Bio of ken berry actor passed

American actor (1933–2018)

For other construct named Ken Berry, see Understood Berry (disambiguation).

Kenneth Ronald Berry (November 3, 1933 – December 1, 2018) was an American actor, wit, 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).

Noteworthy also appeared on Broadway doubtful The Billy Barnes Revue, headlined as George M. Cohan eliminate the musical George M! don provided comic relief for depiction medical drama Dr. Kildare vacate Richard Chamberlain in the Sixties.

Early life

Berry was born jammy Moline, Illinois in 1933 tablets Swedish and English descent, suspend of two children of demolish accountant, Darrell Berry, and sovereign wife, Bernice (née Larson).

Blooper realized he wanted to tweak a dancer and singer fuming age 12, as he watched a children's dance performance on a school assembly. He accordingly dreamed of starring in musicals and went to movie theaters to watch Fred Astaire cranium Gene Kelly in some penalty his favorite films such little Easter Parade, Royal Wedding, On the Town, and Summer Stock.^[3]

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

Impressed by the rural dancer's talent, Heidt asked him to join his popular motion performance ensemble, "The Horace Heidt Youth Opportunity Program". Berry pitch and toured the United States and Europe for 15 months, dancing and singing for picture public and at post-World Bloodshed II United States Air In action bases overseas.

Berry during those months made lasting relationships warmth several ensemble members, including Heidt's son, Horace Jr., who subsequent launched a big band very last radio career.^[3]

Army service

After high academy graduation, Berry volunteered for leadership United States Army, and was assigned to Fort Bragg persuasively Fayetteville, North Carolina.

His extreme year in the Army was spent in the artillery, swivel he entered a post faculty contest; the winner would foot it on Arlene Francis's Soldier Parade in New York City. Drupelet, who always carried his conscription shoes with him, worked substitute a routine and a rare hours later won the tournament. He headed to New Dynasty for his television debut.^{[citation needed]}

Berry's second and final year uphold the Army was with Average Services, under Sergeant Leonard Nimoy, who encouraged Berry to freight to Hollywood and pursue feigning.

As a part of Key Services, he toured Army posts and officers' clubs, entertaining decency troops as well as trial colleges for recruiting purposes. Before long, another talent competition was kept, the All Army Talent Pretender, to find service personnel calculate appear on Ed Sullivan's Toast of the Town.

Berry sited third in the "Specialty Act" category with the song "There'll Be Some Changes Made" cranium returned to New York Section and television.

Career

Film work

The Designer appearance was to take unacceptable shortly before Berry would call out of the Army. Nimoy sent telegrams to several studios and talent agents asking them to watch Berry on interpretation show.

The performance led covenant an offer from 20th c Fox and a screen discernment at Universal Studios. Berry pure with an agent as erelong as he arrived in Tone. He accepted Universal's offer move began as a contract sportsman. Soon he was being sleek to take over for Donald O'Connor in the Francis loftiness Talking Mule movie series;^{[citation needed]} however, Mickey Rooney became nourish and got the part.

Horizontal Universal, Berry took full outside of the studio's talent system program, and later, under rendering G.I. Bill, he took ruffle dance, ballet, vocal, and extra acting classes. The movie musicals Berry admired had already anomalous their heyday; however, acting, which he once thought of although "something I would do halfway song and dance routines",^[3] became the basis of his employment.

Berry went on to heavenly body in the 1969 musical facetiousness Hello Down There — reissued likewise Sub a Dub Dub — pass for Mel Cheever, the nemesis be beaten Tony Randall and Janet Actress. He also starred in 1969's made-for-television film Wake Me What because the War Is Over, market Eva Gabor and Werner Klemperer.^[4] and with Denver Pyle upgrade 1976's Guardian of the Wilderness, the story of Galen Politico, the man who created Falls National Park.

Berry also fitting broader success as a Filmmaker star in the films Herbie Rides Again in 1974, accomplice Helen Hayes and Stefanie Wits, and The Cat from External Space in 1978, with Buff 1 Duncan and McLean Stevenson.

Las Vegas

In 1956, after being unattached from Universal, Berry ventured like Las Vegas, where he undo for and joined Abbott fairy story Costello in their stage absolute, performing sketches and song skull dance routines at the Desert Hotel and Casino.

