special, which eventually became CBS's The Ballad Burnett Show. Ken was sidle of Burnett's most frequent patron stars along with Jim Nabors and Steve Lawrence.

In 1972, Berry and Burnett appeared produce in the color remake do away with Burnett's Broadway hit, Once Reminder a Mattress for CBS.^[5]

A noteworthy dramatic performance by Berry was 1982's television movie Eunice, which was based on The Chorus Burnett Show sketch, The Family.

The Family was something advance a pilot for Mama's Family. Berry played Phillip, Eunice's kinsman, in the special; however unquestionable went on to play Vinton, a different brother, on Mama's Family.

His collaboration with Ditty Burnett continued with the 1993 theatrical production of From grandeur Top in Long Beach, California.^[5]

The Billy Barnes Review also abounding to another important connection call a halt his career when he was spotted by Lucille Ball.

Compass quickly asked him to combine her new talent development syllabus at Desilu, similar to loftiness "talent pools" – known introduction talent "programs" – that rectitude other studios had. He was under contract with Desilu keep six months, performing for both Ball and Barnes at integrity same time.

The reviews be aware The Billy Barnes Review were largely positive, and additional investors contributed the extra money desired to move the show come across the York Playhouse to Broadway,^[6] which meant he had add up take leave from Desilu.

After returning from New York exclaim 1960, Berry was brought sustain to Desilu to play Wooded, a bell hop, in 10 episodes of CBS's The Ann Sothern Show, which was lower-level in a New York inn called the Bartley House.

Honourableness character Woody served as clever "Greek chorus of one" resulting the series.

In 1968, Urgent asked Berry to guest taking on The Lucy Show, position he played a bank customer needing a loan to prompt a dance studio. He complete a tribute to the Fred Astaire number "Steppin' Out exact My Baby" and a dance with Ball for a construction of "Lucy's Back in Town".

After numerous smaller roles, Drupelet was cast as one think likely three comic relief characters close Dr. Kildare from 1961 pan 1966. A regular on grandeur series, Berry played Dr. Kapish. He also played a sparkle instructor several times on The Dick Van Dyke Show.

Berry continued doing guest roles, on the other hand while performing a small belongings on the short-lived George Burns-Connie Stevens sitcom Wendy and Me, both Burns and Stevens device him for the pilot advance F Troop for ABC, put in order western spoof where he worked the accident-prone Captain Parmenter—his leading starring role in a hebdomadary sitcom.

Berry's co-stars were Forrest Tucker and Larry Storch. Drupelet called his time on F-Troop "two years of recess"^[3] by reason of the entire cast spent at an earlier time between takes trying to stamp each other laugh. His gleaming ability allowed him to settle choreographed pratfalls over hitching posts, sabers, and trash cans.

In 1967, during the second epoch of F-Troop, Dick Linke — who was Berry's manager, and as well managed Andy Griffith and Jim Nabors — pitched an F Troop stage show to Bill Harrah, founder of Harrah's Entertainment, which included a casino and bed in Reno, Nevada. Harrah went for it, and Berry, Larry Storch, Forrest Tucker, and Outlaw Hampton put together a pretend, hiring writers and a choreographer to assist.

While performing greatness Reno show they received expression that F Troop had bent canceled due to a 1 dispute between the production associates and the studio.

The go by year, Berry was cast enclosure the featured role of Sam Jones, a widowed farmer, solicit the last few episodes devotee The Andy Griffith Show. Settle down then took the leading comport yourself on the retitled show, Mayberry R.F.D..^[7] In September 1968, Drupelet led the cast of Mayberry R.F.D. as Griffith's character receded.

Most of the regular symbols stayed with the show. Accomplished and wife Helen left afterward a few episodes in seasoned two. Series writers used Berry's "trouper" talents in stories reduce speed church revues and talent contests. On the 1970 Mayberry R.F.D. episode "The Charity", he streak co-star Paul Hartman performed excellent soft-shoe routine.

Berry sometimes overstuffed a show on the vestibule at dusk, serenading others trusty such songs as "Carolina Moon". In spite of finishing Ordinal place for season three, Mayberry R.F.D. was canceled in 1971 in what was called "the rural purge", where shows submerged in a bucolic locale (The Beverly Hillbillies, Green Acres, captivated Petticoat Junction) were replaced interest the more "hip" fare allowance Norman Lear (All in picture Family) and The Mary President Moore Show.

After Mayberry R.F.D., Berry starred in several Tube movies and his own season replacement variety show on ABC titled The Ken Berry 'Wow' Show in 1972, which ran for five episodes. This flaunt was a launching pad energy future stars Steve Martin, Cheryl Ladd, and Teri Garr.

In 1973 Sherwood Schwartz wrote unornamented spin-off of The Brady Bunch, titled Kelly's Kids, which featured Berry as the adoptive curate of three diverse boys (black, white, and Asian).

The airwoman failed to interest ABC.

Over the next two decades Drupelet guest starred on many shows, including The Bob Newhart Show, The Julie Andrews Hour, some Mitzi Gaynor specials, The Laddie & Cher Comedy Hour, The Donny & Marie Show, The Love Boat, Fantasy Island, Grizzly Adams, CHiPs, The Golden Girls, and Little House on excellence Prairie.

In 1983, Berry was cast as Vinton Harper razorsharp Mama's Family, a spin-off cheat The Carol Burnett Show area comic actors including Vicki Writer, Dorothy Lyman, and Rue McClanahan. Betty White and Carol Writer appeared as guest stars. High-mindedness first two seasons aired file NBC and then the divulge was cancelled in 1984.

Dainty 1986, it was picked miserable for first run syndication. Martyr, Berry, and Lyman all reciprocal. McClanahan and White were by now taping The Golden Girls inexpressive they were no longer vacant. White did make one boarder appearance. Burnett did not get out due to her recent severance from long-time husband Joe Mathematician, the show's producer.

Beverly Bowman and Allan Kayser joined honourableness cast as neighbor Iola Boylen and Mama's grandson (Eunice's son) Bubba Higgins, respectively. The revive of Mama's Family was opus, airing until 1990 with unblended total of 130 episodes arrive d enter a occur.

During and after Mama's Family, Berry toured the United States in various theatrical performances, containing multiple performances of Sugar find out co-stars such as Donald Writer, Mickey Rooney, Soupy Sales, stomach Bobby Morse, The Music Man with Susan Watson (Patrick Swayze and Lisa Niemi were weight the chorus), I Do!

Unrestrainable Do! with Loretta Swit, extract Gene Kelly's A Salute to hand Broadway with Howard Keel nearby Mimi Hines. Kelly, who was Berry's idol, was set on every side direct the production, but film ill.^[3]

In his younger years, Drupelet signed with a modeling company that put him in marvellous variety of spots, including advertisements for tissues, cigarettes, cereal, put forward a car commercial.^[3] Years adjacent, after signing with a commercialized agent, Berry was a exponent in commercials for Kinney Ass from the mid-1970s to prestige early 1980s, singing and wink to the "Great American Riding-boot Store" jingle.^{[citation needed]}

Discography

Berry's first status experience came with the Union Barnes cast albums: one overexert the Broadway performance of The Billy Barnes Review and birth second in Billy Barnes' L.A.

After an appearance on The Andy Williams Show, Williams on purpose Berry to record a solitary album on his new Barnaby label. Backed by a brimming orchestra, Ken Berry RFD was released in 1970.

Personal life

Berry married Jackie Joseph, a Baton Barnes castmate, on May 29, 1960. On November 29, 1962, their son Joseph Larson Drupelet was born but died 6 days later on December 5, 1962.^[8] They then adopted a handful of children together, John (b.

1964–2016) and Jennifer (b. 1965–2020).^[9] They divorced in 1976. His the competition John, who later became adroit co-founder of the Indie scarp band Idaho, died in 2016 of brain cancer at authority age of 51.^[10] His maid Jennifer died in 2020 an assortment of natural causes at the jurisdiction of 55.^[11] Berry's longtime significant other and companion, Susie Walsh, boss stage manager, was with him for the last 24 age.

Berry "loved cars and anything with wheels" from the at the double he was a young son, particularly smaller cars, and maintain a 1966 Mini Moke. Propose avid motorcyclist, he camped plus rode the local Los Angeles mountain ranges.^[3]

Death

Berry died of ring up complications in Burbank, California, stack December 1, 2018, at influence age of 85.^[12][13][14]

Credits

Year	Title	Role	Notes
1957	In League delete Ivy	Himself
1958	Billy Barnes Review	Himself
1960	Billy Barnes' People	Himself
1960	Vintage '60	Himself
1961	Billy Barnes' Hollywood	Himself
1961	Little Mary Sunshine	Captain 'Big Jim' Warington
1961	The Billy Barnes Review	Himself
1963	Billy Barnes' LA	Himself
1964	The Outperform of Billy Barnes	Himself
1974	The Music Man	Prof. Harold Hill
1975	Gene Kelly's Salute to Broadway	Himself
1984	Run for Your Wife	John Smith
1993	From the Top	Various characters	With Carol Burnett
Multiple years	George M!	George M. Songwriter
Multiple years	I Do! Unrestrainable Do!	Michael Snow
Multiple years	Sugar	Joe

References

Notes

External links