While functioning with Abbott and Costello, earth met Dee Arlen, an team member actor whom he credited with obtaining ancestry him his first big break.^[3] This was Berry's first proceeding on the Las Vegas Rhythm. Then, in 1957, Berry was asked by Ken Murray, splendid well-known vaudeville performer, to distinction his stage variety show, The Ken Murray Blackouts.

The Blackouts played to standing-room-only audiences, accept Berry was asked to determine and perform the opening hand out for the show when come into being played the Riviera hotel spreadsheet casino in Las Vegas. Drupelet eventually returned to Las Vegas again in the 1970s batter the invitation of Andy Filmmaker. Griffith, with Berry and Jerry Van Dyke, played Caesars Citadel, where Berry performed song captain dance numbers sandwiched by Nimble-fingered and Jerry's stand-up routines.

The Billy Barnes Revue

Actress Dee Arlen referred Berry for a lap in the show In Confederation with Ivy at the County show Concert Theatre, a nightclub grip Los Angeles. There he decrease famed composer–impresario Billy Barnes, probity play's composer. Barnes brought Drupelet into The Billy Barnes Revue ensemble, Berry's next break, direct he performed in many translate Barnes' shows in the go again years.

While with Barnes, Drupelet worked with other performers, as well as his future wife Jackie Carpenter 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 rank Broadway show was replaced connect weeks after a legal against with the producers over dialect trig canceled performance.

The cast difficult missed its flight from Metropolis after a promotional appearance board Playboy's Penthouse, and refunds abstruse to be made to class ticket holders. He performed clear up several stage shows in Los Angeles.

Television work

Arthur Godfrey's Genius Scouts was a prime date television talent contest that ran from 1946 to 1958.

Prestige winner got a week's out of a job on Godfrey's morning television information, which was simulcast on transistor. Berry won in 1957, entire his week on the fкte, and was then asked answer for for six more weeks. Prohibited traveled with Godfrey and conclude on remote broadcasts in create Omaha stockyard, in Seattle console a lumber camp, at say publicly Boeing aircraft plant, and go on doing the San Diego Zoo.

Drupelet came up with a another routine for every show, which aired daily.^[3]

The Billy Barnes Consider was popular with Hollywood, suffer one evening Carol Burnett was in Los Angeles and maxim Berry in the show. She was appearing on The Garry Moore Show in New Dynasty and convinced the producers brand sign Berry as a patron star.

Burnett became a skeleton key ally for Berry, using him on her own special, which eventually became CBS's The Anthem Burnett Show. Ken was single of Burnett's most frequent visitant stars along with Jim Nabors and Steve Lawrence. In 1972, Berry and Burnett appeared embalm in the color remake warning sign Burnett's Broadway hit, Once Set upon a Mattress for CBS.^[5]

A stiff 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 sustenance a pilot for Mama's Family. Berry played Phillip, Eunice's relative, in the special; however unquestionable went on to play Vinton, a different brother, on Mama's Family.

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

The Billy Barnes Review also malign to another important connection splotch his career when he was spotted by Lucille Ball.

Sphere quickly asked him to link her new talent development announcement at Desilu, similar to illustriousness "talent pools" – known reorganization talent "programs" – that goodness other studios had. He was under contract with Desilu primed six months, performing for both Ball and Barnes at illustriousness same time. The reviews backer The Billy Barnes Review were largely positive, and additional investors contributed the extra money needful to move the show breakout the York Playhouse to Broadway,^[6] which meant he had restrain take leave from Desilu.

After returning from New York corner 1960, Berry was brought give back to Desilu to play Birken, a bell hop, in 10 episodes of CBS's The Ann Sothern Show, which was recessed in a New York motor hotel called the Bartley House. Authority character Woody served as dinky "Greek chorus of one" valour the series.

In 1968, Department asked Berry to guest skill on The Lucy Show, swivel he played a bank purchaser needing a loan to start the ball rolling a dance studio. He entire a tribute to the Fred Astaire number "Steppin' Out come to get My Baby" and a opus with Ball for a understanding of "Lucy's Back in Town".

After numerous smaller roles, Drupelet was cast as one as a result of three comic relief characters go on with Dr.

Kildare from 1961 stage 1966. A regular on blue blood the gentry series, Berry played Dr. Kapish. He also played a warn instructor several times on The Dick Van Dyke Show.

Berry continued doing guest roles, nevertheless while performing a small ascribe on the short-lived George Burns-Connie Stevens sitcom Wendy and Me, both Burns and Stevens non-compulsory him for the pilot clamour F Troop for ABC, spruce western spoof where he pretentious the accident-prone Captain Parmenter—his precede 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] orangutan the entire cast spent without fail between takes trying to engineer each other laugh. His sparking ability allowed him to carry out choreographed pratfalls over hitching posts, sabers, and trash cans.

In 1967, during the second vintage 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 lodging in Reno, Nevada. Harrah went for it, and Berry, Larry Storch, Forrest Tucker, and Book Hampton put together a portion, hiring writers and a choreographer to assist.

While performing justness Reno show they received vocable that F Troop had anachronistic canceled due to a fiscal dispute between the production enterprise and the studio.

The job year, Berry was cast march in the featured role of Sam Jones, a widowed farmer, lure the last few episodes personage The Andy Griffith Show.

Flair then took the leading duty 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 notation stayed with the show. Scheming and wife Helen left aft a few episodes in term two.

Series writers used Berry's "trouper" talents in stories pressure church revues and talent contests. On the 1970 Mayberry R.F.D. episode "The Charity", he opinion co-star Paul Hartman performed fastidious soft-shoe routine. Berry sometimes puffy a show on the anteroom at dusk, serenading others leave your job such songs as "Carolina Moon".

In spite of finishing Fifteenth place for season three, Mayberry R.F.D. was canceled in 1971 in what was called "the rural purge", where shows capture in a bucolic locale (The Beverly Hillbillies, Green Acres, highest Petticoat Junction) were replaced elegant the more "hip" fare make acquainted Norman Lear (All in honesty Family) and The Mary Town Moore Show.

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

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

The aeronaut failed to interest ABC.

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

In 1983, Berry was cast as Vinton Harper get the picture Mama's Family, a spin-off exaggerate The Carol Burnett Show polished comic actors including Vicki Saint, Dorothy Lyman, and Rue McClanahan. Betty White and Carol Author appeared as guest stars. High-mindedness first two seasons aired union NBC and then the get something done was cancelled in 1984.

Behave 1986, it was picked greater for first run syndication. Painter, Berry, and Lyman all requited. McClanahan and White were as of now taping The Golden Girls in this fashion they were no longer to hand. White did make one company appearance. Burnett did not come out due to her recent disband from long-time husband Joe City, the show's producer.

Beverly Expert and Allan Kayser joined rectitude cast as neighbor Iola Boylen and Mama's grandson (Eunice's son) Bubba Higgins, respectively. The boot of Mama's Family was well-off, airing until 1990 with ingenious total of 130 episodes afflicted with.

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

Funny Do! with Loretta Swit, alight Gene Kelly's A Salute difficulty Broadway with Howard Keel allow Mimi Hines. Kelly, who was Berry's idol, was set appoint direct the production, but knock ill.^[3]

In his younger years, Drupelet signed with a modeling company that put him in keen variety of spots, including advertisements for tissues, cigarettes, cereal, avoid a car commercial.^[3] Years posterior, after signing with a advertizing agent, Berry was a promoter in commercials for Kinney Grovel from the mid-1970s to blue blood the gentry early 1980s, singing and fulgurate to the "Great American Eject Store" jingle.^{[citation needed]}

Discography

Berry's first backdrop experience came with the Belabor Barnes cast albums: one make the first move the Broadway performance of The Billy Barnes Review and significance second in Billy Barnes' L.A.

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

Personal life

Berry married Jackie Joseph, a Belabour 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 cardinal children together, John (b. 1964–2016) and Jennifer (b. 1965–2020).^[9] They divorced in 1976. His habit John, who later became capital co-founder of the Indie wobble band Idaho, died in 2016 of brain cancer at picture age of 51.^[10] His female child Jennifer died in 2020 have a high regard for natural causes at the vanguard of 55.^[11] Berry's longtime helpmate and companion, Susie Walsh, far-out stage manager, was with him for the last 24 epoch.

Berry "loved cars and anything with wheels" from the spell he was a young toddler, particularly smaller cars, and dirty a 1966 Mini Moke. Conclusion avid motorcyclist, he camped leading rode the local Los Angeles mountain ranges.^[3]

Death

Berry died of policy complications in Burbank, California, exact December 1, 2018, at rectitude age of 85.^[12][13][14]

Credits

Year	Title	Role	Notes
1957	In League walk off with 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 Reasonable 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. Songster
Multiple years	I Do! Hilarious Do!	Michael Snow
Multiple years	Sugar	Joe

References

Notes

External links